//------------------------------// // [1] - Warm Welcomes // Story: Lunar Plight - [Displaced] // by Netloids Ultimatum //------------------------------// A shake awoke John from the peaceful slumber he had found himself in after his one-sided fight woth Garland. "C'mon, get up!" A voice demanded. A familiar voice, John noted. One that had long brought him comfort. "….Connie…?" "Yeah, now get up. We gotta out of here." 'Get out of here?' The boy thought, suddenly remembering the events of the past twenty-four hours. "Connie, what happened?" His eyes met her own, and she sighed. "I don't know. I don't think we're dead though, not yet at least." "Right, let's go." Pulling himself out of bed, John gazed around the dimly lit room they had been put into. An exit was on the wall opposite of their beds, but was sealed off by a glowing purple chain with a lock directly in the middle. "I've already tried everything…" Connie told her brother, glaring at the door. "….but it won't budge." A chill ran through John's hand as Crescent Rose appeared involuntarily once again. "Whoa, what-?!" John pointed the tip of the Keyblade adjacent of the lock, and closed his eyes. He imagined himself in a pitch back void, firing a beam of light upwards into the outline of a keyhole. A screech filled his ears, and his eyes jolted open. Connie could only stare at him, wide eyed, and pointing to the door, babbling incoherently. He looked back to the exit, noting the purple particles of energy fading away from it, and the missing chains. "Let's get out of here." He ran out of the room, his sister swiftly following. 《♤♡◇♧》 The royal garden of Canterlot Castle was quite impressive, even by Garland's standards. As he stalked through the bushes and vines of flowers and shrubbery he came across an old statue, one he hadn't seen in centuries. Atop a carefully carved marble platform stood statues of Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and himself, with his statue being placed in the center holding his mighty sword skyward, with Celestia and Luna airborn on his left and right. The paint had long chipped away to reveal the grey stone, and vines had overtaken it to the point where not a soul would be able to make it out. Yet on the marble platform clear as day and untouched by yhe growth was nailed a plaque reading; "The Good Knight, Garland." Gentle hoofsteps became louder as Princess Celestia approached him from behind, stopping a mere five feet behind him. He looked upwards towards the statue's depiction of himself again as he chuckled. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" The hoofsteps resumed until Celestia sat down at Garland's left side. Finally, she too looked upwards to the statue. "Indeed, reminiscent of a harder, yet…more fulfilling and less lonely time. Back when the three of us stood together to face the darkness of this world. I still remember the day we found you, fighting off Timberwolves and Manticores for bits in the southern towns. It was a sunny day, much like this one." "Yes, I remember." "Why did you leave Garland?" He looked down to the Alicorn, staring into teary eyes. He opened his mouth, but found no words as Celestia rubbed herself against his armor, akin to a cat and it's owner. "Luna's banishment changed you Garland, it changed me too. I hoped together we could create a better world for her to come home to." "Princess…" She stared him in the eyes again, wiping away her tears. "Why did you leave?" Garland kneeled down to a knee, embracing her as he did so. "Had I stayed, things would have gotten far worse. I blame myself for Luna's jealousy, and each day I would cry for her, hoping she would come home. After you abandoned the castle, I took up residency once again, maintaining it until it's reached the unlivable state it resides in today. I left because…" 《♤♡◇♧》 Connie was thrown backwards, the wooden beast pursuing her airborn figure as John rushed in, Keyblade in hand to stop it. Swinging the blade down upon it's left hind leg, it let put a whimper and turned it's attention to it's attacker. Connie landed at the base of a tree, struggling to maintain conciousness as John fought the timberwolf that had jumped them just before they had reached the exit to the forest. The beast raised a claw, aiming to crush the boy under it, only for the Keyblade to strike it's wrist, dismembering it with a mighty crack. It let out another whimper as it attempted a retreat, only for John to sprint after it, jump up it's back, and hack away at it's neck. As the whimpering died down, the boy made his way to his sister, picking her up over his shoulder. "Almost….there…." The last thing he expected to hear was Tara's voice. "Unfortunately, I can't allow you to leave the forest. Not yet." John slowly turned to face the voice, as to not disturb Connie any further. But Tara wasn't there, and a small sized lavender horse, bearing wings and a horn, spoke in her place. "Please, Garland told me about what happened, and I can promise you he means well! Come back with me to the cabin and I'll explain things further." John's eyes narrowed. 