Equestrian Prehistory

        Dust cleared from a large explosion on the Apple family’s farm. If Rainbow Dash hadn’t been standing next to the barn, some ponies might have thought she had overdone it with a sonic rainboom again. Three little fillies who wanted to be archaeologists and one large old earth stallion with a brush for a cutie mark, who was a real archaeologist, started clearing the dust from a pit. “Cutie Mark Crusaders Archaeologists! YAY!” the fillies shouted in unison as they dove into the pit.

Applejack turned to the real archeologist. “Dusty Brush, it sure is strange findin’ an old pony burial ground on my farm. I’m just grateful it ain’t somethin’ sinister. I was sure Big Macintosh had found somethin’ bad when those bones showed up when we dug out our new cider cellar.”

A filthy Sweetie Belle peeked out of the hole. “Hey look, I found something! I think it’s a… skull? Eww!” She, Applebloom, and Scootaloo backed away from the new find in uncertainty.

“It isn't going to hurt you. That pony is already dead. And that’s not even bone any more. It’s a fossil!” He reared in excitement at the find. “That’s wonderful Sweetie Belle! A skull is a terrific first find. So much can be learned from the skull about what happened to a pony during his or her life.” He hopped down into the pit. “I hope the whole skeleton is preserved. Little is known about the history of Equestrian natives in this area. A find such as this can expand our knowledge greatly.” He picked up a brush in his teeth and gently swiped at the skull, uncovering more. He then dropped the brush in with a shocked look on his face.

“By the name of Celestia, this poor lady-it is a female-seems to have been… “ He abruptly stopped, reminded of his company. “Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, I think you three should leave for a moment. I need to speak with my assistant.” His assistant, another earth pony named Short Rule, who had a square ruler for a cutie mark gingerly stepped into the pit.

“Aww, that isn't cool!” Scootaloo said, frustrated. “We were helping really well!”

“And we didn't even break nothin’!” Applebloom said desperately.

“You were a big help, all three of you. I do appreciate it, and I will welcome you back here, but there’s something here that maybe you shouldn't see at the moment.”

“But they’re dead already! We aren't afraid of that!” Sweetie Belle said with a crack in her voice.

“That’s not it. I can explain later, but there’s something here that I need to discuss because even I don’t understand it.” Dusty Brush said.

“C’mon girls, I’ll take you back to the house for fritters and cider. I think Dusty here would like some later as well. Would you Dusty, and you too Shorty? For dinner maybe?”

“I think we’ll take that offer. You do make some of the best fritters in Equestria, so I've heard.” Short Rule nodded in agreement. “But I think our work here isn't close to complete.” She said.

“Alrighty, fellas, I’ll be seein’ ya in the evenin’ then.” Applejack smiled, tipped her hat, and walked away, with three little fillies sulking behind her, muttering their frustrations about never getting a cutie mark.

Dusty turned back to the skull. “Does that look like I think it does?” He asked Shorty, knowing she agreed already.

“It does. That looks like a severed vertebra. This poor lady was beheaded. There isn't even a body around.” The two stood there silently. “This is absurd. Aboriginal Equestrians were never known to be so savage. There must be an explanation for this. We need to go deeper.” Shorty said.

“Do you think we are seeing something less significant than we are? Perhaps an accident?” Dusty said.

“Probably. This is an anomaly. The evidence is overwhelming for a more peaceful history. You and I spend years learning and teaching this.” At least I don’t want to believe something so sick she thought.

They spent the next eleven days digging and brushing, investigating and staring at obscure small pony bones. Finally they reached the bottom where no more bones could be found. Steps holding different types of fossils in various formations were about, and throughout the pit, one thing was constant: an ashen residue and small wood pieces.

Shorty and Dusty stood at the bottom, hardened to their find and taking in the scene with a scientist’s impassive eye. Twilight Sparkle stood at the lip of the pit, looking down at the two. “it looks like this whole thing caught on fire! Did something go wrong?” She asked innocently.

Dusty gulped and his voice stopped short. Shorty spoke up in response. “I… This is something horrible. It looks like a massacre, a war crime!” She said, horrified.

“You’re digging in the middle Pleistocene layer, right? At that time, Ponies, as well as other Ungulates, were fairly dispersed and low in population. War was extremely rare and unlikely. So how did this fire happen anyway? Did the explosion go wrong?”

“The residue is part of the site.” Dusty said as he regained his composure. “This isn't a ceremonial ground. Twilight, you have quite a bit of knowledge about, well, everything. I would like a third set of eyes here, and perhaps a unicorn’s magic couldn't hurt. Do you see what Shorty and I see?”

Twilight trotted down the ramp and looked around carefully. “The fossils all appear to have been scattered and abused. And everything is burned. This isn't a ceremonial ground. It’s a mass grave!”

“I thought you might see that. Come over this way.” Shorty gestured with her head toward a corner. “We found this too. We can’t open it without destroying it. Perhaps your magic can be far gentler than our hooves.”

Shorty was looking at a small, ornate wooden box. It seemed preserved rather well, as if with lacquer. “It doesn't fit with the known decorations of the period, but it certainly appears to be in the right place archaeologically. It was embedded in some very stubborn dirt.” Shorty laughed a short laugh, but the scene made her keep a sad demeanor.

Twilight looked at it sternly, concentrating. “It doesn't have a lock. I can do this.” A purple glow surrounded the hasp, and then the lid. It lifted on its hinges and then the hinges fell off. The lid slipped to the ground, separated from the box. “Feathers!” Twilight cursed.

 Dusty chuckled. “Don’t worry about that, dear. The box will be fine. It’s the contents I’m interested in.” The three looked in to the box and gasped at the sight. A golden glow erupted and then died down as their eyes adjusted. Then Twilight saw what made the glow. “Oh dear Celestia! How can this even be possible?” She said in shock.