"Sister!" Came a panicked plea in a voice that commanded the authority of royalty. Convenient as that was because the voice came for one who was indeed royalty.
Princess Luna, canvasser of the night sky and commander of the moon, burst forth into her sisters royal bed chambers, in a quite uncouth manner.
"My goodness!" Princess Celestia cried out, wild eyed and disturbed by suddenly being pulled from her slumber. When her gaze landed on her sister she simply shook her head. "Not this again." but her words fell on deaf ears.
"Sister thou must come, I beckon thee! Observe the night sky and see for thy self!"
The dark sapphire blue alicorn stood before her sister, breathing erratically and a panicked look in her cyan eyes. Celestia chose to roll her eyes and mumble about the sanctity of her beauty sleep, while she begrudgingly climbed out of her bed.
"We must make haste! Come, sister!"
"Luna..."
"Come, come!" Luna continued to beckon her sister towards her room and castle observatory.
The still disgruntled Princess of the sun stood, lethargically in the middle of her sisters room, her sister running around the room mumbling about star crossing and planets colliding.
Celestia was at her wits end.
"Luna! Tell me what this is about now!" She demanded stomping a hoof. This was the third night her sister had woken her up, ranting about stars.
Shocked by her sisters sudden outburst Luna came to an abrupt halt. She carefully watched here sister and chose her words.
"The stars, they are telling me this world is due for an early end."
Celestia resisted the urge to roll her eyes once more.
"What makes you think this world is going to end?" Celestia began to peer at her sister. Was she going insane? How could what she saw in the stars tell her this? Unless an asteroid was heading straight for the planet she doubted her sisters worries were valid. It had been quite some time since Luna was released form Nightmare Moon's influence and will she was making progress reintegrating with the locals she had a few minor set backs, one of such was an initially curious attempt to decipher meaning from the night skies. An old mare who told fortunes to the local young mentioned to Luna that she could divine meaning from celestial movements and gifted to her a book.
Celestia was happy her sister was trying new things but after some time it seemed her predictions were nothing but the result of zealousness. None of Luna's predictions had come to occur.
"Sister, the book-"
"No, I am done here. If you wish to continue to pursue this ridiculous... hobby, for lack of a better word, then so be it, but wake me no more in the middle of the night over this stupor-stition." Celestia told her sister, coldly mixing a distasteful pun. She instantly regretted being so snide and knew she would have to apologize.
Deflated her sister shuffled her feet, as she made her way across the room to her desk. Using magic to levitate a quill she began to write notes.
"I'm sorry I disturbed thee, I apologize. I beg thee, take thy leave." Luna told her sister morosely.
"Luna, I didn't mean to be so disrespectful." Celestia made to apologize.
A deep blue magical aurora enveloped the door and pushed it open slightly.
"Please sister. Leave me to my stupor."
If one took this moment to peer through the telescope in Luna's room they would see two blink out of existence, some millions of light years away.
Luna had not slept, she would sleep later, but now she was on a task of the utmost importance. For the last week she had been chronicling movements in the night skies. It was on the seventh night the fate of her world was made apparent to her.
Six, quite unusually precise, sets of information had been made apparent to her. She knew out in Equestria there were six ponies that she needed the help of. Twilight Sparkle and her friends were not those she sought. As powerful as they were Luna felt they were no match for what lied ahead.
With freshly packed saddle bags lying across her back Luna pushed a note under her sisters door and took flight out of the nearest window. She knew not where she needed to go, but she felt drawn to a particular quiet and humble town that one could see from any tower in Canterlot. Perhaps the diligent student that was her sisters pupil, Twilight Sparkle could offer some insight.
Twilight Sparkle had just awoken. She had slept well and could hear Spike scuttling around in the kitchen, no doubt preparing them breakfast. She beamed at the thought of how well she was raising him. She laid back, intending to rest for just a few more moments. She closed her eyes and began humming to herself.
There was a knock at the door, followed by the sounds of a dragon's feet moving to welcome the visitor.
"Princess?"
Twilight had not heard the rest of Spike's words, in a flash she was up. Magically brushing her hair and teeth as she tried to prepare for the Princess. She made for the stairs while attempting to put away the brushes, she instead tumbled down the stairs, brushes landing on top of her.
Spike could not refrain from laughing as he made to help his sister. Twilight grumbled to herself but the moment she locked eyes with Princess Luna she remembered why she was in such a rush.
Bounding to her feet Twilight began to shower the Princess in pleasantries.
"Princess Luna! How are you? What brings you to my humble abode?" Twilight bowed low, Luna shuffled her feet.
"Please Twilight, just Lun-" Luna, who was keeping conscious of using a more acceptable tone and speaking quiet quietly, was cut off by an oblivious Twilight.
"Oh are you hungry!? Spike was just preparing breakfast!" Twilight turned to Spike "Set the table for three,"
"Twilight.."
"Oh my! You must have flown here. Please sit down Princess!" Twilight continued her rant.
Luna began tire of Twilight's zeal.
"Twilight Sparkle, I have come to ask your assistance."
The Royal Canterlot voice nearly threw Twilight to the ground.
"I'm sorry Princess, I just got overexcited." Twilight assured Luna.
"Please Twilight, just Luna." She reminded Twilight once more.
"Uhh... right, just Luna." Twilight fought her need to be respectful. "So you needed my help? How could I possibly be of assistance?"
"This will take some time to explain, but please hear me out?" Luna looked to Twilight for assurance. She didn't want Twilight to dismiss her predictions like her sister had.
"Sure! I'm sure Spike will be out with food soon enough, let us sit and talk in the mean time." Twilight motioned towards the table, they took their seats. Twilight looked to Luna expectantly.
"To begin simply. I need to find six ponies I know nothing about. The only clues I have to where I might find them are riddles."
"Hmm, why do you need these six ponies?" Twilight asked Luna.
"They hold the key to saving the world." Luna answered simply.
Twilight stared at the night matriarch, an incredulous look on her face.
"Saving the world?! The world is going to end?! Does Princess Celestia know?!" Twilight had left her seat and was levitating a quill, writing furiously on a bit of parchment.
"My sister wishes to hear nothing on this matter." Luna told Twilight, a twinge of hurt appeared in her downcast eyes. "She does not take my prophecy seriously."
"She doesn't believe you?"
"No she thinks it's all a sham. That I was gullible and led on." Luna responded.
"Well that's not fair." Twilight said.
"Perhaps she is right." Luna paused. "I shouldn't have come here. I'll leave you now." Luna turned and made for the door.
"Princess wait!" Twilight bolted out in front of Luna. "We can prove it!"
Luna stopped and stared at Twilight.
"How? Tis nothing but misguided notions made from a book meant to entertain housewives." Luna spoke dryly "My sister herself said it was nothing but stupor-stition."
"But you said you have riddles that will lead us to six ponies. If we follow those riddles and find ponies that match each riddle then wouldn't the prophecy be true?!" Twilight waved her hooves erratically.
"You will help me find these six?" Luna lifted her head. "Truly?"
"I would never disappoint a friend." Twilight said, smiling.
Luna's eyes overflowed with thankfulness as she wrapped Twilight in a hug.
"Oh thank you!" Luna repeated over and over.
"So what's the first riddle, Prin, err, Luna?" Twilight waited for Luna to finish sipping at her tea, brought out moments ago by Spike. After she had settled down they took their seats once again and Spike had brought out breakfast and tea.
"Confidence so hot. Passion within burns deeply. Excited to learn." She leaned in after speaking it, excited to hear Twilight's thoughts about it.