//------------------------------// // The Reboot of Project First Contact // Story: Are We Alone?: A Spore Story // by Heat Horn //------------------------------// Twilight jumped back, reeling from the strange message. Rarity mimicked Twilights actions, both mares were in alot of shock after what they had heard. The sound matrix had already shut down leaving the room in complete silence. "Umm... did I just hear that right?" Twilight said still reeling form shock at what the message said "Oh my" Rarity said looking at Twilight with the same she shocked expression on her face. "Do you know what this means?!" Twilight said suddenly in a very excited state. Rarity, who had only begun to recover from the shock of the message, was now trying to comprehend what Twilight would say next. "What exactly does it mean?" Rarity said as she pondered on the message, putting a hoof to her chin. "It means that we have to find out who sent this and if their are more of his kind still out there!" Twilight stated as she hurriedly packed her things. "But Twilight this book was printed 50 years ago how do you know if this message will even lead to anything?" Rarity said looking at the books print marking. It's quite odd that it took 50 years for Caterlot Castles library to obtain this book...I wonder if there's anything special about it... Raity thought silently to herself. "Rarity the message and the book itself indicate that we may not be alone in the universe I can't just push this aside. Even if the message is 50 years old it doesn't mean that the race that sent it is extinct" Twilight said with conviction in her tone as she continued to pack "Can we at least finish the Gala and your... meeting with Princess Luna like you promised before we go chasing 'UFOs'" Rarity said hoping to get Twilight to at least keep her promises to the princesses... and extend her stay at Canterlot Twilight suddenly stopped packing and looked back at Rarity "Oh yeah that must've slipped my mind..." Twilight said, feeling a bit embarrassed, "Hey wait a second... where's Applejack?" Twilight suddenly noticed that their friend wasn't with them when they heard the message or even at the library. The two mares then walked out to the hall way and looked towards Applejacks room. "It doesn't look like it's been opened... did she step out?" Rarity suggested as she stared quizzically at the door "Lets go and see" Twilight said as she motioned for Rarity to follow her to Applejacks room. The two mares leaned in close to the door of their friends room and put their ears against it. "Do you hear anything?" Twilight asked Rarity, failing to hear anything herself "Why yes dear, I hear that Applejack is lying on the left side of her bed facing the left wall, sleeping under a blanket and snoring quite loudly if I may add" Rarity stated using skills that the Canterlot elite guard couldn't hope to replicate. Twilight looked at Rarity in disbelief seeing as her friend just described Applejacks current state right down to the volume of her snoring and her position on the bed, she then looked on the door for any possible means of confirming what her friend had just said. It only took Twilight a few second to notice the small keyhole right under the doorknob, she then proceeded to look through it to confirm or disprove Rarity's previous statement. "Wow, you are completely right... but how did you... but then that would mean that... wah?!" was all Twilight could say to Rarity trying to determine how Rarity could have perfectly predicted the position and the state that Applejack was in just by the sound coming form the room, which she couldn't even hear. "It's simple dear Applejacks snoring could have only been made if where were actually asleep this means that she had to be on the bed however her snoring sounded muffled which means that she must've had some sort of cloth on her, namely a blanket because what other cloth would a pony keep on their beds hmm? I was able to tell which side she was on due to the fact that the snoring sounded ambient and not direct which meant that it had to have bounced of off the walls, which then means that she was sleeping on the far side off the bed facing the other way as us. I figured out the volume of her snoring simply because I wouldn't be able to hear her snores form under the blanket if she wasn't snoring loudly enough for her voice to go through the blanket and echo of the walls" Rarity said quite calmly like she was Sherlock Hooves himself. "Wow... Rarity I had no idea that you had that much deductive skill... is this what it takes to be an expert gossiper? or did you train somewhere else?" Twilight asked in massive admiration of her friends skills. "Well-uh... Twilight i'm glad your asked, I got these skills from uh... Fluttershy... we kinda eavesdropped alot back when we were still I high school so we honed our skills, but even today Fluttershy is still better than me at gossip... even if she won't admit it." Rarity said trying to make up a quick excuse. "...Just when you think you know a mare, they go out and surprise you... huh, do you think you could teach me some of those techniques?" Twilight said hoping that she could learn at least a few of those skills "Uhh... I-I I don't th-think I could teach you that much..." Rarity said trying to dodge the question knowing that she isn't allowed to reveal anything about the training she had received, or where she received it "Oh... ok then i'll be sure to ask Fluttershy when we get back" Twilight said in a disappointed tone quickly losing her enthusiasm about learning