• Published 8th Jun 2014
  • 2,141 Views, 54 Comments

Are We Alone?: A Spore Story - Heat Horn



The ponies of Equus have long since stopped their search for other life in the universe, but when Twilight Sparkle stumbles upon the archives of the long lost research how will she react?

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Project Spore

Author's Note:

Sorry this chapter took so long but school resumed and the first days of the new school year are always the hardest... you know assignments and stuff like that.
But anyway I'll let you read on...(man that took long to write)

Twilight was still in her room in Canterlot and had just finished packing her things. She thought herself ready to face the challenge of completing project First Contact, but she had also realised that it was her job to rename the project... and also expand it

Do I have to rename the project? She thought to herself s she put the final scroll back into her bag and clipped it closed. Twilight proceeded to cross off the last item in her check list Twilight didn't bring much supplies to Canterlot, she just took her 'travel-ready' bag

"Hmm... am I missing something?" she brought a check list up to her face a second time and gave it a look over and when everything was in order she went out of her room and walked over to Rarity, who was waiting a the entrance to Applejacks room.

"Did you get everything darling, I would hate for you to have something behind" Rarity said as she gestured to Twilights suit case.

"I don't think I forgot anything I even double checked..." Twilight said before she opened her suit case and began to thoroughly check it's contents, making sure that everything she owned was there

As Twilight was checking her things with Rarity the door to Applejacks room swung open and Applejack stepped out with a large bag which looked quite bloated...

"Well I'm about ready to go what 'bout you two?" Applejack said before she grasped her suit case tightly between her teeth

Did I over-prepare... I mean maybe the anti-Manticore spray was a bit much... nah nonsense Appleajack always made sure that she was ready for any type of emergency when she travelled, even for those very specific emergencies...

"Well almost ready I was actually going to go the library one last time before we left so it's ok if you two go ahead" Rarity said much to Twilight and Applejacks surprise

"Rare are you sure you're ok... you're startin' to sound like Twilight" Applejack looked at Rarity with a puzzled expression

Twilight looked up from her suitcase checking and asked Rarity "Why are you going to go to the library? Is there a book you would like to borrow?"

"Well yes and no, you see Twilight I want to buy the book that played the message from yesterday" Rarity said to both Twilight and Applejack

"Do you want some company? Twilight suggested as she checked of the last item in her list...for the third time...

"Well if it sits well with you then I will greatly appreciate some companionship" Rarity stated looking at Twilight for reassurance

"Oh it's completely fine by me how about you Applejack?" Twilight said to Applejack then looked to Rarity motioning her in a questioning manner as if asking 'Are you ready to go?'

"Wait just a apple pickin minute?! What're you two talking about, what's this message?!" Applejack had put down her suit case and was now looking at both Rarity and Twilight in confusion and frustration as she tried to wrap her head around all this.

"What ever do you mean?... oh...oh ok I get it... Well Applejack..." Rarity said while motioning to a near by bench.

While Rarity explained to Applejack what had happened when she and Twilight found the book that had relayed the message Applejack showed an array of facial expressions, but the one that stood out the most was the one she showed when Rariy said the last line...

"...The message itself was and SOS simply saying that he needed help... and by the sound of it... help didn't reach him in time" Applejack had a grave frown on her face

"Applejack, there was nothing you could have done, it happened 50 years ago" Rarity said as she wrapped up her story and saw how sad her friend was after hearing it

"So when you and Twilight triggered that matrix thingy the message played and it said that who ever sent it needed help?" Applejack, who was a bit less teary-eyed, pondered on the new information that she had received

I wonder what happened to that poor sap Applejack thought woefully as she attempted to visualize what he saw as his last sight

"Wow... I wonder what happened to him..." Applejack looked at Rarity with pity in her eyes, Applejack was always one to pity and sympathize with ponies who had experienced unfortunate events... even if they died, or aren't ponies at all.

"So Applejack do you want to come with us to the library?" Twilight asked, hoping that her friend would find this topic as interesting as she and Rarity did

"Nah you two go ahead... I don't do that sciency stuff Twi'... I'll just wait at the train station, catch'a there" Applejack said before picking up her saddlebags before going towards the exit of the main lobby

"Well Rarity I guess that it's just you and me" Twilight said, she understood that Applejack was a simple mare and didn't want to be burdened with having to wrap her head around the complexities of another race and the implications that would arise with the subject.

