Luster Dawn was the personal student of Princess Twilight Sparkle, and she was sure of exactly three things. First, that her mentor was the greatest hero who had ever lived. Second, that Prench was just Neightalian with extra vowels sprinkled onto it to make it fancy. Third, that today was the day she was going to go on her own adventure.

Much later, after happy reunions, a quick trip to the hospital, and being chewed out by Principal Starlight for doing something so dangerous, Berlioz was outside, and mostly alone.

He took the rock out of his pocket.

He looked at it for a while, then put it down where it could see the stars and sat with it in silence for a long time.

Berlioz wasn’t a stone shaman. He wasn’t a fighter. Neither of those were what his tribe needed. His tribe needed someone who could make friends.

The standing stones had been decorated with red and gold cloth, and fires were burning in bronze braziers forming a circle around the site. It was almost like a second festival happening out in the middle of nowhere, complete with revelers who were working around the six largest stones, carving something into them with hammers and chisels. So maybe less like a party and more like a job site with extra decor and everypony dressed in robes and masks.