Majesty: Queen of the Castle

by Paradise Oasis


Pony Rescue!

As the airship moved deeper into Equestrian territory, the ponies aboard began to see other airships moving around on the horizon. The crew stealthily maneuvered through the clouds, avoiding any contact with equestrian forces, making their way towards the capital. But as Tux and Majesty watched out one of the portholes, they noticed a team of blue-uniformed Pegasus flew towards the airship in a "V" formation.

"Uh oh," The prince muttered nervously. "I think we've drawn some unwanted attention!"

The Pegasus flew up alongside the airship, giving the ponies aboard a good look at the Equestrians who were intercepting them. Applejack's eyes went wide, as she recognized their pursuers.

"Oh, horseapples!" The grumpy earth pony declared. "It's the wonderbolts!"

"The elite fliers of Equestria? Oh dear." Wind Whistler lamented. "They must think we look suspicious, or something!"

"Everyone stay calm!" Tux reassured them, looking out the window. "They can't possibly know who we are. All I have to do is convince them we're visiting tourists, and-"

"Attention Ponyland airship, surrender now, and prepare to me boarded!" The mare who lead the squadron called out. "We know you have princess Majesty of Dream Valley aboard. Hand her over, and the rest of you may leave our airspace freely."

"They must have figured out who we are, somehow." Applejack whinnyed, clear nervousness and anxiety in her voice. "Oh, we're gonners for sure, now!"

"Oh on, ya don't! You're not taking our friend that easily!" Wind Whistler snorted, galloping over to the cargo door. "Come on, Hollywood! Let's show these meanies who's boss!"

"Right behind you!" The flutter pony replied, as she followed Windy towards the door. "Majesty. we'll hold these creeps off, while you go to rescue Tornado! Now, hurry!"

"Windy, Holly, wait!" Majesty called out, galloping over to the door. But the two were already gone, and all the unicorn could do was shut the door with her magic.

"Don't worry, Princess! I'm sure they'll be all right." Tux reassured her. Looking down at his map, the stallion stared out the ship's bottom view port for a moment, staring intently towards the ground, before declaring; "Helmsman, bring us to a full stop." Tux 'n Tails turned back towards Applejack and Majesty. "This looks like the area my intelligence reports say Equestria has it's dungeon for political prisoners. My guess is, you'll find your friend down there."

"Thank you, Tux, for everything." She smiled at the prince, rubbing a hoof across his cheek tenderly. "Now, please go back and help our two flying friends, if you can."

"Be careful out there, princess." The stallion replied, giving her a wink. "We'll be back for the two of you as soon as we can!"

The two mares slid down the rope, and landed on the roof of the building. Sirens were blaring all around them, as A.J. and the princess galloped over towards a rooftop door.

"This is insane! How did they figure out we were coming to rescue Tornado?" Majesty asked, as they flung open the door, and galloped down the stairs. "We didn't let anybody know we were coming here!"

"Oh, these Equestrians have their ways." A.J., replied, as they descended the stairs to the top floor. "They may not have all of the powerful magical artifacts Equestria has, but they sure make up for it with the powerful unicorn spell casters they raise and train here."

The two ponies raced down through the building, passing row after row of ponies who were locked away in barred cells. The prisoners cried out to the two mares as they glanced into each cell, their voices desperate and weak.

"Please, help us..."

"We're trapped here, and we didn't do anything wrong..."

"Please, free us, before that horrible mare comes back!"

"Princess, we can't just leave them here." Applejack pointed out, all of the sad faces and mournful pleas getting to her. "If they locked Tornado up, chances are these other ponies don't deserve to be here, either!"

"Oh, I have a plan to free them, A.J.." Majesty replied, picking up the pace of her gallop. "But we have to find Tornado, first!"

The two mares finally reached the bottom floor, where they finally found the battered and bruised form of Tornado. Majesty used her magic to open the lock, and the rushed in the help the dearly-dead Mountain boy pony.

"Tornado, what have they done to you?" Applejack muttered in shock, as she and Majesty helped him stand, and guided him towards the entrance of the cell. "We've got to get you out of here, right now!"

"You- you shouldn't have come...." The stallion muttered weakly, as the carried him out through the cell door with their front hooves. "A-a trap..."

Just then, a bright light suddenly filled the darkness, and the three ponies found themselves in front of an angry-looking unicorn mare... and about a hundred Equestrian guards, all pointing their spears at the two ponies.

"Well well well, it looks like my trap worked." The pink unicorn smiled darkly, glaring at Majesty. "And I've caught one of the most valuable prizes in Ponyland!"

"YOU!" Applejack exclaimed, staring at Starlight in horror. "I know you from somewhere! I don't remember how, but I know you!"

"WHAT, APPLEJACK!?" Starlight shrieked, turning white as a ghost. "Y-you can't be alive! How did you survive all these centuries?!"

"Applejack, do oyu know this mare?" Majesty asked, looking at her friend. "Is she someone you've met before?"

"I-I think so, your highness, I just can't remember where..." A.J. looked back at Starlight, and snarled. "But I do remember that she is a really rotten apple, and she'll betray and hurt anypony who gets in her way!"

"You don't remember? Hm, so you're not the original Applejack." Starlight glimmer chuckled. "Well, no matter. You're still going to die beside your princess anyway, and two of my last obstacles to true pony equality will be gone forever."

"You may think you have us, witch." Majesty grinned, narrowing her eyes at starlight. "But I still have one last trick up my sleeve."

The princess's horn began to glow, he magic radiating throughout the building. Then suddenly, all of the locks on the cells of all Starlight's other prisoners clicked, and all of the cell doors in the building swung open. and all of those angry prisoner ponies who wanted revenge on Starlight and her guards were suddenly free...