"Well okay dear... I was kind of looking forward to having Applejack with us at the library..." Rarity turned her attention from the door which Applejack had left through to her own saddlebags.

"We had better get going then we don't want to keep poor Applejack waiting..." Rarity said as she calmly levitated her saddlebags to her back and strapped them on

"Let's go then!" Twilight said in a gleeful tone, she didn't seem to notice the slightly depressed tone in Rarity's voice

"Okay then" Rarity followed Twilight to the Canterlot library as they approached the door Rarity got her old Library card from her bags. She sighed at the sight, the card looked old and worn as if it hadn't been used in years. Rarity reminisced to the last time she had bought a book.

"I haven't done this in a while" Rarity whispered to herself before following Twilight to the main desk

"...I would like to buy this one please" Twilight put the 'Extraequestrials' book on the desk and put 250 bits next to it. The librarian took the book and stamped it, she then put it in a paper bag. She counted the bits before she poured them all in the drawer of the cashiers desk and turned on the movement matrix which printed the receipt.

"Thank you for purchasing this book, now I need your library card so I can stamp that too" The librarian said realizing that she had only stamped the book

"Oh sorry I hadn't-" Before Twilight could finish, a library card...Rarity's to be exact.

"Here you go dear you can stamp mine" Rarity said as she waited for her card to be stamped

"Ok then ma'am" The librarian picked up the stamp and took the card out of it's casing and stamped it, confirming the purchase. She then put the card back in its case and handed it to Rarity

"Thanks Rarity, I didn't know that you had a Canterlot library card" Twilight said as she looked at the tattered card as Rarity put it back in her saddlebags

"...Wait why did you even bring your library card? You didn't buy any books last time we were here?" Twilight asked Rarity seeing as the fashionista didn't usually buy books

"It has a certain sentimental value Twilight, I like to have it around whenever I'm at Canterlot" Rarity walked up to Twilights side and trotted along side her as they walked towards the exit of the library

"Well I guess we go to the train station to meet up with Applejack" Twilight said to Rarity in a peppy voice

"And go home..." Rarity added realizing that she had left Sweetie Belle and Opal essence alone for two days...

"I wonder if what this book says is true... I mean it's fascinating and all but I want a project that I can actually finish" Twilight said as she took the key that Luna gave her out of her pocket

"What's that?" Rarity said as she tried to get a glimpse of what Twilight was holding in her hooves. It looked like it was shining

"I'll explain on thee train... i want Applejack to hear this too" Twilight tucked the key back into her wing and continued trotting towards the train station.

"Well ok then..." Rarity accepted the fact that she had to wait a little while but she couldn't shake the feeling that this had something to do with Twilights meeting with the Lunar princess

Twilight and Rarity filled there trip from the castle to the train station with small talk and idle conversation. Rarity tried to squeeze a little information about the object Twilight had, but all she could be sure of was that the object was a key... to something. Their trip ended right next to the train station buffet where they saw Applejack, who was eating a daffodil sandwich and drinking a simple apple shake.

"Hello Applejack we're back!" Rarity called out to her friend form the doorway, making sure that only Applejack and Twilight heard it.

"Howdy girls, did'ja get your book Rare?" Applejack motioned to the two chairs that she had set on the other side of the table

"Well yes, we did the book I wanted but I think Twilight has something to say that's way more interesting than that" Rarity looked over to Twilight expectingly

"Umm.. well yes I do" Twilight brought out the key from her wing before saying anything else

"Is that a key?" Applejack asked Twilight while leaning over to Rarity and whispering something along the lines of 'Is she serious with this?'

