//------------------------------// // Ch. 5 The Gears Move // Story: Land of the Rising Sun: Quelling the Ryu // by TheronSniper //------------------------------// Ch. 5 Knowing Your Allies Two days had passed after Twilight had the enlightening conversation with the Arcana Adept, now she held no hesitations whatsoever and the feeling was akin to that of freedom of mind. Spike had received her letter to come to Canterlot, though she knew he would miss the book days she had him take over for. Though his response did not show any qualms with going on the trip with her, she figured the willingness had come from his comic book reading which enticed the mystical lands he’d visit soon. She had to admit, those illustrated novels were said to mush the brain of foals into their later years of adulthood, but seeing as what Spike had done to help Equestria on numerous occasions she never intervened. She was on her way to the station as of the moment to pick him up, it would be then that she’d really find out how he felt. Twilight hoped that Ponyville could do without the Book Days event for a month or so, even as her attention peeled off to the war abroad she still felt guilty of interrupting their educational experience. Passing by pedestrians on her way to the train depot, Sparkle made a note to hire a proxy for her and Spike when such royal duties came barging in. Opting to forgo a chariot and gaze at Canterlot's suburbs and shops once more before the voyage across the North Luna Sea, her mind memorized the latest changes to the zoning and the new housing districts popping up to accomodate the ever expanding population. Of course she also noticed on her way four emergency chariots carting away the sick, thinking it to be flu season in such a populated area was not out of the question and thus she gave them nothing beyond a passing glance. Passing by a couple tourist shop carts showing off specialty items and crafted gem keepsakes she thought about Spike once more, “I’m sure he’ll be fine, he’s my number one assistant after all and why wouldn’t he pass up on a chance to meet the kirin over there? Not to mention the four dragon lords who guard such a small nation?! It's practically out of one of his little comics.” she spoke out loud her thoughts entering the train depot with time to spare. Trotting onto the reception deck of the blue hued depot, she immediately noticed no pony outside. Curious as it were as there were always ponies of rich and common going places even on the weekends, surely she couldn't be the only one waiting for the train. Her head swiveled about from the expansive scenic view beyond the mountain city to the windows of the station. Seeing nothing out of place she inspected the ticket area and rest seats normally used when a storm had been scheduled for the day. Oddly enough there were some ponies inside, though most were either staff or maintenance workers tidying up the interior. A family with six foals running around and two parents watching attentively were the only patrons as it seemed, and of course that made sense to Sparkle considering how rambunctious foals can get. An accident can easily happen if they were allowed freedom near the rails of a train which was a danger in itself to a haphazard youth. With her curiosity sated, she trotted over to a bench to wait as she used her magic to open the saddle bags she brought with her. Extracting a book she used to keep her lists for the trip, notes on the last two days of studying the ambassadorial codes and laws she could get a hold of, to the latest updated negotiators manuscript in which she hoped she’d use to end the war. She intended on reviewing the preparations list in full detail to see if she overlooked anything or if more supplementary guides might be needed. If she was to be a stand in for Princess Celestia she needed to be completely brushed up on everything to make the trip end in peace and friendship between the three countries. Just as Twilight began to review her labors somepony had trotted up next to her seat and stood waiting for her attention. Blinking, she smiled as she lifted her head from the book and found not a citizen wanting a photo or an autograph from the alicorn, but Adept Lapis who appeared to have arrived for no other reason that she knew of. Their conclusive report to Celestia was to be postponed till she returned or presented by Princess Luna in her stead if it seemed necessary, so for her to be coincidentally at the depot seemed odd. Her eyes immediately locking onto the mare and nothing else, “Oh! Lapis Lazuli? What are you doing here? Heading off for a study trip I guess? I know Spectrum has been adding some of the old knowledge to his work as of late.” Sparkle asked as she set the keep she'd been looking into onto the bench beside her. The mare however hesitated and kept her glance before her starring off the countryside