Static Thunder was hardly what one would call normal. For instance, while most ponies sported a coat that could be any colour under the sun thanks to a massive and varied pool of hair colour genes, Static stood out even more, as her fur glimmered like metal when caught by the light at just the right angle. On top of that, her vibrant blue mane and tail could not help but add to the striking image the mare presented. More than a few times, Rainbow Dash had told her she looked like a character from a ‘steampunk’ novel.
That was just how she looked, of course. Static also happened to be a former human, former changeling and the first Knight of the Lunar Order in a thousand years, capable of traveling the dream realm, and about to be married to one of the Elements of Harmony.
All in all, she made for an interesting case study in how life could be bat-shit crazy.
But at the moment, the hero of Vancouver, who had stared down a mad queen and waded through an army of Changelings, was quivering and shaking where she stood, the maids who had been helping her put on her wedding dress having to constantly request her to stay still so that they could actually put on the long, traditionally white dress- though Rarity had spruced it up with silvery trim and linings that really made it stand out. A few leaf patterns had been worked into the main body, and a few sapphires were sprinkled into those patterns to add a little more flair.
“Oh…I hope I don’t screw up my lines!!” Static mumbled, her eyes more than just a little panicked as she looked about one of the royal castles many fitting rooms. This one was technically a part of a guest suite, but there were so many guests, and unfortunately, nobles, getting ready that Static and Fluttershy were getting ready on what could easily be the absolute opposite ends of the castle. “What if my legs get tangled up and I trip? What if my dress gets caught on something? What if-?”
“And here I thought my Knight was going to be the stoic one.” The maids immediately jumped up and bowed to the figure standing in the door, the illustrious and resplendent Princess Luna, who regarded the tittering bride with a wry smile and amusement dancing in her eyes. “Yet I come to check up on her, and find her fretting and worrying like an old mare.”
Static ran her hooves through her tumbling mane and looked at her reflection in the nearby mirror and bit her lip. “I just...I keep having all these little worries. It’s driving me crazy, thinking about all the ways I could mess up, or things could go wrong.” Static admitted, looking over her gorgeous gown and make-upped face and frowning at every little tiny imperfection.
Luna saw her student’s concerns as plain as day, her experienced eyes picking up all the little twitches of Static’s lips and eyes that indicated displeasure or annoyance at something she had seen. The Alicorn rolled her eyes. “Methinks perhaps that thou art looking at this from the wrong angle.” She motioned with her hoof for the maids to back away, which they did immediately, and moved over to sit by her student, looking at the reflection in the mirror. “Instead of dwelling on all that could go wrong, think of all the things that will go right today. Thy friends have done a marvelous job of preparing the stage for your ceremony, and by tonight, you will be married to one of the most beautiful mares in all the land, with an adorable foal to raise, and a fantastic life to lead together, until the end of your days.” Luna cupped her faithful friends face in with her wing, and lifted it up, so that she might gaze into those wonderfully blue eyes. “This day, to borrow a phrase from another royal, will be perfect, and you are going to be too busy tonight to remember how frightened and nervous you were.”
Static blushed bright red, and Luna grinned playfully, the maids even giggling a little and trying to make it seem as if they weren’t. “Luna!” Static gasped, backing away with a shocked, but far brighter expression adorning her muzzle, her ears splayed back and cheeks still burning. “That’s just- just-!”
“Exactly the kind of thing that thou wouldst say were our positions reversed, my friend.” Luna smirked, and the slightly guilty, shameful grin on Statics face did nothing to convince her that she was wrong. “And it made you laugh and relax a little, so there’s that.” Luna paused, before asking a tentative question that had been weighing on her mind. “Art thou sure you wish for my sister to give you away? I know that I cannot do it as the officiator, but I’m sure your mother or father ...”
Static sighed, rolling her eyes. “We’ve been over this. I’m not going to ask my parents to make a one way trip just to attend a wedding.”
“And be with their children.” Luna pointed out. “They may have changed their minds since last you spoke.”
Static frowned, considering the possibility. “Yeah, true. They might have. But to ask them to come and abandon their lives...the rest of their family.”
Luna felt her ears drifting lower and lower until they rested against her neck. “It ...does not seem like an easy choice on their part, especially when you can still visit them.”
“Exactly. Now, I think I’m as ready as I can be- physically at least. Still working on building up my nerve.”
Luna’s wry grin resurfaced. “Oh, was my little pep talk not enough? Perhaps I should find your soon to be wife and request she help ease your tensions.”
As luck would have it, Static had just decided to take a drink of water to stay hydrated, and sprayed it all over one of the unfortunate maids, who, surprisingly, just shook her head, muttered something about “Every week. Every feathering week.” and then walked out of the room to find a towel- and a dry uniform.
“LUNA!!” Came the despairing, accusatory wail, followed by a laughing Princess being chased out of a changing room with several pillows flying out after her at max speed.
***********************************
“Might I come in?” The motherly voice at the door was one that all ponies knew in their souls, but the pony whom that voice currently addressed had a far more personal connection with its owner.
