Alliance

Twilight watched as ponies went by her library. Nothing new there, simply ponyfolk going this way and that on their daily business. She did not have anything to do that day, so she had settled down for a good book to read. The book in particular was speculating on the chances of life on a planet, and what one would expect if it were so that they weren't alone. Twilight always enjoyed these books, and she had read this one at least 3 times. There was still something else she had yet to do if she were to really enjoy herself today. She turned and hollered out of her study.

"Spike?? Spiiiiiiiike?"

"Alright, alright, heard you the first time! What is it?" Spike returned the shout.

"Would you boil up some water for me, so I can have some tea?"

"No can do, Twilight! We're all out of tea!" Twilight's hoof hit her face, groaning loudly.

So much for nothing to do... She got up from her very comfortable rug to head out the door. But before she did that, she turned to spike, who was staring, smiling innocently at her. Twilight glared, pointing an accusing hoof at the dragon. "Don't raid the ice cream while I'm gone." Spike's smile turned into a frown. Twilight giggled, ruffling his head. "I'm off to Zecora's for some of my favorite tea. If everything goes well, I'll be back by five, okay?"

The dragon nodded. With that, Twilight was off. She briskly trotted south towards the Everfree forest, always notorious for looking kinda creepy and harboring dangerous animals. But if you looked at it from a scientific standpoint, it's quite beautiful in the variety of lifeforms and the way the trees' leaves hang over roads less trodden. It was a minute's walk before one got to Zecora's house, a strange little tree with holes strategically cut out in it's lumps, where windows were placed. Twilight always liked it, really. Their tastes are similar! Twilight gently rapped on the door, which opened up to reveal the smiling zebra behind it.

"Twilight Sparkle, friend to me!

What brings you to the Everfree?"

"Well, I was wondering if you had any of that tea that I really like. You know, the stuff that clears the mind?"

"You wish to have my special brew?

Well, come inside and wait a few!"

Zecora opened the door, and Twilight stepped through. She idly sat by the pot, which was bubbling green, as it usually did. As she waited, she wondered how Zecora knew how to make the best potions. After all, she supplied the local medical facility. Then she remembered a book about alchemy, which was known rather unaffectionately as "The dirty brother of magic". It was an alternate way to use magic for tasks like becoming invisible, but it primarily needed material things, being part of the earth, to work properly. Which might explain why many of the recipes required flowers and other herbs. She supposed it was looked down upon in the past because anypony could do it. Zecora's voice snapped her away from her thoughts.

"I have plenty of this delightful tea.

this should last you a week, or three!"

Twilight waved, heading out the door. "Thanks, Zecora! I suppose I'll see you at the mar-"

BOOM!!

A bright red flash shone from within the forest, and the following shock wave like thunder shook the earth. Zecora had to dive for her potion bottles which were teetering off the shelves. She pulled on her cloak as she stepped outside, shutting the door behind her.

"What... was that?" She asked, entirely avoiding using any rhyming.

If Twilight was surprised by Zecora's lack of rhyming, she didn't show it. "I don't know, but It can't be natural, even for the forest. We'd better check it out."

...

Twilight used her horn to scan around her, following the energized remnants of magic which still clung to the air. It had been at least twelve minutes since that crimson blast shook the forest. Twilight found it odd how strong the energy still was. Her most powerful spells usually decay entirely in two minutes. This... blast was still seventeen eighteenths as strong as it's origin strength. The area seemed to be warming up as well, despite how cold the forest would usually get. Onwards she continued, until the heat became somewhat... uncomfortable. It was a while since she saw any actual light, save for Zecora's glowing eyes, which reminded her how zebra magic was exhibited in the senses, but there was a bright red glow now. She then noticed the Zebra's ears swiveling a little. She must be hearing something. Twilight focused her magic to concentrate her hearing.

"Doc, what makes you think that this forest is possibly chaotic?"

"It's the energy signature, boy. I know chaotic magic when I feel it, and this is crawling with it."

Twilight tilted her head in confusion. It was most certainly language, she knew that for sure. But she never even heard it before. It was just entirely foreign! She continued to listen, baffled by the weird language. She slowly sneaked to the source of the voices.

"Tom, how goes the air quality check? Any contaminants?"

"Negative, Doctor. Temperatures also seem stable, if a little cold."

Twilight walked through a few bushes to find the source of the red light. A rectangular frame stood in the middle of the clearing, an eerie glow emanating from the center. The frame clearly had seen better days. the sides were covered in rust, and the metal steps were worn and cracked. Strange figures were around the frame, which twilight couldn't quite make out.

"Very good then. Uh, Krystal, Would you mind shutting off the hypergate?"

"No problem, Doctor." There was another clap of thunder, and the red light dissipated from the area. The magic energy also seemed to decay instantaneously.

Twilight got a closer look at the figures. Each one was encased in steel from head to toe. They stood on two legs, at least as tall as the princess of the sun herself. glowing green lines came from what she assumed were the joints on the strange beings. Looking at their heads, she saw that that was also encased in metal, but if she squinted, she could make out a pair of eyes. One of them spoke in their strange tongue.

"Doctor, I'm afraid we have contact. The most likely cause is that we forgot to bring along perception filters." All five figures turned their heads toward her at once. She gasped loudly.

"you're always forgetting things, aren't you Doc?"

"Rick, do care to remember your place. I am your master, and you are my student. Now, let's take care of our problem."

This couldn't be happening. Of all the times to run into an alien species, why did it have to be within a creepy forest with no protection and no (really close) friends with her?? Her legs shook as she slowly backed away, trying to get some distance from the potentially dangerous aliens. One of them touched the side of it's head and revealed its face behind its helmet. It had what looked like a pair of goggles over its eyes. What kind of Thing was it? What ever it was, there was not an inch of hair on its face, save for the eyebrows and goatee. It was a little unpleasant for the purple pony to gaze upon. The alien stepped forward on its two legs, quickly closing the gap between it and her. It knelt down, and she whimpered in fright as it reached one of it's appendages towards her. Oh jeez- was it trying to touch her?!? She fired a blast of magic at the thing. In almost an instant, the helmet formed around it's face and the beam bounced harmlessly off it. The hand retracted, and Twilight was frozen in a red aura which blocked her magic. Yes, this appeared to be the end, so she resigned herself to her fate, facing death with as much courage as she could muster, eyes blurry from tears.

The alien's hand once again reached out towards her, slowly and very cautiously. Confusion struck her as it wiped her tears away with its fur-less hand. She whimpered at the touch, and it gently shushed her. It's words came low and slowly. She had no clue what the words meant, but she thought it might be comforting.

"Little one, don't be afraid. Listen well, for there will be a day when you will understand me. I am indeed from another place, far from this world. Our kind are on a quest, sent by the intergalactic alliance of races to find new worlds and civilizations. We have not come here for ill intent, but to allow others to join our ranks, should they see fit to do so. But before we allow you to know of our presence, we must understand you. Our time to meet has not yet come, little one. For now, you will sleep, and forget seeing us. When the time is right, you'll remember.

Twilight's eyes drooped and a warmth filled her body. The last thing she saw was the alien lifting her from the ground, holding her close to his chest, before she drifted off into an induced sleep.

Zecora was nowhere to be found.