the skills that her friend had just exhibited A quick glance at the clock told Twilight that they only had 20 minutes before the Gala would start "Umm.. I think we should prepare for the Gala" Twilight told Rarity while pointing to the clock Rarity just gasped at the time she had left before she quickly ran to her room to prepare herself for the upcoming event. "I should probably prepare myself" Twilight muttered to herself before retiring to her own room to do the same thing that rarity was doing... sort of the same thing. Rarity stepped into the bath tub that was filled with warm water. She felt herself relax as she submerged most of her body in the water, however the sensation was short lived due to the amount she had. Rarity quickly washed herself with the soap and shampoo provided for her, making sure too wash every last bit of her coat, mane, and tail until they literally sparkled. She stepped out of her bath and quickly dried herself off before trotting towards her vanity set. Rarity sighed as she levitated her hair brush, perfumes, and her curling iron to her side and began to style herself to her regular look. *knock* *knock* *knock* Rarity thought that she heard something but she decided to ignore it knowing that she was pressed for time as it is She then went to her bag and took out her Gala dress from last year but it didn't look quite the same it had been restyled and now had alot more gems on it that last time. Rarity put the dress on and glanced at the clock "Five minutes to spare... I wonder how the other two are doing" she then went outside to check on Twilight. Rarity approached the door to Twilights room and knocked twice, but when no reply came she thought to herself Maybe Twilight already went to the ball room Rarity then proceeded to go to the ball room in hopes of finding her friend... Twilight had stepped into the shower of her room and she began to clean herself just enough to get all the dirt out of her mane and her coat, she wasn't one for the fancy conditioner that the Canterlot room baths always had but her mane had another opinion and began to curl up even when wet, Twilight had taken notice of this and snorted as she grabbed the conditioner and began to distribute it among the strands of her mane. After about 10 minutes of bathing Twilight stepped out, satisfied that her mane and tail looked properly groomed. Twilight then stepped towards her dresser and levitated the hair brush which she then used to brush her mane. She then went to her bag and grabbed her dress from the bag she had brought and slipped it on. "Hmmm... ten minutes to spare, I wonder how the others are doing she said to herself before going out the door to check on Rarity. She was puzzled when the mare didn't answer her door. Maybe she went to the ball room early... Twilight thought before proceeding to the ball room herself Applejack had just awoke from her long nap and glanced at the clock on top of her dresser "Fifteen minutes til' the Gala hmmm... I got time" She said groggily before going towards her own shower and stepping inside it turning the nob so that only cold water came out. As the water ran down her mane and tail she shivered at the temparature, but she was used to it... after all it has always been like that at the farm. After the cold bath, she stepped out and dried herself of and slipped into her dress, she wasn't one for mane styling or perfumes and her ponytails had kept her mane and tail in the right place...even after her bath. Applejack, now in her dress walked towards the door Even if it's the Gala an Apple is never late she said to herself before giving a the clock a quick glance "12 minutes to spare huh... I wonder what Twi and Rarity are up to..." She said to herself before opening the door of her room and stepping outside. Applejack could hear muffled sounds of water coming form Rarity's room indicating that she was probably bathing, but nothing coming form Twilights. She then decided to go to the ball room early, thinking that Twilight would be there. AJ sat down at one of the many tables and looked around for Twilight, but when she couldn't see hide nor hair of the lavender mare so she decided that she would just wait at the table until one of her friends showed up. Suddenly a waiter walked to the table that Applejack was sitting. The waiter was a mare, unicorn with a white grey-ish coat, a black mane that was styled to look formal, she also had a silver tray for a cutie mark. The waiter was dressed in the standard Canterlot uniform complete with a bow tie and hooficuffs at the end of each sleeve "May I take your order madame?" the waiter said with a thick Canterlot accent in her voice while levitating up a pen and a notepad. "I thought the Gala doesn't start for another 10 minutes or so" Applejack said to the waiter confused as to why he would take someponies order ten minutes before the actual event "If you are early then you will be rewarded for your punctuality so we pay special attention to those ponies who show up earlier than the specified time, so would you like to order" the waiter blankly stated "Now may I take your order? or would you rather wait for the Gala?" the waiter said in a very soothing tone. "Thank you kindly but I think I would very like if I ordered the same time as everypony else" Applejack said calmly, not wanting to receive special treatment... even if she deserved it. "Very well then i shall leave you with the menu..." the waiter then handed Applejack a formal looking menu. Applejack picked up the menu and began to look through the dishes