An Old and Wise Star

by Gianfar

Chapter 4: Eye of the Beholder Part 1

"Is nice to see you too Celly" said Orion responding the hug

"Why did you go all this time?" and without saying goodbye" said Celestia

"Sorry, it's that I didn't feel well about being here in Canterlot and besides..."

"No matter that, at least you're here back" interrupted Celestia and kept hugging him tightly

The two alicorns huddled in a warm embrace after so long, but by other side the three princesses didn't understand why Celestia was hugging Orion, and Luna even more since he didn't said nothing that he known Celestia. The throne room remained for a few moments in profound silence.

"Wait!, Orion, You already know my sister?" asked Luna breaking the silence

"Well... I think that I forget to tell you that" said Orion with his ears low

"Ok!, wait a second, I have a headache just to understand what is going on here" said Cadance scratching her head with her right hoof

"You already known him princess?" asked Twilight

"Well, yes, I know him many years ago" said Celestia breaking the hug

"How many approximately?" asked Luna taking a few steps toward Celestia

"Well... Uh..."

"Tell us the truth sister" said Luna seriously

"Uh... how tell you that..."

"Tell the truth Celestia, we will not lie anymore" said Orion

"-Sigh- I know Orion nearly a thousand years" said Celestia

The room was once again into silence for a moment, the faces of Cadance and Twilight became even more confused than they already were

"Wait, I heard right? You did say a thousand years?" asked Cadance

"She's telling the truth, almost a thousand years ago I know Celestia" replied Orion

"But how can be possible that you two know each other for almost a thousand years ago? A pony with a good state of health can only reach as much live one hundred years, in some cases a little more but how is that possible?" said Twilight

"-Sigh- I think it's time to they know the truth, Orion" said Luna stepping toward to where Orion and Celestia were

"What are you talking about Luna?" said Cadance

Then Orion suddenly made shine his horn and pulled his coat, showing that he's actually a alicorn. The eyes of the two princesses were made as the two gold, they could not believe that there was another alicorn in Equestria and apparently Twilight was even more surprised

"B... Bu... But h-how it's p-possible that... "Twilight couldn't finish what she was surprised to see that he was actually an alicorn

"Ok, I think I'm going crazy, is it true what I see?" said Cadance to herself while looking at Orion with much confusion

"How it's possible that you are an alicorn?" asked Twilight while rounded Orion, looking him up and down to be certain of what she saw"

"Wait, Luna... you already knew that he was an alicorn?" asked Cadance

"Hey, when I met him again in the woods I saw him that he was with his wolf and he wasn't wearing his coat, so I could see his wings. And I said nothing because he asked me not to comment on of this" said Luna defensively

"Did you just say with his wolf?" asked Cadance

"Well, yes, he has a gray wolf"

Twilight and Cadance still could not process on their head what they saw, and every time I thought of how that's possible, gave them headaches. But suddenly Orion began to give a few steps back slowly, moving away from the princesses

"Orion? What's wrong?" asked Luna worried

"I'm sorry but, I think I'd better go" said Orion with his ears low

"What? but, Why are you leaving?" said Luna while approached him, also with her ears low

"Sorry Luna, I not think it's necessary that I being here" said Orion starting to shine his horn and also recovering his sword

"Orion wait!!" shouted out Luna, but it was too late, Orion disappeared in a beam of light

Luna didn't understand why Orion gone out of nowhere, but besides she also noticed that he was on the defensive, as if something worried him. Then a few moments later that Orion left, Luna turned and started walking toward where were the three princesses, when she approached to them, Luna gave an accusing look to Celestia. Cadance and Twilight also looked at Celestia as they expected answers about what happened

"Why you look me at like that?" said Celestia defensively

"Why didn't you say anything that you knew him?" asked Luna accusingly

"Hey, I didn't know that he was going to be an old friend of mine, when you came here to the lounge I noticed that he was very familiar to me and besides he looked at me slyly, and then I realized when you called him Selkie, and also by his sword"

"You never told me you had a friend alicorn" said Luna

"I met him during your exile Luna, I had met him as an unicorn but after that the years went by I discovered that he was a alicorn, and after I knew it, he was gone"

"How did you meet him princess?" asked Twilight

"-Sigh- I don't know much about him, what I know is very limited, only very few things he told me about himself"

