“Twilight has agreed to come and discuss this weather issue,” Luna said trotting up to Celestia, who was standing on one of the balconies of their castle.
The Princess of the day didn’t respond. Instead, she seemed to be very deep in thought as she looked out across the white marble buildings of Canterlot, and the rich green valley beyond.
“Sister? Luna prompted again, taking a place at Celestia’s side.
“Oh, I’m sorry Luna.” The older sister said turning to her sister with a kind smile. “Did you say something?”
“I know what you're feeling, Sister...” Luna said as she turned to look out at the vista as well. “These unbidden winds...they carry whispers of him.”
Celestia sighed and hung her head. “It’s just been so long...Do you really think he could be coming back?”
“Would it be so bad if he was,” Luna asked, giving Celestia an encouraging smile.
“I dunno...He was just so reckless and irresponsible when he left...” Celestia said turning away from her kingdom as tears came to the corner of her eyes. “And why? Why after all we went through why is he coming back now!? W-Why not when we had to face Tirek, or Discord, or...or when I had to send you away...”
“I don’t know,” Luna said as she let her wing wrap about her sister in a kind embrace. “But I’m sure if he is back, and we do see him, he’ll be able to explain himself.”
--- --- ---
Cobalt sat in the back in the train. He had done his best to sit in an empty car so that he could stretch his wings out. He loved the sky! It was hard to keep his wings pinned against himself and not just fly everywhere, but they were easier to conceal than a horn. He watched the Equestrian landscape go by though the window. It was an amazing blur of green and pastel patches of flowers that before vehicles such as the train he was on, was reserved for the Pegasi winging overhead.
He sighed before turning away from the window to preen his wings, burying his face into his plush feathers. It was just then when he heard the door between cars open, and, to his displeasure, he had to tuck his wing back under his cape.
“Finally a car with some peace and quiet!” The young alicorn that Cobalt had seen in Ponyville said as she came in. She was still studying her charts, maps, and almanacs, as she sought a solution to the puzzle the Princesses had given her.
Cobalt tried not to stare as she took a set across the isle of him. She hadn't made the slightest indication that she had even noticed him, as she busily muttered to herself and scratched notes down on lengths of parchment.
He knew that it wouldn’t be wise to draw attention to himself, but she was an alicorn like him. He just had to know who she was. “Umm, I’m sorry.” He started, causing her to turn her head in surprise. Apparently, she had thought that she was alone. “Hi, um, well you see I’ve been traveling and perhaps I haven’t kept in touch with current events as much as I should have but umm.”
“Oh, I see.” Twilight said smiling as she set down what she was doing in the seat across from her’s “I’m Twilight Sparkle, The Princess of Friendship.”
“The Princess of Friendship, eh?” That’s kinda a sappy title...Cobalt thought before politely returning it with. “My name’s Cobalt. So...Princess, how did you-?”
“How did I become an alicorn?” She said finishing his statement for him. Apparently, she was rather eager to tell anyone who asked about all this. “Well you see, it all started when Princess Celestia, sent be on assignment to Ponyville. I had been her student for a while and....” The whole story took a while to explain, how she had her friends had found the elements of harmony, how they had to give up the elements of harmony, all the villains they had to face. All in all, it took the rest of the train ride to complete.
“Next stop, Canterlot Station!!!” The conductor called out as the train hissed to a stop.
“Well, it was nice talking to you Cobalt!” Twilight said as she picked up all her stuff and made her way out of the train.
He smiled and waved to her as she exited the car. “More like talking at me...” He mumbled to himself as he picked himself up and made his way off the train. He did enjoy listening to her, but he hadn’t really contributed to the conversation at all. With her, being an alicorn wasn’t so lonely anymore.
As he stepped onto the platform he noticed a few differences between the Canterlot he knew and the city he was trotting into. The architecture was still extravagant, each white stone building a castle in its own right, but there were a much more diverse people on the streets. There were still noble unicorns with their snouts so high in the air they couldn’t see five feet in front of them, but they were in the minority now. A lot of what he say now was pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies walking together and talking together. When he had left there was still a lot of friction and prejudice between the three races. Seeing them come together in this, the city that he felt had the worst offenders, warmed his heart.
Remembering that Twilight was going to be meeting up with the other Princesses, he decided that he shouldn’t interrupt, but instead should find some food. After all, he had only had the one apple in Ponyville and long overdue reunions weren’t something to be done on an empty stomach.
