Infinityby TranscriptBronyChaptersLetter of a LifetimeFillydelphiaECGRIt BeginsA New Frontier?Letter of a LifetimeIt was a cool, cloudy day in Ponyville. The temperature would soon rise as spring was coming ever so close, along with the festive "Winter Wrap Up" event. Never the less snow still covered the ground in blankets. It had reached a record of 7 1/2 feet at one point. A certain purple mare was beginning to wake up from her peaceful slumber. Twilight slowly reached her morning consciousness and a smile grew wide on her face. Today was the day her and her friends had planned a giant hang out day! Every waking moment of the day was to be spent with her friends. Well, almost every moment. They weren't supposed to meet till noon. She quickly got out of her soft bed, she regretted this for a short moment but she had better plans. Careful not to wake Spike, she waltzed down the stairs and began her morning routines. She combed and brushed her mane to the point of perfection, brushed her already pearly white teeth, took a quick shower, and ate her usual breakfast of dandelions and Apple Acres specially made apple juice. After all this was completely finished Twilight decided it was time for Spike to wake. "Spike, time to get up! We gotta big day planned!" "Ugh," groaned Spike. "I don't feel really good today...." Burp! Just then, a letter from Celestia appeared from within Spike "Nevermind..." moaned Spike. " A letter from the Princess? I wonder what is so important..." said Twilight. She graciously picked up the scroll from the floor and began reading. Dear Twilight Sparkle, I do hope that the recent reveal of the space research program is within your knowledge. I also hope you know that they have recently announced a historic event. However, I was approached by the directors of the program and was asked to find at least six ponies who I thought were qualified to become their first Astroponies. It did not take me long to think of those six lucky ponies. I would like to ask you if you and your friends are willing to become the first ponies in space. You still have time to think about it but when you have a full answer, write to me. I will then send you information on what to do next. From, Princess Celestia "Oh my gosh! Spike?! Do you know what this means?!" screamed Twilight. "I hope that this is a good thing," said Spike, "cause the last time you said that Equestria was almost taken over by Nightmare Moon." " Of course it's good this time you silly dragon!" Laughed Twilight, "Being asked to do this is a big honor in itself! Plus, it one doosie of an adventure." "When are you going to tell the others?" asked Spike. "When we meet up at Sugarcube Corner later today." said Twilight. "Oh, so that's what the big plan was again..." said Spike. "You really forgot Spike?" "I don't have the BEST memory you know..." "Oh Spike!" laughed Twilight. ............................. As Twilight trotted along to get to Sugercube Corner she took in the sights around her. Ponyville was as busy as ever. Shoppers were rushing about and salesponies screamed and yelled out various deals. The smell of fresh pies and pastries hit Twilight's nose. She looked up and saw the Sugercube Corner sign. She was not only about to have the best day ever with her friends but also reveal the amazing news to them. She waltzed in and was immediately greeted by her best friends. She then sat down and joined in on the conversation her friends were already having. "...I still say we should go to the races for awhile. It would be the coolest thing ever!" said Rainbow Dash. " I would rather not my dear," pleaded Rarity, "you know that I do not like getting filthy, especially at *ugh* the races." "Funny cause I remember a certain pony who put her fear of dirt to the side for her sister..." Grumbled Dash. "That was a serious circumstance! This race is trivial compared to that" "Oh really?!" "Yes, truly so." "Cut the hay you two!" said Applejack, "Now, today is a special day to all of us. It would be better if y'all didn't fight like fillies! "AJ is right! We don't want to have a couple of party poopers! Laughed Pinkie Pie. "The races sound fun.....um..and so does Rarity's idea" squeaked Fluttershy. "What's your take on this Twi? Dash's idea or Rarity's?" asked Applejack. The purple mate squirmed in het seat as now she was in the spotlight. "Um.....what was Rarity's idea?" "Makeovers..." Grunted Dash. "Well....they both sound nice......but, I wanna tell you guys something first." As if on que, all of her friends said "What's on your mind?" in unison. "I got a letter from the Princess earlier and she asked me a question. First, do you all know about that recently revealed space program and their plans?" "Yes." Said her friends. "Well.....she asked if we wanted to be the honorary Astroponies of the mission!" "OH MY GOSH!" screamed Rainbow, " That would be AWESOME! I totally accept!" "That does sound like a fantastic adventure, I accept as well!" said Rarity. "I accept too....if that's okay though...." whispered Fluttershy. "Gee Twi, that sounds fun an' all but I still got the farm to think about...." said Applejack. "Oh c'Mon Applejack!" Squeled Pinkie, "I said yes already and didn't even know about this space thingy, we need all of us to throw a SPACE PARTY!!" "Well, if y'all put it that way.....okay, I except too!" "Then its settled," said Twilight cheerily, "later today i will write the princess a letter saying we accept her offer." "To the letter of a lifetime!!!" They all screamed. FillydelphiaTwilight limped slightly back into her home. She had accidentaly stepped on a sharp stone on her way to the races. It has cracked her hoof a bit. Despite the pain she was still amused from earlier events. For about 30 more minutes after Twilight had revealed the huge news, Rainbow Dash and Rarity were still arguing about what to do. The compromise cam from an unlikely source, Fluttershy had suggested they do both, first the races and tgen the makeover. Even though thete was still some hostility.between Rarity and Dash, they agreed. So, in the.end, the day wasn't ruined by "party poopers" and ended quite nicely. The only thing Twilight had to do was write a response letter to the Princess. Twilight winced as she trotted over to her desk. I hope this heals soon she thought. She used her magic to summon a scroll of paper and her quil from nearby. Dear Princess Celestia, After speaking with my friends we have decided that we would all be honored to be a part of this proposed space mission. All we need from you is the information you said you would give us. We thank you for this oppurtunity. From, Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle "Spike!" Yelled Twilight. The baby dragon appeared out of nowhere. "Yes?" he asked. "I need you to send this letter to the Princess please." "Sure thing Twilight!" Spike took a deep breath and blew out emerald green flames. The letter was engulfed by the flames and disappeared in smoke. The letter was sent, dragon class shipping. It only took about ten minutes before a reply cam back from Princess. Dear Twilight Sparkle, Not only does this announcement excite me but will also do so for the program. I am sure you ate wondering where exactly this center is located. Well, in two days you