//------------------------------// // Chapter 21: The Welcoming of Princess Celestia // Story: Through the Looking Glass // by Electuroo //------------------------------// Through the Looking Glass Chapter 21: The welcoming of Princess Celestia The sun had already rose into the sky with the morning full of activity as the final set up for Princess Celestia’s arrival that they had things going so well that Rainbow Dash had some free time to take to the skies and fly alongside Marshal Hurricane on one of his aerial portals around Fort Hooves and surrounding areas to make sure ponies stay safe taking his responsibilities very seriously. It been hours since they been flying and she was starting to tire a little but loved the view of the lands she flew over the fort town to the wheat fields on the east to south side of the two, to the mountains as she could see and smell the salt ocean air as well as the ocean. She decided to come to a landing on a cloud which made Marshal Hurricane turn to her still flapping his wings. “I see you tire easily kid” He comes around and lands on the cloud as well. “Still you impressed me for keeping up on almost all of my rounds” Rainbow Dash smirked “Nah it cool, just the route was longer then I thought it was” she walk over to the edge of the cloud looking below “How far did we fly?” Marshal Hurricane stood by her closing up his wings “I say about two hundred odd miles at least but that only my short rounds” she turn with a startled look. “Yep it true kiddo.” “Wow and I thought I was the fastest, your almost par with a griffon” Rainbow Dash jumping onto another cloud close by seeing it moving by them slightly faster than the other they was on. “Strange how this weather acts like the weather of the Earth” Hurricane heard of the word and thought about the Earth Ponies but when she said weather it gave him a frown “Kiddo did you say in a land called Earth or something else?” “Oh right sorry you most likely didn’t know but there another world we connected to, it called Earth and full of humans. Their weather acts on the way the planet works, it strange since we mostly control the weather here and yet right now we can’t since the weather is in a balance out to the south” Rainbow Dash explained briefly. Hurricane put the pieces together “By any chance was these humans stand on two with fingers like dragons part from the claws and worn strange clothing on almost all parts of their bodies that seem to have no fur at all?” Rainbow Dash hit her hoof on the cloud “Right on the mark Marshal!” she then paused “Is this by anychance about those ruins you found?” “Yep kiddo it is” Rainbow Dash was getting a little annoyed about him calling her that but she bit her lip on it. “I remember once there was a massive storm that hit here and I was a young stallion not much your age now and still didn’t have my cutie mark” he recalling his past a little when talking about the ruins briefly “What? You was a blank flank?” Rainbow Dash was surprised since it was a rare sight to see a ‘blank flank’ at a young adult age. “When did you get yours then?” He turn to his rear legs and smiled “It was a stormy weather a hurricane no less hitting Fort Hooves and without the support of the north not making it in time from the weather pegasi dull to a strange event of a shockwave of rainbow light causing a bit of a stir” Rainbow Dash felt a little guilty “That would have been me. I did a Sonic Rainboom first time ever in a race, didn’t realise it would effect things this far away” “Don’t worry kiddo you was a filly afterall and how was you suppose to know how your stunt would effect others all over Equestria” Marshal Hurricane said to her “If it wasn’t for you I would of never went into that storm and found my truth strength in my wings of mine and figured out that my parents both of them had a history that went back countless generations” he recalled the moment taking on the storm flying into it and using his wing strength to change the direction of the storm pushing parts of it inner cloud walls to shift the storm. “Your one of the pegasi related to those from Isle Kingdom aren’t you?” Rainbow Dash saw it now explaining his slight taller structure and slightly bigger wings. “Tell me please how you moved that storm!” He saw her excitement “Alright” he closed his eyes “I flew into the heart of the storm ignoring the cries from my family as the wind and rain hit me with such force it almost being in a tornado that formed by Pegasi for water refuelling. I punched through after what felt like forever then partner I saw it the eye of the storm, no rain. No wind, it was perfectly calm so I flew right to the other side of the eye of the hurricane and pushed the cloud wall with all my might and then moved to another