"Princess Luna gave this to me last night... but that's not all she gave me, she also told me that I was to take on a project that has been uncompleted for about 50 years. The project is actually the highlight of the book Rarity bought" Twilight took out the book that she and Rarity had bought and turned the page to the beginning of project First Contact

"Wow, Twilight this is a grand honour... Princess Luna trusts you with information that has been lying dormant for 50 years..." Rarity said to Twilight feeling both jealous and proud for her friend

"I know it's a huge privilege but I have no idea hoe I'm going to go about doing this project, I can't even name it..." Twilight hung her head in shame and in grief

"Twi' did the Princess say that you had to work on this project alone?" Applejack said remembering when she refused the help of her friends and what it had done to her

"No...wait she said that she wanted me too get help from all of you... if she believes that our friendships can help me with this project... then I guess I have to believe too!!" Twilight suddenly felt very uplifted and pulled the book of the table and put it in her saddle bag

"Girls were going home! I need the rest of out friends to know about this... " Twilight immediately jumped out of her seat and began trotting to the train stations loading deck and hopped on to the first train to Ponyville that left at 12:00

"I think we should follow her" Applejack told Rarity,who was currently in shock due to Twilights sudden display of determination

"Yes indeed we must..." Rarity managed to say before she grabbed her bags and trotted alongside Applejack towards the train that Twilight had boarded

That mare is really serious when it comes to friendship... Rarity thought silently as she stepped on the to train

On the train ride Twilight maintained a steely eyed gaze, determination plastered hard on her face. The train made it's final stop at the Ponyville station and Twilight and her friends all got off the train and were greeted by all their other friends

"Welcome back you guys!!" Rainbow Dash flew over to Twilight and hugged her tightly

"Hehe I missed you too Rainbow..." Twilight returned Rainbows hug but quickly broke out of it

"Omygoshomygoshomygoshyouhavetotellmeeverythingthathappedenedtoyou!!!!!" Pinkie Pie skipped over to Rarity and nearly made her deaf

"Pinkie, calm down I'll tell you everything that I can remember..." Rarity cringed at Pinkies sudden outburst

"I think we should go somewhere else to talk...ummm... if that's ok with all of you" Fluttershy softly addressed the whole group

"Fluttershy has a point, I don't think that the train station is a good place to have an extended conversation...especially from Twilight, how about we go to the castle...or we could try Sugarcube Corner?" Rarity considered what options her friends had that wouldn't result in Twilight getting mobbed by other ponies, due to her new Princess stature

"It's not a castle Rarity it's just... ok maybe it is a castle" Twilight didn't like being thought of as higher then anypony, even if she is an alicorn and a princess

"Ooo sorry girls, while you were away the Cakes started renovating Sugarcube Corner so we can't enter... you know for safety reasons" Pinkie didn't like the fact that she couldn't get into her own room but she understood why the Cakes wanted to remodel. With only 6 tables inside Sugarcube Corner they couldn't house that many ponies at a single time and that wasn't very good for business.

"Wait if you couldn't get in to Sugarcube Corner then where'dya sleep?" Applejack wasn't the smartest tool in the shed but she could put two and two together

"Oh I slept at Fluttershy's house while you were all away" Pinkie didn't really like having to sleep in somepony else's house but since Fluttershy offered so quickly she couldn't refuse

"We had a great time together" Fluttershy like having friends over at her house so naturally when her friend was in need of lodging she was the first to offer

"Well then I guess we have no choice, to the castle!" Twilight and her friends trotted off towards the newly 'built' castle. The trip didn't lasted a little while, since they started from the train station.

"I wonder if Discord's alright?" Fluttershy mused to herself remembering that she had left Discord alone in the castle

As Twilight and her friends approached the castle door Discord appeared in front of then in his classic entrance

"Ah welcome back Twilight, Fluttershy told me that you were coming back today so I took the liberty of readying the castle for your return

"Thanks Discord... but you didn't go overboard right?" Discord had gained most of the ponies trust but Twilight still questioned his methods

"Oh don't worry Twilight her let me get the door" Discord pushed the grandiose door open and revealed that the crystal castle was shinier than ever

"Wow Discord you really cleaned the whole place?!" Twilight knew that Discord had been reformed but she never thought that he would do this

"Well not exactly the whole place... I wasn't able to get into any of your rooms... I could just use teleportation but I didn't want to intrude on your privacy... I did get into Rainbows room though, she really like the Wonderbolts" Discord smiled when as he remembered what he saw in Rainbows room

"If you touched anything there I will personally turn you back into STONE!!" Rainbow said as she rushed up to check on her belongings