and your friends will take the train to Fillydelphia. From there you will take a carriage to a location not far outside the city. This is where the center is located. I would also pack, a lot. Your commitment means you will have to stay in the area of the center and you are planned to be there for a few months. Remember to tell your friends this information when you can. From, Princess Celestia "That is some really useful info, but I'll wait to tell the girls tomorrow, I'm beat..." Twilight Sparkle yawned. She had a great time today, even though she was slightly injured in the process. She groggily limped up the stairs, creeped past a already asleep Spike, and climbed into her soft bed. It had been quite an amazing day. All days come to an end however, but Twilight's night was also great. She dreamt of great adventures and the mysyeries of space. She couldn't wait for that train ride. ............................. Twilight sprinted faster than she ever had before to the train station. She was almost fifteen minutes late. "I had to triple check my checklist...." she muttered to herself. When she arrived she was exhausted. The conductor helped her carry her bags, she was severely short on breath. When she knew her things were tucked away, she found her friends in the luxury car. Her friends just stared at her at first, the state she was in wasn't normal, for Twilight that is. Her mane was slightly frayed here and there, she was breathing hard, het coat wasn't smooth but spiked out here and there. For Twilight, this wasn't her day and everypony in the car knew it. "Er.....Hiya Twilight...." Said Applejack. "Hey girls," gasped Twilight, "sorry, had to....er.....check my checklist." "Darling....how do I put this?" Pondered Rarity, "You look like you dragged yourself through barbed wire...." "I would say a rock quarry but whatever." Said Rainbow Dash. "You look....um.....okay?" Fluttershy Squeled. "I really look that bad?" Asked Twilight. "No, you look like you had a ton of fun this morning!" Said Pinkie. Just then, the train jerked forward a bit, signifying movement. The conductor quickly hopped onto the train and the speed of the locomotive began to rise. Soon, the train was at a comfortable doors, heading straight towards Fillydelphia. They would arrive in just over five hours with a couple stops along the way, including a stop in Canterlot an hour and a half into the ride. Until then, the group of friends held many conversations and stared out at the passing land. They also played some small games. One game they played was truth or dare, but the game ended when Fluttershy was dared and couldn't take the pressure. She was dared to flick Applejack. After the rest stop in Canterlot, the train gained a bit more speed. It was going to be quite mountainous for a while, and cold. All the windows were closed to keep what warmth was left in the cars in. After about two hours the mountains receded back to beautiful valleys. Everywhere you looked it was grassy green, with an occaisional tree here and there. The temperature also rose a bit. After of about being on trip for three and half hours, Twilight decided she wanted to take a nap. Her hoof had been bothering her on and off during the trip and she just wanted to.get off it. As she fell asleep her friends thought about dosing off as well, only Rainbow Dash actually did though. ..................... The train slowly screeched to a full halt at Fillydelphia station. The girls gathered their bags and trotted off the train. They looked around the area for a while until they saw a colt with a sign saying "Elements". They assumed this meant them and they were right. The colt led them to a dark blue carriage decorated in constellations. The side of the carriage said "Director's Carriage". Inside was also amazing in itself. The seats were made with the highest quality of Equestrian red velvet, the ceiling had a detailed painting of the moon, more stars were painted on the inside, and the Equestrian flag was on the inside of both side doors. They all gasped and awed the high luxury of the carriage, especially Rarity, who couldn't stop talking about its design for the whole thirty minute ride to the center. When they arrived, the building was surrounded by wonderful gardens and a couple of fountains in the shape of stars and their own planet. The front of the building looked very modern and had recently been remodeled. It was made of steel bars supporting glass to give it a bit of a indented look. The sides, however, still looked like they had in their hiding days, like factory walls. The center was built so that the sides faced the city so that whoever looked over at it thought "factory" not "space center". In the center of the courtyard in the front flew the flag of Equestria, right below flew what looked like the flag for the center, a planet with a ring around it, but on the planet was the letter "E". As the girls got their bags out of the carriage, a golden orange stallion in a suit trotted up. His mane jet black, and his cutie mark was of the sun. "Hello!" He said. "My name is Director Summer Solstice, and welcome to the ECGR!" ECGR"The EC gee what now?" asked Applejack. "The ECGR," said Solstice, "it's an acronym." "An Afro what now?" asked a jumpy Pinkie Pie. "An acronym, it's a span of letters that represent something." said Solstice. "Our acronym stands for the Equestrian Center for Galactic Research. See where we get it from now?" "I think so Mr. Summer Solstice." said Rarity. "Oh please, call me Sol while you are here. That is my nickname." said the director. "Now, please follow me and I will give you the grand tour of this facility followed by a briefing of your future mission." All the ponies trotted into the building in a big group. The girls' bags were taken to dormitories on the far side of the building. The inside was just as or more amazing than the outside. Only the highest of quality materials were used in constructing the center. There were statues her and there, a couple of Celestia herself. There were banners of the Equestrian symbol placed over openings into hallways. Sol was going to say something about the lobby but judging by the other ponies faces, he felt it was uneccesary. They moved on to the laboratories. The laboratories were filled with hi-tech machines and scientists working hard to purely discover. The six friends were astonished at all the different studies going on at once. So many ponies trying to get more knowledge about space. "As you can probably already tell, this is where we make many discoveries that relate to space. Our biggest project right now is discovering other planets, you six will be a part of that project soon." said Sol. They walked through the labs trying to avoid colliding with the working ponies. They eventually reached their next destination, the training facilities. "Going into space requires more than just guts, you need to be physically and mentally fit as well. You will train your minds and bodies here so you will be able to charge into space head on. You will meet your trainers in the next few days, but for now, let's move on to our next location." They walked through many more halls before they reached the final place of their tour, the dormitories. "This is where you all