True, he still didn’t have any bits on him, but he had been in this situation before and he knew just what to do. Using his nose to find a whiff of food before following it like a wolf tracking the scent of wounded prey. Arriving at a back alley, whose air was thick with foreign spices.
His mouth watering now, he went around to the kitchen door and rapped on the door with his hoof. A thickly accented voice answered from inside. “Yes, yes, I’ll be right there!” A moment later, a stout, mustachioed, unicorn pulled the door open. “Wait a sec… you are not the delivery pony!”
“Umm... no I'm not,” Cobalt admitted meekly. “I was hoping that I might be able to work for you a little bit? All I ask is a meal.”
“Hmm I don't know...” he said tapping his chin.
“What are you talking about, Papa.” Another voice called as a mare with a plush tangle of raven hair, presumably, this stallion's daughter stepped into the doorway. “We’ve been in desperate need of more help ever since Rarity and Pinkie helped us get more business!”
“Rarity and Pinkie? Princess Twilight's Friends?” Cobalt asked, remembering the encounters he had that morning. Perhaps he could put them into use.
“You know them?” The young mare said ushering the disguised alicorn into her kitchen.
“Well, I meet them yeah, they seemed like lovely ponies.” He said as he looked about, getting a feel for the place.
“Well any friend of them is a friend of ours!” She said cheerfully before turning to her father and saying with a tone of insistence. “Right, Papa!”
“Yes of course,” He said conceding to his daughter. “I still don’t like another pony poking around our kitchen!”
“Well, I don’t have to be in the kitchen. I could wait on and bus tables, or wash dishes, or what have you.” He suggested, in order to appease both father and daughter.
“Deal,” The mare said quickly seizing his hoof and shaking in. “I’m Saffron Masala, my father is Coriander Cumin.”
“Mines Cobalt!” He said, his smile turning uncomfortable as his whole body was shaken by the excited mare.
--- --- ---
Twilight looked about where she was going, she thought she’d be meeting the Princesses in the throne room as usual, but instead, the guards had sent her up to the Princess's’ private quarters. This, of course, made her wonder if something was wrong, which of course only made her more surprised and confused when Celestia answered the door dressed in a large yellow trench coat covering her wings.
“Oh, Twilight you're here.” She said before pulling her pupil into the room and shutting the door.
Looking around the room she was able to see a cushion sitting in front of a fireplace, on whose mantle piece was set several framed pieces of paper. “Are those, my friendship letters?” She asked, rather surprised that the diarch actually keep them.
“A few of my favorites, yes, but that’s not why I called you here.” She said as she switched her golden shoes for a more conservative set. “Have you been able to uncover any explanation for the wild weather patterns that have been cropping up?”
“Not that I can see as of yet,” Twilight explained while watching the Princess gather up her flowing ethereal mane under a head scarf, and a wide brimmed that. “But have a theory that it might have to do with The Everfree Forest.”
“Good, at least that’s a start.” The Princess said as she put on large, yellow brimmed, circular sunglasses on as the finishing touch on her strange ensemble. “Me and Luna were going to get out of the Castle, stretch out legs a little. You should come along and we can discuss this issue more.”
“Ohh that explains all this,” Twilight said with a smile, finally understanding as she exited the room with the princess.
“Of course,” Celestia said, “It wouldn’t be all that relaxing if we were being mobbed everywhere we went, or were treated differently than everypony else.”
They found Luna, dressed similarly, but with a dark blue trench coat and square rimmed glasses, in another corridor. “Ah, Sister, and young Twilight as well, always a pleasure to see you.”
“I feel the same, Princess Luna.” She said bowing respectfully.
“Before we go, you should know that while we're out there that you must refer to me as Moondream Trotter, and my sister as Sunrise Sailor.”
“I think I can remember that!” Twilight said nodding with a smile towards the disguised sisters, as they flew off into the night. Before she would join them, she was going to place her notes on the table, but caught a glance at the scrolls of her friendship lessons back in Ponyville. Remembering the lesson Rarity had learnt about when taking a break and spending time with your sister is amazing experience to have, even Twilight herself learnt the importance of spending time with friends and not be stuck in the Old Oaks Library reading books all day... Wiping a tear away, she still felt sad that her old home was gone… But she took to heart what Spike & her friends had taught her about making new memories and having a new home to fill with thouse memories . Walking up to the balcony, she look up at the beautiful night sky, taking one more glance back at the scrolls. She flow out to the night to have a great time with the royal sisters.
