It was just another day in Equestria... or so they said it would be. It started out simple enough, Princess Twilight going to Canterlot for her daily routine of Princess duties that she seemed to enjoy doing, something that baffled Princess Celestia and her younger sibling, Princess Luna. Her friends still holding their jobs in Ponyville, although she feels she doesn't see them as often anymore, she knew being a Princess would have its benefits and drawbacks.
The three were currently sitting in the Throne Room, Luna and Twi have their own smaller and slightly different versions of Celestia's Royal seat. When there was a short break from ponie's seeming first-world problems, Luna decided to break the silence before them.
"Just give it time Twilight, you'll get tired of hearing people's constant bickering and complaints in a few decades or so." Luna told her.
"Don't worry Twilight, I won't keep you trapped here with Luna and I as much, you will still get to go on missions with your friends whenever necessary." Celestia assured the newly appointed Princess, it hadn't even been a year since Twilight's Coronation.
Then suddenly the heavy room doors furiously flung open.
"Princess Twilight!" yelled a Royal Guard who seemed to be in a hurry for some odd reason.
"Yes, what is it?" asked the curious ruler.
"I-" He quickly took a second to bow down to the royalty before him, "I bring you news from Ponyville, it's from someone known as Pinkie Pie. She says she has a surprise for you, something she found in the Everfree Ruins."
"The Ruins? Why would she go that far?!! Did she tell you anything about what it may be?"
"She only said there was a black pillar sticking out of the ground that starting beeping at her, that's when the nonsense came in... you understand, your Highness?" he nervously mentioned
"Yes I understand, I'll be on my way imediately." She firmly said.
"Twilight wait, I can set up a chariot to take you--"
"I can go by myself Celestia, I still find it weird to be carried around everywhere I go... ya know? I just think it's awkward."
"Very well Twilight, you must hurry then. Who knows what Pinkie could have found out there in the Ruins."
...
Meanwhile, somewhere in Dark Space...
"The time of our return is coming. Organics will be harvested and preserved once again." Said a certain powerful being with a voice so booming and hollow that it would make Princess Luna tremble in fear.
"Harbinger, the last cycle's harvest left us in very few numbers. Are you certain we can preserve this cycle's organics with no issues arising at all?" asked another booming, yet soothing voice that didn't lack any sort of menace from the former being.
"I am certain, Shepard."
...
Back on Equestria
Twilights raced towards Ponyville and flapped her wings faster than she ever thought they could have. She's still kind of clumsy when it comes to flight but maybe the right motivation was all she needed, she decided to make a stop at her house to get Spike and maybe some supplies for whatever may be out there in the Ruins.
"I still can't figure out why Pinkie would venture that far out, even she wasn't alone. Oh, I hope she wasn't." Twilight mumbled to herself, still trying to put the pieces together in her head.
Now upon arriving at the Library, she heard a rustle come from the right bush in front of her door. The Princess cautiously edged over to whatever was making the noise when--
"Surprise!" Exclaimed a Pinkie that appeared from behind Twilight.
"GAH!!"
"Hiya Twilight! I have something to show you, something I found in the Everfree Ruins."
"I know, you sent a guard to tell me, remember?"
"Oh yeah, well I wanted to tell you myself just incase he didn't tell you exactly what I said."
Twilight grabbed Pinkie using her wings and embraced her dear friend, "Well he did, now what in the hay were you doing out there? I hope someone was with you."
"Oh don't worry, someone was. It was Gummy who wanted to go out there in the first place." Pinkie replied, returning Twilights hug.
The Princess gave Pinkie Pie a stern look, "Gummy... wanted to put you in danger by going all way out into the Ruins where there is nothing to be found of any importance?"
"Well, there is the beeping pillar." Pinkie stated, tapping a hoof to her chin.
"Well if you want to hurry up and show us what is, lets get everypony else and head on over. I still need to get Spike and pack some essentials for studying whatever it is you found out there."
Twilight was about to head inside her house when Pinkie grabbed her tail and started pulling her the other way, "We don't have time! I've alredy told the others to meet by the bridge outside of the Forest. They're probably waiting right now!"
"Ugh if you say so Pinkie, let me teleport us there." her horn started to glow.
"Yay!" Pinkie exlaimed, tapping her hooves together. There was a bright light, one second they were at the Ponyville Library, the next they were ontop of their friends in a ponypile next to the bridge they were going to meetup at.
"Ooof! What the--" Rainbow Dash saw her favorite princess and hugged her. "Twilight! Haven't seen you around here as much lately, how's being a princess? Is it as awesome as they say?"
"Hehe, not quite Rainbow, its very hard work." All of the pony friends were now in a group hug... except for Rarity, and Spike.
"Hey what happened to Rarity, and did we forget Spike at the Library?"
"Oh right Twilight, Rarity went out for gem hunting earlier today and she wanted to bring Spike along with her. Don't worry sugarcube, they ain't at the same place as those Diamond Digs were las time." assured Applejack, "Who knows how long they're goin to be, but if this here pillar is as important as Pinkie makes it sound, we can't wait much longer to go and see it. We'll just have to on without 'em."
"Oh, that's too bad, well then lets get going ok? I'm curious so as to what it really is." said Twilight.
"I just don't want it to waste my time." answered Rainbow.
"Only one way to find out. To the Forest!" Explaimed an overly excited Pinkie.
...
When they got to the Ruins after a somewhat exciting walk and occasional run from the monsters that lived in the Everfree, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. It was just as Pinkie had said, just a beeping black pillar. It was taller then the ponies though it would be. About, the same height as three ponies standing on eachother's back.
Rainbow Dash took a step forward to examin it when there was a hissing sound and a small hatch opened from the bottom of the structure from the front, which lead to a staircase.
"So... who wants to go down the creepy staircase first?"
"I'll go, I wouldn't want anythang jumpin out to hurt any of ya." stated a caring Applejack.
When they reached the bottom of the staircase there was nothing but darkness at first... then sounds of machinery starting up filled the silent room, then a light in the middle revealed that the ponies were in some time of rounded cramped space with eight computer desktops hanging from the ceiling with a few computer-like consoles on the ground.
The light that luminated the room was a humanoid figure that started to give them a message:
"If you're hearing this... then there is still hope. Hope that you can avoid the same mistakes we made. We fought the Reapers, but we failed to stop them. We did everything we could. We built the Crucicble, but it didn't work. We fought as a united Galaxy, but it wasn't enough. I only hope the information in this capsule is enough to help you before it's too late.
My name is Liara T'Soni. Herein lies the recounting of our war with the Reapers. Oh, I suppose I should start at the beginning yes?
During my cycle in the year 2148, explorers on a planet called Mars, which is located in the Sol System, discovered the remains of an ancient spacefaring civilization known as the Protheans. In the decades that followed, these mysterious artifacts revealed startling new technologies, enabling travel to the furthest stars. The basis for this incredible technology was a force that controlled the very fabric of space and time. They called it the greatest discovery in human history. The civilizations of my time call it...
MASS EFFECT
...
Hours had passed, and the ponies were soaking in the new information like sponges. This was new to all of them, even Pinkie Pie remained silent to hear what this mysterious creature known as "Liara T'Soni" had to warn them about.
"And that is only a bit of the information stored in this Time Capsule I have created. I hope the GUI interface isn't too complex for you species to access, goodluck in your war against the Reapers, I can only hope you fare better than we did."
"Umm, did that make sense to y'all?" asked Applejack
"What's a Reaper? They don't sound like nice ponies!" Explaimed a nervous Pinkie Pie.