Chapter 2

Two royal carriages were being flown by Royal Guard pegasi. One, a more dark and foreboding carriage belonged to Princess Luna, being towed by her Lunar Guard. The other was a new carriage, being pulled by Solar Guards, that has just been built recently. It looked simple and practical, just like the pony princess being chauffeured. Twilight looked back at the speck in the distance that was Canterlot, and she thought back to when she was first sent to Ponyville to learn the magic of friendship. It seemed so long ago, but 3 years in truth wasn't that long. It seems long because of what she has accomplished during that time. She learned invaluable lessons on friendship, and how powerful of a magic it can be. To have reached the point where she’s at now would be something her younger self would have scoffed at and have joked about it being the silliest thing she’s ever heard. A small smile grew on her face. Now she was reliving history, traveling to Ponyville from Canterlot in a flown carriage, but this time was different. Now she was an alicorn princess. That, and Luna was here with her and Spike. Even though she was coming here because of bad tidings, she was happy to see her friends again.

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On the ground, ponies had set up a magical barrier surrounding the area where the metal entity has appeared. The vicinity buzzed with movement, with ponies in hazmat suits and scientist unicorns from Canterlot studying the object from afar. Ponyville citizens were being held back by Solar Guards, some trying to get a look at the metal object while others were protesting the protection of it, yelling and waving signs that it should be destroyed. The ponies that were afraid of it were all in their homes, watching the commotion from the windows.

Rarity was not in her home however. She came to watch the proceedings along with Pinkie Pie, but Pinkie’s off comforting a little filly who was crying earlier. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were helping with crowd control, and Fluttershy was keeping the animal population from going wild. Rarity wanted to help herself, but everypony was already doing what was needed to be done. If she tried to help she would be just getting in the way. The only thing she could do was help the unicorns keep the shield from collapsing by adding her own magic to the shield’s strength. It was little, but adding it made Rarity feel good.

She noticed a pony walking towards her, looking at her. Facing the pony, she saw that she was one of the scientists. She had a violet coat and a short red mane, with a lab coat around her body and an Equestrian Aero-Space Magic Labs badge pinned on her chest. “Miss Rarity, I need you to come with me. The princesses are almost here, and protocol requires that we need an Element of Harmony to be present when they arrive, and you are the only one available,” she spoke in a brisk and loud monotone manner.

Rarity raised her brow in surprise. “The princesses are coming here? Who, which ones?” she asked in an excited tone. It’s been 2 weeks since Twilight has been in Ponyville. Twilight coming here to help would really relieve a lot of tension within the situation. Seeing her would brighten up this horrid afternoon

“I was informed that it’s Princess Luna and Princess Twilight”, the unicorn stated in the same monotone voice. “We must hurry Miss Rarity, they’re almost here.”

The marshmallow grinned and nodded her head. “Well, we wouldn’t want to keep them waiting. I’m coming!”

Quickly, the unicorn turned and starting trotting towards the outskirts of Ponyville before Rarity could react. She jumped after her and caught up within a moment, and they walked in partial silence towards the rendezvous.

Rarity was feeling awkward about following this pony she didn’t know, even if she was doing her job. She looked at her red mane, critiquing it on its style to know if she was going to lie or not with her next statement.

”You know, I just love your mane. The way it spikes up in the back is unique.”

She lied. Rarity thought that her mane looked like a bedhead mess, something that Rainbow Dash wouldn't mind.

She knew that judging on appearance's alone is shallow, but she couldn't think of another way to break the ice before they would meet up with Luna and Twilight. The unicorn glanced at Rarity, preferring to look ahead. She raised her left eyebrow, as if the compliment was unexpected.

"Thanks, I guess. I don't really care for it except when it gets too long. I have other things to tend to."

She took this as a chance to try to coax her more. "Really? Like what, darling?"

The unicorn's eyes began to sparkle, saying "Well, if you knew everything we lab ponies do each day it would fill you with wonder and terrify you at the same time, but I love it. I head the department that studies the celestial phenomena that occurs in space."

Rarity nodded her head in interest. "So, what's your special talent? Your lab coat is covering up your cutie mark, I can't guess it for myself."

Stopping for a second, the mare used her horn to lift her coat so Rarity could see her cutie mark. Her mark was a silver telescope pointed at a night sky filled with stars. She let Rarity take it in, and lowered it, covering it up again. "My talent is watching the stars, finding things other ponies didn't know was there and knowing how they move and feel. That, or I could be a telescope repair-mare..." Her mouth smirked, and she started trotting again.

"So, since you already know my name, perhaps it's time I learned yours," Rarity said, walking after her.

"Perhaps so. My name is Nova Red, Director of the Space Observation Team," the science pony said, watching the sky. She squinted her eyes, and said, "We must hurry Miss Rarity. They have arrived."

Rarity squinted as well, and saw nothing. "Are you sure, darling? I don't see them."

Nova lowered her brow, grumbling, "Hey, sharp eyes here, remember?"

"Oh. Right."

