//------------------------------// // Prologue - The Night of the Falling Skies // Story: Starbrought // by Ethereal Cerberus //------------------------------// Starbrought Twilight Sparkle was practically giddy with excitement. Tonight was the first night in over a millenium that the Night of the Falling Skies would be visible in Equestria, and she was determined to have everything to record the historic moment with her. The lavender-coated unicorn dashed all over the library she called home, triple-checking her double-checks to make sure that she had gathered everything. A long roll of parchment laid unfurled on a table in the center of the main room of the library, covered in numerous check marks to remind Twilight what she had already done and no longer needed to worry about. Next to the table was a small, red wagon filled with various pieces of star-gazing equipment, cameras, and star charts. Spike's head turned back and forth as he followed Twilight's pacing, his eyes glazed over. He had been ready to meet up with their friends on the outskirts of Ponyville for at least half an hour at this point, whereas Twilight had managed to somehow convince herself that she had overlooked something in her preparations. With a sigh, the young dragon hopped off of the table that sat in the library's center and strode into the kitchen set off to the side of the main room. Knowing Twilight as he did, she would be at least another five or ten minutes before she was positive that she hadn't overlooked anything. That, of course, meant that he had just enough time to snack on some of the sapphires still remaining in the icebox from the recent Sapphire Season. His claws were mere inches away from opening the icebox and retrieving the glorious treat awaiting him within when a faint magenta aura surrounded him. Spike let out a groan as he was levitated out of the kitchen. Twilight gave him an apologetic smile as she hooked the wagon up to her saddlebags. "Come on, Spike," the unicorn said in a hurried tone. "We need to hurry, or we're going to be late." So close... The dragon lamented, staring longingly back towards the kitchen before Twilight magicked the door to the library shut behind him. "Don't worry, my sweets," he said, voice full of forced sorrow, "I'll be back for you, I promise!" Twilight rolled her eyes, silently wondering why Spike felt the need to be over-dramatic when it came to his being deprived a snack. If she had to take a guess, her number one assistant was taking lesson from a certain white-coated unicorn. It didn't take the two of them long to reach the tallest hill near Ponyville. The hill itself would be the prime location for watching the Night of the Falling Skies as no treetops (save for those along the edge of the Everfree Forest) obscured the skyline and no buildings in Ponyville were close enough to serve as an obstruction to the upcoming spectacle. To Twilight's disappointment and mild frustration, she and Spike were the last of their friends to arrive. Rarity was in the process of arranging the large picnic blanket and pillows she had brought along for all of them to lounge on in a visually appealing manner. Pinkie Pie was somehow managing to unload an impossibly large amount of baked goods from within a small picnic basket for snacks. All it took was a quick glance, and Twilight determined that the volume of baked goods currently out on the blanket could not have possibly fit into the basket, and Pinkie didn't even seem to be halfway done. Applejack and Fluttershy were off to the side cheering along with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle as they watched Rainbow Dash attempt to help Scootaloo improve at flying. Though, from what Twilight could tell, Scootaloo seemed to be more excited about the fact that Rainbow Dash was the one helping her than she was about actually learning, which resulted in the orange-coated filly crashing back to the ground frequently. Spike leapt off of Twilight's back before she had even finished pulling her wagon laden down with her equipment up the hill and ran over to Rarity to assist her in any way he could. Twilight let out a small chuckle as she watched the dragon rush off. It was adorable how he fawned over Rarity sometimes. "Howdy there, Twi!" Applejack called out as she took notice of the unicorn mare's arrival. "Need any help there with your cart of... whatever it is you brought?" The blonde-maned pony cocked her head to the side a bit as she glanced over Twilight's wagon. Twilight gave her friend an appreciative smile as she magically unhooked herself from the cart. "I would be very grateful if you did." "So what's with all this stuff?" Applejack asked as she lifted one of three telescopes Twilight had brought along. "Do you really need all of this just to watch a meteor shower?" "Oh, it's not just any old meteor shower, Applejack." Twilight's voice quickly developed a lecturer's tone as she began setting up her equipment. "The Night of the Falling Skies hasn't happened in Equestria for over a millenium! Only the Princesses have been able to see it before now. There aren't even detailed records about the last one that I can find!" Applejack chuckled as her friend continued to ramble on about