From Beyond

Princess Celestia was enjoying her usual breakfast, coffee and pancakes of course, when the letter came in.

“That’s odd. Spike doesn’t send me things unless Twilight tells him to.” She muttered to herself, reaching up to grab the scroll as it formed. As she unrolled it and read the contents, her eyes grew wider and wider. Once she got to the end, she quickly reread it to make sure of what it said.

“Someone tell the Elements to meet me in the throne room. NOW!” She yelled as she stood up quick enough to knock over her chair. The servants scrambled, several of them to inform the Elements and the rest to clean up the unfinished breakfast.

Celestia on the other hand, was walking towards her sisters chambers. She slammed the door open, causing Luna to jump out of bed.

Along with her sheets and blankets.

“WHAT IS IT NOW TIA?” Luna screamed, scrambling to get out of the net of blankets constricting her.

“Diplomats.” Celestia responded calmly, moving to help her sister.

“You woke me. At ten in the morning. Because of diplomats.” Luna said, her voice getting colder as she spoke. “What country are they from, so that I might smite it.”

“They aren’t from Equis.” Celestia said, pulling the last of the blankets from around her sister.

Luna’s face went blank.

“Equis to Luna, are you still in there?” Celestia said, waving her hand in front of her face.

“OH GOD! We are going to have the honors of first contact. I need to get my mane fixed, I need to polish my jewelry, I have to fix my dress.” Luna started freaking out, rushing around the room. She gasped loudly. “What do they look like? Are they bigger than us? Are they peaceful or warmongering?” She asked, trying to do several things at once. The only thing she accomplished was that she tripped and landed on the pile of blankets.

“Luna, they’re not going to be here for a few more hours.” Celestia said, laughing at her antics.

“What?” Luna asked, looking up at Celestia. The look on her face was of unfathomable curiosity. These were beings from space, and they couldn’t just show up as they please?

“They’re coming on the train from Ponyville.” Celestia said, holding a hand out to help Luna back up. She took it happily, but had a quizzical look on her face.

“So, the first aliens to visit Equestria, and by extension Equis itself, are traveling to the capital by train?” Luna asked, as she tried connecting the dots in her head. There was just the one detail she was missing to help piece it together.

“Their leader apparently dropped them off in the Everfree.” Celestia said, as she started picking up the pieces of Luna’s jewelry. She set the tiara on her head, but carried the rest of them over to the vanity.

“Are they okay? I know how dangerous that forest was, and it hath not been made easier with the passage of time.” Luna asked, as she started going through her closet.

“By what was reported to me, they encountered both a manticore and a hydra when they first arrived.” Celestia said, as she pulled out a rag and started cleaning her sister’s jewelry.

“And they are okay after encountering two of the most dangerous creatures in the Everfree?” Luna asked, tossing dress after dress out onto the bed. They all looked alike, with only minor details that wouldn’t be noticed unless you were standing right next to her as the only distinctions.

“From what I could gleam, both the manticore and hydra are dead, while the diplomatic group is entirely unharmed.” Celestia said,checking her own reflection in the jewels before moving on to the next piece.

“So why did you come wake me up?” Luna asked, deciding on a dress with a blue trim the same shade as her fur. She slid into it with practiced ease, before using her magic to zip up the back.

“I woke everyone up.” Celestia said, handing Luna the pieces of her jewelry. “This is unprecedented in history, even for Mother and Father. We do not know how they will react to anything, and I am afraid of making a mistake that they will see as an insult to them because it is a societal norm here.”

“Tia, we both know if anyone was going to do such a thing it would be me.” Luna said, sliding her bracelets on as she stepped into the hoof guards. Her horn lit up, surrounding both her and Celestia in a deep blue glow. With only a pop to signify anything, they teleported into the throne room.

To a waiting group of Elements.

“Hello girls.” Celestia said, walking past them to her throne. “I’m sorry to say that you won’t be going down into the Black Cavern to study the things there.”

“Thank Celestia.” Twilight mumbled.

I’m not that bad, am I?

‘Yes, you are.’

“You’re welcome Twilight.” Celestia said, smiling. This caused Twilight to blush, since she hadn’t meant to say it out loud. “However, what I plan on you doing is just as dangerous.”

This caused the sighs of relief that a few of them had let out to be sucked back in.

“We are going to play host to the first non-Equis diplomats.”

A painful silence reigned the throne room for the next few minutes as the news sank in.

“You mean aliens?” Twilight asked.

“Yes. We are going to be the first on Equis to be visited by aliens.” Celestia said, looking down at Twilight. A look of worry had crossed her face when she had spoke.

Looks like the clock has begun counting.

‘What are you talking about? Are these diplomats the ones you keep referring to as owners?’ She asked Seed. She heard no response from him.

“They are going to be arriving by train in a few hours, so I thought it best to inform you now so you can prepare.” Celestia said, keeping her eyes on Twilight.

“Oh no. No no no.” Rarity started freaking out.

“What’s wrong Rares?” Applejack asked, turning to her.

“I didn’t bring any clothing for meeting diplomats.” She said, as she started pacing. “I wasn’t planning on meeting anyone important. I only have clothes for working.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Applejack asked, giving her friend an incredulous look.

“I would never joke about fashion.” Rarity said, spinning around with fire in her eyes. “We are going to meet beings from another world, looking your best is a necessity.”

“You always look your best. I don’t think there’s been a day where you haven’t. Looking great and Rarity are synonymous.” Applejack replied quietly, withering under the gaze of the fashionista.