Fluttershy, humming to herself and brushing her mane while a pair of maids, one stallion and a mare, helped to get her ready for her big day by fitting her dress and making sure nothing was either out of place, too tight, or damaged in any way. The maids moved aside for their Princess, who took up a position beside the bride.
“Feeling a little nervous?” Celestia asked, smiling down at the pink maned beauty beside her.
Fluttershy pursed her lips before mumbling a maybe.
Celestia gave a knowing nod, before turning to look into the mirror at herself and her subjects reflections. How grand the Alicorn seemed, yet, as she stared, the Alicorn found herself….a little envious. Paramours and secret romances aside, as Princess, Celestia could never truly embark on this kind of adventure the way that Fluttershy could. For any lover she took, there would always be secrecy, always stealing fleeting moments instead of simply enjoying the time.
Like with the current object of her affections.
Celestia sighed, but kept the smile on her lips and did what she did best. “Ah, young love. Always wonderful to witness.” She said, as if to herself, using her magic to braid Fluttershy’s hair. “Of course, being so old now myself, I’ve seen it many times.”
“Did you ever experience it?” Fluttershy asked, rather boldly. A far cry from the mare Celestia remembered meeting on that wonderful morning nine years before, who had practically hid from her the rest of the day.
“Once or twice.” Celestia answered, evenly. “But nothing that ever lasted, I’m afraid. And I dare say that there isn’t a pony alive today that would even think of asking me now.” Not true of course. Somepony had asked. Somepony they both knew. Not that the Princess was going to go blabbing, of course. They kept it secret for a reason.
“I’m sure they would.” Fluttershy murmured, her eyes darting off to the side. “If they weren’t so scared of rejection.”
Celestia chuckled. “They should not fear rejection, just the wrath of my sister.”
Fluttershy looked up at the bigger mare with a little, but slightly confused smile. “She’s overprotective?”
“You could say a thousand years gave her a long time to consider what she cares about most, and what she’ll do to protect those things.” Celestia continued braiding those delicate pink locks. “It’s not much of a surprise that she considers me the most important thing in her life, since we’re the only family we have.”
Fluttershy shook her head, making Celestia gasp and jerk forward at the sudden yanking on her magic. “Oh no, no, that’s not true!! That’s not true at all!”
Celestia settled back onto her haunches again, raising an eyebrow at the mare. “Oh? Do you know something that we don’t?” She asked, amusement lacing her tone.
“Twilight and Cadence are your family!” Fluttershy protested. “And Static and me! And our friends! We may not be related by blood, but it still counts!”
Celestia truly did feel happy at that. Her smile was far more genuine this time. “Oh, Fluttershy, you are truly too kind. Thank you.”
“Oh, and um, there’s Blueblood, too, I guess.” Fluttershy mumbled into her own hair, looking away a bit and blushing.
“Hmm, sometimes I do wonder if I should keep calling him nephew. His ego doesn’t need any more of a boost.” Celestia said, contemplatively rubbing her pastern under her chin. “Any more and his head might just swell up like a balloon.”
The two mares looked at each other for a moment before they started to quietly chuckle at the pompous stallions expense.
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It was a knock on the door at about midday, that finally broke the peace and quiet respite that Twilight and Spike had been enjoying. The purple Princess groaned and rubbed her eyes, searching for the clock hanging on the opposite wall, and finding the hands both pointing upwards. Twilight slid off of her comfy chair and clopped to the floor, before tiredly making her way over to the wooden orifice that someone was rapping against.
A quick application of magic to the handle opened the door, and revealed a tall figure encased in purple and gold armour, hand raised to knock again.
The unusual sight of a very humanoid figure dressed in the new-ish colours of the Friendship Guard was one that Canterlot had been treated to a lot during Twilight’s visit, as the Architect called Crimson Pureheart was a part of it, and had been assigned as Twilight’s personal bodyguard for several months. As such he announced visitors, kept Twilight on track, and generally stood around looking intimidating.
“Morning- uh, afternoon, Crimson.” Twilight yawned. “Is there anything wrong?”
Crimson, as he should, did not address her by name. “No, Princess, nothing is wrong.”
“You know you can call me Twilight.” Twilight complained, turning around and inviting the guard inside. She made her way over to a small kitchen area and started making some coffee to wake herself up.
“I’m on duty, Princess. That means I call you by title, unless ordered otherwise.”
“Then as Princess, I order you to call me Twilight.” Twilight grouched, pausing her coffee grinding to wake up Spike with a few telekinetic nudges.
“Oh, come on, now that’s just playing dirty.” Crimson whined. “You know the Sergeant will chew me out if he hears me calling you Twilight- regardless of what you order me to do.”
“Then I’ll get Captain True Shot to get him off your back.” Twilight countered.
Crimson just shook his head. “It’s not worth the hassle just to get one person to call you by name instead of rank.”
“Coffee?” Twilight asked, waving some of the brew in his direction.
“No, thank you. The last thing a guards needs to be is buzzing and jittery.” Crimson replied.
“Suit yourself.” Twilight chirped, before pouring her and Spike a cup and passing the young Drake his. “So, what did you need us for?”
“Princess Celestia stopped by, told me to wake you for a meeting.”
“A royal meeting?”