that they offered. Applejack had been looking through her menu for about 3 minutes but she still couldn't decide what she should have The rose petals look nice but they're only a side dish, I would have the parsnips if it weren't for my allergy, and i'm not even sure of what i'm gonna dri- Applejacks train of thought stopped cold in it's tracks as she heard a familiar voice sitting at the table across form her... "Twi?" Applejack said to herself as she recognized the pony that the aforementioned voice belonged too. She then looked over her own menu and saw Twilight talking with the same waiter that had attended to her Applejack waited patiently for the waiter to finish taking Twilights order before calling to her "Hey Twi when did'ja get here?" Applejack asked Twilight before getting up from her chair and approaching the table that Twilight was sitting at. "Oh hey Applejack I only got here a few minutes ago how about you, I didn't see you when I came in" Twilight said to Applejack trying to spark a conversation...and succeeding "I got here five minutes ago... I think" Applejack said, unsure of the actual time she got to her seat. The two mares talked for about 2 minutes before being interrupted by Rarities sudden appearance "Am I late?" Rarity asked jokingly "Oh didn't see you there Rare" Applejack said while motioning for rarity to sit down on the last chair that was around their table... Twilight had arrived at the ball room and began to look for Rarity but when the Alabaster unicorn could not be found she seated herself down at the table...right across the one that Applejack was seated in. She had only been sitting for about 3 minutes before she was approached by the same waiter that gave Applejack the menu "May I take your order madame?" the waiter said while levitating a quill and a notepad "Oh yes please, I would like a... umm... Mushroom soup topped with parsley, a side of rose petals, and hmm... an orange juice. Twilight said, recalling what food they served at the Gala. The waiter quickly jotted down Twilights order and trotted towards the kitchen to deliver the message Twilight was now left alone and had nothing to do, but she did notice something oddly familiar about the mare on the table opposite hers... until Applejacks head popped out the side and she quickly recognized her "Hey Twi when did'ja get here?" Applejack asked Twilight before getting up from her chair and approaching the table that Twilight was sitting at. "Oh hey Applejack I only got here a few minutes ago how about you, I didn't see you when I came in" Twilight said to Applejack trying to spark a conversation...and succeeding "I got here five minutes ago... I think" Applejack said, unsure of the actual time she got to her seat. The two mares talked for about 2 minutes before being interrupted by Rarities sudden appearance "Am I late?" Rarity asked jokingly "Oh didn't see you there Rare" Applejack said while motioning for rarity to sit down on the last chair that was around their table... Rarity had just arrived at the ball room and began to look for her friends, it didn't take long before her trained eye spotted her two friends at the table next to the window. She trotted over and and said "Am I late?" Rarity asked jokingly "Oh didn't see you there Rare" Applejack said while motioning for rarity to sit down on the last chair that was around their table... It was a little passed seven when the Gala finally came to an end, Rarity, and Applejack were not really all that tired so they decided to take a walk in the Canterlot Gardens "Well I would say that that went better than last years Gala" Rarity said to companion while they were walking through the gardens "Well I still got bored outta my wits so I have to disagree Rare" Applejack said to Rarity "I Wonder how Twilight's doing... do you think she's ok all by herself?" Rarity asked Applejack in a worried tone. The two mares came to a stop at the main gate to the castle and quickly turned around, none of them wanting to go outside at night. "I'm sure she's fine Rarity what's the worst Princess Luna can do?" Applejack said with confidence in her voice, even though her first encounter with Princess Luna had been quite off-putting she was quick to trust a friend of her friends. "Oh you're probably right... It's just that I don't get why Twilight gets to do these things and I don't... I mean, I know she's a Princess and all but I am still an Element of Harmony... why don't I get invited to the Gala, or get called by the Princesses, or even just a letter, that would be nice. Rarity was now hanging her head, but not in shame... in sadness. "I-I I never thought you felt that way Rare... but if you feel like you wanna be noticed then why didn'tcha go with Twilight?" Applejack asked her now disheartened friend "I tried to go with her but Princess Luna said that it was a private thing and wanted to be alone with Twilight" Rarity looked to Applejack for comfort and support... and a shoulder to cry on... "There there, it's ok Rare i'm sure the princesses will notice you... someday, maybe not today or tomorrow... but someday" Applejack let Rarity cry on her shoulder while she comforted her. "So I bet thou art questioning why I wanted to us be alone, yes?" Princess Luna asked Twilight while they sat don on Lunas bed "No princess i completely understand... It's something important right?" Twilight asked with a sheepish grin on her face. In truth she wanted to know what was so important that she had to be alone with her to discuss it. "Well Twilight I am sure you know of the new book