--- --- ---
“This is the best curry I’ve ever tasted!” Cobalt declared as he finished up his payment, for bussing tables through the dinner rush. “And I’ve been around so that’s saying something!”
“I’m so glad you think so.” Saffron said beaming at him as she took away his empty plate.
“You sure have an appetite, as well as a good work ethic.” Coriander said with a mirthful smirk. Apparently, he had warmed up to the stallion through the course of the night. “He’d certainly make a good husband.”
“P-Papa!” Saffron said in protest as she blushed hotly.
“What!” Her father returned defensively. “You’ve been watching him all night!”
“I-I think that’s my cue to go.” Cobalt said standing up abruptly and accidentally hitting his head on a chandelier.
“Well um come back sometime.” Saffron said, hoping that he hadn’t hurt himself too badly.
“I will be.” He said, smiling politely as he too blushed. “Hopefully as a paying customer next time.”
“Yeah.” Saffron said looking at her hooves.
After a moment of awkward silence, Cobalt mumbled a final good-bye and galloped away. That had happened a handful of times while he was on his travels, sometimes with ponies offering to marry him to their daughters right there and then, and it never got less awkward. Saffron was a nice enough filly, no doubt, but...but something about commitment still spooked him. He’d need to overcome that if he wanted to become part of a family again.
Still, he kinda wished he didn’t have to have run out on them, partly because he was now craving something sweet as a dessert.
“I guess it’s time to employ the super sniffer again.” He said to himself as he once again using his nose to find his food. This time, he smelt for some kind of bakery, or...
Blindly he started to follow a trail of scent of freshly ground coffee beans and the saccharine scent of frosting and sprinkles. The scent trail lead him to a donut shop, called Pony Joe’s. As he walked it he could see a stallion in the back room trotting back and forth hurriedly.
“Oh hey.” The cream colored stallion said coming up to the counter. “How can I help you?”
“I think you're the one that needs help, judging by the way you’re wearin’ out your linoleum back there.” Cobalt said leaning up against the counter.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Joe said rubbing the back of his head. “I have this big dessert contest tomorrow, but I don’t think I can make everything I need all by myself. “
“I could help you.” Cobalt suggested. “Do whatever you need so you have time to work on your masterpiece.”
“Well...Most ponies expect my face up front.” Joe explained. “After all, It’s my name out front.”
“Wait? Your actual name is Pony Joe?” Cobalt said with a cock of his head.
“Well no it’s Donut Joe, but still.” He said shrugging, ”I suppose that you could mix up some dough for donuts to sell in the shop...”
“You give me a couple dozen of these day-olds here.” Cobalt said tapping the glass of the display case. “And we have ourselves a deal!”
--- --- ---
Later that night around closing, the bell above the door rang again. Twilight walked in followed by the two incognito princesses.
“Hey, I didn’t know you’d be back Twi!” Joe said approaching The Princess of Friendship. “And ahem Misses Sailor and Trotter...”
“It’s good to see you. Don’t you have the National Dessert Competition tomorrow?” She said as the three took seats at a table. “I now that the cakes have been working on their entry for several weeks now.”
“Well, I was actually a bit worried that I might not have completed it in time.” He said as he used his magic to wheel in a cart, on which he had something covered by a sheet. “But, with some help, I was finally able to finish,” With a flourish he pulled away the sheet to reveal a donut replica of Canterlot the Royal Canterlot Castle. “Castel Donut!”
The trio smiled and put their hooves together for the hard working baker. “It looks wonderful!” Celestia said, already eyeing it. “I’m sure it will taste equally wonderful when I- I mean when Princess Celestia samples it.”
“Yeah of course.” Joe said smiling as he played along. “I was still able to make your usual order, though. Can you bring that out Cobalt.”
This caused a notable reaction in The Princess. Their bodies went stiff and their eyes opened wide and their pupils shrank.
“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked noticing her mentors discomfort.
“O-o-oh nothing.” Celestia said before turning to her sister and mumbling. “It’s probably not him...Lots of ponies could be called Cobalt.”
Unfortunately, their fears and hopes were confirmed as Cobalt, their brother, came out of the back room, his coat dirtied with white splotches of flour and powdered sugar and hovering boxes of sweet confections with his magic. “I have a dozen cake donuts for miss-” His eyes grew It was all too easy for the siblings through each others feel disguises.“T-Tia? L-lulu?”
“Wait I talked with you on the train.” Twilight said looking between the three alicorns. “You know each other?!”
“Twilight.” Celestia said getting up at trotting up to the stallion. “This...is our brother...”