//------------------------------//
// A Glimmer of hope 
// Story: Starlight, star bright 
// by Dusty Hooves 
//------------------------------//

"Days." Starlight muttered to herself, "It's been days since I left Manehattan looking for this old settlement I read about. One full day by train just to get to Las Pegasus and two days from there on hoof."

As she trudged through the seemingly endless expanse of the San Palomino Desert, Starlight thought back to that scroll she found in the Manehattan Museum of Antiquities. She knew she was not supposed to have read it. It was tucked away in the restricted section of the archives, labeled "Not For Public Display" along with various other ancient unicorn artifacts. 

She remembered thinking it odd that this museum would have any unicorn artifacts to begin with. Although now a multicultural city, Manehattan was, long ago, a traditional earth pony settlement. 
Who would have thought that the search for an old unicorn town would unravel one of the best hidden secrets in Equestria's past. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Four days earlier...

Upon arriving in Manehattan, Starlight Glimmer immediately set about finding one of the many museums a city of this size probably had.
All it took was a trip to the nearest hotel and a polite conversation with the concierge there to find out that there were three museums in town. Hotels were a wealth of information. Starlight giggled to herself. All one had to do is be polite and just about anything you needed to know about a strange place would be right there for the asking. 

One museum she disregarded straight away. The Museum of Modern Art. Starlight knew there would not be anything of value to be learned there. That left two yet to explore. The Royal Manehattan Museum and the Manehattan Museum of Antiquities. 

Starlight went to the Royal Manehattan Museum first because it was the closest. One look around told her that this place was not going to have what she was looking for. Still, she was already here and she was not one to leave any stone unturned in her hunt.  
When she located the curator, Starlight asked her if she had any information about any ancient unicorn ghost towns. The curator squinted her eyes and said, "Hmmm, a ghost town you say? That was once populated by unicorns? I'm sorry. As you can see, this museum specializes only in artifacts and memorabilia related specifically to the princesses and their rule. Our main visitors are children on field trips from the local schools. The princesses are so very popular with the young ones." she giggled. 
"Have you tried the Manehattan Museum of Antiquities dear?" the curator asked. "They would be the ones to have information about anything that is as old as what you are interested in." 
Starlight thanked the curator for her help and set off for her last stop. She thought, I sure hope I can find something there, it's my last lead.  

Manehattan is a large city and difficult for a newcomer to navigate but Starlight has always been a determined and resourceful mare so after asking a few different ponies for directions, she successfully arrived at her destination. 

Upon entering the museum, Starlight instantly knew that if any place had the answers she was looking for, this would be it. 
Looking around, she saw the skeletons of manticores and griffons displayed in ferocious poses and she was amazed at the skeleton of a huge dragon suspended from the ceiling. There were ancient pony weapons, clothing and household items in glass covered displays. There were even full scale dioramas showing life in early Equestria. But no caveponies. she giggled to herself.
After looking about at the curiosities, she finally located the pony she was after.  
Upon approaching him, the curator, a light blue coated earth pony with greying mane and tail and sporting a pair of thick glasses, was eager to answer Starlight's questions. 
Starlight started with the ordinary. How long has this museum been here, did they have more artifacts that were not on display, how far back in history did the artifacts go and many more. She then snuck in the question she had really come here to ask. 
"What about old settlements," Starlight asked, "Would you have information about any of those?" 

"Of course!" He answered, obviously very happy to find some pony as interested in Equestrian history as he was. 

"What about an ancient unicorn settlement," Starlight asked, raising an eybrow in a very nonchalant way. "Supposedly abandoned since before Princess Luna was banished to the moon?"

"Well," the curator replied, peering over the top of his glasses at the young pink mare, "If we had any information about an old unicorn settlement, it would be in the archives." He continued. He turned his head back as he walked away toward another area of the museum. "We don't have a lot of artifacts relating to unicorns here." 
Starlight trotted forward, quickly catching up to the older stallion. 
"For many centuries," the curator continued, "Manehattan was populated almost exclusively by earth ponies. As such, our displays and artifacts are mostly earth pony related. But let me go and have a look in the back. Please wait here, the archive section is not open to the public." And off he went, passing through an area that was roped off and marked with two signs. One that said "Administration" and another that said "Archives".  
That left Starlight alone with her thoughts.

