The Einstein-Rosen Incident

A bolt of light was soaring through the air, closing in on the Canterlot street. Bathed in a green light, Spike was in the path of object as it neared him. The corner of his mouth twitched up as he tensed himself for what was coming.

At the last moment, he ducked away to avoid the changeling as it blasted a smoldering crater into the dirt. Spike reacted instinctively, sending a fist down upon the Changeling’s head with a crunch. Stunned, the changeling jumped back, and they both prepared themselves for a fight.

The Changeling opted to take the first strike, swinging a leg at Spike’s chest. Spike easily caught the blow with his claws, but the Changeling was ready for him, swinging his leg up into Spike’s chin with an elaborate flip. Spike stumbled back a few steps, eyes watering from the sudden sting of pain and the Changeling began to capitalize on the moment, throwing a series of punches at Spike. Spike wasn't about to let himself defeated so easily, blocking the attempts with his arms and ducking back as the Changeling’s hoof swung up to his head.

As he ducked back, he caught a glimpse of his friends being herded past into the castle. Spike knew he was too far to reach them, as the Changelings between them would make sure of it.

The Changeling he was fighting began to use its wings, flying to face-level and attempting to send more kicks into Spike’s face, and Spike was having a hard time blocking the blows. As the Changeling flew above him and suddenly dropped down feet first, Spike sidestepped and scissored the Changeling’s throat with his elbow. He flipped them both onto the ground and began to try to subdue it with a choke hold. He wasn't sure if he needed to, but if he had to, he would hold them off. If that meant saving his very best friends, he would try his best.

As he lay there, the Changeling was attempting to break free by bringing its elbow down into Spike’s side. As ineffective as this was, Spike felt himself losing his grip.

“Spike!” Twilight’s voice drifted over to him.

“Huh? Twilight?” Now Spike was panicking. The Changeling had called for backup, and he could see more flying at him. "Twilight, I'll fight them off! Run!"

“Spike,” Twilight’s voice said again, “wake up or we’ll miss it!”

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“Spike, wake up! It's time!” called Twilight Sparkle, hoping to dig her assistant out of bed. Finding herself unsuccessful she began making her way upstairs, leaving the equipment she had prepared for the meteor shower that night. Rolling her eyes, she began to levitate the still sleeping form of Spike from his bed did the same for her equipment once she went downstairs.

“Twilight, you need to run,” mumbled the purple dragon, unaware that he was dreaming. "We need to get out of here... Huh? Where am I?" Twilight dropped him to the floor. "Aww, Twilight, couldn't you have let me sleep a bit longer? I was having a weird dream! It must’ve meant something."

Twilight was aghast with the proposal. "Spike, you know what this is right? This isn't any ordinary meteor shower, Star Swirl the Bearded himself predicted this! This must have the utmost importance, and I'm not missing it, even if the dream was interesting."

"What makes this night so special, anyway?" Spike asked defeatedly as he started gathering scrolls from the table. "Do you even know?"

"Ah— no. But I have trust that Star Swirl the Bearded must have a reason. Even if nothing happens, all our friends will be there!" Slightly happier at the thought of a picnic in the night on Sweet Apple Acres, Twilight began to make her way through the door. "Spike, have you checked everything off?"

"Yes, and isn't this more stuff than usual?" Spike was completely obstructed from Twilight's view because of the equipment he was carrying. As he said this, the pile swayed dangerously back and forth.

"Of course, Spike!" Ignoring the clatter of the equipment falling as Spike unsuccessfully tried to pick up a quill. "I have to make sure I capture everything!" saying this, she began to make her way to Sweet Apple Acres.

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"Automated message: Approaching planetary atmosphere"

The mechanical words were lost to the seemingly empty room. Random items were floating throughout it, casting dark shadows as the strip lighting illuminated it. Lining the walls were cryogenic sleep pods, the insides of which were masked by the frost that had formed on the shielded windows. Inside were men and women, still in their suits of armor even though they would experience the effects of cryo burn on their skin. They were trained to fight at a moment's notice wherever they may be dropped, and they would act no different for the planet the were tumbling towards.

The cargo container had been treated with heat shielding, but wasn't designed to enter atmosphere alone. The sleep chambers themselves, however, were designed to be drop pods, sending troops from orbit onto a planet. Weapons and supplies one would need were placed into cavities in the frame.

"Automated message: Approaching danger zone, sealing chambers."

