//------------------------------// // Old Friends // Story: My Little Pony: Exodus // by AstonMartinLover //------------------------------// The journey to the crystalline castle in Ponyville was a brief one for Rainbow Dash. Her usual speed mixed with her current desperation made it particularly quick. "Twilight!! We got a bit of a problem!" "We sure do." Twilight Sparkle, princess of friendship replied. Her eyes were bloodshot, and baggy. "Oh, did ya already hear...?" Rainbow asked. She felt awkward even talking about something as crazy as war. "Heard what?" Spike asked. "She hasn't left the palace in days. Ever since what happened to her Starswirl..." "Starswirl? That bearded guy?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Hasn't he been dead for like...a jillion years?" "Rainbow Dash, there is no such thing as a 'jillion', that's not even a word." Twilight snapped in exasperation. Her expression changed to one of remorse. "Sorry Dash...my Starswirl the bearded autobiography first edition has a crack in the spine. It keeps bending." Rainbow looked dumbfounded. "Uh...well you can still read it right?" "No! Not without feeling the break. I keep opening and closing this book over and over but I still FEEL it!" Rainbow was a little scared now. "So...is that why you look all....?" Her hoof made same general gesture over her friend's tired features. "All what?" Twilight asked, cocking her head to the side absent-mindedly. "She hasn't slept in two days." Spike said, not looking up as he swept the main chamber floor. "She just keeps opening and closing that book." "Uh Twi, no offense but that sounds REALLY unhealthy." "Oh its fine, I just...have to....learn a spell!" Twilight said, her eyes going a little crazy with her sudden enthusiasm. "I just need to learn a book repairing spell, and I'll have this beloved book good as new!" "Tw, we have some bigger problems right now..." "I seriously doubt it." Twilight replied, rapidly flipping through a spellbook. "You have all those Daring Do books, you know what FIRST EDITION means!" "Twi please..." "Something simple. Or something complicated, I don't care, I just need to fix it so it stops bugging me!" "TWILIGHT!!" Rainbow shouted. "THE GRIFFONS ARE GOING TO WAR WITH US!!" She said, forcing the alicorn away from the book, and turned her to look into her eyes. "What?" Twilight asked, her eyes wide in shock. "W-war?" "HUH!!" A voice shouted from behind her, causing Spike to go flying. "YEAH!" Pinkie Pie came flying out from behind a pile of books, the usual chaotic joy in her eyes. "WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!" Rainbow Dash began profusely shaking her head. "No no no no no no..." "Yeahhhhh WAR! HUH! YEAH! WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?!! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!! Say it again y'all!" Pinkie sang. She had been bellowing out alien music for some time now, and it was starting to truly worry the townsfolk. Between her singing, and her claim that a small black box called an 'empeethree' had fallen out of the sky, and hit her on the noggin, she had local psychiatrists in a frenzy. "I SAID WAR! HUH! YEAH! WHAT IS IT GOOD FO...." Before she could continue, Rainbow stuffed a desperate hoof in her mouth. "NO! Pinkie. I love your randomness just as much as the next pony but this is SERIOUSLY. NOT. THE TIME." Pinkie's ears flattened, and she backed away. "Oh...sorry." "WAR?!!" Twilight shouted. "WITH THE GRIFFONS?!! What...what did we do to them?" "Well I mean, we've always kinda been rivals. Maybe its cuz we got the continental olympics this year, and not them?" Rainbow Dash offered. "Rainbow, they aren't going to war with us over sports..." Twilight said, as she began tidying herself up. "Starswirl the bearded first edition will have to wait. We must see Princess Celestia at once." "Can I come?!" Pinkie Pie asked, springing up next to the princess. "Of course Pinkie. Just um....try and cut down on the singing while we're there?" Twilight asked. "They're here. All six of them. They arrived by train. Are we going to tell them what's going on?" Princess Luna asked. "No." Princess Celestia replied. "Not everything at least. We need to protect them. We will go and....awaken our father on our own. Cadance will be here soon, she'll guard Canterlot until we return." Luna nodded. "Are...are you sure we should summon him?" "There is no other way." "They're coming at us from all sides!" Captain Gallance shouted, as he watched the pegasi descend on them. The unicorn brigade had been completely surrounded. And of course, the pegasi had air superiority. From far away, two young filly's watched. They were horrified. Even far away, the violence of this battle was sickening. Pegasi swooping in, grabbing unicorns, then dropping them to their deaths, the unicorns cutting down their aerial attackers with fiery bolts from their horns. Little Celestia and Luna were appalled at what they saw. "Come inside my children." A warm voice called to them. King Nightfire. The god of night. His voice so welcoming, so kind. He was thousands of years old, and still looked quite young. "Your mother and I shall quell this...madness. Come inside, please. War is no place for children." Celestia and Luna did not argue, as they were not keen to continue watching the bloodshed. They walked back into the palace, as King Nightfire stood watching, his eyes narrowed. Queen Galaxia sat next to him. "Do you really think they are being manipulated? War is something all intelligent life experiences at one time or another." "True. But something about the...the sudden rabid intensity with which they fight...it makes me suspect Tyrek's responsibility. If he harnesses the power of the windigoes, he could lay waste to the whole realm." "So it is settled then." Galaxia said, standing proud, the goddess of sun shimmering, even as rain clouds covered the sunlight. "Yes. Celestia, take care of your sister." Nightfire said, his expression of determination changing to one of affection. He leaned in and nuzzled them both warmly. Galaxia followed after him, and Luna for one looked worried. "Coming back?" She asked simply. "Of course, my dear." King Nightfire said, smiling. "We merely need to fulfill our roles. We must stop those ponies from destroying each other. Take care. Both of you. We may be gone for a little while." Galaxia smiled. "We love you both. We always shall." "Um...princess?" Twilight asked. Celestia spun around. "Oh Twilight! I apologize, I was...someplace else just. Come. We have much to discuss my student."