where vast rolling hills and lush lands painted a glorious landscape. Not far off would be Ponyville hidden partially by the thick dense trees that dotted around it, the mountain ridges to the sides, and beyond were Equestria’s true treasure, prosperity that the Princesses strove to nurture as much as she herself worked on friendship matters. Though what happiness in the view could be taken, Lapis seemed chew on her tongue. Asking again, “Has something come up? Has anyone found my book by chance?” she chuckled at the notion that the pesky missing item was likely lost in a place that was obvious. The Adept closed her eyes and let out a held breath trying to steal herself for what she had to say. Twilight couldn’t see it, but there was a horrible secret she was about to receive and one she'd be unable to act on with it being so sudden. The shock of it would deaden the actuality it entailed, and the consequence would be a later symptom of the threat that was in need of exposing. Still keeping her eyes to the wide expanse of nature, “Princess? I come baring a secret... I need you to keep this between you and me and no one else.” The lavender alicorn tilted her head startled by the rather strange conversation brought before her, “What are you talking about Lapis? What’s happened…” she asked in worry. With a stern intrusion to her query, “I NEED you to promise!” she hissed as if somepony might be listening other than them and it hushed the young royal into simply nodding from the sting of the Arcana’s assertiveness much like that of Rainbow Dash. Seeing that she would carry out the sealed lips policy Lapis went on with ever alert eyes searching for something around them, “Princess I have to be short, I accidentally found something in the Academy. Something that worries me… I never meant to come across it I swear!” she appeared to quiver as if it hurt to speak of it, earning a sympathetic gaze from her sole audience, “Princess… the Arcana has been amassing a fighting force of our best offensive mages! For the past twenty years!! To my knowledge we are a school who trains the future of Equestria to help for the betterment of all… and not just ponies! Why would we even need battle wizards for that matter?! They have over one thousand magicians on standby if I looked at the report right... all trained and fully capable of besting even the Unicorn Regiments of the Palace Guard!! I have assumptions… but assumptions can lead to misunderstandings and rumor...” It took a few seconds for the secret to hit home for Twilight, her first thoughts were likely in favor of such an act ever since the foes she and the girls vanquished had given the kingdom a run for its money. Of course that lasted barely a moment before even she realized that the Royal Guard should be all that Equestria needs and if anything trained more extensively in case of another race like the Changelings attempts again. For the Scholar Arcana to be accumulating the finest of the fine to be trained for war, it did set off a few warning bells but ultimately she also went back to the sirens and the missing gemstone. There had to be more to the story than what the Adept was concerned with, of course for her it was a legitimate fear over the reputation of the school. It was and foremost a learning facility meant for peace and advances in magic and technology after all, combat was not in its repertoire or at least it shouldn't be. Lapis slowly stepped in front of the princess but it appeared as though she were making to leave, “We’re a school… not a private army. I believe the Head Master might be involved, his signature was on one of the files… maybe forged I don’t know. I fear… there is something else going on besides a move to protect Equestria and I think... no... he can't be involved. I've known him for too long." she paused, "Princess, they were never used when Equestria had come under attack or by a threat, so what are they meant for?" Twilight couldn't piece together a reply before the Adept began to move her hooves again, "Be careful who you trust!” she warned under her breath barely making a sound. It was then that Twilight realized the young mage in training had been in normal pony attire, the kind of garb a high noble would wear or a middle class mare. She only knew it was Lapis by her face which was visible just enough under the common frilled headdress, her looks, and control over the short meet that stalled Sparkles usual attentive senses. Just as if Rarity would have shown up out of the blue in her latest dress that might have been a tad too flamboyant. Her and the girls as it normally occurred during one of their get togethers would call her on the wardrobe first before greeting the fashionista. It was all in jest and Rarity would always find a silver lining in their commentary. What Lapis had done was drop a veritable political bomb, harness the interaction