• Published 13th May 2016
  • 4,554 Views, 219 Comments

Friendship is Sufficiently Advanced - Cordial Nova



A first-in scout from the Associated Worlds investigates a very odd star system.

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IX. An Urgent Note

Dear Princess Luna and Princess Celestia,

Over the course of the last day, I have had many conversations with our visitor from the stars - thanks to the amulet you supplied, Princess Luna - and we have already started to learn much about each other.

Moongleam - as she lets us call her in Equestrian, a translation of the last part of her full name, "Cordelia Vintar-ith-Vidutar Iriselen" - has been friendly and courteous throughout our exchange and to others she has met, despite the wreck of her starship - which she has been kind enough to presume an accident, assuming that we did not know that it was never designed to land - the fortunately minor injuries which she sustained in the crash, and the stress of her current circumstances. I am confident we need have little fear of any hostility on her part.

I have as yet learned little of the Empire from which she comes - an incredible multi-species union of nearly 300 worlds - but it's clear from those devices I have seen myself, as well as their ability to cross the stars, that they are technologically far ahead of us. On the other hand, they don't seem to have - or only have very limited - access to magic. Moongleam seems fascinated by Equestrian magic and its possibilities to revolutionize their understanding of the world, as fascinated as I admit I am with their machines, and she seems entirely willing to share their knowledge - beginning with giving me free access to the library she brought with her, a library of millions of books!

Others of Moongleam's revelations, however, are both inspiring and terrifying - especially since they seem to come as as much of a surprise to her as they did to me. The food, and many of the plants and animals of our world, are familiar to her, and from a depiction in her ship, her people have legends of creatures very similar to unicorns! The existence of some connection between our worlds, possibly even common ancestry, seems inescapable.

This could be the greatest opportunity in Equestria's history - or the greatest disaster, if things go badly. I'm not sure I should trust my judgment about this; I want it too much. Could I talk to you both, either here or in Canterlot? I really need your advice.

Twilight Sparkle,
Bearer of the Element of Magic,
Daughter of House Twinkle