what an opportunity tonight was going to be and how glad she was that all of them could be there together to share them. This wasn't the first time Applejack had heard this little speech from the giddy unicorn. In fact, over the past two or so weeks, it had been all Twilight had been able to talk about. It was always 'Night of the Falling Skies this' and 'Night of the Falling Skies that' whenever the farm mare had an opportunity to speak with her. Even though Twilight had already talked this night to death, Applejack couldn't help but feel more than a little excited. Twilight was right, tonight really was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and she was more than grateful that she could share this night with her friends. "Twilight! Applejack!" The pair turned their head towards Rarity as she called out to them. "Won't you two join us?" The white-coated unicorn gestured at the spread of food laid out on the picnic basket. Around her, the others had already started eating while talking animatedly about what they thought tonight was going to be like. Applejack turned toward Twilight and tilted her head towards the food, silently asking her if she was going to join the rest of them. "I will in a minute," Twilight promised as she made minute adjustments to the angle of one telescope. "I just need to make sure that these are all in position to recor-" Her words were cut short as a pale blue aura surrounded her body and lifted her into the air. "Darling, take a moment to relax." Rarity gave her a soft smile. Twilight returned the gesture with a small scowl as she was set down on the blanket. "Look, the sun hasn't even set yet. There will still be time for you to set up your equipment later. But right now, we're enjoying a meal and it isn't going to be the same if you're off doing your own thing." "I suppose you're right." Twilight's scowl vanished as she conceded, giving her friend a small smile. "I'm just really excited about tonight." "And who can blame you?" Rainbow Dash asked through a mouthful of cookies. "From what you've told us, this is going to be the most awesome-tastic meteor shower ever!" "It's more than just a meteor shower, Rainbow." Twilight magicked a hay and oats sandwich over to her as she spoke. "The Night of the Falling Skies only happens when Princess Luna uses her magic to bring the meteors to Equestria." "Then what's so special about that?" The pegasus asked, disappointment obvious in her tone. "When the Princess uses her magic to bring the meteors here, the meteors absorb some of her magic and they can paint the night sky with all sorts of wonderful colors." The lavender mare's eyes shone with excitement. "Supposedly, there's nothing else like it." "So it's kinda like me then?" Rainbow Dash proudly flared out her wings and struck a dramatic pose. Applejack and Rarity rolled their eyes in unison. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy giggled at Rainbow Dash's antics. "I don't see how a meteor shower can be like you, Dashie," Pinkie said through her giggles. "I mean, meteors are big space rocks, right? And you’re not big, you’re small. And rocks are heavy and hard, but you’re a pegasus, so you’re light and soft. And there are thousands of meteors, but only one you. There aren’t thousands of you anywhere, more than one Rainbow Dash would just be silly.” Rainbow Dash’s only response was a very confused blink as Pinkie shoved three cupcakes into her mouth, swallowed them whole and spat the wrappers back out shaped like a swan. “How does she do that?” Sweetie Belle whispered to her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders, both of whom shrugged in response. “Who cares?” Scootaloo said abruptly. “Do you girls know what tonight is?” The orange-coated pegasus was met with a pair of deadpanned stares. “It’s all everpony’s been talking about for the last week, Scootaloo,” Applebloom reminded her. “Where have you been?” “That’s not what I mean!” Scootaloo groaned. “The Princess is bringing rocks from space to Equestria, right?” Applebloom and Sweetie Belle both nodded, wondering where their mostly-flightless friend was going with this. “What if she accidentally brings…” Scootaloo shifted her eyes suspiciously back and forth, taking a long pause for dramatic effect, “… aliens?!” “I wouldn’t worry too much about aliens, Scootaloo,” Twilight said with a chuckle. “Even though there might be other forms of life out there in the universe, the odds of them ever finding us are the same as trying to find one specific drop of water in the ocean.” “So, you're saying there are aliens out there?” “There very well could be. But we have no way of finding out for-” “Like I said,” Scootaloo continued on proudly, interrupting another explanation from Twilight, “the Princess could accidentally bring aliens! How cool would that be?” “I don’t think it would be ‘cool’ at all,” Fluttershy chimed in. “The aliens in all the stories I’ve read have been scary and mean.” “Scary and mean, huh?” Applebloom repeated. “Then if the Princess does bring aliens…” “Which she won’t,” Twilight muttered under her breath. “…then we might get cutie marks in alien catching! And we’d be heroes!” Applebloom cried out. Scootaloo flashed her friends a