will be staying for the next few months. We hope you find these rooms to fit your liking. The Princess told us about your personalities, your rooms are based on such facts." The girls each opened the doors leading to their rooms and all gasped. Each room was matched perfectly to who ever resided in it. "You really nailed our rooms for sure!" Said Twilight. "They are......um.....very nice indeed." Whispered Fluttershy. "Mine has balloons!" Yelled Pinkie, "Oh wait, those are the ones I packed..." "You only packed balloons Pinkie?!" Said Rainbow. "Well duh, when your me that's all you need! Well, that and some food." "Did you pack food then?" Asked Rarity. "No you silly filly! Who packs food anyways?". "You mares are a truly interesting group," said Sol. "This will be an intriguing next few months indeed." "Yeah be ready buddy, this is the normal us." Said Rainbow. ......................... After being let to be in their rooms for awhile, Director Sol came back and asked the girls to follow him. We he led them to was a conference room with a strange symbol on the door. "What does that symbol mean?" Asked Rarity. "That would be the symbol for infinity." Said Sol. "You will learn why this symbol is here in a bit." Sol unlocked the door by using a hoof scanner. Inside it looked like a normal confetence room, other than the strewn files that had "secret" stamped on them. "Please, everypony take a seat. Your briefing will begin shortly." Said Sol. A few minutes later, a scientist trotted in. He wore a white lab coat and glasses. He mane was a light yellow and his fur was a light tan. He also had a mustache. "Girls, allow me to introduce Professor Emsee." Said Sol. "Where is his cities Mark?" Asked Twilight. "Oh ja, that." Said Emsee. "I had a little run in with some paint and well....it dried." The Professor also donned an accent similar to German. "Anyways, my name is Professor Emsee Squared and I'm the assistant director of this project. You all know you are to be the first ponies in space, ja? Well, this is mostly true. You see, your frst stop in your voyage will be to the Luna International Space Station...." "Oooooooo, the LISS!" Yelled Pinkie. "Was?" Asked Emsee. "An acronym professor. Girls please be aware, Emsee may break into some German at points like he just did." Said Sol. "Okay then.....as I was saying, there are already ponies up on this station preparing for your arrival. Still, you will be the first ponies on an alien planet! We have recently discovered a planet near ours that looks like it can sustain life. Even this puzzles us due to its distance from Celestia's sun, we want to learn more. You six will take a space shuttle to this planet we call X-24 right now, land there, and gather as much information about the planet as possible. You will each be assigned a certain area to take data on but for now we have other things to worry about. Doesn't this all just sound Wunderbar?!" "We getta land on an alien planet?!" Gasped Applejack. "This doesn't sound safe anymore...." Squeaked Fluttershy. "When did it ever sound safe? It's so dangerous its cool!" Yelled Rainbow. "I hope that aliens have a good sense of fashion...." Muttered Rarity. "This sounds like an excellent learning opportunity!" Said Twilight. "Prima! I hope you will learn while having fun as well. But do be careful now! You do not mess around with space or the equipment we give you. You must use these things in the correct way. Nothing will go kaput on my watch!" Said Emsee. "Thank you for the briefing Professor." Said Sol. "Kein Probleme, Director." Said Emsee. "Girls, you can retire to your rooms for a bit again. We will soon have dinner waiting for you in the Cafeteria. Oh, welcome to Project: Infinity!" ..................... The dinner the girls were treated to was technically a buffet. The type of foid varied but there will stil a lot of choices. After dinner the girls retired to their rooms for the night. It was only eight-o-clock so each of them hung out and soaked in the amazement of their personalized rooms. Even though they were amazing, they all still missed Ponyville. Applejack missed her family, Twilight missed Spike, Rarity missed Sweetie Bell (and Opel), Rainbow missed the open skies, Fluttershy hoped her animals were taking care, and Pinkie missed the Cakes and their kids. Even though they were going to have the expierience of a ligetime, they would still miss home. After an hour or so of just laying there, Twilight decided it was time to turn in. They just had a pretty long day and training started tomorrow. They all needed some rest. As Twilight's eyelids slowly closed, she thought of the upcoming months. along with the launch. She then drifted off to sleep and entered the world of dreams. It BeginsDing! A loud alarm woke Twilight quite quickly. At first she thought it was an emergency, but then a voice on an intercom told her otherwise. "Good morning girls! I'm terribly sorry about that alarm but it is the first day of training! Make sure you are in the training foyer by 10:30! See you soon." Twilight quickly shot out of her bed. It was training day one! There was no she was going to be late for this! She then looked at the time, it was 7:50. She had lots of time. She even had time to eat something if she planned right as well. She got right to her morning routine. After all of that was complete, it was 8:20. She now had two hours and ten minutes for breakfast. This is when, after looking around, there was no fridge or any food container in her room. The only place where food was is the cafeteria, so she trotted off to it. When she arrived, the cafeteria was surprisingly not very empty. Mostly occupied by center employees, Twilight managed to find the table where her friends were sitting. After she located them she went after some of the delicious looking breakfast foods at the buffet. She sat down with her friends and enjoy both food and conversation. They were all excited to see what this first training had in store for them. Was it hard? Painful? Simple? In only a couple of hours all their questions would be answered. Around 10:20 they all headed towards the training foyer. They arrived with five minutes to spare, however, Sol was already there, along with Emsee and a brand new face. "Guten Tag trainees! Welcome to day eins of many days ahead of you. We are all excited to see how todays training goes along so let's get down to business! First, let's introduce the training director, Mrs. Victory." The new pony stepped forward. She wore a blue track jacket and sweat bands around her front hoofs and head. Her cutie mark was a 40 lb. weight. "Thank you professor, but girls, just call me Vicky, I'm not one for formality." said Vicky. "Anyways, as you are already know you are going to be put through days of training up to your launch, which is where I come in. I am going to supervise you throughout your training, along with the help of others as well, and we will make you ready for space travel! Now follow me to the first session." .................. The group arrived at a door that said classroom on it. This confused all six of the girls. Wasn't training supposed to be physical? "School? I thought this was training!" Said Rainbow Dash. "Dont you remember me telling you that we would be