part then another, for hours I used all the wing strength I had to move that big old storm back to the ocean and below they watched as the main winds that was closing die down. I not only managed to move the storm path but made sure that no serious harm came to Fort Hooves.” Then he turn to his cutie mark again “That is when this appeared, flying in the eye I saw the rainbow formed from the rain and sun. It filled me with happiness and usefulness that I never felt before and that when I made my mind up to become Marshal of the fort and enter the election and won by a landslide because even the marshal now Mayor saw what I did and felt I would be best for it and since then that what I been. Marshal Hurricane, law and order with a hint of storm moving” he finished telling his story with both right legs crossed over the left legs with a smirk. “Wow that was cool! No 20% cooler! You really are the strongest wing power!” she flew up about to do a sonic rainboom but stops “Better not, it might effect your weather” He flew up to her “Now your catching on Rainbow Dash. Now lets get mossing along and back to the fort” Marshal Hurricane thought of an idea “How about a race?” “Really!?” he nods and she squalled in delight. “Ready!” both then speed off as she shouts “Go!” racing to the fort dodging clouds on the way down both laughing as they enjoyed the freefall back down making the race a bit more challenging with all the dodging as they closed in on Fort Hooves they flew right over with Twilight watching them land close the wheat fields with a smile she went back to getting the final items on her check list completed for the Princess’s arrival and tour of Fort Hooves. Princess Celestia’s Arrival… The chariot being pulled by two white Pegasus pony guards with Princess Celestia on the chariot could see Fort Hooves as they closed in and one thing that caught her eyes was the barrier over the bridge wall over the rail line saying ‘Welcome to Fort Hooves Princess Celestia’. She seen this pattern before at Ponyville with a graceful smile she whispered “Twilight and her friends must be here” The chariot flew over and made one pass seeing the Earth Ponies cheering and clapping hooves on the ground or front hooves together celebrating the arrival of the Princess as she could see the approach point and her guards did to making their landing right on it coming onto the ground they walked for a little and stopped with many bowing to the presences of Celestia herself. Mayor Justi came up to her with Marshal Hurricane beside him “Welcome to Fort Hooves Princess Celestia it is a honour to have some pony of your magnitude in our fare town” he bowed slightly while Hurricane did not “Nephew” he whispered seeing this. Marshal Hurricane ignored him and walk up to her “I’m Marshal Hurricane and just to say everything is fine and your tour shall be safe and sound” “Thank you for insuring me of the safety Marshal Hurricane” she took note of his height and thought “This is a rare sight, you’re a pure Isle Pegasi… last time I saw one was over hundred years ago” Celestia came up to him “Indeed, the height the wings everything. I am honoured to meet some pony of your class Hurricane” Justi was startled they was talking as if there was no differences he cleared he throat and stood by him “Not sure what pure Isle Pegasi is your highness but he is the best Marshal we had for countless years and the only one that keep those nasty storms from the south from causing any real problems” Justi said with pride. Celestia smiled “Indeed and being the uncle no less right?” he nods “I would also like to meet my faithful student she here correct?” Justi thought about it for a moment then knew “Ah our guests, one is a cousin to Chestnut whom oversee the wheat fields. They right over there” he points a hoof to his right and she turn to see all six standing before her. “Hello Princess Celestia” Twilight came up to her “It good to see you again” “It also a pleasure to Twilight, I had a feeling you was here when I saw the banners on my arrival here.” Celestia smiled “There something more isn’t there Twilight?” Twilight nods “There is but it has to wait till after the tour and party is done, the ponies here been really happy since they heard of your arrival since it been 30 years right?” Twilight looked up at Princess Celestia. “Yes very true, I will take the tour as spoken and see how my subjects work the lands on a difficult area, you all do so much to give the wheat that Equestria uses” she said and start speaking to every pony. “I would like to start at the wheat fields and see you wonderful ponies do things around these parts” Chestnut leads the Princess to the fields to show some that are at work doing their jobs to get some harvesting some of the wheat