"Well, tell us" said Luna

"Alright" Celestia took a deep breath and began to tell her story to the three princesses "I met Orion, where nearly a thousand years ago today would Manehattan. At that time there was a large town, itself was a peaceful people, never had a history of war with any other town or city. But, one day early someone sent a request for help from this town as someone declared them a war and they didn't have much to defend themselves as they were outnumbered. I accepted the call for help and immediately called my guards to prepare the royal warriors to go to defend the town. The town leader called himself Shining Dawn, he was an adult unicorn, he led the town for over twenty years and was also the general in charge of warriors. In total in the town only they had one hundred and fifty warriors of four hundred and fifty inhabitants, were very few compared to the attackers.
When we reached the town was still peaceful, apparently they weren't yet under attack, then I decided to locate Dawn to discuss the strategies that would implement. We don't take us long to find it, he was in the training school of warriors of the same town. He was in the main room of the school in a large round table that was located in the middle of the same room, and on it had maps of the land surrounding the village and also from the same village, he was along with ten warriors unicorns and pegasus

(Flashback Time)

"Princess Celestia, is nice to see you here!" greeted Dawn with a reverence

"Good morning General Dawn" replied Celestia to the greeting "Tell me what is the situation in which they are attacked?"

"Some years ago we had a problem with them since these lands claimed as their own, but as we did not want to give them, they gave us two options, pay tribute each week to stay with our lands or otherwise they will attack the town. Yesterday they came to collect the tribute, but we had no more money or gold to pay them, then the town leader gave us until today to get what we had to pay, but we don't get anything. Then they came earlier today to ask for their tribute, but as we could not afford, gave notice us that at noon would come with all his warriors to attack. Then I decided to ask your help that you can help us to out of this situation"

"Okay, we just have a little more of an hour for that his warriors attack the town. Dawn, tell me what defense strategy proposes?" asked Celestia

"At the moment I have not been thinking about a strategy, but my warriors themselves. What they proposed was to evacuate all residents, so when the town is completely empty can hide in the houses to give them a surprise attack, after the attack, carry the enemy warriors by force to out of the town to fight without damage any property of the town"

"The plan itself is not bad, but I think that after the surprise attack would best defend ourselves here in town, as our warriors could have a chance to take cover to an attack in homes or elsewhere, that would decrease the casualties of our warriors than take them out to the clearing out of places to be covered. And if the town is damaged, I will take care of that, I'll pay whatever it takes so that the town are back in good condition"

"Okay princess, you're the boss here. And thank you very much for your help"

"You don't have to!. Ok, Dawn, I want you to tell me how many soldiers have at your disposal?"

"In the town there are only a hundred and fifty warriors at your disposal, are all there"

"Okay, I have at my disposal two hundred warriors to defend the town, in total there are three hundred and fifty, we would have to split it by the town to defend"

"What do you propose princess?" asked Dawn looking at Celestia

"Well, if the only entrance to the town is by the coast, then we should give a surprise attack near the entrance. I propose that at least twenty warriors with bows hide near the entrance so that when the enemy warriors enter, these shoot, besides causing some casualties the enemies, they get distracted by arrows and having to separate your training, then the half of unicorns and earth ponies attack by the side of the entrance and the other half by direct attack where are the enemy warriors. And the pegasus warriors, be equipped with certain missiles to drop them above the enemies outside the entrance of the village, making them difficult to pass inside town" said Celestia pointing at maps the strategy

"Okay, if you think that is the better, I will support you princess" said Dawn with a smile