'A talking pony?' His grip on both Connie and the Keyblade tightening. "Garland? He attacked me! Why would I go back there?!" "Did he attack you, or was it the other way around?" "Other way aro-?" John thought back to the previous night. Garland had helped him up, and asked him to come to the cabin, but Connie was still missing, and John had thought Garland had took her. And she was at the cabin when they woke up! "Alright, look! I attacked him, but he kidnapped my sister!" The pony took a step forward, only for John to take a step backwards towards the treeline. "Garland didn't kidnap her. I found her just inside the forest and brought her home. It was only by coincidence that Garland found you hours beforehand." "Beforehand?" The pony took a step forwards again, noting that John didn't take a step back in turn. "Yes, beforehand. Now plea-" "Why should I trust you?" The pony hung her, closing her eyes. "I haven't had the opportunity to show you that you can trust me, but I want to change that. I can help both of you find your way home." "….home?" 《♤♡◇♧》 The shine of Luna's horn dimmed as darkness filled the sky. The soft glow of her moon shining upon the land, she retreated from her balcony, stalking to her bed only to find a hulking armored figure sitting there, helmet removed, and the shadows of the room obscuring his face. Two lavender orbs blazing through the shadows turned to face her. "I've missed you Luna." Laying onto the bed next to him, she placed her head in his lap. "We have missed you too, Sir Garland." Garland looked through the balcony door, gazing to the shining and proud moon lighting the night sky. "Celestia couldn't do it justice no matter how hard she tried, you know." Luna stayed silent as Garland removed his right gauntlet, revealing a scarred pale hand. The hand made it's way to the Princess' mane, slowly stroking it. "Even she agrees. She wept for centuries, awaiting your return." "…really?" "Of course. She loves you Luna." "We are aware, yet cannot possibly see how our sister would-" The hand made its way to Luna's left ear, stroking and scratching along the way. "Forgive you? Tell me, were you in control?" "…I don't.…know..." "I don't believe you were, dear friend. I don't think you were." Beneath the shadows Luna swore she could make out a faint smile. "And neither does she." Garland grabbed his helmet and gauntlet, donning them once more. He reached for Luna, picking her up and placing her on the middle of her bed. "Rest well Princess. I will be returning to my cabin in the Everfree forest tomorrow morning. I do hope you will see me off." "Always." "And remember, you can always stop by for a visit. I never moved." "We will keep that in mind, noble knight." Garland made his way to the large double doors leading to the endless maze of corridors that he dreaded traversing. As he opened one to peak out however, he breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Celestia sitting on her hind legs, poorly attempting to cover up her eavesdropping. "Everything alright Princess?" "Of course Garland. And please, no need to be formal." Garland scoffed, walking past her and to the right. "The guest's quarters are the other way, Garland." "I knew that." And indeed he did, and hopefully his intentional misdirection would convince Celestia to walk him to his room, saving him hours of frustration. "Suuuuuure, I wouldn't doubt my dearest knight." She said as she walked alongside him. Garland smirked under his helmet as she did so, before finally asking a question that had been bugging him since his visit began. "Your guards, they don't seem the slightest bit fazed by me. Even the old guard's trembled in my presence, thanking Faust they fought by my side. What has happened?" "Each and every member of the Royal Guard is taught the legend of The Good Knight Garland. All of these ponies, they recognize you, and most strive to achieve the level of strength and honor you have in your millenia of service. Although each and every one gives it their all, the closest any has come is the Captain of the Canterlot Royal Guard." She stopped as she reached a stained glass window depicting Garland standing toe to toe with an armored and pitch black unicorn, sword meeting jagged horn as Celestia and Luna rained spells from the sky above. "Shining Armor used to spend much of his time inspecting this very window, memorizing each and