training you mentally?" Asked Sol. "Space isn't exactly second nature to those outside of this center, so we are going to teach you a lot about it so you can understand like us. Enjoy!" Sol then trotted away. "Alright everypony! Lets go inside and begin this lesson!" Said Vicky. The girls walked in and took their seats. This is not how they expected training to be. "I'm still confused on how space is nothing but at the same time is something...." Said Applejack. "They lost me at welcome to your first lesson." Said Dash. "That wasn't exactly..erm.....fabulous." said Rarity. "What did you think Pinkie?" Asked Twilight. "Think about what?" "The lesson." "Oh, it definitely confuzzled me..." Said the pink mare. "I found it interesting." Said Twilight. "Of course you did, egghead." Muttered Dash. "Hey! Ugh, let's just go to the next part." The girls had now made their way to the gym. Now it was surely to get exciting. They trotted in and their was Victory and another new pony standing in the middle of the floor. He was dressed in a military drill sargeants uniform. His cutie Mark was of a royal guard's shield. "Girls, I would like you to meet Lt. Colonel Khamoe Flage. He is a trainer for Celestia's own royal guard and he has volunteered to help get you all into top physical shape!" Said Vicky. "Be wary girls, he has a temper...." She whispered to them as she walked past. "I don't need this, I'm already the best athlete here." Said Dash. "WHAT'S THAT LITTLE MISS CYAN?!" screamed Khamoe. "DID I HEAR YOU RIGHT?! YOU DON'T NEED THIS? Well guess what? YOU'RE GOING TO START THIS OFF! 50 PUSH-UPS! GO!" Dash was so surprised at his hostility that she dropped down and began doing as he said. "As for the rest of you fillies, DO 30 LAPS AROUND THE GYM! GO!" "Um.....I'd rather not do that mister...if that's alright..." Murmured Fluttershy. "DO YOU WANNA JOIN NEON BLUEBERRY OVER THERE, PINK LEMONADE?! I SUGGEST YOU GET MOVING!" Fluttershy began whimpering under his commanding tone. "Tears? THERE WILL BE NO TEARS ON THIS BATTLEFIELD, ONLY THE SWEAT OFF YOUR BROWS! REMEMBER THIS! I AM GOING TO WORK YOUR PLOTS SO HARD THAT EVEN I WILL COWER IN FEAR AT THE SOUND OF YOUR NAMES! NOW LETS GO! HUP! HUP!" ........... "Sweet Celestia that guy was rough!" Yelled Dash. "My mane is ruined! Ruined!!" Screamed Rarity haughtily. "I think I twisted my hoof..." Muttered Twilight. "You alright sugarcube?" Applejack asked Fluttershy. "After he ranted like that it was like my tears dried up.....he is good at his job, I guess." "Awwww, that wasn't too bad you guys!" Squealed Pinkie. "I mean we will get used to it right?" "I hope so, I think i re-cracked my hoof again too." Said Twilight. Training was done for that day. The routine would change every now and then though. All six girls limped into the cafeteria for dinner. They wete relieved to finally have some food after that gym routine. They all ate well. Now, it was time to get some sleep. They needed the rest if tomorrow was going to be like that days session. As Twilight lay down in her bed she only had one thought in her head. Was she going to survive Khamoe's wrath along with the others? .............. The learning, ridiculous insult filled months slowly trudged by and the girls were surprised to see good results. Twilight was especially happy to see herself in complete shape, a state she had not been in before. Fluttershy had not cried a single year in the gym under Khamoe since that first day. Rainbow Dash still had fits with Khamoe but things toned down. In fact, after a while, Khamoe turned out to be a great instructor and it was easy for the girls to tell his sympathy yell from his angry one. Victory had began helping them through their teachings as well. They all knew a lot about space and its properties along with the many things in it too. Rarity began becoming very interested in the teachings. She said it had given her a huge fashion design inspiration. Pinkie Pie still struggled in the learning along with Applejack. They tried really hard to umdetstand but they couldnt get all of it down. Still, they had a mediocre understanding. With only two months before the launch, the girls were showing much promise. Applejack and Rainbow Dash led the field in athletics, Twilight and Rarity ruled the Learning stand point, and Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy both were mixed in both categories. Fluttershy being the more of a student, Pinkie being more of an athlete. Victory had taken note of their progress and presented it to Sol and Emsee. They were very happy at the data they had received. They decided it was now time to take the next step in the training. The machinery and aircraft operations training. A New Frontier?What most ponies don't know about Equestria is that, like other things, it has it's secrets. For awhile, nopony really gave a thought to what was really out there in space. Of course there have been meteor showers over the magical land, but no one knew any true knowledge of space itself. That is until now. Within the secrecy of the Canterlot Castle came an idea, one which would forever change the knowledge of ponies everywhere. It was decided that a program would be created to study more into the idea of "space" and what truly went on out there. A document was forged to signify the establishment of this program, now known as the ECGR (Equestrian Center for Galactic Research). This program was sworn to discover anything they could about space with the equipment they were given. As they gathered new information about this strange frontier, more money was put into the program seeing as it was being successful. Not only were they to gather knowledge but they were sworn to secrecy for awhile as well. Everypony who was involved in making this program reality was afraid that the public may not like the idea or that strange fantasies may begin to arise. Any pony who worked at the facility was told to tell their loved ones that they worked at a new pillow factory. However this excuse being "cheesy" most ponies beloved the story and went on with their lives. As the months and years went on, more discoveries were made and the secret was kept. However, the "factory" cover up didn't last forever. A few months before the news of this program was released to the public, many ponies grew suspicious of the "factory". They claimed many things. One claim was that it was really a new mental hospital keeping the crackers of ponies within it's walls. This shook the nearby area surrounding the facility so much that Celestia herself decided it was time for the public to know. The news spread quickly throughout the land, bringing controversy and confusion. Once everything was down to true facts, news articles began appearing by the thousands all over. One of the more known articles resided from Manehattan being titled "A New Frontier?". A few months after the reveal, the ECGR announced they were going to launch a pony controlled mission to a recently discovered planet they called X-24 for the time being. However, they had an issue they didn't release publicly; they needed recruits to train for the mission. They explained to Celestia that only the most qualified ponies would be able to train for the mission. It did not take her long to figure out who would participate in this historic event.
