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// Story: A Knight's Tale
// Chapter: Chapter 4
// Author: lionel23
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"I don't see anyone else here that could have done such a thing," Rainbow Dash was flapping her wings quickly as she pressed herself right up into Coltrane's face, staring him down hard with one eye.
"And I say you're as blind as a bat!" he roared back, puffing up his chest and inspiring fear in all the other Ponyvillians gathered to see what all the commotion was about, "Now, shove off before you really start to get on my nerve."
"Get on your nerve? Maybe you're the one getting on my nerves, ever think about that?" Rainbow dash was now on the verge of getting spitting mad at the rudeness the warpony was giving her.
Rainbow Dash was also developing an acute case of tunnel vision as she was only focusing on the leader and not the rest of his companions that began to form up around her. And the whole time this face-to-face grudge match was going on, the larger the crowd composed of the residents of Ponyville seemed to form a circular wall around them.
"And tell me, what if I didn't want to get out of your way? What are you going to do about that now, buddy?"
"Buddy? I am not your buddy, you winged wimpy worm."
"Worm? Wimpy?! I think you're nothing but a loudmouth blowhard that wouldn't know manners if it bit you on the flank!"
"Why you!" Coltrane was starting to become fuming mad now at the arrogance of the blue rainbow-colored Pegasus pony, "I am literally going to smash you into—"
"Just what seems to be the problem here?" Twilight's interruption seemed to be a Godsend as a collective sigh of relief could be heard from the ponies in the surrounding crowd.
"Twilight, good timing!" Rainbow Dash landed neatly on all fours and trotted over to her friend Twilight Sparkle and half-turned to glare at Coltrane, "Somepony here thinks he can waltz right on into our town like he owns the place and just break whatever he wants! Look, he even smashed Cherry Berry's cherry cart!"
All eyes – especially those of each of the warponies – were focused intently on Cherry Berry. She slinked back up against the wall that formed the perimeter of the gathering crowd.
"It's really okay… it was an accident, I'm sure," she chuckled nervously.
"If the owner of the cart says it was an accident, I frankly can't help but see why this should be of any of your concern then," glowered the warlord as sparks flew between him and Rainbow Dash, "Unless it were to pick a fight."
"Pardon us, Sirs," Twilight pushed past Rainbow Dash and half bowed to the warlord, "We meant no disrespect at all of you or your friends."
Coltrane grinned and raised himself up regally at Twilight's formal speech and humble bowing. Rainbow Dash's jaw – on the other hand – literally hit the ground at Twilight's groveling-like talk.
"Well, I'm glad simple courtesy isn't entirely lost on all of you backwater ponies," the warlord said dismissively.
"Why I oughta…!" Rainbow Dash 'rolled' up her nonexistent sleeves and prepared to go all in, but some timely intervention on Applejack and Angel Song's part dissuaded her – against her will – from following up on her threat.
"If I may introduce myself? I am Twilight Sparkle, a student of Princess Celestia,"
"Oh, is that a fact?" Destrier Coltrane raised a curious brow as his company of warponies erupted into hushed whispers and conversation.
Though a quick, stern look from the warlord back as his fellows immediately hushed them into silence.
"And I am Angel Song, hoofmaiden and attendant to Princess Luna," Angel Song approached from behind and stood beside Twilight Sparkle.
"Princess… Luna?" Coltrane seemed more perplexed at that announcement, but a quick follow-up explanation from Twilight cleared the air that there were in fact two Princesses in charge of Equestria.
"I see… a lot has happened since…" Coltrane words seemed to drift off and his tone was a lot less confrontational after Twilight's cordial explanation. He nodded to nopony in particular but himself as he processed her words.
"May I ask, what brings you gentlecolts to our humble town?"
"Ah, indeed you may! We're currently tracking down some… fugitives from Trotterdam. Con artists they are; they like to deceive innocent fillies with their charm and silver, forked tongues; claiming to be knights of all things! You haven't by any chance seen these scondrels, have you?"