firmly, and done all that while disguised which immediately put Twilight onto her hooves. If this was not the most alarming situation she’d been placed in, she’d have jumped to her hooves and chased down the Adept to immediately figure out where the information had come from much less the circumstances surrounding its reveal. Instead however, Sparkle only let herself witness the disappearance of the startled Adept as the last of her cream white lacy dress vanish behind the corner of the depot on the far right end of the deck. Just as wisp became nothing more, in the peripheral of her sight the train had made its debut from the incline below as the rails wrapped around the mountain. Twilight’s tendency to always seek answers and solutions, for this moment she was saturated with the mare’s concern and the potential problems brought on by it. She could only sit with a mind swirling with a new web in which she managed knowing all she could easily do would be to bring it up to the Princesses and the outcomes from doing so. They would be the checks and balances to which Twilight hoped was just something small and most likely misunderstood by the panicked pony. The web also included not taking such actions and looking into it herself using her royalty as leverage and the connection she had with the two sisters if trouble came brewing. Tid bits aside, she’d have to consider her next move carefully with why Lapis had brought it to her specifically. The final screeching of the brakes of the locomotive drew her ears down out of pain from the groaning metal, her concentration broke and her eyes went to the transport as the mass of engine and carriages finally inched to a stop. A conductor in the first cart closest to the engine compartment opened the doors with a mechanical lever near the door’s upper most part, the uniformed stallion called out for the stop at Canterlot. Ponies disembarked accordingly ranging from everyday pony to the nobility all coexisting as the same passenger identity using the method of transportation. Of course this was as close to being equals as Twilight knew they could get, having experienced it herself at the Gala and with Prince Blueblood’s show of his lackluster personality. She wondered about the lives of these folks who were going about their daily routines without a care in the world. For so long they had a cultural innocence until the Changelings arrived, and even then life went back to normal after a time. If the Arcana was not suppose to be amassing an army as it seemed, why were they doing if so to protect Equestria? Was there a war or conflict about to befall the lands of harmony and friendship which did see its fair share of disasters and villains aside from the conflict in the East? What was going on beyond her understanding that she could make an impact on which fate seemed to deny her the ability to do so? She had a trip to Neighpon in less than couple of weeks. “Twilight?” Was Princess Celestia and Luna in on the Arcana’s little build up of force or were they behind it? “Hey Twi!?” Was this some kind of test for her to be ready to help rule over Equestria as it had already begun to enter a new age? With the recent population booms and the Arcana’s teachings spewing out well capable mages to better all lives. Did she need to learn a lesson to prepare her beyond her comfort zone to the real world out there just as what was happening with Cinia, Coria, and Neighpon? “TWILIGHT!!!” Spike shouted for the third time and snapped the purple alicorn back into the real world. “Spike!” she cried back as if Pinkie Pie had come up behind her and announced a greeting, “Spike? SPIKE!!” she looked down to see the baby dragon with a curious look about him that hinted at concern, he was a good break from what just bothered her into lost in thought. She lowered her head down and nuzzled him even though he was too focused on her minor trance, “Your train was early? I calculated a forty five minute wait before you arrived, I even brought my checklists and books to pass the time so I wasn’t expecting you for another thirty five minutes?” The dragon hatchling scoffed as he released a claw from the bag he had, “Fewer travelers this time I guess, heard some of the ponies talk about sick family and such. Guess a flu is easing up the scheduling. What’s up Twi? You looked… I don’t know, like you normally did when you were worried about being late with a friendship report?” He grinned slightly as he poked at her old bad habit of being on time, but she knew she couldn’t tell him what really halted her gears, “Nothing at all just the trip has me wondering if I’ll need something else to help end the conflict over there. I won’t leave until they make peace and start on the road for friendship!” she lied in a way that sufficed the little drake as he shrugged and patted his backpack and parcel to ensure he himself had