//------------------------------// // Enter the Stage did Two Strangers // Story: Two Strangers // by MelancholyIguana //------------------------------// Two Strangers Chapter 1 Twilight was bored. There was nothing to do. Twilight had helped Spike with chores and, now tuckered out, he was napping in the kitchen for peace. Everyone else was busy and yet did not require her assistance. There were a few new books downstairs yet surprisingly Twilight did not feel like opening them just yet. She kept them on the library desk still concealed within their brown paper packaging to retain that new book smell. Twilight relished that scent and did not want to waste it. Surprisingly her normal book-aholic nature was rather lackluster today. She had an idea. Turning to one of her many shelves surrounding her bed, she levitated a box lying dormant from it and exited her room. Opening the doors onto her balcony she placed the box in front of her and blew the coating of dust from it and carefully lifted free its contents onto the balcony floor. Her star gazing kit. Remembering when she disassembled it to make more room for one lengthy reading session she rather haphazardly planned for, Twilight never felt the need to use it since and as a result never removed it from its small cozy cardboard pod. Boredom however proved to be enough of a reason to persist with allowing it to see the light of day again. Setting up was easy enough. Whilst it had been a while since last using it, Twilight had performed this task many times before and had it sentinelled proudly overlooking the world before her like it had in the past. Yet that was not what it’s job was for now, Twilight thought. Firstly it was daytime and therefore no hint of the glistening stars would be seen for more than a few hours. No, Twilight was feeling in an unproductive mood today. Pointing the telescope downwards, she scanned the quiet village below her. Her beautiful home was living up to its nature. Quiet. Twilight sighed, her boredom only increasing as she watched a light blue mare tend to her garden, quickly moving on when Twilight feared she may have spotted her intrusive behavior. Instead Twilight decided to look further from home. ‘Come on. It’s been weeks and not a single solitary engaging event has happened! Since moving here my friends and I have been on all kinds of adventures, battled monsters, reasoned with dragons and repelled invasions from changelings to parasprites.’ The sights of her telescope slowly panned over the ever wide horizon starting just east of the Everfree Forest. ‘Now that I want something to happen, nothing does. Not that I want anything dangerous to happen. Just something exciting.’ Her gaze passed over the many lush green fields and smooth, lazy, rolling hills. In the distance, other humble towns, simple villages and grand cities disrupted the almost flat lands around her. With another huff, Twilight slumped back and spun the telescope on its stand. ‘Nothing’ she thought as she watched its momentum slow. Fatigue pestered her, the kind that can only be experienced after a long day of performing nothing in particular. The telescope stopped. Twilight stared at it for a moment before slowly, with extenuating effort, leaning in to take one final look through the telescope. The Everfree Forest. Twilight shuddered. She had been in there on multiple occasions for a plethora of reasons. Yet the unsettling feeling it seeded in her never seemed to falter. Yet she did not look away. No, in fact her eyes were fixed on the surface of the deep trees and bushes. More specifically, two looming shadows, becoming more and more defined the longer she stared. Calmly emerging from the dense thicket of twisting thorns and gnarled trees was... “A stallion?” Twilight gasped. Difficult to see from such a distance, Twilight could just about make the tall toned stature of the grey stallion. It took her a moment to realize his attention was focused on the forest behind him. Bursting from the bushes appeared another smaller stallion with a similar grey coat. “Wait two stallions?” Even from this distance she knew she didn't know either of these two ponies. “Somepony new?” Twilight pondered lifting a hoof underneath her muzzle. Returning to the telescope she watched as they slowly headed in the direction of Ponyville. The smaller pony seemed to be far more energetic and talkative than his taller counterpart who didn't appear to say anything at all, merely watching the smaller pony flit and jump about. As he strolled slowly onward the smaller stallion impatiently flew ahead and retreating back, having to wait for the larger pony, who seemed to refuse to go any faster. They appeared to be completely opposite in personality. The smaller grey pony wore a large white hat with a black band around the centre, standing out against the ponies green tipped black hair. Somehow he managed to effortlessly wear it whilst flying around at speeds that would most certainly give Rainbow Dash a run for her money. In almost perfect contrast, the larger of the two ponies wore a waistcoat that hugged his chest that matched the bracelets around his forelegs. Both a thick black. However more curiously was the hat he donned. It was a simple black trilby. No markings or colours. It had a plain design that cover his eyes from sight for the most part. Yet Twilight’s curiosity only grew as she found herself almost drawn to it. It felt... odd. Pondering the odd feeling this strange pair was giving her, she looked away for a brief moment, lost in thought. When she returned to the telescope, the pair could no longer be seen. Whoever they were, they were heading to Ponyville. I wonder who will meet them first? If it’s Pinkie then I wish them luck. Thinking back to her first day in Ponyville, Twilight could remember the first impression the rampant ball of energy in a small pink package gave her. Pinkie was quite calm that day I first met her. Even then she seemed a little... much. I hope she doesn’t over do it. More recently Pinkie has been far more excitable than usual resulting in far more... Pinkie-ish shenanigans. Oh it will be fine. I’m sure they will meet someone else first. Ponyville’s has so many friendly ponies here, what are the chances of Pinkie being the first to see them? Slim, a voice in her head answered back. My thoughts exactly. Tuning back to the telescope the two figures were gone. * * * “I’m sorry to wake you sister” A motherly voice rang out. 2But you know that I wouldn’t do this unless absolutely necessary.” Luna stirred as sleep still clung heavily to her mind. With copious amounts of effort, Luna cracked open one dizzy eye to glimpse her clock stood guarding her bedside. 4:18 PM it glowed. Letting out a disgruntled moan she turned over to return to her rest. Another nudge prevented her. “Sister, please.” Luna opened both eyes now. Celestia was standing over her. Her voice lacked the calming nobility that it so often held. The feint tremor of worry it now contained was sobering. She never spoke like this apart from on the rarest of occasions. As Luna’s eyes adjusted, she focused on her older sisters face. She was wearing an expression which only worried Luna further. If this is another banana shortage crisis, I’m gonna kill her.’ But when her eyes were drawn to her open bedroom door, they faltered on the half dozen gowned figures behind her sisters tall stature. Lunas thoughts immediately turned more serious. Sitting bolt upright, sending her duvet flying from her, her gaze returned to her sibling. “What happened?”