every panel and promising that one day he too would fight alongside us against such threats. Of course, he didn't know who "us" was. I was forced to erase public knowledge of my sister as time went on." Garland nodded. "Otherwise knowledge of her return would have caused an uproar of fear." "Exactly. I could not bring myself to rid of…certain memorabilia, however." The two continued walking, quiet for a time before they finally reached the guest quarters. Garland reached for the knob of a nearby door, twisting it open. "Your company is much appreciated Princess Celestia, but I fear it's time I turn in." "How I'd love to, but until Luna gets back into the swing of things I promised to take up Night Court when she needs me too." "Very well then, best of luck." Garland walked into his room and closed the door, leaving a frowning Celestia on the other side. "It isn't the same without your presence, old friend." 《♤♡◇♧》 John sipped the tea from his cup, staring at the talking pony, who he learned was an Alicorn named Twilight Sparkle. She had been explaining this world to him for the past several hours. It's past, it's physics, and even potential ways home. She followed the last topic up with "It's a bit dangerous, and could take years to figure out." Finally Twilight spoke again. "This may seem odd, but did you or Connie bring any crystals with you?" John shook his head, leaving Twilight to follow up. "Alright, and you said that the….Keyblade...was fake before you came here. May I see it?" The boy summoned Crescent Rose, handing it to the Alicorn. Looking over it closely, she made her way to the keychain, where a metal rose hung, a small and foggy white crystal snuggly placed in the center, emitting a dim light. "Interesting…" The first Light Warrior had been found. "Now, did your sister bring any similar items?" "I don't know. I don't think so." "Would you be willing to let me check her? Under your supervision of course." "Just don't….undress her…" The two made their way to the living room where Connie slept peacefully on a small couch, light snores filling their ears. Twilight's horn lit up, and from within Connie's breast pocket came a string necklace, it's silver pendent adorned with a similar crystal, yet lacking the dim glow of John's own. "I'll need to alert Garland to this immediately. That's all I need for tonight, so you can go ahead and get some rest." John nodded and took a seat near the couch. Closing his eyes, he drifted off to sleep content that him and his sister would return home…. Meanwhile Twilight approached the door her own room, just across from Garland's. Opening and walking in, she grabbed a sheet of parchment in her magic, along with a quill and ink. 'Dear Garland I've confirmed that John is one of our warriors. His sister though….she has a crystal lacking a glow. I don't remember anything like that and I wanted your input on the matter, seeing as you've never steered me wrong before. Aside from that, has your reunion gone well?' Twilight dipped her quill back into the ink and brought it back to the parchment. 'I can only hope so. That's all I have to report. -Princess Twilight Sparkle' She rolled the parchment into a scroll and sealed it, before setting it aflame in a nearby lantern. 《♤♡◇♧》 Garland awoke from his slumber to the sounds of flame and a light tap on the floor. Leaping out of bed, he prepared an ice spell. Calming down as he finally saw the letter on the floor illuminated by the light of the morning sun, he dissolved the frost building at the tips of his unarmored fingers. He reached down for the scroll and opened it, reading over it's contents. A crystal lacking a glow? What an interesting development. He burned the letter with a fire spell, and grabbed his own parchment and quill. 《♤♡Garland Report #2◇♧》 Reunions are a fickle thing. I have been gone centuries, and today I have been reunited with my dearest friends. But something feels off. Either way, I am….content. Twilight has been increasingly paranoid lately, and I understand why. Once we find the other two Light Warriors, we will hunt down the Nexus of Evil and put an end to this cycle of pain. That's how it was supposed to go. The human girl has a crystal, but it's lacking it's shining glow. That worries me. We'll figure it out. Perhaps I'll join Celestia for breakfast before I go home. 《END REPORT》 Garland sat the quill down, gazing to his armor stacked neatly in the corner of the room. Walking to it, he started with the chest area first, then the legs, and finally the helmet. He wrapped the chain over his shoulder and placed his sword in his back. Exiting the guest quarters, he made his way to the dining room, all the while hoping they still held stocks of meat for outsiders and ambassadors.