Celestia: "When we discussed the plan of defense, we all prepared for battle and each went to their positions quickly because there was only little time for the ponies attackers arrived. Unicorns and earth ponies warriors were fractionated hundred twenty five to the sides of the entrance and one hundred twenty five for the direct attack, twenty unicorns archers hid in the houses of the first inning to give the surprise attack and eighties pegasus remaining to give the airstrike.
I was with Pegasus for air attack hidden in the roofs of houses and Dawn was in land for direct attack. We waited patiently for the enemies cross by the entrance, after a few minutes you could hear the footsteps of the enemy warriors to hundreds of meters away and we could hear them increasingly stronger. Then after a few moments eternal the first warriors began to enter the town by the entrance, were unicorns and earth ponies with iron armor but had no helmet to protect their head, apparently that was a good thing because the archers could shoot and finish them easily with a single shot. After a few moments they were in over forty enemy warriors, Dawn gave a signal to the archers to shoot, then from the houses where the archers were started get out of the houses arrows direct to enemy warriors, many hit the target and others hit on the armor, that was our time to go to give the direct attack and airstrike. Then after the surprise attack of the archers give, the warriors who were hiding on the sides of the entrance came to where were the enemies and began to attack them. Then it was our turn, all pegasus with me undertook flight with small but lethal explosive bombs, but when we undertook the flight we saw that there were many warriors to face, you could see by almost the entire coast hundreds and hundreds of warriors enemies with heavy equipment and at least five large catapults prepared for the attack on the town, so I decided to give the order to attack to the heavy equipment of the enemy. Every time we approached, the catapults and archers shooting us to bring us down, it was scary being up there and see how large stones and arrows were heading towards us trying to kill us, after of a few eternal moments we got to where they were and we dropped our bombs. The Bombs fell destroying the catapults and killing the enemy warriors, unfortunately we was lost a total of ten Pegasus in the attack, but we could still pursue other attacks to the warriors. Then we went quickly back to the village, but when we got to where we had the bombs, these had disappeared

"Wait, disappeared?" asked Cadance

"Yes, we had left it in one of the houses near the training school, but when we came these weren't there, we looked everywhere but couldn't find them" said Celestia "So I told the pegasus to assist warriors allies in the entrance and I do air attack with my magic as we had not bombs. Then when I started flying to where the enemy soldiers were with the heavy weapons, I saw that someone had already defeated them. I didn't understood how, but they were dead, but I didn't stay there thinking about what it was that did that, so I went to where my allies were still left at least nearly a hundred enemy warriors who were in the entrance of the town and several inside the town. Dawn was fighting with a allied platoon against another platoons enemies, so I decided to go where was he to help him, but then of I arrived, a din was heard in the town , I turned around and I saw to in the village was a cloud of dust, I didn't know what had caused the explosion. I decided to investigate what was the one who did that but when I arrived no one was there, but in the floor was enemy corpses and a few allies, but then above of one of the houses I saw a shadow and this took the form of a tall pony, but after this instantly ran to where the allies and enemy warriors were, before lowering from roofs "he" drew his sword from his left side, jumped up and rushed to the enemy warriors and in a few minutes defeated them, there were still some enemy warriors but these gave the retreat because there was just as much fifteen or twenty of them.
After it passed the worst, the atmosphere was relaxed, not shocks swords were heard, cries of agony of warriors, all was quiet. After a few moments the battle ends I headed over to where Dawn was, he was on the side of the entrance, was slightly wounded but was fine, when I arrived he greeted me with a smile from ear to ear"

"Princess, we won !. We won the battle!" said Dawn happily

"Yes Dawn, we won!" replied Celestia with a smile

Celestia and Dawn were very happy that hell has passed, the same for the town warriors. But it was not yet time to celebrate the victory as there were many warriors bad wounded and recover the bodies of the fallen, but apparently other pony joined to help wounded warriors, and the pony was which defeated the enemies who were at the village entrance. Celestia to see him, she didn't know who he was, much less the warriors because they had never seen him before

"Dawn, who's that pony?" asked Celestia

"I don't know, I've never seen him in my life" replied Dawn

"I think I'm going to ask him" said Celestia starting her way to the pony

"Be careful princess"

The pony was about twenty meters from the entrance helping to heal the wounds of the survivors warriors, the pony had a dark coat with a hood and apparently Celestia realized it was a unicorn as he was healing the warriors with his magic. Celestia increasingly was closer to the pony and in the blink of an eye came to where he was, she didn't say anything just helped him heal the wounded warriors.
After nearly two hours had passed, between all could heal wounded warriors and bury the bodies of fallen warriors. Then after completing all the work, Celestia decided to talk to the strange pony

"Hey, thanks for helping us with the battle" said Celestia

"No problem" replied the pony

"By the way, you were who grabbed pumps and also defeated the warriors who were close to the coast?"

"Well, yes, I did also"

"Thanks again. By the way what's your name?"