Letter of a LifetimeIt was a cool, cloudy day in Ponyville. The temperature would soon rise as spring was coming ever so close, along with the festive "Winter Wrap Up" event. Never the less snow still covered the ground in blankets. It had reached a record of 7 1/2 feet at one point. A certain purple mare was beginning to wake up from her peaceful slumber. Twilight slowly reached her morning consciousness and a smile grew wide on her face. Today was the day her and her friends had planned a giant hang out day! Every waking moment of the day was to be spent with her friends. Well, almost every moment. They weren't supposed to meet till noon. She quickly got out of her soft bed, she regretted this for a short moment but she had better plans. Careful not to wake Spike, she waltzed down the stairs and began her morning routines. She combed and brushed her mane to the point of perfection, brushed her already pearly white teeth, took a quick shower, and ate her usual breakfast of dandelions and Apple Acres specially made apple juice. After all this was completely finished Twilight decided it was time for Spike to wake. "Spike, time to get up! We gotta big day planned!" "Ugh," groaned Spike. "I don't feel really good today...." Burp! Just then, a letter from Celestia appeared from within Spike "Nevermind..." moaned Spike. " A letter from the Princess? I wonder what is so important..." said Twilight. She graciously picked up the scroll from the floor and began reading. Dear Twilight Sparkle, I do hope that the recent reveal of the space research program is within your knowledge. I also hope you know that they have recently announced a historic event. However, I was approached by the directors of the program and was asked to find at least six ponies who I thought were qualified to become their first Astroponies. It did not take me long to think of those six lucky ponies. I would like to ask you if you and your friends are willing to become the first ponies in space. You still have time to think about it but when you have a full answer, write to me. I will then send you information on what to do next. From, Princess Celestia "Oh my gosh! Spike?! Do you know what this means?!" screamed Twilight. "I hope that this is a good thing," said Spike, "cause the last time you said that Equestria was almost taken over by Nightmare Moon." " Of course it's good this time you silly dragon!" Laughed Twilight, "Being asked to do this is a big honor in itself! Plus, it one doosie of an adventure." "When are you going to tell the others?" asked Spike. "When we meet up at Sugarcube Corner later today." said Twilight. "Oh, so that's what the big plan was again..." said Spike. "You really forgot Spike?" "I don't have the BEST memory you know..." "Oh Spike!" laughed Twilight. ............................. As Twilight trotted along to get to Sugercube Corner she took in the sights around her. Ponyville was as busy as ever. Shoppers were rushing about and salesponies screamed and yelled out various deals. The smell of fresh pies and pastries hit Twilight's nose. She looked up and saw the Sugercube Corner sign. She was not only about to have the best day ever with her friends but also reveal the amazing news to them. She waltzed in and was immediately greeted by her best friends. She then sat down and joined in on the conversation her friends were already having. "...I still say we should go to the races for awhile. It would be the coolest thing ever!" said Rainbow Dash. " I would rather not my dear," pleaded Rarity, "you know that I do not like getting filthy, especially at *ugh* the races." "Funny cause I remember a certain pony who put her fear of dirt to the side for her sister..." Grumbled Dash. "That was a serious circumstance! This race is trivial compared to that" "Oh really?!" "Yes, truly so." "Cut the hay you two!" said Applejack, "Now, today is a special day to all of us. It would be better if y'all didn't fight like fillies! "AJ is right! We don't want to have a couple of party poopers! Laughed Pinkie Pie. "The races sound fun.....um..and so does Rarity's idea" squeaked Fluttershy. "What's your take on this Twi? Dash's idea or Rarity's?" asked Applejack. The purple mate squirmed in het seat as now she was in the spotlight. "Um.....what was Rarity's idea?" "Makeovers..." Grunted Dash. "Well....they both sound nice......but, I wanna tell you guys something first." As if on que, all of her friends said "What's on your mind?" in unison. "I got a letter from the Princess earlier and she asked me a question. First, do you all know about that recently revealed space program and their plans?" "Yes." Said her friends. "Well.....she asked if we wanted to be the honorary Astroponies of the mission!" "OH MY GOSH!" screamed Rainbow, " That would be AWESOME! I totally accept!" "That does sound like a fantastic adventure, I accept as well!" said Rarity. "I accept too....if that's okay though...." whispered Fluttershy. "Gee Twi, that sounds fun an' all but I still got the farm to think about...." said Applejack. "Oh c'Mon Applejack!" Squeled Pinkie, "I said yes already and didn't even know about this space thingy, we need all of us to throw a SPACE PARTY!!" "Well, if y'all put it that way.....okay, I except too!" "Then its settled," said Twilight cheerily, "later today i will write the princess a letter saying we accept her offer." "To the letter of a lifetime!!!" They all screamed.
FillydelphiaTwilight limped slightly back into her home. She had accidentaly stepped on a sharp stone on her way to the races. It has cracked her hoof a bit. Despite the pain she was still amused from earlier events. For about 30 more minutes after Twilight had revealed the huge news, Rainbow Dash and Rarity were still arguing about what to do. The compromise cam from an unlikely source, Fluttershy had suggested they do both, first the races and tgen the makeover. Even though thete was still some hostility.between Rarity and Dash, they agreed. So, in the.end, the day wasn't ruined by "party poopers" and ended quite nicely. The only thing Twilight had to do was write a response letter to the Princess. Twilight winced as she trotted over to her desk. I hope this heals soon she thought. She used her magic to summon a scroll of paper and her quil from nearby. Dear Princess Celestia, After speaking with my friends we have decided that we would all be honored to be a part of this proposed space mission. All we need from you is the information you said you would give us. We thank you for this oppurtunity. From, Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle "Spike!" Yelled Twilight. The baby dragon appeared out of nowhere. "Yes?" he asked. "I need you to send this letter to the Princess please." "Sure thing Twilight!" Spike took a deep breath and blew out emerald green flames. The letter was engulfed by the flames and disappeared in smoke. The letter was sent, dragon class shipping. It only took about ten minutes before a reply cam back from Princess. Dear Twilight Sparkle, Not only does this announcement excite me but will also do so for the program. I am sure you ate wondering where exactly this center is located. Well, in two days you and your friends will take the train to