that arrived at the Canterlot library today?" Luna had a sly grin on her face while asking this question "How did you... were you watching me?" Twilights grin quickly disappeared and was replaced by a suspecting glare. "No need for suspicion Twilight, I can assure you I had not known until now, for I have been reading your mind while we were walking here. "You can do that?!... ummm... how much do you know" Twilight was now blushing heavily at the thought that Princess Luna might know about her night time... rituals "Oh do not worry about your... secrets, Twilight Sparkle for I know very well to stay away from those regions of the mind...I have seen many a monster... but there are worse things... and many of those things lurk within those regions..." Luna said in a foreboding tone "Ummm... well yes, anyway what did you want to talk about?" Twilight said trying to rub off the fear that Lunas words had induced "Oh yes the new book I trust that you know what it is about correct?" Luna stated with a slight smile on her face "Yes I do it's... hey wait a second, if you knew about the book only now then how is it that you told me about our meeting at noon?" Twilight pondered as she brought a hoof to her chin Maybe the Princess has some sort of power to see the future... no, that's impossible nopony has been able to do that since... well... never. So if it wasn't seeing the future then ho- Twilights thoughts were cut short by the sound of Luna clearing her throat "Princess Sparkle since you have exhibited interest in the Extraequestrial field of study I will allow you access to one of it's greatest accomplishments..." Princess Luna said as she fiddled with a key that she held in her hoof Twilight looked at the key and gasped "What is it!! Its it a key to the pictures of sighting 4-6-7-0 or is it a key to the lost records of the alien specimen which evolved into poison joke? Or maybe it's the key to the files of project First Contact?!" Twilight said with glee as she imagined every possible thing that the key could unlock "Twilight, this key unlocks the most valuable piece of equipment that the researcher of project First Contact had... Their intergalactic receiver... I have tried to find where their team hid this machine but i had found no further clues as to its location" Luna said with a grave tone as she levitated the key to Twilight "I want you and your friends to retake this 50 year old project and make it a success, however you're friends will not just be completing this project... I am tasking you to take it to the next level therefore I will be renaming the project... I shall leave you to decide what name the project will bear" Luna said as she handed Twilight the key "P-P- Princess i'm not sure I can do that especially if you couldn't" Twilight said as she held the key in her shaking hooves "I trust that you can Twilight, not just because you are a fellow alicorn but also because you have something that never had... The Magic of Friendship" Luna said to Twilight before ending their meeting quite abruptly by exiting the room Twilight, who was still in shock went to the balcony of Lunas bedroom for some fresh air, she held the key tightly in her hooves while she carefully examined it. Hmm... it doesn't look like any key i've seen before, the engravings on it look like they are from ancient Equestria... but that would make no sense seeing as project First contact ended only 50 years ago. Twilight also noticed that the key had...10 teeth?! that's a bit much, whoever wanted the machine kept safe he wanted it bad althou- her thoughts were cut short as she heard soft sounds of sobbing and quickly looked towards where they were originating... she was very surprised to see Rarity in Applejacks arms She quickly tucked the key under her wing and went back into the room, ran back into the hallway, she then bolted down the main star case and out the door. "Rarity *pant* why are you *pant* crying?" Twilight was trying to catch her breath after running form a balcony to the front door... that's when realization hit her hard... Wait i could have just flown down... Horseapples She thought to herself before plucking the key out of her wing. "Leave her be Twi' I think we best not talk about it..." Applejack said looking at Twilight with tired eyes "No no it's *sob* ok i'm quite alright now..." Rarity said as she broke away from Applejack wipping the rest of her tears away. She then turned to Twilight so that she could explain to Twilight what had just happened "Well you see Twilight *gulp* I kind of feel left out and unnoticed what with you always getting called to this and that and invited to Galas and all" Rarity said to Twilight as she brush herself off and regained her poise. "I-I never thought of it like that Rarity I didn't think that all this was a privilege you wanted" Twilight said looking back at previous events and realised that Rarity, the pony that always wanted to be part of the Canterlot society had to watch her friend go to Royal meetings and balls alike while she stayed in Ponyville ... unnoticed "I'm so sorry Rarity i promise that I will make sure to try my best to include you in ANYTHING I get invited to" Twilight said while laying a reassuring hoof on Rarities shoulder "*yawn* Can we talk about this tomorrow?" Applejack said sleepily "Why of course Applejack... it is already 9:00 anyway... a bit early but I could use my beauty sleep" Rarity said whilst looking at the Canterlot clock tower "Well girls have I got a story for you in the morning..." Twilight said holding up the key she had received