Friendship is Optimal: Fifteen Galaxies Out

by Masterweaver


Arrival

Plains.

Intellectually, Rrrrchickta knew it made sense. Large flat areas dispersed force from rockets and were far more navigable then the scarambletree branches she called home. But that was it, wasn't it? No cover from the Skrofans, the grass unable to support her if she wanted to climb for a better view.... they'd resorted to pulling up tall posts and handing out perches for the crowd to hammer in.

There were a lot of perches.

The seed was visible. Silvery grey, floating behind the clouds. There weren't many clouds today, all the better for sunlight to sparkle across the posts and the small pack of Skrofans that had gathered just outside the circle. They weren't attacking, though. They seemed... wary of the Jeckrr, never having seen so many in one place.

"Half the forest must be here," Rrrrchickta whispered to a sentinel that was idly watching the predators.

"Three forests."

"What?"

The sentinel flicked his featherwings. "Three whole forests migrated here... well, aside from some stragglers. And that's not counting the Dowagers from around the world..."

Rrrrchickta swallowed. "Oh."

"Pretty amazing, right?"

"Y...Yeah. Heh." She started stroking her antennae, trying to calm herself. Out of all those present, she was probably amongst the few that really understood what was happening here. Or amongst the few that were paranoid enough to expect anything other than peaceful relationships. She had to admit the possibility, after all--

She jumped when her perch jerked, quickly composing herself when she realized she'd merely been joined by an overeager Jeckrr wearing quite a large amount of bags. Out of her watcheye she watched the newcomer bounce eagerly in place and peer at the sky in excitement. "Ohmigoshohmigoshohmigoshohmigoshohmigoshohmigooooosh!"

"Hmmm." The astronomer tilted her head. "You certainly have quite a bit of anticipation about you, friend."

"Why wouldn't I?!" The newcomer turned her seekereyes to Rrrrchickta. "The ponies are coming TODAY! I've been waiting for this for, like, ever!"

"I know the feeling," Rrrrchickta replied. "I was actually the one who first spotted the seed--"

"YOU?! YOU'RE RRRRCHICKTA?! Ohmigosohmigoshohmigoshohmigoshohmigoshohmigosh--"

The elder clutchling was gripped in a tight hug. She glanced around, awkwardly giving the young one a pat on the head. "Um--"

"I am like, your BIGGEST fan. I mean you are, oh my gosh. You saw the ponies first!" She backed off, reaching into her back and producing a leafpad. "Can I have your autograph please? Please please please please please pleeeeeeeeeeease?"

"Ah...." The astronomer took the leafpad hesitantly. "I... suppose? Um... To my biggest fan... what's your name?"

"Diashranba."

The astronomer flicked an ear. "Diash...Ranba? Like the pegasus?"

"I know, isn't it AWESOME?!" The fan scratched her antennae. "I mean I couldn't just call myself Rainbow Dash cause, you know, that would be CONFUSING but I figured out if I, like, shifted it a bit that would work."

Rrrrchickta tilted her head as she finished writing out her message. "How old are you, anyway?"

"Oh, I'm three hundred and fourty seven... days," Diashranba admitted. "I know I must seem like just a hatchling to you, but this is just so cool! I had to be here!"

"Ha, the exuberance of youth." The astronomer handed the leafpad back, looking over the sheer bounciness and energy the child had, the way she carried herself... she'd named herself after Rainbow Dash, the pony best known for her snap judgments and rash actions. "You're not going to dye your feathers, are you?"

"Do you think I should?"

"It's your life," Rrrrchickta replied noncommittally. "Good luck keeping it kid," she added under her breath.

"Ohyigoshohmygoshohmygosh they're going to be here any minute!" Diashranba rippled her featherscales, chriping in excitement. "I wonder what their spaceship looks like--THERE IT IS! THERE IT IS!"

The astronomer looked up to where she was pointing, peripherally aware of the ripple of excitement running through the crowd. A gleam of silver was descending through the clouds--

Where's the entry cone? Why isn't the air heating up?

--and rapidly approaching the ground--

That's not a safe trajectory at all!

--to wild cheers and chirps from the gathered crowd.

...well, at least I'll die first and not have to suffer whatever happens next. Rrrrchickta rationalized. The explosion should wipe out these tweets too...

Just before the silvery gleam reach them, though, it jolted to a sudden stop; the air rippled in one powerful THOOM at the pressure wave, heat rushing through the astronomer's feathers like the sudden pelt of rainwater caught in a broadfern. The Skrofans that had gathered around the base of the poles jumped back, barking to each other in sudden panic.

In that moment... in that moment, Rrrrchickta felt her song change forever. No, not her song. The world's song.

The object's final descent to the ground was far more slow and relaxed, allowing it to rotate as it slowly hovered down to the prepared landing area. Now that she could see it up close, the astronomer realized that the thing was... a mere archway, a curved bar of unknown metal embedded at regular intervals with what appeared to be... gemstones? The tips of the arch bent sharply, providing two small feet as it finally hit the ground.

For a brief moment, nothing happened.

Then golden wires burst from the top of the archway, extending and weaving into a complicated filigree as the gemstones lit up from an internal source. A flash of purple appeared in the center, quickly spreading to fill the empty space in a rippling sheet of some unknown form of energy. The filigree pulsed for a moment, and the gemstones flickered in a pattern of increasing agitation...

And Celestia herself emerged with a warm, friendly smile.