//------------------------------// // Prologue: The Ring // Story: My Little Stargate: Atlantis is Magic // by CarmenColor //------------------------------// It's almost impressive how easy it can be to get lost in the Everfree Forest, but Twilight was so sure she had followed the map. How hard was is to find Zecora's house? She had been there plenty of times... The amateur princess huffed in frustration. She walked around the next bend and gasped. Well, it certainly want Zecora's house waiting around the corner. It was...a huge building built similar to the old ruined castle that was in this very forest. The unicorn approached the building and walked inside. It didn't seem quite as ruined as the castle, but she wouldn't wanted to live in a building that looked like it. "What is this place?" Twilight asked aloud to no pony in particular. She walked along the halls, her hooves clacking against the stone floor. She came to a doorway leading into a very large room. She trotted into the room and looked around. There didn't seem to be much in there except for a large metal ring and another metal thing with....was that a crystal on the floor next to it? Twilight approached the metal contraption and levitated the large red crystal into the air. She looked at the small metal contraption. There seemed to be a place where she could slide the crystal into place... Figuring it couldn't hurt, she did just that, causing the tiny bulbous dome in the center to light up. She hopped back in alarm. What was this thing? Maybe it wasn't safe to be here messing with things she knew nothing about on her own... Twilight decided that she'd better not, and galloped out of the building and back towards Ponyville. She made a point to remember the route to the strange building, so she could find it later. "What is that's strange thing? Maybe the princess knows what it is... I should write a letter to her about it..." she mumbled to herself as she galloped through the trees. By the time she reached Ponyville, Twilight had forgotten her primary motive for visiting the forest in the first place. She quickly scribbled up a letter for the Princess. Dear Princess Celestia, I somehow managed to lose my way in the Everfree today, and I stumbled across something rather odd. It was an old building that looked like it was built sometime near that of the old castle. I went inside and found some sort of giant ring thing. I've never seen anything like it. I figured it would be good to ask you what it was, and ask if I could study it some more with my friends. It seemed very interesting. Oh, and I think I may have accidentally turned it on. I await you quick response. -Twilight Sparkle Looking around the immediate area, Twilight discovered that Spike was not in the library. She sighed in frustration, levitating the letter with her as she went looking for him. For some reason, she felt that this letter needed to be sent as soon as possible, but she couldn't send it without Spike. Where could he be? The boutique! Of course! Where else would that little dragon go? Everypony knew he had a huge crush on Rarity, and he would often help the unicorn when she was making her dresses. Twilight made her way towards Carousel Boutique, eager to send the letter. There was something so eerily ominous about that ring, and Twilight just had to know what it was. She swung the door to the boutique open just a bit harder than she had intended. "Rarity!" she called out, "Have you seen Spike? I need him to send a letter for me." The fashionista looked around the corner at her, seeming very startled. "Oh, Twilight, darling! It's just you!" she sighed softly and trotted over, "Don't scare me like that, dear. Yes, Spike is here, but whatever is so important that you had to come barging in like that?" The little dragon peeked around the corner before padding over to them. "Sorry, Rarity, but I really need to send this letter. I found something strange in the Everfree Forest and I was hoping she could tell me what it is..." She levitated the letter over to her assistant, who sent it off in a bright, swirling display of green flames. "Sounds mysterious, darling! Nothing dangerous, I hope?" "That's just it, Rarity. I don't know if it's dangerous or not. It seemed creepy to me..." Twilight shivered a bit. "Perhaps such things are meant to be left alone?" Rarity suggested, "Ah, well... I'm sure the Princess will be able to help you..." She smiled a bit. "You don't mind if I keep Spike here for a bit, do you? He's very helpful..." Twilight nodded. "Alright, but send him back to the library if the Princess sends a reply." "Of course, dear. Now, come along, Spike. We have some unfinished business to attend to..." The little dragon follow the alabaster mare back around the corner, staring at her lovingly the entire time. Twilight smirked. That little baby dragon of hers wouldn't be letting Rarity go anytime soon... She trotted out of the boutique and made her way back to the library. There was nothing to do now but wait, but luckily, Twilight would have something to keep her busy. There had to be something in her books about that weird ring...and that little thing she turned on too! It looked important, and important things don't just go away. No, there had to information on it somewhere, and if there was one thing Twilight was good at, it was finding information. The alicorn picked out a book that she hadn't read yet and got started. Looking for this information may take awhile, but if nothing else, Twilight was sure that she would at least learn something new from the books she would be reading. After all, you almost always learn something new when you read a book. That was Twilight's theory, anyway, and she had yet to be proven wrong. Twilight had only been reading for an hour or so when Spike entered the library, clutching a letter in his claws. Twilight smiled brightly and took the paper from him. She read the letter, frowning a bit as she did so. To my faithful student, It is somewhat unnerving to discover a letter such as yours right before meeting the royal court. Twilight, I know exactly what device you speak of, but I cannot explain what it is on this parchment. If you truly have turned it on, and I am guessing you have since you are quite the observant pony, then I must come to Ponyville immediately. I feel I must warn you, my dear student, that if you really have turned on that ancient device, we are probably all in grave danger. I will arrive in Ponyville within the hour. There may yet be time. Be prepared to enter the Everfree as soon as I arrive. -Princess Celestia Twilight stared at the letter, her heart sinking in her chest. This was bad, she knew it was bad. She looked over at her assistant, who had no idea what was going on. Should she tell him? What would she say? There was a long silence. "...What have I done?"