//------------------------------// // Chapter four // Story: The Adventure of Galloping Waves // by Evilhumour //------------------------------// Celestia had just rose the sun and yawned. She was quite tired from last night episode, with Luna still very wound up. Looking at her younger sister, she was still muttering words and punishments that she had in store for her son. On the one hoof, Luna was getting a bit overprotective. Galloping Waves was getting older and was not the little colt that she used to know anymore. Sure, he still loved to pull pranks with her on his mom and eat junk food with her and talk about the most random of stuff, but he also needed to find his own place in the world. She did know about his problem with regards to his talent and tried to help him find something that would click in for him with the endless jobs and tasks that took him all around the country. He had made her promise not to tell Luna, but it was starting to worry her enough that she might have to go back on that oath so they could both try and help him. On the other hoof, he still should try and act more proper. He was always, always lazying about on or under some body of water, always a bit of mess despite constantly being near water, never kept his room tidy with something crooked or out of place, never wore his royal regalia unless it was absolutely necessary and it was nearly always a bit dirty or crooked when he did wear them, always avoiding any court duties that wasn’t necessary for him to fill in for her or her sister, and so many other little things that a stallion his age shouldn’t be doing anymore. If it wasn’t for his physical form and the fact she helped raised the pony from dippers up, she could believe that he was just a normal pony and nothing else. It was frustrating beyond belief at times. She was also aware of the deep hypocrisy of this whole matter with sister and herself always trying to bridge themselves closer to their ponies and how much trouble they had with ponies just looking at them as another pony and how much she wished her nephew would act more the ponies thought she and her sister was! Sighing, she looked at Luna. “Sister dear, please, go rest.” She had been saying that for last few hours, trying to get her sister to relax and calm down. With a deep sigh, Luna nodded her head. “We-I’m sorry for keeping you up so late, Tia.” Luna yawned, clearly exhausted by yelling and rants for so long. “I will go grab some dinner. Shall we wait for thee?” She blinked, rubbing her eye with her hoof. The solar princess nodded, waiting for her sister to leave. She then quickly wrote a message to Twilight to keep an eye out for Gallop. He usually went there after a big fight, and with her former student and her friends she could make sure that he was alright. Smiling, she quickly made herself presentable and went out for some breakfast. Something simple, light but filling. She was getting annoyed of the jokes about the size of her flanks… ~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~ She frowned inwards. The day court had come and went, the usual business of nobles and politicians asking for something with the dash of the common pony asking for some sort of advice. Despite his lazy attitude and aversion to the court, Gallop was actually very good at dealing with the average pony as he more or less knew most of the ponies in the city by name and experience, he cut directly into any of the noblepony plots due to his ‘ignorance’ to the long standing history they had with Celestia, and he dismissed any of the politicians plots as he was ‘unlearnt’ with the vast laws and regulations they were trying to scam him with. She was envious of his ease he could work the court and wished she had the same excuses he had under his hooves. Gallop. She should have had heard something by now, knowing how her former student was. Although maybe Flash finally got her to take a day from her duties at the library while they were on vacation. Of all times for her student to actually slack off. She sighed inwards, wondering if fate was going to give her cramps from eating cakes next. She wouldn’t put it past mother… Going for her lunch, simple and sweet to avoid that chance, she took her time eating to wake herself up more, going near to one pm when she got a very unusual surprise. It was a message from her student, but it wasn’t tied up or smoothly wrapped, sending a worry down her spine. She pulled it out, seeing that was messily written was met with a frown and dread. It took her moment to read it, and let a loud gasp. Her guards were surprised at her sudden leap over table, sending all the dishes crashing into the floor, watching in shock as she actually smashed the doors into Luna’s private room open. “Luna!” She shook her sister awake. “We need to go now!” To Tarturus with decorum, this was a huge pro- “Tia, what upon mother’s name is going on!?” Luna stared at her, bone tired from last night. Her sister was a prankster at heart, but she never interfered with her when she was sleeping at this time and never looked this worried- or scared. Her sister gave a her a note, which Luna quickly read. “No.” She said a soft voice, looking at the note with disbelief. She started to read it again. “Sweet Faust no.” ~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~ An hour ago, Ponyville Twilight groaned, her eyes darting around for the countless time. She had received the message early on in the day, with Spike entering Flash and her room without knocking again. Flash was happy for the request, as he said that they could finally get out of the house