Twilight slowly became aware that she was lying on a bed. Her eyes fluttered open, and she saw that she was back in her room in her palace in Ponyville.
“Oh thank goodness you’re alright.” said a familiar voice. Twilight turned her head to see Spike, as well as her friend Rainbow Dash standing by her bedside.
“What happened to you?” asked Spike. “You looked fine for a while in that cave, then, next thing I know, you’re collapsed on the floor with your body temperature getting higher and higher.”
Twilight strained her memory. “I’m not sure, Spike. At first I thought the heat of the cave was getting to me, but if what you say is true, then the heat was coming from within me.”
“Well it’s okay now,” said Rainbow Dash, “You don’t have to go back to that world ever again now.”
“What are you talking about Rainbow? Of course I have to go back there. It’s only because of me that this whole operation started. I have to see this through to conclusion. Besides, what are you even doing here?”
“Well, I was at home chillin’ after today’s work, when I heard Spike calling up to me. He said that you had gotten sick or something, and you needed to get home. Obviously, I couldn’t leave one of my friends hanging, so I followed him to where you were, then carried you back here.”
“Well thanks for that, Rainbow, but now I need to send a letter to Princess Celestia explaining what happened.”
“I already sent it.” said Spike, looking proud for being on top of things. “I also included the details about that pony, Dig Deep, who helped you out of the cave. He apparently lost his cutie mark and eye color while in that other world. Your cutie mark was fading as well.”
Suddenly, Twilight heard a knock at the front door.
“I’ll get it.” announced Spike as he made his way down the stairs.
As Spike opened the door, he was met with a face he was starting to get used to seeing in this town. “Princess Celestia, come in.”
“I came as soon as I got your letter. Is Twilight alright?” asked Celestia, looking unsure for once.
“Yes, she’s awake, and I bet she would like to speak with you about some of the new things we have learned about that other world.”
Spike led Celestia upstairs to Twilight’s room, where Twilight was sitting upright in her bed.
“Princess Celestia!” exclaimed Twilight, “What are you doing here?”
“When I got Spike’s letter about how you had fallen ill from going to that other world, I came as quickly as I could, to make sure that you were alright.”
“Well, I think I’m alright now. I don’t feel any worse off, and it seems that my fever is gone too.”
“I’m glad to hear that, replied Celestia, “but I need you to tell me exactly what happened in that cave that put you into this state.”
“Well Princess, I’m not exactly sure. I was just standing there, surrounded by the miners, watching Spike claw his way through the stone.”
“I still think that it should have been a lot easier than it was.” Spike cut in.
“Spike, you were doing great. You were doing better than any one individual miner, and you didn’t even have a pickaxe. But anyways Princess, as I watched Spike dig, it was getting warmer and warmer. I thought the heat of the cave was getting to me, but Spike says that the heat was coming from within me.”
“Hmm, and Rainbow Dash,” said Celestia, now looking towards the pegasus, “you said that it got very hot in that world for you as well, didn’t you?”
“Well Princess, it did get hot, but only after I started flapping my wings.” said Rainbow Dash, slightly taken aback to being addressed.
“Are there any other clues that might be useful as to why this happened?” asked Celestia to the group.
“Well Princess,” Spike began, “there was this pony who helped Twilight get out of the cave and back to Equestria, and he has lost his cutie mark. When we both looked at twilight, we saw that her cutie mark was getting fainter as well, and the fainter it got, the warmer Twilight became.”
“This is troublesome. It’s like the magic is burned right out of any pony who enters that world, and the more magic a pony has, or uses, then the faster it burns.”
“So Princess, what you’re saying is that I can never survive going back there?” asked Twilight, looking at the bed sheet disappointedly.
“Perhaps you may be able to.” said Celestia, “Do you remember when this project was first started? I asked you if you would be willing to give up your magic to see that other world.”
“Yes, I remember,” replied Twilight, looking up into Celestia’s gaze, “but I don’t see what that has to do with- Oh! I get it! I don’t need to burn out all my magic, because I can just give it to somepony else.”
“If you would be so willing, I can keep your magic safe for you while you go back through the portal.”
“I think that would be a good idea, Princess, but this operation could still take days to complete. Perhaps I should wait until the miners near the surface before returning.”
“Very well then. If there is nothing more to be said here and now, I must return to Canterlot. Please notify me when the workforce of miners near the surface of that other world.”
And with that, Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Spike had to shut their eyes as the flash of a teleportation spell filled the room.
“So, do you think we’re going to see any aliens when we reach the surface?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“First off, Rainbow, the word “alien” literally means “foreigner”. We would be the foreigners on that new world, so that makes us the aliens. Second off, without magic, I can’t see how intelligent life could have evolved. Perhaps we will find strange plants and animals, but the odds of finding a race of beings is incredibly low.”