grin. “My thoughts exactly." The other six ponies all giggled at the girls’ enthusiasm, but Pinkie’s laughter was cut short as her mane began to vibrate on its own. Her right ear flopped down against her head and remained there while her left ear twitched violently. Without warning, the pink-coated mare’s legs all folded beneath her and she fell with a thump to the ground. “Oh my! Are you alright, Pinkie?” Fluttershy asked, concern filling her voice as she flew over to her friend. “You aren’t hurt are you?” “Nope!” Pinkie replied with a wide smile. “I am still hungry, though! I haven’t had a doozy like that since that meanie-pants hydra! Wow, that was something!” “So what does it mean?” Spike asked, doing his best to mimic the motions Pinkie’s ‘Pinkie Sense’ had triggered. “I don’t know,” the premier party pony of Ponyville didn’t seem the least bit bothered by it at all as she stuffed a hoofful of cookies into her mouth and quickly swallowed them. “Never had one like that before, but I didn’t get any sad feelings from it, so it’s probably just getting excited for the show like I am!” The others all shrugged it off after that and went back to idly chatting while they waited for the sun to finishing setting so that the Night of the Falling Skies could begin. After all, Pinkie was Pinkie. And if she wasn’t concerned by it, then they had nothing to worry about. Starbrought The light rapping of a hoof against the thick wooden door interrupted Princess Luna's meditation. The princess of the moon slowly opened her eyes and blinked several times, adjusting to the dim lighting of her meditation chambers in the northeastern most tower of Canterlot Castle. The rapping on her door came again, accompanied by the voice of a guard. "Your Highness, it’s almost time.” Luna sighed as she rose to her hooves, feeling the satisfactory cracking of the vertebrae in her back as she did so. She twisted her neck from side to side in a very un-royal manner, as her annoying nephew Blueblood would say. She took in a deep breath and raised her head up high as she strode toward the door. Her horn lit up with a pale, robin’s egg blue light as she reached out to the door with her magic, swinging it open in front of her. Her Night Guards on the other side both snapped to attention and saluted Luna as she strode purposefully down the stairwell of the tower before falling into position on either side behind her. Her guards easily stood out from the average palace guards. Like all guards, their armor altered their appearance for the sake of uniformity whenever they donned it. Their coats were a deep shade of gray and their manes and tails took on the color of a starless night. Their eyes glowed a faint yellow with cat-like slit pupils. Their wings were magically altered to appear bat-like, rather than their usual feathered appearance. The armor they wore was mostly a deep purple in color with black accents and their helms had a webbed crest similar to their wings rather than the feathered plumes most other guards possessed. Even though she knew many of her subjects were often intimidated by her guards, Luna refused to change how their armor altered their appearance. They were her Night Guards, and she felt it appropriate that they were properly dressed for the occasion. Not to mention, it helped to entertain her during the evenings when she held Night Court to see the ponies who were unable to attend the Day Court that her sister, Celestia, presided over. Watching the upper-class wiggle uncomfortably under the hard stares of the Night Guard was highly amusing to Luna. It felt good to watch some ponies, who felt they deserved more in life than those they viewed as below them, be put in their place by a simple enchantment on armor. The princess of the moon exited the tower into the Hall of Equestrian History where several dozen stained glass windows depicted important scenes from the earliest recorded points of Equestrian history right up until the defeat of Discord at the hooves of her sister and herself. Several of Luna’s favorite stories to tell could be found here. The battle of Starswirl the Bearded and the behemoth Mjolnir, where the earth shook nonstop for three whole days until Starswirl finally succeeded in banishing Mjolnir to the depths of Tartarus. Shortly before that window was the Despair, a creature of pure darkness that sought to swallow the joyful emotions of all Equestrian’s in the years shortly before Discord’s rise to power. The Despair had eventually been defeated by the Six Founders of Equestria, but at the cost of their own lives. There was Everfree, the last descendant of Starswirl the Bearded, who used all of her power to seal the gates of Tartarus and create the three headed hell-hound Cerberus to guard them. The strain of the spell destroyed her physical body, and gave birth to what was now known as the Everfree Forest, named in honor of her sacrifice. Only one window, however, always managed to catch Luna’s attention enough to force her to stop and stare at it. The image depicted her younger self, back before she stood taller than most ponies and her mane hadn’t quite achieved its free-flowing nature. She stood on a rocky outcropping, openly weeping as her magic reached out