Everyone thinks we're safe. They think that they'll never find us again. We're not safe, are we?
-A quote from Chloe Armstrong as recorded by Eli Wallace.
Luna smirked, she could feel their presence in her night sky, how long had it been since a descendant of the Alteran line had been here? Thousands, no, it had been so many millions of years. Luna's heart panged in sympathy, she would've helped them, she wanted oh so desperately to. but sadly she could not help them, nor their descendants.
Sighing she gave a knowing glance to her sister. Celestia, not one to look on the bad side, returned the glance with one that read "You know I have the solution. Just ask.". Shaking her head Luna tried her best to look good for the visit, ponies made such a big deal of their visits. On one hoof, they looked up to her and her sister, after all they were living goddesses. But in the end, how powerful really is a goddess? Does her ability to bend space and time prove her right, even the earth pony Pinkie Pie could do that. But no one realised. They looked only as far as their hoof could stretch.
Trumpets blared to signal their arrival as if being on a flying chariot was not enough. With a landing smoothed after many years of rehearsal their chariot became land bound once more. With a nudge from celestia Luna picked herself up and faced the crowd of cheering ponies.
The day played out like normal, interviews and unrestrained glee brightened her mood, if Celestia couldn't cheer her up, her beloved subjects would.
-&-
As the sun kissed the horizon, Luna's horn glowed for a second of concentration as the moon began to show itself, darkening the sky to reveal the stars.
"You know I can never stop enjoying the beauty of your night sky, even if I hold no domain over it."
"Says the one who banished me for a thousand years" Luna jested.
"As much as I love the night sky, you know as well as I do that life needs this balance we maintain. The sun warms the air and gives light for ponies to see, the moon gives cool respite and helps ponies sleep." Celestia as level headed as ever replied.
"Anyways, I think your little plan had to do with your student, and the Elements of Harmony."
"It's hard to keep a secret from you Luna, and yes, it does. Although we cannot interfere with the humans directly, we can help them indirectly."
"Thanks sis." Luna's eyes swelled with relief.
-&-
Twilight Sparkle had eagerly waited for the crowd to thin before she could get a chance to talk to her mentor about more important things like magic.
Now that they were alone she could talk about the complexities of magic in peace. "Princess Celestia!"
"My faithful Student Twilight Sparkle, I'm guessing you wanted to talk?" Celestia smiled at Twilight, she was one of the few ponies Celestia could rely upon.
"I wanted to talk about the Barovachi calculations, is it true that there could be space beyond our own? That would definitely explain teleportation's ability to exceed the speed of magic."
"Now that would be telling, however I do believe you have already experienced a clue." Twilight's brow furrowed in thought about that point.
"Could it be my nightmare?"
"I wouldn't know unless you told me."
"Oh, right."
Twilight started explaining last night in as much detail as possible, even depicting part of her morning electing a giggle from Celestia.
"Princess Luna, you've been very quiet, are you okay?" Luna was acting strange.
"Everything's fine, Twilight, anyways since we have all night let's explore this Ring of darkness you found."
With a surprising determination Princess Luna started off in what appeared to be a random direction.
"Uhh, no offence Princess Luna, but why are you going ahead, we haven't even calculated the position."
"Oh, " Luna mumbled sheepishly. Derp.
"Luna, dear sister, no one knows the stars better than you, why don't you lead the way." Silently thanking Celestia Luna set off again. Why must she be constrained by these boundaries? Why must she pretend?
-&-
The stargate had stood inactive for millennia patiently absorbing data and energy for a routine mission, and then it would be forgotten like the rest of it's model. If the stargate had an intelligence it would've been sad. However it did not, it reminded itself. No if it didn't have intelligence how could it remind itself, it thought. Hastily attempting to escape a logic collapse the stargate once again pretended not to be somewhat alive.
Confound these ponies. It thought. They drive me to conception.
-&-
Not 1000 hoofs away Rainbow Dash attempted to follow Twilight, whatever they were doing it would be so awesome.
Giving the signal Rainbow Motioned for Fluttershy to tell the others something was up. The element of Loyalty was not about to let her friend get herself into a mess.
Fluttershy squeaking at the sudden call to action quietly attempted to fly away not realising their antics were very humorous to the living deities.
"Pst. uhh. The cat... has left... the bag? Oh poor thing I hope it's alright."
"Oh, silly, it's an expression, Twilight's not a cat."
"Oh, um ok."
"Ah don't know 'bout y'all but I'm mighty interested in what Twilight's got up to."
"You wouldn't suppose we need to get any formal attire, besides, does my mane look good?"
"Sugar cube, it looks fine, now quit your dallying and get to it, we got a Twilight to spy on."
-&-
After meeting up with Rainbow Dash the group continued to follow Twilight and the Princesses.
Fluttershy gave a whimper "What... what is that."
"Ooh, pretty I wonder if It likes parties!"
"Pinkie, does that look like a pony?" Dash nearly facehoofed.
"No but..."
"*Sigh* anyways if we can be quiet, we might hear them talking."
On that note the group continued quitely observing the other smaller party.
An audible gasp from Twilight could be heard when the thing appeared in her line of sight. "What. Is it?"
"That I cannot tell you, Twilight Sparkle however, maybe the magic of friendship might." Twilight dwelt on that before coming up with nothing.
"Hmm..."Running her horn around the object twilight felt almost no magic.
Celestia laughed "I guess it does like parties!" to no one in particular.
"Told'ya!"
"Shh" Rainbow unwilling to admit defeat.
"Celestia, I don't get it, it's nothing but a big, stone ring."
"Why don't you try to talk to it, connect with it."
"Uhh. Hello?" grunting Twilight tried a different approach, using a telekinetic wave of energy she hoped that something might respond.
It did.
With a screech the device activated, chevrons lighting up, before spinning on it's ramp. With the 7th glyph glowing the stargate settled, but before Twilight was de-materialised by the outburst of energy a mighty. "Twilight, I'ma coming!" shook her out of the stupor. Violently rolling down the ramp from the force of a full grown farm pony flying at you, Twilight was safely illuminated by the pool of light.
"How, how did you know?"
"When sumthin nasty is about to happen, there's got ta be a pause before."
"Wait, roll back, Why are you here? Have you been following me?"
Twilight complained in mock anger
"We couldn't leave you behind, why else?"
"Thanks guys."
"Hey. No problem. You just owe me one."
Rainbow dash declared proudly despite having done nothing the whole time.
"Anyways, I have a mission for you Twilight sparkle, and the Elements of Harmony. Find out what this is, and find out what it leads to."
This time it was Luna's turn to glare at her sister
"Lead to..? It's just a puddle."
"Just a guess"
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Writer's note,
Writing the pony parts are far more enjoyable, I hope I kept the humour and light-heartedness of MLP:FiM while writing this. Also once again I beg for constructive criticism.