//------------------------------//
// Calm Before the Storm 
// Story: Dark Winds on the Horizon 
// by FoxMcCloud7921 
//------------------------------//

The Royal Guard member stood at the pier on the outskirts of Manehattan. His orders were to wait for the ship just on the horizon and escort two of its passengers back to Canterlot. A royal carriage was waiting nearby.
The ship that came in was no cruise ship, nor was it designed to handle the amount of civilians on board. Many of them were refugees, forced to flee from their own homes. Unfortunately, Equestria was not prepared for this future problem. For now, the guard only had two ponies to worry about.
That's when he saw them: a male pegasus with a dark brown mane and an older female unicorn wearing a pair of glasses. The guard came up to the ponies to address them. “Ambassador Hightail, Ambassador Dust Shine, your escort is here.”
The two ponies nodded as they made their way towards the carriage.




It took about half an hour to reach the capital and upon arrival, the ambassadors wasted no time making their way towards the castle. Hightail was the former ambassador of the Hippogriff Lands while Dust Shine was the former ambassador of Abyssinia. The word 'former’ was used because the two had to flee for their lives.
The two ponies made their way towards the throne room and stopped just outside the main doors. “Please wait one moment,” the guard said as he went inside. Less than a minute had passed before the doors opened in front of them.
Princesses Celestia and Luna were sitting on their thrones and upon the two ponies entering got to their in concern. “Ambassador Hightail, Ambassador Shine, we're glad to hear you're safe,” Celestia said. “The news we heard was rather vague so I hope you two can shed more light on the situation.”
The two ambassadors glanced at one another. “There's not much else to say your highness,” Hightail said. “War has spread to the east, consuming the Hippogriff Lands and now Abyssinia Ambassador Shine has told me.”
“We don't know who this enemy is, other than that he goes by the name of The Storm King and he has a massive army,” Dust Shine said. “His fleet is like none other and nopony, no one, has been able to stop him.”
“Are you saying both these lands have fallen?” Luna asked.
“The hippogriffs have gone into hiding,” Hightail said. “As for Abyssinia, the capital city Panthera still stands...of course that was merely days ago. As we speak, the capital may have already fallen.”
“This is disturbing news indeed,” Celestia said gravely. “You both said you needed our help so what can we do?”
“We'll need an audience with the Council,” Shine said. “Princesses, there is no doubt in my mind that once the Storm King has gained control of Abyssinia, he will target Equestria next.”
“It is a long journey from Abyssinia as you both know,” Luna said skeptically. “From a military point of view, such a journey will be taxing on their fuel, supplies and their soldiers.”
“However, that's a risk I'm not willing to ignore,” Celestia said. “The Council will be meeting in a few hours and I will make sure your voices are heard. For now, we'd like to hear more on what to do about this new threat.”