“Aw, so no super high tech space age equipment?”
“Sorry Rainbow, this is reality. Not a comic book.”
In the days that followed, the ponies continued their work, digging ever upwards through the stone. They had left the granite layer, and were now digging much more quickly through some other rock layers. Some metal ores had been discovered, but no gemstones. Rarity finally got around to seeing what all the fuss was about, although she didn’t take to the idea of visiting a cave, because as she put it, “I’ve become more than familiar with caves and tunnels in the past, and I would not care to repeat those experinces.”
Rumors had been spreading steadily over the small town of Ponyville. Everypony was noticing the sounds of work coming from Whitetail Woods, although by order of the foreman of the operation, nopony was allowed in to the work area without his approval.
“Twilight, I have a message for you.” said Spike, walking into the kitchen while Twilight was having lunch. He opened the scroll and began reading the note. “It’s from the foreman of the mining operation. He said that they are nearing the surface, as the rocks are becoming less dense, and there is dirt which is becoming increasingly more moist as they go upwards.”
“Oh good. Spike, please take a letter for me.” Said Twilight as she finished her last mouthful of oats.
No sooner had Twilight made her request than Spike already had a quill and parchment ready to go. Spike began to write as Twilight spoke.
Dear Princess Celestia,
Today, the mining operation is almost complete. As I would like to be one of the first ponies to break through the surface of an alien world, I request that I keep my magic safe with you. I hope that you will be able to come soon.
Your former student,
Twilight Sparkle
As soon as Twilight had finished, Spike sent the letter on its way to Canterlot.
“Now all we have to do is wait for a reply.” said Twilight.
Twilight and Spike ended up just sitting in the kitchen, waiting. They didn’t have to wait long, however, as not even six minutes later, Spike ended up belching out a scroll with Celestia’s seal on it.
Dear Twilight,
It seems that this endeavor of yours is finally about to pay off. I shall be waiting for you near the portal, so that you may transfer your magic to me before going through.
Sincerely,
Princess Celestia
Twilight wasted no time in getting out the front door, and making her way into Whitetail Woods. Finally, today many new discoveries would be made about a completely new plane of existence. Sure, the rocks that were found already provided some information, but the surface is where observations can be truly made.
As Twilight approached the work site, she spotted Princess Celestia speaking to Stone Heart. Celestia caught her eye, and nodded her in.
“So Twilight, the portal is going to be opening in another four minutes. Are you ready to do this?” asked Celestia.
“I’m ready, Princess.” said Twilight, looking determined. “Just tell me what to do.”
“Simply touch your horn to mine, and prepare yourself.”
Twilight nodded, and touched her horn to Celestia’s. Suddenly, Twilight felt weak, like a layer of material that had been holding her up had just been stripped off. As Twilight steadied herself, she looked over her shoulder to her flank. Not seeing a cutie mark there caused her a brief moment of panic, but then she remembered what she was to do.
“Alright Princess, it’s time to see this other world.” Said Twilight, stepping into the depression where the portal was.
Twilight didn’t have to wait long, as the aeon crystals discharged their magic, and Twilight was sucked to the other side of the gateway. She then found herself back in the cave she had visited before, though much had changed in the past few days. The chamber was much wider than it was before, and iron structural supports sprouted up here and there. The entire place smelled of sweat, and Twilight could see a tunnel sloping upwards at the far side of the room.
Twilight went straight up the tunnel, where she found three earth ponies with shovels digging through the soil. A quick glance at their flanks confirmed that they had lost all their magic while here.
“So guys, how are we doing? Are we close to the surface?”
The one still digging up at the front replied with, “By our estimates, we should reach the surface within 2 hours.” He then turned his head towards one of the Earth ponies who was securing another structural support. “Hey, could you bring this dirt back down the tunnel?”
“Sure thing.” Said the other pony, as he began scooping dirt into a small cart.
The digging pony turned back to Twilight. “Oh yeah, it’s almost time for us to get our well deserved paym-“
*Clang*
The miner stopped dead as the metal end of the shovel had struck a hard metal surface. Confused, she brushed away some of the dirt, and shone his lantern straight at the offending object.
A sliver of solid iron met his vision. He cleared away more dirt with his shovel, and revealed a thick iron tube running straight through the ground.
Twilight was flabbergasted as she looked closer at the iron tube. She was able to make out strange blocky symbols painted upon the object in yellow paint. She couldn’t understand what the symbols meant, but she knew it implied one thing.
This world was occupied as well.