"No, no; of course not. I think I would have remembered seeing such ponies. Have you Angel?" Twilight answered as she prompted the unicorn.
"Can't say that I have either," Angel Song replied almost on cue, and a quick glance at the crowd coerced them into agreement as hushed whispers and nods went all around.
"Very well, it seems our detour here was in vain. Tell me, which way is Canterlot? We have our suspicions these fugitives may be headed there as we speak."
Twilight provided them the directions they sought – as any falsehood would just land these warponies back to Ponyville – and she was rewarded with a quick nod of thanks from their leader. With that, Coltrane and his warponies raced off in a full gallop off into the distance and out of sight.
"I say Twi, your hifalutin talking sure did the trick," Applejack gave her friend a smile of approval for a performance well done.
"What in the hay?!" Rainbow Dash finally broke away from Applejack's grip and flew up into Twilight's face, "Why did you let them go?"
"I'll take care of things here, Twilight," Angel Song trotted elegantly over to Cherry Berry, and from what Twilight could pick up, something about compensation from the Canterlot Royal Treasury was all she could make out.
Though more importantly, it gave her time to clear up some finer points to her friend Rainbow Dash.
"Come with me, Rainbow," Twilight ordered nonchalantly and turned with everyone except Angel Song back to her home.
"What's with you guys, you're all acting really strange-"
Rainbow Dash didn't get a chance to finish that thought as she entered Twilight's house. As she stepped through the door, four noble knightly ponies stood at attention from besides Rarity, while a fifth immediately ducked behind a bed that Fluttershy was sitting atop of.
"Easy there, Butterscotch. It's not them," Captain Silver Lancer rolled his eyes, mildly irritated with the cowardly knight's manners.
"Hey, those are those ponies they were talking about!" declared Rainbow Dash.
"Thank you, captain obvious," Twilight remarked quietly to herself, though Applejack was close enough to catch it and stifle a giggle, "Can we please shut the door before the rest of the Equestria knows they are here?"
Pinkie Pie kicked the door close as soon as soon as the last of them entered, and she sprung happily next to Twilight.
"Will somepony please explain to me what is going on here?" Rainbow demanded, her voice tainted with impatience by all this secrecy.
Twilight took Rainbow aside and began to explain to her before a knock on the door allowed Angel Song to rejoin the group.
"How did things fare, Lady Angel Song?" the Prince asked with a twinge of uncertainty in his voice.
Angel Song seemed to beam at his attention, trotting close to the Prince… that was until Rarity casually and not so discreetly came in between the both of them.
"They're gone for now. They probably went on their way ahead towards Canterlot to see if they had missed you," Angel Song spoke, though her stern gaze was focused on the other white unicorn in the room.
"Well, that isn't good," Silver Lancer's ears perked up at the observation, "If they are waiting ahead, then surely we will not be able to make it to Canterlot anytime soon,"
"Until they get bored," Twilight had just finished explaining things to Rainbow when she stepped into the conversation, "At which point they'll have realized that they must have gone too far ahead and will backtrack to find all of you. I was under the impression that their leader is not the most patient of ponies?"
"Thou art most correct in assuming so. So that leaves us knights with another pressing question then – what do we do now?" Knight Light purposed with an almost unamused expression on his face.
"We can always show you a good time! We love having guests! There are tons of fun things to do while you are all here in Ponyville!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed and began bouncing around the room.
"Fun? What is this fun thou speakest of?" Prince Knight Light asked confused.
Twilight suppressed a giggle as she grinned widely, showing off her sparkling teeth. Those same words had been uttered by another certain pony princess she knew. Amazing how some things changed, others stayed the same.
"I don't know, that sounds awfully risky," Angel Song voiced her own concerns over the plans.
"Nonsense, us ponyfolks here will make sure that y'all be safe for the day. Trust me on that!" Applejack announced as she scooped up Rainbow Dash in a hooked hoof beside her.
"I have a bad feeling about this…" Butterscotch whispered quietly to himself and hid his head beneath Twilight's pillow while Fluttershy gently patted him on the back to comfort him.