//------------------------------// // Parting Ways // Story: Majesty: Queen of the Castle // by Paradise Oasis //------------------------------// It wasn't long before the group emerged from the unicorn run, and the ponies couldn't have been happier to be out of that place of darkness and danger. Now, Majesty and her traveling companions found themselves on the open plains of the Rainbow Valley, and were marveling at all the bright colors and rich beauty all around them. But little did the mares in the group realize that they were about to say goodbye to two of thier newest friends.... "Oh my goodness, this is so amazing!" Wind Whistler whispered in awe, lost in the bright beauty all around her. "I had no idea the Rainbow Valley was sooo bright and full of color! The trees seem so extra green, and the sky even bluerer than anywhere else I've been!" "You know 'bluerer' is not a word, right?" A.J. grumbled, rolling her eyes. "Try to talk right, you whistling airhead." "Quit your griping, Applejack, and let the girl be." Majesty commanded. "Even I must admit, I have never seen such beauty as here in the Rainbow Valley. The colors all seem so much brighter, so much... more alive." "That's the magic of Rainbow Valley, your highness." Wind Whistler explained. "The Rainbow Ponies keep this whole valley burning bright, drawing off the warm and happy feelings of every equine in Ponyland, to create this wonderful paradise." "The color flows out from Rainbow Valley, and light up all of Ponyland with it's beauty." Hollywood continued. "Without the ceremony performed by the monks at the harvest festival every year, these lands would be dull, drab, and gray." "Yep, the Rainbow Ponies should actually be performing their ceremony a few days from now.. it's what gives the trees their bright and vibrant colors." Applejack fished, looking over the horizon to the west. "If we weren't caught up in this rescue mission here, I'd recommend we head over to Rainbow Falls and watch them bring in the colors ourselves." Quietly listening to the mares' conversation for several minutes, before looking at each other, and nodding. Turning to face their female companions, the pair of mountain boy ponies announced they had come to a very important decision. "Look, girls.... maybe we should continue looking for Tornado on our own." Ice Crystal offered. "Your highness and your companions shouldn't waste you're time on such trivial matters, we can locate our missing friend by ourselves." "WHAT?!" A.J Bellowed out in shock. "Are you guys crazy?!" Windy added. "Why on earth do you think we would abandon Tornado!?" Hollywood finished. "He could be hurt... or worse!" "Tornado's probably okay, Holly, really!" Thundercloud reassured her. "He's gone off on his own before, he'll come back when he's ready." "Yeah, he might already be on his way back to Misty Mountain by now." Ice Crystal agreed. "So we'd better go catch up with him. Besides, we've taken up enough of you girl's time." Majesty just stood there, silently considering the two boy's words as she nodded her head. "You guys can't be serious!" A.J. Turned to the princess. "Majesty, you can't seriously be thinking about letting them go~! You have to order them to stay with us on their search!" "No Applejack. They know their friend far better than we do." Majesty replied, shaking her mane. "Ice, Thunder... if the two of you believe Tornado isn't in any danger, and you'd do better without us tagging along, I hereby relieve you of all obligations to my friends and I, and give you both leave to depart." "By your leave, my princess." Both stallions replied in unison, bowing low before majesty. "Good luck on the rest of your journey." As the two stallions turned and trotted away, the three mares instantly all turned on the princess at once. "All right, you royal pain... how could you let them go!?" Applejack snapped at her. "You could have ordered them to stay, a Ponyland stallion is not allowed to sneeze without a mare's permission!" "And you're a princess! That gives you double the authority!" Wind Whistler yelled, getting up in her face. "Now the cute stallions are gone, and Tornado is still missing..." "We stood a better chance out in these wilds, when we had those male's muscle to back us up." Holly sighed. "Now we've lost our strength in numbers..." "Okay, could all of you just get off my case!?" Majesty snapped back, turning away from them. "They are big boys, I''m sure they'll be fine! Besides, we've got more important things to do." She turned back to face the others. "Windy... didn't you want to hunt for the cutiesaurs? And A.J., weren't you keen on seeing the rainbow ceremony at the fall festival?" "Yeah, I do want to see the cutiesaurus... but not at the cost of my new friends..." The Pegasus's ears drooped, and she landed on the ground. "I just hope the guys will be okay..." "Well, since there's no chance of helping the boys anymore, I suppose we could go to Rainbow Falls and catch the ceremony." Applejack added with a sigh. "It'll be neat to see the magic that turns the leaves different colors in person for a change." "Then we can achieve both goals by heading to Rainbow Falls." Hollywood added, trying to hide her own sadness. "The Ceremony will be held there, and then we can ask the Rainbow Ponies about the cutiesaurs... those mystics know everything about everything." "Well, Rainbow Falls in the only continuously inhabited city in Poinyland that dates all the way back to the time of the ancients. And I've always wanted to see it's historic Pre-Ponyland architecture." Majesty replied, as the group started to trot onward. "Come on girls, it's time we got back to what we were doing." And so the group stared on their new journey towards Rainbow Falls, a little more downhearted than they had been previously. And Majesty simply couldn't shake the feeling that the 'friends' she had met along this journey, were not nearly as friendly towards her as they had been...