Fillydelphia. From there you will take a carriage to a location not far outside the city. This is where the center is located. I would also pack, a lot. Your commitment means you will have to stay in the area of the center and you are planned to be there for a few months. Remember to tell your friends this information when you can. From, Princess Celestia "That is some really useful info, but I'll wait to tell the girls tomorrow, I'm beat..." Twilight Sparkle yawned. She had a great time today, even though she was slightly injured in the process. She groggily limped up the stairs, creeped past a already asleep Spike, and climbed into her soft bed. It had been quite an amazing day. All days come to an end however, but Twilight's night was also great. She dreamt of great adventures and the mysyeries of space. She couldn't wait for that train ride. ............................. Twilight sprinted faster than she ever had before to the train station. She was almost fifteen minutes late. "I had to triple check my checklist...." she muttered to herself. When she arrived she was exhausted. The conductor helped her carry her bags, she was severely short on breath. When she knew her things were tucked away, she found her friends in the luxury car. Her friends just stared at her at first, the state she was in wasn't normal, for Twilight that is. Her mane was slightly frayed here and there, she was breathing hard, het coat wasn't smooth but spiked out here and there. For Twilight, this wasn't her day and everypony in the car knew it. "Er.....Hiya Twilight...." Said Applejack. "Hey girls," gasped Twilight, "sorry, had to....er.....check my checklist." "Darling....how do I put this?" Pondered Rarity, "You look like you dragged yourself through barbed wire...." "I would say a rock quarry but whatever." Said Rainbow Dash. "You look....um.....okay?" Fluttershy Squeled. "I really look that bad?" Asked Twilight. "No, you look like you had a ton of fun this morning!" Said Pinkie. Just then, the train jerked forward a bit, signifying movement. The conductor quickly hopped onto the train and the speed of the locomotive began to rise. Soon, the train was at a comfortable doors, heading straight towards Fillydelphia. They would arrive in just over five hours with a couple stops along the way, including a stop in Canterlot an hour and a half into the ride. Until then, the group of friends held many conversations and stared out at the passing land. They also played some small games. One game they played was truth or dare, but the game ended when Fluttershy was dared and couldn't take the pressure. She was dared to flick Applejack. After the rest stop in Canterlot, the train gained a bit more speed. It was going to be quite mountainous for a while, and cold. All the windows were closed to keep what warmth was left in the cars in. After about two hours the mountains receded back to beautiful valleys. Everywhere you looked it was grassy green, with an occaisional tree here and there. The temperature also rose a bit. After of about being on trip for three and half hours, Twilight decided she wanted to take a nap. Her hoof had been bothering her on and off during the trip and she just wanted to.get off it. As she fell asleep her friends thought about dosing off as well, only Rainbow Dash actually did though. ..................... The train slowly screeched to a full halt at Fillydelphia station. The girls gathered their bags and trotted off the train. They looked around the area for a while until they saw a colt with a sign saying "Elements". They assumed this meant them and they were right. The colt led them to a dark blue carriage decorated in constellations. The side of the carriage said "Director's Carriage". Inside was also amazing in itself. The seats were made with the highest quality of Equestrian red velvet, the ceiling had a detailed painting of the moon, more stars were painted on the inside, and the Equestrian flag was on the inside of both side doors. They all gasped and awed the high luxury of the carriage, especially Rarity, who couldn't stop talking about its design for the whole thirty minute ride to the center. When they arrived, the building was surrounded by wonderful gardens and a couple of fountains in the shape of stars and their own planet. The front of the building looked very modern and had recently been remodeled. It was made of steel bars supporting glass to give it a bit of a indented look. The sides, however, still looked like they had in their hiding days, like factory walls. The center was built so that the sides faced the city so that whoever looked over at it thought "factory" not "space center". In the center of the courtyard in the front flew the flag of Equestria, right below flew what looked like the flag for the center, a planet with a ring around it, but on the planet was the letter "E". As the girls got their bags out of the carriage, a golden orange stallion in a suit trotted up. His mane jet black, and his cutie mark was of the sun. "Hello!" He said. "My name is Director Summer Solstice, and welcome to the ECGR!"
ECGR"The EC gee what now?" asked Applejack. "The ECGR," said Solstice, "it's an acronym." "An Afro what now?" asked a jumpy Pinkie Pie. "An acronym, it's a span of letters that represent something." said Solstice. "Our acronym stands for the Equestrian Center for Galactic Research. See where we get it from now?" "I think so Mr. Summer Solstice." said Rarity. "Oh please, call me Sol while you are here. That is my nickname." said the director. "Now, please follow me and I will give you the grand tour of this facility followed by a briefing of your future mission." All the ponies trotted into the building in a big group. The girls' bags were taken to dormitories on the far side of the building. The inside was just as or more amazing than the outside. Only the highest of quality materials were used in constructing the center. There were statues her and there, a couple of Celestia herself. There were banners of the Equestrian symbol placed over openings into hallways. Sol was going to say something about the lobby but judging by the other ponies faces, he felt it was uneccesary. They moved on to the laboratories. The laboratories were filled with hi-tech machines and scientists working hard to purely discover. The six friends were astonished at all the different studies going on at once. So many ponies trying to get more knowledge about space. "As you can probably already tell, this is where we make many discoveries that relate to space. Our biggest project right now is discovering other planets, you six will be a part of that project soon." said Sol. They walked through the labs trying to avoid colliding with the working ponies. They eventually reached their next destination, the training facilities. "Going into space requires more than just guts, you need to be physically and mentally fit as well. You will train your minds and bodies here so you will be able to charge into space head on. You will meet your trainers in the next few days, but for now, let's move on to our next location." They walked through many more halls before they reached the final place of their tour, the dormitories. "This is where you all will be staying for the next few months. We hope