for a bit without her worrying about something she wasn’t reading or studying. Of course, he got the glare from his marefriend, to which he quickly responded that Gallop was just lounging about as the letter said. But still, Twilight did enjoy the day out with her long standing coltfriend/bodyguard, walking and asking around. It was almost like a dat-No, Celestia wouldn’t, couldn’t have planned that far ahead. Could she? …She would need to get Gallop to agree to this- Huffing, rolling her eyes, she directed Flash over to the Sugarcube Corner to enjoy this ‘hunt’ properly. “Think its her trying to get us out too?” He smiled, sitting down in front of her, nodding Pinkie Pie over to get their order. He was getting use to the Princess being…crafty despite all the years living with Twilight and the countless pranks she pulled on them. Twilight comforted him that it meant she approved and was seeing Flash as part of the ‘family’. “Yeah.” She sighed, smiling at the pegasus she meet all those years ago. “Totally in her to do something like this.” She didn’t know how much she would grow to becoming the princess she was now without him around to make it all so easy and enjoyable. Sure her friends were essential in helping her in making the right decisions, but he really provided her with personal advise that they couldn’t give. He was able to question her, make laugh, want to tear her mane out in frustration, decking him with her hooves at times, just make her days go by so fast and bearable. And it the best part was how natural it felt having him around. She wouldn’t have believed this years ago that this was possible, but so much had changed after she made her life long friends, all the crazy adventures they had and still have, and now she was actually dating somepony! Of course, as they got older, her friends all started to find their own lives more so and some actually left Ponyville, herself included. It was a bit sad in away that things were changing. And yet, so much remained the same no matter what. She smiled at Flash, watching him in vain trying to order something else with Pinkie Pie just ignoring him and shaking her head, bringing out their dish. She just grinned as he tried to wave her back, whining playful at her to get him something else to eat. “Hey you two!” Rainbow Dash flew in with Soarin behind her. The two were on a short break from duty, and of course Dash had to come back home and visit her friends. The two of them landed down, pushing the couple inwards. Flash rolled his eyes at this intrusion, a bit miffed at the crashed outing but was fine with good friends coming by. “What’s up?” She leaned against Flash, punching his shoulder, playfully. “Finally got her out of that library, I see?” She smirked at Twilight’s rassberry. “I mean, she goes from that fancy academy and then back to that library to do more work.” “If you must know, Dash.” Twilight, the ‘new’-eighteen years was barely new anymore- head the academy of gifted unicorns which Celestia had graciously and gracefully gave control over to her, sighed, “We’ve been asked by Prin-Celestia to keep an eye out for Gallop. No luck and I think she was trying to get me outside again.” She rubbed her eyes, closing them to enjoy the heat of the sun. It was a nice day out after all, and maybe she could get Flash to play her a song… “Actually, he was at my house this morning.” She blinked, looking up at her old mare friend. “Said he got into a big fight with his mom and wanted a place to crash.” “Why didn’t he stay with you two?” “Um, you see, it’s ‘cause,” Dash was blushing, looking to the side with Soarin smirking up a storm. It didn’t take Twilight as long to put two and two together anymore as dealing with hormone filled kids taught her a lot about this stuff, and she was happy for the- “’Cause apparently those two were bunking together.” They turned their head to see Applejack come in with a grin on her face. “He crashed in one of my trees for the night instead.” “Wewerentbunkingeachother!” Rainbow Dash squeaked out loudly, blushing badly and covering her face. Soarin was just slapping the table, laughing loudly, totally amused by all this. “Hey, where is the squirt anyways? He said he’d be here.” She frowned. “Any of you see him today?” “No…” Twilight said slowly, looking at the ponies at the table. Flash was looking confused, Dash and Soarin shared a quick worrying look, Applejack and Pinkie Pie looked confused, placing their food on the table. “Celestia wanted us to look out for him.” “Wh-when did you get the message Twilight?” Soarin asked, eating a pie that Pinkie had put down for him slowly. “Early this morning, a bit around six thirty or so.” “That’s weird.” Applejack said looking around nervously. “Ah mean, we talked around six and was working on a note to tell her he was here when I last saw him.” Both of the Wonderbolts looked at each other, sighing inwards. “Applejack, you need to us where he went now.” Dash spoke sternly, all of her usual playfulness gone. She was in work mode, and it was not performance-work mode. “Why? What do you think is wrong sugarcube?” Applejack stared at her friend, a bit put off by this sudden change in behaviour. “We can’t say. Just show us where, please.” Soarin stressed the words, all that playful attitude that was there a moment beforehand gone, placing the unfinished pie down. “Do you mind if we carry you? We need to move quick.” With a worried look, the group of friends quickly left the restaurant and took to the air, with Soarin carrying Applejack and Rainbow carrying Pinkie Pie. ~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~