all on his person. “Oh ya! I’ve come prepared for it too! I brought my favorite reads which show the problems that are associated with war and the after effects that come with it. That and along with the history of the Hearth’s Warming Eve for them too!” he gleefully tapped the satchel behind him he had dropped to get Twilight’s attention at first. “Spike… Power Pony comics won’t do much for bringing peace to their lands, but the history book will be a good reference for them.” She giggled at his foalish notions to which he frowned before the two left the station. As they passed by ponies towards the palace, Twilight couldn’t help but think back to the secret she had to bear. There was one pony she’d know that secrets and dangerous plots were her life’s work, thwarting the likes of criminals and false demigods almost every day. If her books were as true as they were and from her own personal experience with Daring Do, she was thankful for the adventurer to be able to tag along. They'd have plenty of time to go over the siren stone she altered and its status, as well as all she knew from the Black Tape Archive research, and the Adepts warning. “Hey, so your letter kinda missed on the details on what exactly is going on with this other continent no pony knows about?” he inquired as they entered a main road filled with the traffic of store fronts and civilians, a few guards popped out as the roaming peace keepers with their golden armor. She shook her head, “Oh right, sorry I forgot to explain a little more. I just had to get the letter to you and make sure you were on your way here. However, I’m afraid I’ll have to wait until we’re in the Palace compound, anything pertaining to our trip is unfortunately top secret right now.” She kept her vision forward as the crowds parted for her and Spike out of loyal nature. Spike wasn’t sure why she couldn’t explain anything before all the other ponies about them, “Why not? Why all this clandestine stuff like in comic number 49, Bonds of the Unforgiven?” “Again this is not a comic book Spike! Let’s just get to the Palace and I promise you I’ll let you in on everything.” She sighed, ‘Or at least what I can…’ The little drake simply shrugged and took her word, if she had reason to not speak publicly about something it was usually for a good reason. So they ventured occasionally talking about what new went on since she returned to Canterlot from her break there. Speaking no more about the trip, it was a nice semblance of calm for the princess and she soaked it all in. Having a friendly face with history leveled the stress just like when she went on her forced vacation. It was not long in the day before they arrived at the golden gates protected by patrolling pegasi and armored guards with spears. After they were let in automatically by Twilight’s presence and magical scans, the walk across the front lawn was met with an unusual sight. A score of crafts ponies, specifically masons and sculpture artists judging by their cutie marks, uniforms, and tools they were leaving the Palace with. It was not often that new work had been added to the interior much less the gardens, a new addition would be pleasant to see with Spike before they engaged in the postponed debriefing and the worries with it. Eager in sprite, she galloped to investigate as Spike waddled behind her still towing his luggage as fast as his little legs could. “Come on Spike! Let’s see what they were working on!?” The guards at the front entrance kept the tall arching doors ajar for the two. The artists were far too busy to bother as they struggled with their equipment, so even the alicorn’s assistant saw no easier way of learning more until they came across somepony that did or the piece itself. Though what had been recently created was not some bust of the crowns or a legendary noble, instead it would be something that would be unforgettable for the rest of their lives. Twilight had entered the Palace lobby and looked about for the artwork, asking a nearby maid who served as the greeter for anypony who had business with royalty or the day court. She was a thin mare, wearing a more elaborate and decorative dress of black cloth and white trim signifying her role among the maid staff. Petite mulberry glasses sat on her nose with a strap that tied around the back of her head to keep them in place. Sandy brown fur coat with a pearl white mane colored her figure as she waited behind a black podium emblazoned with the two sisters cutey marks in gold. Once she noticed the excited alicorn, the poor mare jumped in her skin and scrambled to look her best only to make a fool out of herself incidentally. Twilight blinked from her spot and reappeared before the staff in a flash of blue magic, “Has something new been added? Anything those builders and artists made for the Palace? If you could point me in the right direction I’d love to