you find these rooms to fit your liking. The Princess told us about your personalities, your rooms are based on such facts." The girls each opened the doors leading to their rooms and all gasped. Each room was matched perfectly to who ever resided in it. "You really nailed our rooms for sure!" Said Twilight. "They are......um.....very nice indeed." Whispered Fluttershy. "Mine has balloons!" Yelled Pinkie, "Oh wait, those are the ones I packed..." "You only packed balloons Pinkie?!" Said Rainbow. "Well duh, when your me that's all you need! Well, that and some food." "Did you pack food then?" Asked Rarity. "No you silly filly! Who packs food anyways?". "You mares are a truly interesting group," said Sol. "This will be an intriguing next few months indeed." "Yeah be ready buddy, this is the normal us." Said Rainbow. ......................... After being let to be in their rooms for awhile, Director Sol came back and asked the girls to follow him. We he led them to was a conference room with a strange symbol on the door. "What does that symbol mean?" Asked Rarity. "That would be the symbol for infinity." Said Sol. "You will learn why this symbol is here in a bit." Sol unlocked the door by using a hoof scanner. Inside it looked like a normal confetence room, other than the strewn files that had "secret" stamped on them. "Please, everypony take a seat. Your briefing will begin shortly." Said Sol. A few minutes later, a scientist trotted in. He wore a white lab coat and glasses. He mane was a light yellow and his fur was a light tan. He also had a mustache. "Girls, allow me to introduce Professor Emsee." Said Sol. "Where is his cities Mark?" Asked Twilight. "Oh ja, that." Said Emsee. "I had a little run in with some paint and well....it dried." The Professor also donned an accent similar to German. "Anyways, my name is Professor Emsee Squared and I'm the assistant director of this project. You all know you are to be the first ponies in space, ja? Well, this is mostly true. You see, your frst stop in your voyage will be to the Luna International Space Station...." "Oooooooo, the LISS!" Yelled Pinkie. "Was?" Asked Emsee. "An acronym professor. Girls please be aware, Emsee may break into some German at points like he just did." Said Sol. "Okay then.....as I was saying, there are already ponies up on this station preparing for your arrival. Still, you will be the first ponies on an alien planet! We have recently discovered a planet near ours that looks like it can sustain life. Even this puzzles us due to its distance from Celestia's sun, we want to learn more. You six will take a space shuttle to this planet we call X-24 right now, land there, and gather as much information about the planet as possible. You will each be assigned a certain area to take data on but for now we have other things to worry about. Doesn't this all just sound Wunderbar?!" "We getta land on an alien planet?!" Gasped Applejack. "This doesn't sound safe anymore...." Squeaked Fluttershy. "When did it ever sound safe? It's so dangerous its cool!" Yelled Rainbow. "I hope that aliens have a good sense of fashion...." Muttered Rarity. "This sounds like an excellent learning opportunity!" Said Twilight. "Prima! I hope you will learn while having fun as well. But do be careful now! You do not mess around with space or the equipment we give you. You must use these things in the correct way. Nothing will go kaput on my watch!" Said Emsee. "Thank you for the briefing Professor." Said Sol. "Kein Probleme, Director." Said Emsee. "Girls, you can retire to your rooms for a bit again. We will soon have dinner waiting for you in the Cafeteria. Oh, welcome to Project: Infinity!" ..................... The dinner the girls were treated to was technically a buffet. The type of foid varied but there will stil a lot of choices. After dinner the girls retired to their rooms for the night. It was only eight-o-clock so each of them hung out and soaked in the amazement of their personalized rooms. Even though they were amazing, they all still missed Ponyville. Applejack missed her family, Twilight missed Spike, Rarity missed Sweetie Bell (and Opel), Rainbow missed the open skies, Fluttershy hoped her animals were taking care, and Pinkie missed the Cakes and their kids. Even though they were going to have the expierience of a ligetime, they would still miss home. After an hour or so of just laying there, Twilight decided it was time to turn in. They just had a pretty long day and training started tomorrow. They all needed some rest. As Twilight's eyelids slowly closed, she thought of the upcoming months. along with the launch. She then drifted off to sleep and entered the world of dreams.
It BeginsDing! A loud alarm woke Twilight quite quickly. At first she thought it was an emergency, but then a voice on an intercom told her otherwise. "Good morning girls! I'm terribly sorry about that alarm but it is the first day of training! Make sure you are in the training foyer by 10:30! See you soon." Twilight quickly shot out of her bed. It was training day one! There was no she was going to be late for this! She then looked at the time, it was 7:50. She had lots of time. She even had time to eat something if she planned right as well. She got right to her morning routine. After all of that was complete, it was 8:20. She now had two hours and ten minutes for breakfast. This is when, after looking around, there was no fridge or any food container in her room. The only place where food was is the cafeteria, so she trotted off to it. When she arrived, the cafeteria was surprisingly not very empty. Mostly occupied by center employees, Twilight managed to find the table where her friends were sitting. After she located them she went after some of the delicious looking breakfast foods at the buffet. She sat down with her friends and enjoy both food and conversation. They were all excited to see what this first training had in store for them. Was it hard? Painful? Simple? In only a couple of hours all their questions would be answered. Around 10:20 they all headed towards the training foyer. They arrived with five minutes to spare, however, Sol was already there, along with Emsee and a brand new face. "Guten Tag trainees! Welcome to day eins of many days ahead of you. We are all excited to see how todays training goes along so let's get down to business! First, let's introduce the training director, Mrs. Victory." The new pony stepped forward. She wore a blue track jacket and sweat bands around her front hoofs and head. Her cutie mark was a 40 lb. weight. "Thank you professor, but girls, just call me Vicky, I'm not one for formality." said Vicky. "Anyways, as you are already know you are going to be put through days of training up to your launch, which is where I come in. I am going to supervise you throughout your training, along with the help of others as well, and we will make you ready for space travel! Now follow me to the first session." .................. The group arrived at a door that said classroom on it. This confused all six of the girls. Wasn't training supposed to be physical? "School? I thought this was training!" Said Rainbow Dash. "Dont you remember me telling you that we would be training you mentally?" Asked Sol. "Space isn't