fields. “Princess Celestia as you can see us Earth Ponies really work the lands here to give the best wheat possible to all of Equestria.” Chestnut explaining as they walked by as each did their stuff to get the wheat cut and taken. “After the primary harvest during the time the leafs start to fall from trees we have one dragon come from the east and burn the remaining parts of the wheat steams then we plow the ground. Then by spring the seed planting will give us a great season like always” “Oh yes I heard about that, the mountains have gems and you trade them with the dragons for them to burn the land for the ashes to renew the soil. Very interesting way of living between dragons and ponies” Celestia smiled seeing there was some sort of union between ponies and dragons upon hearing about it from Chestnut. “You and the other ponies are doing an amazing job. We can continue the tour” she walks on with Chestnut as they spoke about how things go in Fort Hooves with many following and listening since it been a long time since a Princess comes to Fort Hooves. Sometime later… The tour went amazingly well and Celestia enjoyed it seeing how well her ponies had worked to keeping their home safe as well as bring in wheat harvests to the rest of Equestria and as she came to the warehouse she was greeted by a huge cheer which the party was in full swing before her. “Pinkie Pie’s doing?” she turn to see the hyper pink pony before her grinning “Thank you for making this a very active party Pinkie” “No problem Princess Celestia, glad you liking it” she giggled and went back to join in with the dancing. Celestia walks in and sat at the table enjoying the music and the talking with many of the ponies through out the party. “Princess how has your day been?” Justi spoke walking up to her table. She smiled “It been really exciting, seeing how the Earth Ponies work here and how things really changed since I last visited is amazing. I also enjoying this party” “I am glad you are” Mayor Justi let his guard down a little with a smirk as he went on to join the party and have a little fun time. Rainbow Dash was chilling out and seeing every pony was having a great time. She was about to join some when a strange feeling came and the next thing she knew when she blinked was the clouds below her hooves and the night sky around her. “Not this place again” she flew up to see where she was but couldn’t see anything. “Hello Rainbow Dash” Rainbow Dash saw who spoke “Whoa it you. I mean your Electuroo’s mum Stardust right? The amazing Alicorn that work for Applejack” Stardust smiled “Yes sorry about bring you here suddenly but I wanted to speak to you and this seem to be the best direct action I could think of” Rainbow Dash lands with a wave a hoof “No prob Stardust, so what did you want to speak about?” “Nothing much just wanted to say my personally thanks for helping my son out with that quick reply” Stardust said with a gentle smile Rainbow Dash crossed her front legs “Nothing to it, he my friend I wasn’t going to leave him hanging like that” Stardust smirked “Because of your actions Rainbow Dash there was a bonus to it but you will have to wait till you get back since my son got a really special surprise for you. Let just say your biggest dreams could be fulfilled” Rainbow Dash blinked “Say what now? What you do you mean by that?” everything starts to cloud up “Hey wait! Don’t leave me hanging Stardust! Tell me!” she only saw her wave a hoof and then everything returned to normal and with a few blinks she could tell that she’d fallen asleep while leaning on the wall. Applejack laughed “Look like some pony worked their wings off a little too hard” Rainbow Dash yawned “Yeah tell me about it” she sleepily walks by “Good night AJ” “Alright RD sweet dreams” Applejack watch her make her way through the ponies still around enjoying the party. Applejack went back to helping with food as some came over to get a bite to eat “We have amazing apple treats can to have one?” she offered the section of foods to the ponies. Fluttershy with the help of Carespark had the birds singing alongside the music that Pinkie Pie set up and all the while Princess Celestia was enjoying the party. “That it keep it going” Fluttershy whispered to the birds as she did her part to keep their songs going good and strong. Rainbow Dash standing outside in the cold night air thought about the dream realm she was in and what Stardust said and trying to figure it out but her eyes felt heavy and all Rainbow Dash wanted to do now is get some well earned rest as she trotted slowly back to the hotel to get some sleep for the following day which she knew from the book stating that they head to the ruins and finally get answers they really needed about how the mirrors begun.