see it!” her mirth filled her heart with something other than the trip and the curious secret. The binder filled with all the information the hostess needed to schedule, guide, and host visitors had clamored to the stone floor as the nervous greeter panicked in her spot. She fumbled to compose herself and pick up her mess to which the sight of her actions caused Twilight to shy away a little as she realized she was the cause of it. She usually took either the west or eastern entrances in the past, but this one time she used the primary access way as rarely as she did and essentially barged in to a new face totally unprepared for a royal. Spike finally caught up huffing a little when he saw the interaction going south, he proceeded to correct as he usually did at times. With his pack over the back and the satchel by his tail, the little drake jogged over and tugged at the greeter’s skirt who had essentially locked in place unsure of what to do. “Do you know if anything new has been added to the palace? Kinda saw the crafts ponies just leaving.” He thumbed to the huge doors he came from as his breath equaled out naturally. The mare seeing someone other than an alicorn had less of a hard time drawing up words and almost sounded happy to answer, “Y…yes yes I um… I believe it’s just down the hall over there. But… uh… It’s actually a memorial to the lost Night Guard by Seaddle's coast.” Whatever comfort in talking to him instead gave way to the morose air from the term she used. Twilight fluttered her wings, “Memorial? To the Night Guard? What happened?” With her bearings collected, the host had an less abrasive time answering the young alicorn as she cleared her throat and brought her binder back onto the podium, “I’m afraid I do not know the details your majesty, it... it has recently been completed so I’m sure it will have the information there… if you wish to see for yourself my princess? It'll be down that hallway just a few steps to the left.” she still shied a little kind of like Fluttershy. Sparkles thoughts quickly went to the two Thestral commanders and wondered whose ponies they belonged to. Then she wondered about the Agents of Shadow and the Arcana’s sudden build up, hoping the loss of life was in no way connected. Immediately she knew she had to get the details and started to head away to the location. “Thank you for your assistance I’ll go see it now.” She nodded gently and trotted off leaving a very relieved hostess. Spike tapped the mare’s foreleg, “She still hasn’t gotten use to the whole princess thing so she’s always thinking everyone still sees her as the unicorn she use to be. So don’t sweat it, kay? By the way there’s a few sheets behind you.” he gave her a thumbs up with his right claw and waved himself off. The hostess was lost after that as they disappeared down the east wing, and then she snapped too when she realized what he wanted to pick up on. A couple butlers passed by seeing the mumbling jumbled maid trying to gather her precious resource to her position. Of course to them they knew she was still on her second day of being on that particular job, easily reminding them of their first days in the Palace. Not far from the main lobby, on the wall parallel to the windows stood a ceiling tall thin marble slab freshly polished and carved exactly where the hostess said it was. Upon nearing the features there were no depictions to be marveled at, no statue to study, there simply existed a long list of names of the fallen Night Guard and at the top a parting send off by the Princesses. Twilight had slowly approached as she saw Commander Vigil sitting on his haunches starring up at the top as if he were reading every single name from the start to the bottom. The list at least forty long at first glance, each and every one a Thestral with Luna’s cutie mark as the header and footer with words of remembrance and honor to the warriors for future generations and the visitors to the Palace. She knew her arrival had been detected, after interviewing both Steel and Stellar about their tribes biology. The fact that his ears swiveled towards her not even before she reached twenty feet from him was also a dead on clue. Quietly she strode towards him, the sense of grief befell her as it reminded her of where she’d be going soon enough. She instantly forced any unrelated thoughts aside as she took a seat next to the mighty Night Guard commander and began to pay her respects to such a massive loss of life. Something which was thankfully only every other century or so though when it happened it was always demanding the proper rites and respect. Spike had joined in, though he kept to himself as he arrived at Twilight’s side. Even he marveled at the many names and the reason for which they were inscribed onto stone for all to see. His slitted eyes brought his little head so far up that it nearly reached ninety degrees, his greater vision picking out the detailed introduction to the memorial. All three would spend the next few minutes going over the stone until they reached the bottom, the gone deserved that much at least even if Spike’s attention span had threatened it halfway. Hoof and horn carved writing as perfect as fine craftsponyship could buy spoke volumes. 