"My name is Orion"

"It's nice to meet you Orion. My name is Celestia, I'm the princess and governor of Equestria"

"It's nice to meet you too princess" said Orion giving a reverence

"I think that we owe you one for help us with the battle" said Celestia

"Oh no, It's not necessary"

"Oh yes!, of course it is necessary!, besides you're wounded, let me help you to heal your wounds" said Celestia seeing that Orion was hurt by the battle

"Do not bother princess, I'm fine" thanked Orion the offer

Celestia didn't accept the denial of Orion and then with her magic grabbed his tail and rose him into the air, then Celestia started her way to the training school to cure him

"Hey!, HEY!, What are you doing?" said Orion without understand what was happening

"I'm taking you to the training school town to heal your wounds" said Celestia

"Listen, I will not be out of place to you, but since I told you I didn't need help with that" said Orion between teeth

"I owe you one, so this is the least I can do to reward you, besides you don't want your wounds becoming infected" said Celestia with a mocking tone bringing him in front of her as she walked

"-Sigh- As ordered princess" said Orion with his cheeks flushed

When they reached the gates of the training school, when opened, they had warriors survivors in the battle, and apparently began to chuckle to see Celestia levitating Orion on her right side head down. Celestia took him to the infirmary to bandage him, when they arrived, Celestia left him in one of the stretchers to the hospital and went to get the bandages were on one of the shelves

"Ok, let's heal those wounds" said Celestia showing the bandages levitating on her side

"Princess, the wounds will heal soon and you don't have to bother having to heal me, for the third time" said Orion making sense into Celestia

"Okay, you want to do to the easy way or the hard way?" said Celestia

"-Sigh- Alright, you win princess" said Orion bitterly

Celestia gave a little chuckle and began pulling the first bandage to bring it into the hooves of Orion. In his front hooves he had deep cuts and was bleeding a lot, actually when Celestia put the bandages these dyed red, compared to the rear hooves. But while Princess was healing Orion, some town warriors watched from the door of the infirmary how Celestia was healing Orion, and apparently they didn't hold the laughter to see a brave warrior be cured by a princess as if he were her son. Orion heard the giggles of the warriors and gave a menacing look toward them, the warriors stopped laughing and continued on their way.

"Don't let those ponies make fun of you" said Celestia

"Haha, I think then I will give them a lesson" said Orion with a mocking voice

Celestia chuckled, then continued bandaging his hind hooves, these were not as injured as the front, had only a minor cuts but equally they could infected

"Where are you from?" asked Celestia

"I'm from a small town of Tall Tale"

"So, if you're from there why you're on the other side of Equestria?"

"Years ago I'm nomadic, I travel throughout Equestria to know and learn from different cultures"

"Wow, exactly how many years ago?"

"About ten years ago I started my life as a nomad"

"Ten years is a time to be prowling from one side to the other by Equestria, your hooves should thank you" said Celestia chuckling

"Hmhm, I think so" said Orion with a smile

"Well, your hooves are already bandaged. It's amazing that with the severity of injuries can you stand up"

"Hmhm, I think it's usual"

"Hmhm, well, I will bind the wounds of your body"

Orion to hear that, quickly shone his horn and secretly cast a spell to his back without Celestia noticing

"Ok. Orion, could you take off your coat, so I can bind up your wounds? said Celestia

"Okay" said Orion while slowly was pulling his coat

"Mmm, it seems you have a serious cut here!" said Celestia while approaching the band to injury

"Ouch!!. Easy!" Orion complained

"Hmhm, sorry"

Celestia carefully put the bandage on the wound that had Orion. The wound started from his shoulder and ended in the middle of his body, even when Celestia put the bandage on the wound itself turned red immediately.

"Ok It's done. Now you can get off the stretcher without problems" said Celestia

Then Orion carefully slid off the stretcher, while he stepping off the stretcher could be heard some groans from wounds, but then turned to where his coat and purse, and headed for the door of the infirmary leave

"Goodbye princes, was nice to meet you and thanks for cured me" said Orion while leaving the nursing

"Hey!, wait!" shouted out Celestia

Orion stopped immediately and then turned his head, looking where was Celestia

"What's wrong princess?" said Orion a little confused

"Are you already going? Out of nowhere?" asked Celestia

"Uh... yes, I have to follow my path" said Orion while turning completely

"Where? you're hurt, and so what you want leave?"