“Yes. She said that Princess Cadence, Luna, and Prince Shining would be there.”
Twilight smiled happily, depositing her already drained mug on the counter. “Oooh, BBBFF’s gonna be there? Must be important. But no Blueblood?”
Crimson shrugged. “Her Highness didn’t mention him. Just someone she called Javelin.”
Twilight flinched. “Javelin?”
“Yes. Is….is that bad?”
“Potentially. Javelin only comes to those meetings when something important is happening.” Spike chimed in. “Not that I’m supposed to know that, but Twilight tells me everything anyway.”
Twilight blushed bright red and turned around to shush the dragon, who just grinned and laughed. “Anyway, I should get going. This sounds important.”
“I’ll be right with you.” Crimson nodded.
Twilight shook her head. “You’ll be waiting outside the tower where we meet him. When Javelin is involved, not even Spike is allowed in with me, and he’s allowed everywhere with me.”
Spike nodded. “It’s true.”
“But….I’m supposed to protect you. How can I do that when I’m stuck outside.”
Twilight rolled her eyes, before patting his cheek and giving a mocking pout. “Awww, is mister big bad Architect feeling left out cause he can’t come in?” Spike laughed from where he was packing up all the papers that his sister had left strewn around the room.
Crimson flushed beet red under his armour. “No!! I’m not feeling bad! I just don’t want something to happen and you get hurt because I’m not there!! You’re sp- Uh, you’re my Princess, ma’am. I’m supposed to protect you.”
Twilight just laughed again. “Don’t worry. It’s probably not that big a deal. I’ll be fine, you’ll be right outside the door, just like you were all day. It’s really not that different.”
“It is. I’ll be at the bottom of a tower while you’re meeting someone I don’t know.” Crimson frowned.
“Relax, it’ll be thirty minutes, tops.”
“It had better.”
Twilight fixed him with a stare. “Calm down, grumpy pants. You’re just gonna make me nervous now.”
She didn’t let him reply, instead trotting out the door and starting off towards the familiar meeting place that Javelin always met them at.
***************************************
Javelin’s meeting place was certainly not in the tower that Twilight led Crimson to. While she did go inside that tower, she had lied to him. The meeting place wasn’t in the Astronomy tower at all.
It was under it.
Twilight trotted into the room last, having taken the time to make sure the secret passage was properly closed and concealed. She was greeted by a group of familiar faces, including one very annoyed Pegasus mare who was still in her wedding dress.
“Alright Javelin. What’s the matter now?” Static asked, now that Twilight was there, the meeting began with no ceremony at all.
Javelin, was exactly who no one would suspect for the position of Spymaster. Being both intelligent and brilliant at subterfuge while seeming to all the world a bumbling idiot. The white coated and gold maned stallion placed several images onto the meeting rooms table, and the Princesses all leaned in to examine them.
“These were brought in just an hour ago by my long range scouts.” Javelin spoke softly, almost in whispers, but every word was measured and precise. “Sometime last night, someone or something attacked a watchtower at our southern border, and killed all the guards before they could even rally a defense. The beacons were lit, but in a freak thunderstorm, the signal didn’t get very far before the other towers were attacked as well. Very few made it out alive, and most are unaccounted for.” The pictures in question were of squat stone towers in various states of ruin, many still smoking from the destruction that had been brought upon them. They numbered five in all.
“Do we know what did this?” Shining Armour asked. The Unicorn Prince looked uncomfortable without his guard armour, shifting nervously as he stared at the pictures.
“No.” Javelin answered. “The evidence indicated skyships, but my scouts found no trace of them.”
Static frowned. “Because of the storm?”
“Yes. Whether this is a scouting mission, a quick raid or a full blown invasion, we don’t know. The storm made it impossible for my unicorns and pegasi to find out.”
“So they used the storm to mask their approach, attacked, and then, what, just left again?” Static asked. “Seems one hell of a stupid idea to poke a military power and then give them a chance to respond.”
“Unless that is their aim, to have us expose ourselves by sending our own forces to investigate.” Luna suggested.
“Where is that storm now?” Celestia asked.
“Dissipating, your highness.”
“Keep track of any similar weather. If they’ve hidden their ships and their forces nearby, then they may use the same trick again.”
“So what do we do?” Twilight asked. “If we send ponies out, we could get ambushed, but if we don’t, then we risk them surprising us again.”
“My ponies are on high alert now. If any of them catch wind of any potentially hostile activity, they’ll send a message as quickly as possible.” Javelin replied. “I recommend we ready our forces for potential attack. Notify all garrisons to go to high alert and be ready for anything.”
“I guess that’s all we can do, for now.” Static frowned. “I don’t like it though. Not one bit.”
“Nor do I.” Luna grimaced. “It is all too easy for us to make a mistake when we have so little to go on.”
“That’s why we’re going on high alert, your Highness.” Javelin agreed. “We may not be able to risk sending our forces out, but we can at least prepare them for whatever comes their way.”
“This meeting is adjourned, for now.” Celestia intoned, tapping her gold-shod hoof on the table. “Go back to preparing the festivities. Shining, Javelin and I shall see to the military.”
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