"If you didn't want me to clean your room then you shouldn't have left the door unlocked..." Discord said blankly to rainbow as she rushed up the stairs

"Well then... at any rate I think Discord actually did a good job of cleaning the castle..." Rarity said as she gave the room a look over

"I'll say... this room looks more spotless than Rarity" Pinkie said as she pointed to Rarity who was checking the floor for any traces of dust

"Girls!... and Discord I guess... I have something important to tell you..." Twilight lifted the key up high in the air and motioned for all of them to sit at the meeting table. She tucked the key away and went to sit herself down when she realised that Rainbow wasn't with them or sitting at the table.


"Oh I swear if he touched anything..." Rainbow dash ran up the stairs and through the hall until she found her room

The room it self was completely spotless, save for a few scattered papers. Rainbow went to investigate further and began scrutinizing every inch of her room

"Huh... every thing seems to be where it was... how did he do all this in two days" Rainbow Dash had little time to wonder because shortly before she had checked the last crack in her room...

"Rainbow!!" Rainbow dash was sure that she heard her name being called form downstairs so she quickly ran out the door and down the stairs to see who had called her


"Rainbow!!" Twilight called at the top of her lungs for a third time but it seemed to be of no avail, where ever rainbow may have gone she seemed to have become deaf

"Give her some time Twilight she was worried when I told her that I had cleaned her room so I suppose that she wanted to make sure I didn't change anything... I don't blame her... I would have done the same in her situation..." Discord, even if he is the spirit of chaos he still has feelings... and he can't stop blaming himself for betraying his friends when Tirek tried to take away Equestria's magic

"Rainbow!!" Twilight called again and was relieved when she heard hoof steps at the top of the stairs indicating that her friend finally heard her and was coming down

"S-Sorry Twi I didn't hear you I was just making sure that HE didn't touch anything in my room" Rainbow dash gave extra emphasis when referencing Discord, she was indeed convinced that he was reformed but she still didn't trust him around her personal belongings

"Rainbow you have to learn to trust Discord sooner or later... I mean we've been living together for the past two months and he hasn't done anything to chaotic" Twilight tried to remember when Discord pulled his last harmful prank but failed since she has gotten to know and has gotten to trust the draconequus, even though he tried to send Ponyville into complete chaos

"Rainbow Dash I don't blame you for not trusting me, you have valid reason... but honestly I have changed for the better..." Even if Discord didn't like Rainbow Dash, he had come to sort-of befriend her since she was so close to his reformer... Fluttershy

"This is not what I called you her for Rainbow, I have urgent matter that need to be attended to and I would appreciate it if you and discord would join us..." Twilight pointed a hoof towards the table where all their other friends were sitting and looking at them expectingly

"Ok Twi but what's so important that you need all of us to be here?" Rainbow Dash had never seen Twilight this serious about anything, and this is Twilight were talking about so that's saying something

"Yes Twilight, You have never called an audience like this in... ever actually... I am so grateful that I am invited" Discord wasn't the one for seriousness but he could deal with it, if only for a few hours... but as much as possible he stayed away form serious conversation

"I'll explain everything once were all seated down" Twilight walked towards the table and took her seat, she then motioned for Discord to sit beside her and Rainbow to take her seat. Discord didn't have a throne made for him, so he improvised... using his powers he made a chaos throne appear next to Twilight and took his seat in it

"Ok here it is..." Twilight brought out the key form where she had ticked it and pushed it to the centre of the table for everypony to see

"Ummm... care to explain why this key is so important?" Rainbow said impatiently as she cocked her head upon seeing the piece of metal

"Yes Twilight, I fail to see the importance of this key... even if I went with you when you got it..." Rarity remembered Twilight telling and showing her and Applejack the key that princess Luna had given her and was supposed to take a project that had been dormant for 50 years... however she couldn't find any link between the key and the project that Twilight had gotten

"Well, Princess Luna gave me this key and said that it was supposed to help me find something left behind by the original researchers form project First Contact, but I have no idea how it's supposed to do that" Twilight levitated the key up and spun it slowly so that everyone could see both sides