to the heavens, calling forth thousands of meteors to streak across the sky in her own way of mourning the loss of her oldest friend, the very first Night of the Falling Skies. Luna hung her head, and her guards joined her. Though she had never explained why she did so, she insisted on moment of silence every time she passed by this particular window. A full minute passed before the princess raised her head and continued down the hall toward her destination, the grand balcony overlooking the courtyard. As the princess of the moon had suspected, her elder sister, Celestia, was already on the balcony, silently waiting for her as she guided the sun along its remaining path beyond the horizon. The Night Guard took up their positions on either side of the large glass doors that led to the balcony, both of them becoming as eerily still as the gargoyles that had once decorated the Palace of the Pony Sisters in the Everfree Forest. Luna waited patiently for her sister to finish lowering the sun before she stepped out onto the balcony, clearing her throat gently to announce her presence. Celestia turned toward her younger sister, a small smile forming on her lips. “Good evening, Luna,” she said quietly. “And to you, Sister,” Luna returned the smile. “I trust your day has been well?” The princess of the sun chuckled warmly and nuzzled her sister gently as she drew nearer. “But of course!” She replied cheerily. “Not a cloud in the sky thanks to the Cloudsdale teams working overtime. Though I’m certainly not looking forward to the three days of rain we’ll be receiving next week to make up for the past few days of clear skies.” Celestia gave a slight grimace, which earned the tiniest of giggles from Luna. It was always a relief to Luna when her elder sister showed her less serious side. Before she had turned into Nightmare Moon over a thousand years ago, she could only ever remember how proper Celestia had been. Quite a lot had changed over the past one thousand years. “The ambassador from the Altai Dominion is growing impatient,” her sister admitted. “We shall have to leave tonight after you have finished.” Luna grimaced. The Altai Dominion, homeland of the Griffins had been at edge with the Taurus Wastelands, home of the Minotaur clans for the past several weeks. More than once, fighting had almost broken out along the border. Celestia had made her worry about war breaking well known to Luna. If the Altai Dominion and the Taurus clans started a war with each other, the fighting could carry over into Equestria. As such, Celestia had petitioned the leaders of both nations to meet and discuss the reasons behind the fighting and find a solution. “I still do not understand why I need to accompany you, sister,” the princess of the night said in response. “Do we not need one of us to remain behind to maintain appearance?” “Cadance should be returning from the Zebrarian Deserts in a couple of days,” Celestia reminded her younger sister. “She should be able to keep the peace while we’re gone.” “Then who shall rule in our place until she arrives?” Luna inquired. Celestia grimaced. “Blueblood.” Luna fixed her sister with a deadpanned stare. “Blueblood?” She repeated. Celestia nodded. Luna let out a groan. “He’s going to ruin the country you know.” “Oh, I doubt that he will be able to,” the sun princess said with a small chuckle. “I’ve assigned the council to keep an eye on him, any major decisions will be sent to me for approval, and he’s forbidden from making laws.” “I imagine he won’t be too pleased when he finds out,” Luna said with a small giggle. “What did you think the real reason is why we’re leaving tonight?” Her sister grinned slyly and the two of them broke into a small fit of giggles. “You’ve become quite the hobgoblin, Sister,” the princess of the moon chuckled. Her sibling smiled warmly back at her. “Are you ready, Luna?” Celestia asked. Luna nodded. She turned away from Celestia and strode to the forefront of the balcony, doing her best to stifle her giggles. She drew in a slow breath to steady herself and turned her gaze up to the stars appearing in the night sky above. Her horn began to glow with a midnight blue aura, flecked with countless twinkling lights, mimicking the sky above. Her eyelids slowly closed as she felt her magic reach out into the heavens, searching for the cluster of space rocks that were in orbit around Equestria’s neighbor planet, Corpus Petra. She felt her magic seep into the rocks, pulling them from orbit and dragging them through the emptiness of space toward the Equestrian skies at nearly impossible speeds while preparing to slow them down. Celestia watched her sister with pride as arcane energy swirled around Luna, lifting her into the air without using her wings and even causing the wind to shift around her in a light gale. The princess of the sun turned her gaze to the heavens above and watched patiently for several minutes. A single white streak blazed a trail across the skies above. A bluish green one appeared a brief moment later. In a matter of seconds, the sky lit up with the multi-colored hues of the magic-imbued meteors streaking across the stars. The first Night of the Falling Skies in over seven hundred years had begun. Starbrought