"Yes, I'm a nomad, I have to follow my path"

"I respect that you're a nomad, but if you keep going to dangerous places or getting into battles, you will die"

"Well, at least I will die as a hero" joked Orion

"Hmhm, why don't to come to Canterlot with me? if you want to remain a warrior you could join one of the royal guards or royal warrior"

"I appreciate your offer, but I think it takes an outsider like me are in such an important position as a warrior or royal guard"

"Nonsense, you have everything you need to be a royal warrior"

"Thank Celestia but I still say that I am not capable enough to be a royal warrior" said Orion turning around and heading for the door

Celestia then suddenly shines her horn and again grabs his tail and upside down and brings it back to inside

"Hey!, Hey!!... Come on! princess stop doing that, is shameful" said Orion

"Hmhm, I'll not let you go until you say you're coming to Canterlot " said Celestia menacingly and the same time with a mocking tone

"Ha!, is this a threat?" said Orion raising an eyebrow with a smile

"If you take it that way. What is your choice?"

"Hmhm, why you do that princess?"

"I just want to give you a proper home and a job. How bad is that?"

"-Sigh- If I say yes you will put me on the floor?" said Orion with his cheeks flushed like a tomato

"I will leave you free when I heard that you accepting my offer"

"Alright princess, I accept your offer"

C:"Orion eventually accepted my offer to come with me to Canterlot, it was strange for him to be in a city like Canterlot because for years he has been nomadic and whenever he was in a place and the next day continued on his way, usually it was difficult to see him in one place quiet hmhm, if it was not in the throne room was in the barracks or else through the streets of Canterlot, it took a while for him to adapt in the city, but it was much easier to join as a real warrior. Apparently he was very happy to hold this rank since every X time warriors always have to do missions somewhere in Equestria or guard in Canterlot, and I was happy to see him happy too. Over the years, Orion range up until he reached the most important and highest rank of all, Royal Guard of the Princess and also as Captain General, and also I was becoming more friend with him. He was always in my most stressful or difficult moments to persuade me, also in the sad moments to give me a warm hug or say some silly joke to get me a smile, he was like a brother to me.
One day when I had finished my royal work, it was night, you could clearly hear the crickets and hoot owls, then I decided to go to the royal garden to relax, but when I opened the doors of the royal garden I saw Orion near the creek, it was not strange that he was in the garden, I allowed him to enter the royal garden when he wishes, he was without his armor and without his sword, virtually had nothing equipment as it was his day off, so I decided to approach towards where he was, but when I was a few meters to be at your side I noticed something sticking out of his back, so I decided to approach even more cautiously and then I hid in one of the shrubs that were there near of me, and then when I looked well noticed had Wings

I couldn't believe what I had seen, I didn't knowing if I was hallucinating from exhaustion that I had, but when I looked more closely I noticed that it was true. I didn't wanted scare him or anything, so cautiously in a beam of light I went to my room and went straight to the bathroom to wash my face and decided to lie down on my bed to relax, did not understand how he could be an alicorn, but after a few moments who I was asleep. The next morning I woke early as usual, got off the moon to raise the sun to a new dawn, I was had breakfast in the tearoom and then walked toward the throne room to open the court like each morning. There was Orion with other royal guard, were on the side of the throne, Orion was on the right of the throne, I walked to the throne and was greeted with a reverence, I was a little concerned about the issue of Orion but it wasn't time to discuss it, because it was about to open court

Then had passed at least about three hours and half, the court closed, I had half an hour of rest before going to sanction and promulgate the laws, then decided to tell Orion to accompany me to the royal garden, he accepted. The hike to the garden was very quiet, practically he did not ask anything about why I needed him, until finally we arrived at the gates of the garden. We went in and then headed towards the creek, the creek was one of the favorite places to him because the sound of water reassures him. When we arrived we sat on the bench and We were in a deep silence, so deep that they could hear the hum of insects from afar, until finally Orion asked why I needed him"

"Celly, why reason you need me and why we are in the royal garden?" asked Orion breaking the silence

"Orion tell me something, do you know the alicorns?" said Celestia looking him

Orion to hear that, he felt a lump in the throat, repeatedly opened his mouth to say something but not a word came out, for a few moments there was a silence until he decided to answer the question of the princess

