//------------------------------//
// City in the Valley 
// Story: That Which was Lost 
// by LadyRFC 
//------------------------------//

   It was far more impressive, far larger and more adorned, than she had ever imagined. After flying for an entire day and night through the sandy desert and over rocky terrain, they were now in a valley. Two cliffs of dark desert rock shot up from either side, parallel at first but soon widening into a bowl shape. A very big bowl. Water flowed in a fast river towards the large walled city and plants clung to it. Ferns and flowers and fruit trees even Applejack had never seen lined the river, leading towards the gray ivory covered walls of Sheon. 
From her position in the air, Twilight could see the buildings behind the walls. Roofs colored red, jade green and even gold, the tops circular and pointed, decorated with intricate designs, as if every building was a small tower. 
“There’s the patrol,” Silverline stated, shocking Twilight out of her staring. “Right on time.”
Following the white pegasus’ gaze, Twilight saw a group of flyers over the clouds. They dropped at a sickening speed, their wings pined to their sides, before coming out of the dive at the same altitude as Twilight and her escort. The princess knew right away that she could never outrun these pegasus. Even if her wings weren’t brand new, the tightness of their formation made it very clear that this was a highly trained military unit. 
About five pegasus total stopped before them, all with their flanks covered by black material. Twilight glanced back at her own flank to be sure it was in place and relaxed upon seeing not her cutie mark, but the deep blue color of a night sky trimmed with silver stars. She was still in awe of how Rarity had managed it.
“Commander Silverline,” one pegasus spoke, not moving from the group, his posture, even in flight, stiff. “Welcome back,” he eyed Twilight, “You have brought… company?”
“Embassetors,” Silverline corrected. “They come from Equestria and it seems a recent event there has caused quite a stir.”
The first pegasus, his blue spiky hair reminding her of those left behind in Ponyville, was about to say something, likely a greeting, when another pegasus flew up right between their groups and stopped.
“They have a dragon!”
“He’s not dangerous!” Twilight hurried to say at the sight of their panicked expressions, although she had to admit to herself that her soothing words were not one hundred percent accurate. 
“He’s not one of ours,” Silverline added, undisturbed by their reaction. “He was raised in Equestria it seems.”
Although it appeared as if more than a few of the soldiers had further questions, none dared to voice them. Thankfully the silence was soon broken by Rainbow Dash, who was supposed to be assisting in dragging Fluttershy away from the new plants and animals down below.
“Rainbow!” Twilight flinched at her cry and lowered her voice to normal levels. “Rainbow, these are… uh…”
“The thirtieth platoon of our great Emperor,” the blue haired pegasus supplied. 
Twilight glanced at Silverline and he nodded. “This is my platoon.” He looked over the other pegasus and announced, “This is Princess Twilight Sparkle and her escorts, advance scout Rainbow Dash,” he nodded towards the blue pegasus, and then pointed below with one hoof, “animal expert Fluttershy, seamstress Rarity, advisor Applejack , and… uh…” his eyes glanced at the bouncing pink pony down below.
“Moral expert Pinkie Pie,” Twilight cut in for him.
Silverline exchanged a grateful glance with her and she smiled. 
“Fall in behind us,” Silverline ordered his troops. “We need to meet with his highness, the Emperor.”
The troops before them seemed uncomfortable. “With all due respect, commander… That might not be a simple matter… at the moment.”
At one raised eyebrow the blue haired leader of the pegasus soldiers rushed to explain. “It’s the princess…” At Twilight’s raised eyebrow he paled and hurried on, “I mean, our princess, Princess Lilly. She… She’s gone.”
“Gone?” Silverline’s tone sounded dangerous.
“Yes, sir, she was kidnapped. At least, we think she was.”
“I would hope one of his highness’ best units has more information than that.”
The soldier blushed, but he stood his ground. “It was all the information the royal guards gave us.”
Silverline’s harsh expression turned to one of confusion. “Royal guards? What have they to do with a military job?”
“That’s just it, sir. We were denied this case. The Emperor himself has limited access to just the Guard. We are not even permitted in the palace.”
“Not after Flamer told them off,” one of the other pegasus mumbled, getting a glare from the blue haired one.
Silverline gave him a measured look. “We’ll discuss your… negotiation tactics at a later date, Blue Flame. For now, we must escort these ambassadors. They may deny access to military units, but doing so to a diplomat is,” he stumbled over a word that was likely derogatory, a rare show of frustration clouding his face for an instant, and settled to say, “unwise. Fall in.”
With only the barest hint of a pause, the pegasus flew behind their leader into a formation. 
“Princess Twilight,” Silverline glanced down.
The alicorn nodded. “I’ll lead by ground with my… escort,” her lips twitched into a small smile at how ridiculous it sounded to call her friends her “escort.”
Silverline shouted a formation Twilight had never heard of before as she began to head downward. 

“Fluttershy, stop! Darling, you’re ruining your train!”
Twilight flinched at Rarity’s panicked voice and quickly trotted over the ground towards the cries, the cart abounded on the road. She nearly stumbled over her own hooves, having flown for some time that day. The early morning light glared off the river before her and once she cleared a few trees in her immediate path, she saw what was making her friend panic. Fluttershy was wading in the river water, eying some multicolored flogs on some stones nearby. 
“There’s just no talkin’ to that one when she gets like that,” Applejack muttered from one side.
“How’s Silverline?” Pinkie asked, not bouncing for once, though balanced on a tree branch above Twilight much like a tightrope walker. 
“He’s fine,” Twilight hurried to answer, “but we need to get moving now.”
“Fluttershy!” Rainbow shouted, flying over the shy pony, “Let’s move!”
“Oh,” Fluttershy glanced at the rainbow colored trail her friend left overhead before looking back at the frogs. “Just a minute, I want to talk to them a bit-“
“Fluttershy,” Twilight called. She did not raise her voice too high, but she kept it firm. “You can talk to the animals here later. Right now, we have a job to do,” her voice softened and she gave her friend a smile, “I can’t go before the Emperor without my animal expert, can I?”
“Well, actually” the shy pony drawled, avoiding eye contact, “I wouldn’t mind if-“
“After all, she’d miss seeing all the creatures inside the palace.”
Fluttershy’s eyes grew wide and in a flash she was at Twilight’s side, Rarity hurrying over to check her hem. “Coming!”