'Battle at Montgomery Coastline' 'Let it be known that on this day the Royal Guard has suffered greatly in the line of duty. When a viable threat to Seaddle arose, spotted by the scouts of the Hunter's Eye Recon Team, Night Guard Commander Steel Vigil and the late Captain Sabor stationed in the Seaddle region responded accordingly. To quell the threat the brave Thestral Warriors of Equestria performed admirably in service to the crown and the citizens of the kingdom. Fate would befall them as a natural predator of the North Luna Ocean joined in the melee and take the lives of both forces. The beast of the depths was successfully driven away, but at a terrible cost which should never happen yet a risk of which every Guard knows upon joining the ranks. Death and deliverance to Elysium should only come after a long life and good age, but peace and prosperity knows the cost as does everypony. Honor the fallen, respect the price paid to protect such a city of many like Seaddle, for without their sacrifice many more ponies would have suffered from the threat to harmony.' 'Princess Celestia Ravi Aditya and Princess Luna Senay Selene of the Equestrian Kingdom.' 'Ad Eternum Concordia' A passing Day Guard squad marched by as their armor clanked, all ten heading to new posts gave a wordless salute to the marker in tradition. A hoof to the helmet marked their passing as they soon vanished within the minute of their arrival. The commander closed his eyes and breathed deeply, he loosened his stiff joints as he had monitored the progress of the commemorative slab in its closing completion. Popping joints snapped Twilight out of her mournful gaze upon the names, without turning her head she let one eye wonder over to him. His voice sounded deeper than she remembered and it made a few hairs stand on end, “Not every mission a guard goes on guarantees their safe return. We’re taught this when we enter our training age to harden ourselves to the inevitable every warrior must come to terms with.” his leathery wings shuffled slightly. Taken aback by the announcement, Sparkle looked at him in earnest, “No pony should ever meet such an end, no matter their profession Commander Steel. That is something I plan to ensure never happens when I… I…” she was caught by her own words when she would have finished with ruling Equestria alongside the Princesses. The bulky thestral turned his gaze to the tile floor with the red rug down the middle of the hallway, “Life is not white and black your majesty, though you know what powerful evil beings and monsters can do when on the loose. A soldier sees many more things than your average pony… even with your record as it seems. You cannot hope to stop every soul that is sent to fields of Elysium. Not even I.” Sparkle wanted to refute him, but a clawed palm from Spike kept her from speaking out. It kept her from putting her own hoof in her mouth, as the case with the war abroad as a testament to the commander’s words. Indeed, Equestria couldn’t rely on the crown nor the former element bearers for every little thing all across the world that had the potential of taking lives. They were six ponies with magical potential used for good when things like Discord and Tirek rose from the depths of Tartarus. Handling a rampaging dragon in one city, stopping dangerous rouge elements on the opposite coast, and helping a storm ravaged town in the southeast were far beyond their capabilities to be on call and arrive in time. In real life, beyond Ponyville and its quiet nature were the lives of many and far too many to count that not all could be saved by their abilities and luck. That was why Shining Armor went into the Guard, why the Captain of the Guard existed who commanded all three organizations that defended Equestria. Something she occasionally forgot after all she’d done with the girls, they couldn’t be everywhere all at once. Discord's abilities were also finite even though they were chaos unlimited, he could only focus on one natural disaster at a time as it usually required restoration magic to set the damage back into reverse. A god of the natural universal energies had a hard time performing his tasks, then what could she hope to step up to on the batters plate and prevent the grim reaper's collection? “Every single warrior here… died fighting to protect Equestria from a brood of sirens.” He declared subtly, “They were ambushed by a beast of the ocean and devoured by the massive leviathan. From the reports I received at least. The sirens were being tracked by