"I do sense and awful lot of magical residue on this key Twilight, perhaps it was a matrix at some point... but it's to deteriorated for me to tell what kind of matrix it was, or what purpose it served..." Discord was very well versed in the field of magic, after all it is kind of his bread and butter, but even with this knowledge he still couldn't find out what was so special about the key

"Maybe it was a device used to track a location... but that wouldn't make sense because, why would someone put a tracking matrix on a key?!" Rarity reasoned out loud with herself and managed to catch the attention of Twilight

"It could be a possibility, it would explain all the extra teeth the key has..." Twilight said as she handed the key to Rarity for closer inspection

"Ooo I have an idea! Why don't we charge it up and see if the matrix still works!" Pinkie suddenly blurted out remembering what Discord said about there being a matrix on the key at one point

"Ain't that bit risky seeing as this matrix could, you know be a trap... I'm just sayin' that what if this thing blows up right her right now?" Applejack put a hoof to her chin questioning Pinkie's idea

"I would have sensed an offensive matrix such as a combustion matrix, because they last longer than any other matrix out there" Discord had some vague knowledge on how matrices work and when they dissolve into non-existence

"I think we should give Pinkies idea a shot I mean what's the worst that could happen if Discord says that it can't be offensive or dangerous?" Rainbow said now knowing that they can rest easy knowing that the key would be the death of them all

"Ok then I'll prep the safety precautions... Twilight excused her self form the impromptu meeting and began to take metal sheeting form her basement and began to construct a small bunker in the library with Discords help

Once complete Twilight called all of her other friends into the makeshift bunker and levitated the key towards them untli it was about 3 feet form the bunker

"I hope this works... Discord are you ready?" Twilight turned to Discord, who was focusing on the key trying to repair the broken matrix

"A-Almost Twilight hold off a bit longer I need to make sure that the matrix is stable..." Discord hadn't used this spell in a few thousand years because he had never needed to stabilize and repair a matrix before... he usually had to break or de-stabilize them

"Now Twilight!" Discord shouted as the matrix finally came into view and was operational

Twilight concentrated a good portion of her magic into a single bolt of magic and sent it towards the hovering key. The matrix immediately absorbed the magic and began spinning. The key suddenly stopped and slowly drifted to the floor and began to etch carvings into the crystalline floor

"What's it doing Twi?" Rainbow watched as the key twisted and turned until the key just stopped at what looked like the end of a map

"I think that the matrix was programmed to depict and image by portraying it on the nearest surface... but why did the pony who wanted to convey the message put the matrix on a key?!" Discord said, as he recharged his magic deposits, and wondered if the key served some other purpose

"Should we be seeing something?" Rarity said as she looked at the weird imprint on the floor

"I think it's a map of some sort..." Twilight used her new wings to hover over the floor and get a better view of the drawing. She noticed that the matrix was programmed to use the keys current location as a starting point, seeing as the key had drawn an almost exact replica of Ponyville only that it looked alot older. The Ponyville depicted in the engraving was incomplete, It was missing Sugarcube Corner, and Carousel Boutique but Twilight was sure it was Ponyville because no other town had a tree in it

"If I'm correct, the map should be leading us towards.. the Ponyville town hall?" Twilight shook her head trying to see if her calculations were wrong. After much scrutiny she finally gave up and came to the conclusion that the map indeed lead to the town hall.

"I guess we should go to the town hall?" Rainbow suggested since the map ended there, and the key was lying on the icon of the building itself

"To the town hall!!!" Discord said with conviction as he pointed towards the door. Twilight quickly picked up the key and then motioned for all her friends to come with her. The trip to the twin hall didn't last very long, due to the fact that Twilights new castle was only a a few blocks away.

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock* Twilight hit her hoof against the grand doors of the town hall and waited. Twilight knows that the town hall is a public building, but she thought it polite that she would knock first

"Hello?" Ponyville's mayor opened the door and was shocked to see Twilight standing there

"Oh my.. P-Princess Twilight you didn't tell me you were coming! I haven't had the time to prepare..." Mayor Mare quickly bowed her head upon seeing Twilight

"You don't have to bow Mayor, I thought we established that?" Twilight didn't like being treated like she was important even though she is.