The two mares started fast-trotting, hurrying to meet the princesses before they landed. They reached the rendezvous in time, watching the carriages fly closer and closer until coming to a stop in front of them. Luna landed first, Twilight shortly after. Nova and Rarity bowed as they stepped onto the ground. Twilight squeed, hurrying over to Rarity before glomping her into the ground.

"Twilight! Careful, careful of my mane!"

"I missed you guys so much! I wish we could have gotten back together in better circumstances. Hey, where are the others?"

Luna properly greeted Nova and walked over to Twilight. "Twilight Sparkle, I would remind you that a princess does not tackle other ponies in a greeting...even if they are dearest friends."

Blushing, Twilight got off Rarity and helped her up with levitation. Rarity glared at Twilight for almost ruining her mane, but it dissolved very quickly into a warm smile that almost topped one of Pinkie's. They hugged, gently this time, and parted. Twilight gave her attention to Nova, and gave her the Canterlot Nod. Nova nodded back, finishing the proper princess greetings. After making small talk for a couple minutes, the ponies and baby dragon headed for the entity site.

With Luna and Nova in front, Twilight fell into step with Rarity. "Rarity, where are the others? Are they too busy helping?"

Rarity frowned, nodding. "I just wish I could do something more to help than standing around, keeping a shield up. Applejack and Rainbow are keeping the ponies from rioting, Fluttershy is keeping all the animals calm, and Pinkie Pie was with me earlier, but she was soothing a poor filly who was crying. I was the only one available to welcome you to Ponyville, and I'm glad that I did, but I can't help but want to do more. Do you know what I mean, Twilight?"

"I know what you mean Rarity," Spike said, adding his piece. "I try to help everybody to the best of my abilities, but sometimes it's just not enough."

"Look, Rarity, I appreciate how you came to welcome me back to Ponyville, and I'm glad that I can see you guys again. I wanted to make my comeback to Ponyville with more grandeur than this, but I can't let this pass up. This thing, this metal object coming here has never before happened in Equestria, and I need everypony's help. No matter what they're special abilities are, their contribution is welcome, and you are one of the most talented ponies I know. I'm confident that you will do something spectacular to help. Remember when you made all six of us dresses for the Gala? You gave your all and the dresses turned out beautiful. In fact, I bet you will surprise yourself by the end of this," Twilight said with an approving voice.

"..Thanks Twilight," Rarity whispered, blushing.

"What are friends for?" she replied, smiling.

In a couple of minutes, after passing gasping ponies and guards saluting and giving reports on how Ponyville is functioning, the group arrived at the landing site. The site was surrounded by a blue shield covering a grass field that had some trees and shrubs in it. Scientist ponies were leaving and entering makeshift huts that contained mobile labs, hazmat ponies were inside the blue dome, waving instruments around the air and ground, and Solar Guards kept the perimeter clear.

Twilight raised her eyebrows in amazement, surprised that this was set up so quickly considering the entity landed in Equestria 47 minutes ago. "Nova, I'm impressed. Not everypony can set up a containment site like this so quickly."

Nova smiled, bowing her head to Twilight and responding, "Thank you Princess."

Luna looked around her surroundings, and walked up to the shield. She touched the shield with her horn, testing the shield's strength and the shield glimmered around the area where it touched. Luna turned to Nova, looking at her with neutral eyes, and looked at the center, towards the entity. There, Luna's composure dwindled a bit as she took in what she saw. A metal being, 5 feet tall and 3 feet wide, looked like a strange box with wheels attached, with a another small box with a black fixture on the side attached on a pole. All in all, it looked very un-Equestrian.

Luna observed the hazmat ponies waving the instruments inside the dome, and wondered whether the air was toxic. "Nova Red, why do the ponies wear hazmat suits? Is the air toxic?"

Nova stepped closer to Luna and spoke so all could hear, "We can't confirm that it is poisonous air, but we have detected a minuscule amount of unknown particles in the air. We do not want to test whether they are toxic or not, so we're scanning them carefully, one step at a time. We're also monitoring the plants inside to see how they react."

"So, we can't observe the object up close?" Twilight asked.

Nova shook her head. "No, not until the hazmat team gives an all clear."

The 3 ponies fluent in science each silently pondered on how to approach the situation on hoof. Rarity and Spike watched them think, making small talk about Ponyville and Rarity's business. After thinking for half a minute, Twilight did what Twilight does best and decided that the answer must be in books.

"If I may, Luna, Nova, I think we should go to my library. I think there may be some mentioning of something that might deal with this, if I recall."

"I agree, Twilight Sparkle. Your eidetic memory may provide the answer we're looking for."

Nova widened her eyes in surprise and amusement. "She has a photographic memory?" she asked Luna.

"Yes. It has saved Equestria many a time."

Twilight called over Rarity, and said to her, "I need you to gather the others and tell them to meet us at the library. We need to devise a plan of action."

"As you wish," and she sped off in search of the other Elements. Luna, Twilight, Nova and Spike headed down to the library, unaware that they were being photographed. On the entity, the black fixture turned out to be an aperture for a camera, blinking as it was taking shots. It swiveled on the pole, following the ponies as they left and became still again, with nopony noticing.