exactly second nature to those outside of this center, so we are going to teach you a lot about it so you can understand like us. Enjoy!" Sol then trotted away. "Alright everypony! Lets go inside and begin this lesson!" Said Vicky. The girls walked in and took their seats. This is not how they expected training to be. "I'm still confused on how space is nothing but at the same time is something...." Said Applejack. "They lost me at welcome to your first lesson." Said Dash. "That wasn't exactly..erm.....fabulous." said Rarity. "What did you think Pinkie?" Asked Twilight. "Think about what?" "The lesson." "Oh, it definitely confuzzled me..." Said the pink mare. "I found it interesting." Said Twilight. "Of course you did, egghead." Muttered Dash. "Hey! Ugh, let's just go to the next part." The girls had now made their way to the gym. Now it was surely to get exciting. They trotted in and their was Victory and another new pony standing in the middle of the floor. He was dressed in a military drill sargeants uniform. His cutie Mark was of a royal guard's shield. "Girls, I would like you to meet Lt. Colonel Khamoe Flage. He is a trainer for Celestia's own royal guard and he has volunteered to help get you all into top physical shape!" Said Vicky. "Be wary girls, he has a temper...." She whispered to them as she walked past. "I don't need this, I'm already the best athlete here." Said Dash. "WHAT'S THAT LITTLE MISS CYAN?!" screamed Khamoe. "DID I HEAR YOU RIGHT?! YOU DON'T NEED THIS? Well guess what? YOU'RE GOING TO START THIS OFF! 50 PUSH-UPS! GO!" Dash was so surprised at his hostility that she dropped down and began doing as he said. "As for the rest of you fillies, DO 30 LAPS AROUND THE GYM! GO!" "Um.....I'd rather not do that mister...if that's alright..." Murmured Fluttershy. "DO YOU WANNA JOIN NEON BLUEBERRY OVER THERE, PINK LEMONADE?! I SUGGEST YOU GET MOVING!" Fluttershy began whimpering under his commanding tone. "Tears? THERE WILL BE NO TEARS ON THIS BATTLEFIELD, ONLY THE SWEAT OFF YOUR BROWS! REMEMBER THIS! I AM GOING TO WORK YOUR PLOTS SO HARD THAT EVEN I WILL COWER IN FEAR AT THE SOUND OF YOUR NAMES! NOW LETS GO! HUP! HUP!" ........... "Sweet Celestia that guy was rough!" Yelled Dash. "My mane is ruined! Ruined!!" Screamed Rarity haughtily. "I think I twisted my hoof..." Muttered Twilight. "You alright sugarcube?" Applejack asked Fluttershy. "After he ranted like that it was like my tears dried up.....he is good at his job, I guess." "Awwww, that wasn't too bad you guys!" Squealed Pinkie. "I mean we will get used to it right?" "I hope so, I think i re-cracked my hoof again too." Said Twilight. Training was done for that day. The routine would change every now and then though. All six girls limped into the cafeteria for dinner. They wete relieved to finally have some food after that gym routine. They all ate well. Now, it was time to get some sleep. They needed the rest if tomorrow was going to be like that days session. As Twilight lay down in her bed she only had one thought in her head. Was she going to survive Khamoe's wrath along with the others? .............. The learning, ridiculous insult filled months slowly trudged by and the girls were surprised to see good results. Twilight was especially happy to see herself in complete shape, a state she had not been in before. Fluttershy had not cried a single year in the gym under Khamoe since that first day. Rainbow Dash still had fits with Khamoe but things toned down. In fact, after a while, Khamoe turned out to be a great instructor and it was easy for the girls to tell his sympathy yell from his angry one. Victory had began helping them through their teachings as well. They all knew a lot about space and its properties along with the many things in it too. Rarity began becoming very interested in the teachings. She said it had given her a huge fashion design inspiration. Pinkie Pie still struggled in the learning along with Applejack. They tried really hard to umdetstand but they couldnt get all of it down. Still, they had a mediocre understanding. With only two months before the launch, the girls were showing much promise. Applejack and Rainbow Dash led the field in athletics, Twilight and Rarity ruled the Learning stand point, and Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy both were mixed in both categories. Fluttershy being the more of a student, Pinkie being more of an athlete. Victory had taken note of their progress and presented it to Sol and Emsee. They were very happy at the data they had received. They decided it was now time to take the next step in the training. The machinery and aircraft operations training.
A New Frontier?What most ponies don't know about Equestria is that, like other things, it has it's secrets. For awhile, nopony really gave a thought to what was really out there in space. Of course there have been meteor showers over the magical land, but no one knew any true knowledge of space itself. That is until now. Within the secrecy of the Canterlot Castle came an idea, one which would forever change the knowledge of ponies everywhere. It was decided that a program would be created to study more into the idea of "space" and what truly went on out there. A document was forged to signify the establishment of this program, now known as the ECGR (Equestrian Center for Galactic Research). This program was sworn to discover anything they could about space with the equipment they were given. As they gathered new information about this strange frontier, more money was put into the program seeing as it was being successful. Not only were they to gather knowledge but they were sworn to secrecy for awhile as well. Everypony who was involved in making this program reality was afraid that the public may not like the idea or that strange fantasies may begin to arise. Any pony who worked at the facility was told to tell their loved ones that they worked at a new pillow factory. However this excuse being "cheesy" most ponies beloved the story and went on with their lives. As the months and years went on, more discoveries were made and the secret was kept. However, the "factory" cover up didn't last forever. A few months before the news of this program was released to the public, many ponies grew suspicious of the "factory". They claimed many things. One claim was that it was really a new mental hospital keeping the crackers of ponies within it's walls. This shook the nearby area surrounding the facility so much that Celestia herself decided it was time for the public to know. The news spread quickly throughout the land, bringing controversy and confusion. Once everything was down to true facts, news articles began appearing by the thousands all over. One of the more known articles resided from Manehattan being titled "A New Frontier?". A few months after the reveal, the ECGR announced they were going to launch a pony controlled mission to a recently discovered planet they called X-24 for the time being. However, they had an issue they didn't release publicly; they needed recruits to train for the mission. They explained to Celestia that only the most qualified ponies would be able to train for the mission. It did not take her long to figure out who would participate in this historic event.