This was the closest Starlight had come to to finding the ancient city she had heard about since she left Canterlot. It took all of her willpower to restrain herself from following the curator in the back to help him look. 
Starlight decided to wander around the area looking at the exhibits to keep her mind from spinning out of control. She found herself in front of a fair representation of what was labeled on a small brass plaque as "A typical day in medieval Equestria". 
What Starlight saw was a life size, three dimensional reconstruction of an ancient earth pony village which included a number of ponnequins wearing funny costumes similar to what she used to see in "Hearth's Warming Eve" plays when she was younger. These ponnequins were posed doing what ponies still did today, trading items at stalls and talking among each other but in a replica of a more primitive looking village with dirtier streets and poorly constructed buildings.

Deep in thought, Starlight was startled when she felt the light touch of a hoof on her shoulder. 
"Miss," the curator said, "Sorry to startle you." The curator had apparently returned. He was wearing what Starlight thought was a puzzled expression on his face.
"I-I'm sorry miss, the curator continued, clearing his throat. "We don't have any scrolls that make mention of the ancient unicorn settlement you were inquiring about in the archives." he said. "M-May I ask what made you think we might have any such documents?" 

More than slightly puzzled by the obvious discomfort the curator was in after returning from the archives section, Starlight proceeded to tell him what she knew.
"It was something I overheard two of my professors talking about one day while I passed by the teachers lounge back in Canterlot." Starlight said. "They were talking about some old cult, formed just after the unification, that was made up of unicorns. Ones who did not want to follow the new laws laid down by the princesses." 
"Apparently," she continued, "From what I could make out of the conversation, these ponies wanted to return Equestria back to the way it was before the princesses arrived. They believed that unicorns were responsible for raising the sun and the moon and when that task was taken from them, they lost their prestige and power. The last thing I overheard," Starlight continued, "Was that the cult was disbanded by earth ponies. Since I was already in Canterlot when I heard this story, I first looked for any information there. When I found no record of anything like this in the central archives, I thought to look in the oldest and largest earth pony city since the story mentioned that earth ponies were responsible for breaking up this so called cult."

"Well", the curator said, "That is a curious story. "And you came all the way out here just to see if it were true? I'm sorry your search did not bear any fruit." he continued, "But it was probably just the plot from a book that your two professors were discussing. I'm afraid you've wasted you time."

Starlight was more than a little suspicious at the curators behavior. He was acting like a foal caught steeling a sweet from the store. And what did he just say about scrolls? I never mentioned scrolls. Starlight thought. She decided to play along. 
"Yes, it does seem likely that what I overheard was, like you said, probably just a story." she replied. "And since I have come up with nothing, I guess it's time I return home."
Starlight turned away from the curator and started looking around at all the items on display before continuing. "You do have an impressive museum here and since I traveled all the way from Canterlot, there's no sense going home until I have seen all your wonderful exhibits."

"Yes! Of course!" The curator said. Obviously relieved to change the subject. "Please, enjoy. There are many exciting..." the curator went on, pointing out different things to Starlight, seeming extremely relieved to have something other than the unicorn settlement to talk about.

After the impromptu tour, the curator excused himself. It was getting late and he said he had some things to take care of before closing.

"Oh, no problem. Thank you for the tour and all the information!" Starlight said. "I just want to see a couple more things and then I too, will be on my way. Thanks again for all of your help!" 

And with that, the curator disappeared back into the administration area while Starlight, pretending to look at some funny hat that resembled a cup of chocolate pudding, waited until he was gone before putting the next phase of her plan into action.

Looking around to be sure she was alone, Starlight then ducked under the red velvet ropes that separated the early pony village diorama from the visitor area. Quickly making her way to one of the replica homes, she tried the door hoping that the designers were accurate and realistic in their reconstructions. Yes! Starlight thought to herself. The door is operational. She quickly opened it and went inside, closing the door behind her. 
Now all I have to do is wait. She said to herself as she got as comfortable as she could in the unfinished interior of the replica home.