"Sorry Princess but it has become a habit... oh where are my manners, please come in" Mayor Mare stepped aside and let Twilight and the rest of her friends inside the main lobby of the town hall

"O-Oh Mr. Discord your here too" at the first sight of the draconequus the mayor had started to sweat

"Please mayor, there is no need to fear me anymore..." Discords voice sounded almost like he was pleading

The mayor simply walked away form discord and went to Twilight, who was currently behind the central desk looking through the towns documents

"Is there something that you're looking for your highness?" the mayor walked over to the desk and looked at the documents that Twilight was holding and noticed that all the documents were dated back fifty years ago

What would the Princess be looking for from fifty years ago? Mayor Mare tried to recall if anything significant happened fifty years ago

"Umm... mayor do you know if anyone brought anything here fifty years ago?" Twilight didn't even look up form the document she was skimming

"Hmm... I can't be sure of that, I wasn't the mayor fifty years ago... but everything that's borough her is always put through the records in the stock room until claimed, but if the object isn't claimed then it stays in the storage room" Mayor mare was familiar about how the shipping system worked in Ponyville, but she couldn't remember all of the entries... especially if they were recorded 50 years ago

"Aha! here it is!!" Twilight levitated the document up high so that the rest of her friends could see it. The document itself was fairly simple and wasn't really secured, it wasn't even labled classified.

"Well what're you waitn' for! Open it up!" Applejack said as Twilight looked at the document without doing anything

Twilight opened the document, the file inside read...

Project First Contact

The entirety of this project is for research purposes only. The personal information of the ponies within this file is strictly classified and will not be revealed

Project First Contact,

Proprietors: Soul Gem, Gem Shard

Purpose: To establish contact with an extraequestrial race

Royal Correspondent: Princess Luna

Co-signer: Princess Miamoree Cadenza

Location: Canterlot Laboratories, Fringe Science Department, Advanced Technology Division

Date Started: December 7, 1962

Date Ended: March 5, 1969

Progress(Final): Stage one

Research notes:

Following the last entry on the file was an enclosed envelope... but what Twilight and her friends found strange was the envelope had been locked shut... literally

"Who locks an envelope?!" Rainbow Dash shouted out completely dumbfounded as to why somepony would lock an envelope

"Aha! Twilight maybe that's where this mysterious key goes!" Rarity looked at the lock and deduced that the only key that would fit would have to have ten teeth, and the only key with ten teeth is the key is the key that Twilight has

"Your right Rarity!" Twilight quickly pulled out the key form under her wing and tried to push it into the lock on the envelope but the key didn't seem to fit, so she tried to force the key inside...

"Come on!!" Twilight finally got the key inside the rusty lock and then and when she turned it, sure enough all the envelopes contents poured out onto the floor

"Girls... I think we found the project..." Twilight began looked at the mess on the floor and noticed something odd

Who were these scientists? Twilight silently thought to herself as she held up a picture of two ponies dressed in lab coats hugging each other

Twilight and her friends began to sort and look through the many files that had been crammed forcefully into one envelope. They searched for about an hour strait before Twilight finally found something of interest

"Girls come here, I think I found something" Twilight help up a piece of metal that had a note attached to it. She unfolded the note and read it aloud

Dear reader

If you are reading this then that means you found the key that we left behind, it also means that you have enough interest in this project to continue it. The piece of metal that this note is attached to is the final piece of stage two of project First Contact, the transmitter. If you are able to activate the transmitter then you will also find the receiver... once you have found both pieces then you will be able to pick up and send intergalactic signals.

This project has cost us 7 years of our lives and we couldn't just end it like that, so we hid the two machines somewhere in a small own named Ponyville, hopefully you can finish what we started. If the coordinated on this paper are correct then it should lead you to the two machines

X= 578.77

Y=235.96

Z=88.74

"Wow whoever worked on this project really wanted it done..." Rarity said after she heard the last part of the note

"Wait a minute I recognize those coordinates... That's my basement..." Twilight said with confusion. Twilight had lived in the library for nearly 4 years before it got blown up and replaced with the crystal castle.