it… and the subsequent fighting between both our forces coaxed the sea serpent into feeding frenzy.” Spike could envision the scene somewhat, “Wow, must have been awful. What's a leviathan anyways?” Vigil breathed out through his nostrils, “Something you don't ever want to meet little dragon, for I fear they could feast upon one of your kin in adult form easily." closing his eyes as if to recollect himself, "They were ill prepared for the hasty call to arms under the cyclone which hit Seaaddle at the time. It was Tartarus on Equis for those poor souls fighting in the rain and wind. Some of our best served the kingdom in the ultimate fashion.” So many had fallen during an operation against sirens it was unthinkable, the mere mention of them around Equestria frightened Twilight. She couldn’t break their song without Sunset’s bold save at the last minute before defeat, what if she had to encounter five or ten sirens all at once? What kind of study awaited to understand the beasts who might try to sway ponies to their will here? “I had hoped they were spirits like Discord even after you told me the Guard was already aware of them, just three who roamed the world back during Starswirl’s time.” Twilight commented, “I even read about the hunts that were called for with bounties on them, but none were ever found. To know that they were near a big city… it’s scary. You have my condolences Commander Vigil, your warriors took on a threat that would have seen Seaddle turn into Discords paradise.” She glanced at him and smiled in a way that conveyed her gratitude and appreciation for the fallen’s service. Another patrol squad passed by, Unicorn Guard, who saluted in the same fashion as the last before heading off to their next area. The Thestral stood up and moved his wings a little again, his heavy armor making a little noise in the process to which the other two joined in motion. With a heavy heart that showed through his predatory eyes, he spoke in his native tongue that the alicorn found soothing and unfamiliar from the other words they described to her. “Mauishi burzum. Mauishi aruku mazauk.” For a couple of moments no one said a thing, just the sounds of a busy palace echoing in the halls. Twilight had heard a little of the Thestral language but she had no time to brush up on the speech or dialect. With all that had been going on she was far too removed to spare any time. “I… don’t mean to intrude, but what was it you just said?” the princess hoped she wasn’t prodding into a tribe only practice, Spike also wanted to learn himself as he’d never heard anything other than Equish all his life much less the roaring of Dragons. Steel answered, “It is a final send off to my brothers and sisters, Commanders of the Night Guard are said to be the guiding light for their souls on their journey to Hellia in doing so. Where they’d lead all those who die of old age or illness to a realm of peace and bountiful lands that is Elysium. Beyond our lives here in this world, we still strive to protect and aid the weak from losing the path where Grogar awaits.” Twilight logged in the latest data into her personal mental library for later, “I understand." she simply replied seeing no reason to give lengthy responses. The commander rose to his hooves and turned a golden eye towards the alicorn princess, "Princess? If I may?" Twilight smiled at him again, "Please, if there's anything I can help with?" Giving a very dower look upon his muzzle, "I wish greatly that the danger posed by that missing gemstone turns out to be a one out of a three million chance of happening. Losing even this many Thestrals... There will be a memorial in the village later this evening, I invite you to attend as I know you've wanted to see our home in the mountain. You can find me in my office after six, but I would suggest you avoid Commander Stellar Aileron... she's lost a brother on that mission." he seemed to give her a dire warning. Sparkle hesitated for a moment and shook her head, "Yes, yes I will be there, I need to in respect to the lost. Thank you Commander, I know this is a hard time for you and your tribe." He couldn't bring himself to say anything else much less express anything beyond a failing stoic look, instead he bowed and dismissed himself. As he parted another patrol passed by repeating the same gestures as the rest to which Twilight couldn't help but feel that it was more mechanical than self imposed. If what the Commander said was true, this was an inevitability as a soldier to the kingdom and one none expected to happen to themselves until it was too late. This felt as if it would be a taste of what was to come when she arrived at Neighpon and likely saw the battles for herself, her heart though swayed with regret moved her as well. Even as Spike patted her shoulder sympathetically, Twilight knew the Princess of Friendship had a long road ahead of her.