The chamber was filled with the sounds of conversations as councilponies greeted and talked to one another. Comprising of fifty ponies, pegasus, unicorn, and earth pony, the Council is the main body of law throughout all of Equestria. Any laws, bills, or propositions needed a majority vote to pass and they would be signed into law by both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.
At the top of the hour, Princess Celestia called the Council to order. “Good afternoon everypony, let us begin our meeting for today,” she said. “First, I have brought Ambassador Hightail of the Hippogriff Lands and Ambassador Dust Shine of Abyssinia before us to address an urgent matter. I will let the two give their statements and then will open the floor for discussion. Ambassadors, you have the floor.”
“Thank you Princesses and Councilponies for allowing us to be here today,” Hightail started out. “We may have been given the role as ambassadors but that title right now probably means nothing. I say this because as of now, Abyssinia and the Hippogriff Lands have fallen to enemy hands.”
There was a muffled discussion as many of the ponies looked at one another concerned. “We know little about this enemy, only his name and military capabilities,” Dust Shine said as she magicked up a map of the two countries. “The Storm King as he is called has a large fleet of airships at his command and an equal number of soldiers at his side. As I fled the capital city of Panthera, the enemy had already began their assault. I can only imagine the city has fallen at this point.”
“The hippogriffs as I've been told have gone into hiding,” Hightail continued. “My friends, I think you all know what will happen next. As all power-hungry dictators act, they will stop at nothing to control everything on this world until we are all under the rule of an evil empire. We have what our friends to the East never had: time to prepare.
“So why are we here? With the Council's permission…” Hightail then pulled out a map of Equestria. “We believe that our defenses must be bolstered to the east on the eve of an incoming attack. Our fleet may not be enough, but if we can talk with the other clans then we may just be able to hold them off.” He then looked to Celestia. “That is all for our opening statements.”
“Very well,” Celestia nodded. “Anypony who wishes to question the ambassadors on this matter may do so now.”
The first to stand up was a male earth pony. “Ambassador Hightail, I'd just like to have you specify on one thing. When you say east, just where would the fleet be stationed.”
“Along the east coast,” Hightail replied. “From Manehattan and Trottingham all the way down south. I'd leave the planning to a military expert of course.”
“Well, the thing is... what about Griffinstone?”
Hightail felt his mouth go dry. “What about Griffinstone?”
“Surely we're not going to just leave them hanging out to dry?” the councilpony asked.
“I have a friend who is from Griffinstone and she will be addressing the matter with her kin,” Dust Shine said. “I believe we can work out a defense plan together.”
“Well...let's be honest.” A female unicorn now stood up. “The Griffin Empire, if you still want to call it that, is still in the rebuilding process. There is no doubt that they are strong and capable but against a force that you described, they won't last long.”
“The other thing is we're assuming an invasion will even happen,” a female pegasus said. “What if this Storm King doesn't invade? Are we then obligated to liberate our friends to the east? I'm not saying we should abandon them but we don't have the military might to take the enemy on and it would take years before we're even ready.”
The chamber erupted into chaos as sides began to form, supporting and opposing the proposition.
“We can't sit back and twiddle our hooves!”
“There's no way any army could make the distance here without shortages! He wouldn't be that bold!”
“Order!” Celestia yelled, banging on the gavel to quiet everyone down.
“If I may?” Everyone turned to look at the pony who just spoke, a female crystal pony that represented the Crystal Empire. “As a representative of the Crystal Empire, in the short amount of time since our thousand year exile, we have been faced with a fair number of crises. Not that long ago, we almost had a war between the yaks and dragons erupt just outside our doorstep. If Canterlot sends its forces to the east, those to the west will then be vulnerable. You speak of alliances, but all of the ones we have are fragile at best.
I believe I speak for the others when I say that we want nothing more than to help our neighbors because surely they'd do the same for us. But we have to face reality: as many have said, we lack the power to go to war and by the time we were ready, if there is an invasion then it'll be too late.”
“What exactly are you suggesting then councilpony?” Shine asked.
The mare sighed. “I'm suggesting the best thing we can do is wait and see what happens. We build up our forces, but we wait until the Storm King makes his next move.”
The silence that followed was slightly unnerving. “I...think that will be all for discussions,” Celestia said. “We will now go for a vote. For the proposition of placing our defense fleet across the Eastern Coast and beginning new production of ships and weaponry, all those in favor say 'aye’.”
Almost two dozen hoofs raised in the air as their owners declared, “Aye.” For both ambassadors, their hearts sank as they counted the number of hooves.
“And those not in favor…” Celestia said. The sound of “nay”'s filled the room - a majority vote. “The nays have it then. We will continue on to further business.”




“Well, that went about as well as expected,” Hightail said glumly as he sipped on a glass of wine in his hoof. The two ambassadors we're currently in the princess’ private chambers.
“I just don't understand,” Dust Shine said, nursing a glass herself. “Surely the Council understands this is a reasonable threat? And yet they refuse to budge on the matter?”
“They are scared, Ambassador Shine,” Luna said. “I admit their worries are reasonable. But you saw some were willing to side with you.”
“Not that that'll help us now,” Hightail grumbled. “Any further attempts will just lead to the same conclusion.” He then looked to Celestia. “Princess, surely there must be something you can do.”
The princess sighed. “My hooves are tied now, though it's not to say I can't perform some actions behind the Council's back. I can speak with Princess Cadance and Shining Armor to see if there are any airships that can be spared. I'll also pay a visit to Griffinstone and warn the griffins about an impending attack.”
“If I may ask princess,” Shine said. “What about Princess Twilight and the others?”
“Princess Twilight has enough on her plate and I'd rather not worry her about something that may not even happen,” Celestia said. “But I'm sure if we need somepony to help take care of the Storm King, we'll know who to contact.”
“If it will help, I will speak to Cadance and Shining Armor while you see to the griffins,” Luna said. “We may not have much time to act…”
“I guess it's something but…” Hightail sighed. “If we don't act and if we can't change the minds of the Council, Equestria will meet the same fate as Abyssinia…”