Rarity sighed. “You’re right, it’s just that this is the first contact with another world. An entirely different people, who might have different fashions. I want to make a good first impression. We’re going to be representing our entire species.”

“So do you want them to see us as we actually are, or do you want us to dress up and appear like we’re a vain species?” Twilight asked, deciding to step between her friends before something happened.

Rarity glared at her, before sighing and dropping her gaze. “I guess you’re right. I just wanted to impress them.”

“You still can. You don’t have to get a bunch of new dresses to meet them, just wear the best one you brought.” Fluttershy said, walking up and putting an arm around Rarity’s shoulders. “Impress them with what you’ve made.”

“You’re right. I need to go pick one out.” Rarity said, grabbing Fluttershy’s hand and pulling her away.

“But... ok.” Was Fluttershy’s only response, as she was dragged off.

“Ok, now that that’s out of the way. How many balloons do you think they’ll want? What kind of cake? Do they like cake? Would they prefer pie?” Pinkie asked, questions flooding from her mouth.

“Pinkie.” Twilight said, trying to stop her friend.

“What if I make little pies for each of them?”

“Pinkie!”

“Oooh, what if I make a giant cake out of cupcakes with pie fillings that says ‘Welcome to Equestria’ and give them each one of the cupcakes?”

“PINKIE!”

“What?” She asked, turning around to face Twilight with a giant grin on her face.

“We’ll plan a welcome for them later, when we can ask them what they like.”

“That’s a great idea. Why didn’t I think of that?”

“Because everypony here likes the same things in a party. They might not. We have no idea what they like, or what kind of society they are.” Twilight said, patting Pinkie on the head. “We’re going to be playing this by ear from when they get here until they leave.”

“That’s exactly right Twilight. That’s why you’re going to meet them at the train station and escort them here.” Celestia said, smiling at her student’s surprised expression.

“How was this ever a major method of transportation. It is horribly slow and uneventful.” Ares said, watching the countryside fly by.

“Technology has to start somewhere. Then again, only a third of them can’t teleport or fly. You have to take that into account.” Hades said, looking through the window in their door to outside their cabin at their guard escort. Two winged ponies, as they learned when the zebra brought them into town, were standing at attention, with a third pony with a horn standing on the opposite wall.

“It could be much worse. At least this way we’ll know when we get there.” Aphrodite said, studying the countryside.

All of a sudden, the train lurched as the brakes were activated.

“I wonder what could be the cause for that.” Aphrodite said, as a winged creature flew by the window. “Huh. Must be a train robbery.”

Outside, the three guards left to investigate what was going on, leaving the three occupants of the cabin alone.

“So, do you wanna do something about it or leave it to them?” Hades asked Aphrodite.

“As long as they leave us alone, just let whatever happens happen.” Aphrodite said.

At that exact moment, fate had deemed it appropriate to flip her the bird.

The door to their cabin slammed open, and a beaked creature stepped into their cabin. All three of the occupants looked up at it with varying faces. Aphrodite was surprised, Hades was uncaring, and Ares looked like he was ready to rip its head off and use it to decorate his mantle.

The griffin could not speak, as his eyes roamed over them.

“Are you going to rob us or continue staring at us?” Aphrodite asked, snapping the griffin out of his stupor.

“Right. Give me all of your valuables and you won’t get hurt.” He said, pulling a small knife out from behind his back.

“This thing is joking, right?” Hades asked, turning back to Aphrodite.

“No, I’m not. Give me your jewelry and valuables and I won’t have to stick you.” The griffin said, advancing into the cabin.

“Do you even know what we are?” Hades asked, turning to look at the griffin again.

“This is a pony train. You’re ponies.” He said, matter of factly. He remembered what the boss told him. He was a good lieutenant because of it.

“Wrong. We are not ponies.” Aphrodite said, standing up. She walked over to the griffin, grabbed the knife by the blade and snapped it off with just her gloves.

His eyes kept jumping from his now broken knife to the female in front of him. He hadn’t been told there would be fighters. This was supposed to be a civilian transport.

“We are Aetherian.” Aphrodite said, crushing the blade in her hand. She let the clump of metal fall to the ground between them. “And we are unforgiving. Do you have anything to say before we send you to your gods?”

“This was supposed to be an easy one.” Was the only thing the griffin could say, his eyes locked on the piece of metal that used to be his knife.

“Then enjoy your trip to the afterlife.” Aphrodite said, as her hand glowed and she placed it on his chest.

As soon as she touched him, pain was his entire being. Pain the likes of which he didn’t know was possible while still alive. He dropped to his knees as he coughed up blood, dislodging her hand from his chest. He looked up towards her, trying to ask forgiveness. The only thing that came out was more blood, as his lungs filled.

Aphrodite placed her hand onto his head.

In that moment, he knew two things. The first was that he was going to die. The second was that the being before him was an angel of pain, and that he was being punished for his actions.

Her hand lit up again, frying his brain instantly.

As his body collapsed, foam coming from its beak, Aphrodite turned around. “Classify anything non-pony as hostile and execute it. Anything that is a pony and has a weapon, classify as threat but do not do anything. If they move to attack you, restrain and debilitate.”

Ares and Hades saluted, before stepping over the corpse out of their cabin.
Aphrodite sighed as she looked outside, ignoring the screams of pain that she was already hearing.

A small smile crept onto her face.