//------------------------------//
// The princesses 
// Story: The Hunters 
// by Deachir 
//------------------------------//

"No weapons past this point," a guard said. We were in the hallway to the throne room and were currently being blocked by two royal guards. They wore heavy gold armour with a gem in the centre of the chest. They also had helmets with blue Mohawks to match.
"Would you just give them your sword?" I said to Anne venom evident in my voice.
"Why? so we are defenceless" Anne said
"We both know that's not why you won't give it up," I said. Anne's sword was the last thing she had from her father. I would have said that to the guards, and she might have been able to keep it except for the fact that it was not my place to say it.
I heard whispering from the ponies behind me, but I could not make out what was said. When the whispering stopped twilight stepped to my side.
"Corporal, could we overlook this just this once?" Twilight asked
The corporal looked to the other guard who had not said a word this whole time. After a moment the guard stepped out of the way, and the corporal turned back to Twilight.
"Only this once princess. I can't afford to ignore my duties every day." He said to her
"Thank you Lightwing," she said with a nod. Lightwing stepped out of the way and gave a small nod as Twilight went by. 
A few seconds later we entered a room with large stain glass windows of what looked like Twilight and her friends in various situations. Two large thrones were at the opposite side of the room where we entered, one black and one white. At the foot of the thrones were three alicorns like twilight but different in colour. The first was a darker blue with a mane that looked like a solar system. The odd thing was her mane blowing in the nonexistent wind. The second was white with hair that looked tye dye and moved in the same wind as the first. The third was pink with a yellow, pink and purple mane. Unlike the other two, her mane was stationary. All three had looks of concern and curiosity on there faces. As we came closer twilight and her friends stopped and bowed to the three and instinctively so did me and the twins.
"There's no need for that," the centre one said as we stood up. "I am Princess Celestia, to my right is Princess Luna and left is princess cadence."
"It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Sam this is Anne and Hellen" I said pointing to each as I said their names.
"I will admit your manners are better than expected," cadence said than quickly adding "no offence."
"None taken princess," Anne said
"So princess Twilight has told us a lot through her letters, from you being from another dimension to the monsters you told her about, and we just wanted to fill in some missing details and meet you ourselves if that's alright," Cadence said.
"You don't need an excuse to meet beings from another dimension nor do you need our okay," Helen grumbled not looking at the princesses.
"Please excuse her, she's a grump today," I said
"It's fine I am sure this is harder on you than it is on us," Celestia said then turned to a guard close by "can you show princess twilights friends to there room so they can unpack corporal?"
"Of course your highness," he said with a bow then turned to twilights friends "please follow me."
We all watched as they left through the door we entered from. After they left there was a silence for a few moments then Celestia sighed. "Let's start with simple questions first. How many of you are there?" She asked a bit hesitant.
"Four that we know of" I replied 
"But there is only three of you" cadence said a little shocked at my answer 
"There was seven," Hellen said miserably. I shot her a glare that could put a hole in the wall, but she just shrugged it off.
"What happened to the others?" Cadence asked with concern
"Dead and missing," I said looking my back at the princesses. They all gasped at my answer. "We started our mission with seven including me and the twins," I said nodding to them respectively.
"The Devlark killed Sean before we left earth and Cody and Mike were killed the second day in Equestria. Then there's Sasha who disappeared the first day we were here" Anne said. Her eyes had gained a reflective look to them that was obviously tears.
"Oh my, I am so sorry for your friends and about pressing for details," Cadence said. Her eyes showed that she was indeed sorry.
"Don't be princess, it is just your instinct to protect your citizens by knowing as much as possible," I said, "what is your next question?" Is asked in general to the group 
"Are you a danger to Equestria?" Celestia asked "I know it is a strange question, but I am willing to hear what you have to say. Obviously Twilight trusts you, or you would not have your weapons."
I could have sworn that the guard let us keep out weapons too easily. "So the guard was a test?" I asked
A smirk appeared on Celestia's face "in a way I guess it was"
"Smart. As for your question yes we are dangerous but only to our enemies. If you are a friend, then we are harmless." I said in a level tone
"And are we your friend?" Luna asked sceptically
"Since I have been here I have been shown nothing but hospitality so for that, yes you are," I said with gratitude
"Twilight, can you show these three to there rooms please?" Celestia asked with a smile 
"Of course princess," she said with a bow
Celestia and the other princesses turned to us, and we bowed in respect. "That's it?" I asked in surprise
"Yes if you would have given us answers we did not like then we would have other questions. You all answered honestly, and we thank you for that" Luna said in a blank tone.
"This way to your rooms" Twilight said as she started to the door and we followed.

The rest of the day was spent unpacking and for me reading. I had found a library and started reading some history books. It turned out that Princess Luna had been evil once and a whole empire just disappeared from the north only to reappear one thousand years later. The more I read, the more I understood how the princesses wanted to meet us in person. Someone cleared their throat behind me, and I turned to find Celestia. 
"Are you well read?" She asked as she came over and sat down next to me
"I try to be. I like to know where I am and what the history is like." I said
"I see, how much do you know about Twilight?" 
"Not much honestly. I know she likes books and is a princess." I said with a shrug
"And her friends?"
"From what I know from meeting them rarity is a designer, Applejack is a farmer, Pinkie is a party pony as she calls herself, and Rainbow is a wonderbolt. From books I learned, they are the elements of harmony and have stop every threat to Equestria since nightmare moon. Why?"
"Did you do that on purpose?" She asked with a smirk 
shit "did what?" I asked with false bewilderment, but I could tell she was not convinced 
She turned to the open book I was reading to find it was a new book that described the lives of the elements of harmony. This particular book was brand new and never been opened. "Fluttershy" she read aloud "the element of kindness and animal caretaker of ponyville. She grew up in Cloudsdale, and after an incident with her friend Rainbow Dash, she discovered her talent with animals. Do I need to continue?" 
am I getting trolled by a princess "ya I read all the other elements bios, and now I am on hers."
Her horn took a golden glow along with the book, and after a moment it stopped "most of the other pages have not been opened too." She smirked at me "the table of contents, this page and the next which talks about her even more so may I ask why."
cover story time "I was... trying to find a reason she trusted me when I gave her no reason to," I said a little too quick for the princesses taste.
"Sam whatever you say here will never be repeated ok?" She said in a low, reassuring voice
I looked her in the eye trying to form a response, but nothing came. "Do you hate her?" Celestia asked, and I shook my head. "Do you dislike her friends or job?" again I shook my head. "Do you have a crush on her?" I didn't move. 
My eyes had moved back to the picture of Fluttershy in the book. She stood in a garden surrounded by animals from squirrels to birds to bears. Her head was tilted up a little while she smiled at a pair of cardinals flying in the air. 
"It's a good picture of her don't you think?" I heard Celestia ask
"It is."
"Do you want a copy."
I looked up at her, and she gave me a small smile. I nodded "if it wouldn't be too much trouble." She stood and started toward the door.
She stopped a few feet from the door and turned to me. "Green," she said as though it answered every question.
"What" I was seriously confused by 'green.'
"Her favourite colour," she said as she turned and left the room.
I sat there watching the door for a few minutes. I don't know what I was expecting, but after a while, I returned the books to their place and looked at the clock. 9:57 is what it read, and I was tired, so I went off to my room.