"W-well yes, alicorns are the most important ponies of all and are the most powerful, the magic that possess the alicorns is much more powerful than the most powerful unicorn there are, there are so powerful alicorns that may control the most powerful sources of energies that exist, such as Anger, Love, Hate, Chaos, Hope, Sadness and among others, but also that these powers can destroy to himself. But also in the alicorns exist two types: the Oricorns and Alicorns, the Oricorns are the less powerful, their energy and control of the magic is not very effective, but that does not mean that they aren't powerful, as they remain more powerful than the most powerful unicorn of all. And finally there is the alicorn, they are the most powerful of all the ponies and are also able to control the sources of power, as you princess, and also these alicorns are able to live for thousands of years, to comparison of the Oricorns that they can only live a few hundred years" told Orion

"Seems that you know a lot of alicorns" said Celestia while diverting her gaze toward the creek

"Well... yes!, I started my life as a nomad not only to see new places, but the different cultures and learn about history and mythology in various major libraries of Equestria and scrolls in ruins" said Orion

Orion was a little uneasy talking about the alicorns, he had no idea why the princess asked him about them, but did not rule out that she had seen and discovered his secret, but he didn't take this initiative after all and he doesn't remember having seen her near of him while he not wearing his armor

"Orion, could you tell me how old you are? I never knew your age, nor when is your birthday" said Celestia diverting her gaze returned to Orion

"W-well, I have thirty years, b-but I know my birthday because my parents died when I was little and I was adopted by another family, so when I found out he was adopted started my life as a nomad, that was another reason why I started as nomad"

"You lying" said Celestia surprisingly

"What?" said Orion confused and scared at the same time

"You lying !, you have not thirty, you have much more than that" said Celestia while getting up from the bench and turning towards where was sitting Orion

"W-what are you talking about Celestia?" asked Orion dumbfounded

"You have much more than that. Not long ago when I saw old papers of different towns that were in Equestria and I noticed that in a town of Tall Tale thousand years ago lived a resident called Orion Selknam" said Celestia

Orion was shocked to hear that, he didn't know what to say in his defense, he was very afraid of what the princess might do to him if she actually discovered that he is alicorn

"Y-yes, that's my name, but it must be a coincidence" said Orion hiding his nerves

"Orion, will you do me a favor and take away your armor?"

"B-but Princess, I'm in the middle of the work I don't think that's right that not having put my armor"

"J-just do it, please"

"-Sigh- Alright princess, as ordered"

Orion stood up and began to take off his armor until practically had nothing it to be covered, then Celestia sees on his back a pair of wings. Celestia was stunned to see that Orion was a alicorn and he never told the truth

"Y-you a-are an alicorn?" said Celestia surprised to see that there was another alicorn walking in Equestria, in addition of her

"Y-yes, that's what I am, I'm an alicorn" said Orion with his ears low

"B-but... you never told me that you were an alicorn, why you didn't told me the truth?"

"Sorry princess, b-but I didn't want to tell you that, because I didn't know if it was the right thing"

"What are you talking about?" asked Celestia confused

Suddenly, Orion began to take a few steps back and began to shine his horn

"Orion? What's wrong?" asked Celestia worried of having put the hoof

"I-I'm sorry p-princess, but I think that I h-have to go" said Orion with breaking voice

"What? Orion WAIT!! shouted out Celestia

(End Flashback Time)

"Orion disappeared in a beam of light, I was very scared of having put the hoof in place that didn't suit me to be. In all the remaining day I did not see him nowhere the castle, so I decided to go to his room to see if he was there, but then I realized that his things weren't, he had taken his belongings and left without saying goodbye. From that day I never see again until today
And also until the present day I am very sorry for not being able to apologize to him for what I did, on the one hand I was a little annoyed that he lied to me, but I think I was a little hard on him" said Celestia with her ears low

The room was silent for several moments, but suddenly a light beam is in the place that was Twilight, the three princess diverted their gaze to where they saw the flash of light and saw that Twilight disappeared in a beam of light

"What?. Why Twilight disappeared out of nowhere" asked Cadance

"I don't know where she gone" said Celestia confused

_ _ _

Author's Note:

Hello everypony!!

I'm sorry for taking so long to upload the fourth chapter, I had some problems. So sorry again, I hope that does not happen again but enough of excuses, what is important is that here is the fourth chapter part 1.
Sooo.... I hope you liked it