"Hold on, if they put that there 50 years ago then wouldn't that mean that they were blown up by Tirek?" Fluttershy said softly. Even if she was quiet, it didn't mean she isn't smart

"Hahaha that's where your wrong dear Fluttershy, Twilights basement lies well underground so it couldn't have been affected by the explosion." Discord reasoned out quiet happily

Suddenly Twilight realised that it was almost 11:00 and then her body confirmed the clocks time...

*yawn* Twilight's yaw started a whole chain reaction of yawns from the other five ponies...and Discord

"Girls maybe we should continue this tomorrow?" Discord asked the group before rubbing his eyes, It's true that gods don't need sleep, but they still feel the need to sleep and the relief it provides.

"For once Discord's actually right... I do feel a bit tired" Rainbow said before yawning again

"Girls we have to finish this! we've come so far!" as much as Twilight wanted to stay and work on the project, her body had other plans... those plans mostly involved the soft warm sheets of her bed.

"C'mon Twi' it's not like the envelopes goin' anywhere, heck I'm pretty sure that the Mayor will you bring it home... hey wait a minute, where's the Mayor? Applejack suddenly noticed the absence of the beige pony.

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind if we just took this one file back to the castle, for one night" Twilight said hoping that they wouldn't have to go find Mayor Mare.

Discord was feeling very sleepy so he decied that he would just take the files and teleport himself and the six ponies back to the castle for some sleep... and that's exactly what he did

"DISCORD!!!" Twilight yelled at Discord, but she didn't have any energy to fully reprimand him so she just snatched the files from his hand and walked over to her room

The other ponies on the other hand were actually thankful that he had done that... mostly due to the fact that they were dead tired

"Thanks Dissy" Pinkie Pie whispered into his ear before she walked up to her own room. After Pinkie Pie the rest quickly followed, with one thought on their minds: SLEEP. Discord didn't even want to walk up to his room, so he simply teleported himself there

But there was one pony who didn't want to sleep, and that was Twilight.

I don't know what to do with the project, I don't know how to work with the files that I have, heck I don't even have a name for the project yet! Twilight slammed her head against the desk and began to drift to sleep

No! I have to at least name the project... but what do I name it Twilight then lifted her head and looked at the folder one last time before finally succumbing to unconsciousness... the last word she saw was spore...


Right above the orbit of Equus was a spaceship that looked like a horseshoe, It seemed to be scanning the planets surface.

"What do the readings show Morbus?" a creature with two wings a short body structure and a beak walked up to another one of his kind and looked at the readings on the monitor

"Hmmm... a T3 planet... maybe we could colonize this planet..." The creature wondered before he went to the tool selection station and pressed the colonization button, but before he could launch a colony pack a claw stopped him

"Not Nibon, look" Morbus pointed his talon towards the main monitor, it displayed several icons dotting the surface of the planet, indicating that a sentient race was able to build cities and communities on the planet.

"The planet has a sentient species? What is the nature of it's inhabitants?" Nibon dragged an object across the screen until it reached one of the cities. The icon began to enlarge until it displayed the basic skeletal structure and anatomy of a pony within it

"I have not seen a skeletal structure like that in my entire life... It looks like the spine moves across the entire expanse of the body... I seems to have for legs and no hands... very peculiar" Morbus said as he scrutinized the pony skeletal system

"Morbus look at this, it says that the species on this planet has a lot of variations... but from what i can tell it has 3 main variations look.." Nibon pointed to another window on the monitor and pointed to the pictures

One of the pictures displayed a unicorns skeletal and muscular systems, another picture displayed a pegasi's Skeletal and muscular anatomy, and a third picture displayed an earth pony's anatomy.

"Why is their so much variation within the species... are you sure these are all the same species?" Morbus asked Nibon while still looking at the monitor

"Yes they all have the same central skeletal structure" Nibon pointed pushed a button with his claw which caused the three skeletal portraits to overlap, and sure enough the central skeletons lined up perfectly.

"Maybe we could communicate with this race and elevate them to the next level of society?" Morbus asked Nibon while looking at the sentience scanner on the monitor

"We can try... I'll bring the ship over one of the cities and then maybe we can try contacting them..." Nibon said before he walked over to another monitor and dragged his claw across the screen, causing the ship to move foreward.

I just hope this goes better than last time Morbus thought to himself