As this was announced, segments of the room were split off as large blast doors slid into place. Shaped protective shields were also lowered over the front of the cryo-pods with hisses of pneumatic systems.

"Automated message: Please do not panic, adopt the safety position and please read the safety guide section two dash six. Please take procedure. Sending distress and coordinates to nearest shuttle: Fade of Dawn; Unsuccessful..."

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“And I was approaching the cloud when I decided to angle my wings a little bit, ” Rainbow Dash paused for dramatic effect, “and boom, I did a barrel roll right into a pond.”

Five mares and a dragon laughed at Rainbow Dash’s attempt to further improve her stunts, and one pony was spending her time wordlessly staring through a telescope, scanning the skies. She had been scouring the sky for any anomaly, occasionally writing down a note or two and her previous plans to enjoy time with her friends had not been satisfied.

“Y’all right, sugarcube?” Applejack asked as she began to trot over to where Twilight was sitting. “What’s the problem?”

“The problem is that is no problem, Applejack,” Twilight pulled out a hefty stack of papers, all with detailed thoughts written upon them. “According to my calculations, the mysterious object he’s talking about is supposed to come in a few minutes! I must have gotten something—”

“I’m sure it’ll come, you’re hardly ever wrong,” Applejack consoled, “and if you are, it isn’t too bad usually.”

“I was just hoping this would help explain some of the more complex notes Star Swirl had, they discussed some things I didn't understand and—”

“Uh, Twilight, you may want to look at that,” Rainbow Dash had stopped telling her story and was tapping Twilight’s shoulder. “It looks important.”

“This may be more important than anything in Canterlot, Rainbow! This may be a breakthrough in science and—”

“Just look!”

The sound of panic caught Twilight’s attention now. Glancing up, she sees that everypony is watching a single speck in the sky, falling at the wrong angle for a meteor. A long trail of vapor would be seen left in the sky like an incision performed by a surgeon.

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“Automated message: We have entered atmosphere. Current altitude: one thousand three hundred kilometers. Current speed: eleven thousand two hundred meters per second.”

The air within the cargo hold seemed to be heating up, as it began to hit the atmosphere and decelerate. The weapons cache had broken free, and an anti vehicle missile launcher tumbled through the air. Small leaks occurred throughout the structure, and streams of vapor could be seen spewing into the air.

The stress on the cargo container was too much, as the leading side of the capsule buckled inward, and the rest of the structure ripped apart in a large explosion. Twenty-four cylindrical pods were among the debris, and began to scatter apart in the air.

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No sound was heard on the ground as the object suddenly split into what seemed like a hundred stars. Flecks of light trailed behind, as larger sections maintained their momentum and burned ahead. They burned bright in the night sky, easily spotted by anyone who happened to look up.

“Wow,” said Fluttershy, “that’s not like any meteor I’ve seen before.”

Twilight looked over at her friend and saw the worry on her face illuminated by the glow of the meteor. “Me either, Fluttershy,” whispered Twilight, “I hope this is what Star Swirl was talking about...”

As Twilight watched, the debris seem to become more scattered until they seemed invisible. Several large parts remained intact, though, and as she swiveled to get a better view they began to drastically slow. They look like they’re not burning up... Thinking this, she lowered the magnification, only to be shocked that they were within seconds of impact over what seemed like Everfree Forest. No, not good!

They watched as plumes of dirt were blasted into the air in the Everfree Forest with dull thumps, and flocks of birds begun to rise into the air, disturbed by the impacts.

“What was that thing, Twilight?” asked Applejack.

“I’m not sure, but I’m going to find out,” Twilight said determined, “Hey, girls? I think I have to run some tests back at the library. Sorry!” She lifted the sleeping form of Spike onto her back and began to make her way back.”

“Don’t worry, Twilight! All the cookies are gone, anyway!” Pinkie Pie called back to her.

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That night Twilight spent hours scouring her books, searching for any past documentations of similar events with no avail. Tales of magical objects falling from the sky only led to an ending of evil aliens attacking Equestria or magical ponies in a children’s book. More credible looking reports only deemed themselves to be a hoax of some sort. She turned to the explanation that it was a magical anomaly, caused by some outer force. No, the sensors didn’t pick up any readings...

Twilight put her books away and hoped that the phenomenon had some scientific explanation, and that it had been explained by Star Swirl the Bearded only to be overlooked somehow by her careful eyes. Yes, that must be it. Nothing to worry about.