//------------------------------// // An Interlude // Story: Equestria: A Flux Tale // by Star Sage //------------------------------// (Cheating a little here, scene will move away from the Human's POV for the moment, to Celestia and Luna. Also, yes, cameo pony is from another fic, specifically, Progress, found here, https://www.fimfiction.net/story/339/Progress Events of the fic are considered mostly canon within this universe, and may be referred to later, nothing major though, and you don't have to read if you don't want to. Still, I like it, and I think you will too.) The day was one of her better ones, or so Celestia thought. She could of course, have changed anything about it she thought wrong, but she'd stopped doing that several hundred years ago, preferring to allow days like this to flow naturally from the world. That made things so much more interesting. Still, days like this were made to be enjoyed, and so she had taken to a balcony just off the palace's main tower, looking into her lovely sky, and sighing, just luxuriating in the day, and the warmth of the sun overhead. It had been fun the other day, to try something new, namely growing that human back, and though the process had left her a bit winded, she still felt the new experience had left her a better pony, letting her feel something new, which, in an immortal life, was a thing that didn't happen often. Thinking these thoughts, she felt an odd tingle of magic that broke her reverie, something utterly foreign, and yet, somehow familiar, from a distant source, but one rapidly growing closer. A thought would have just shown her what it was, but as stated, new things were not to be missed, and so she tried to focus with her normal vision in the direction of the disturbance, only to nearly be blown from her perch as what had been distant rocketed past at speeds faster than any pegasus had a right to be, only to be followed by three streaks that her senses told her were Spitfire and her squadron, none of them sparing a glance for their Princess as they sped after their target, a thing of gleaming metal, as it tore through the sky, and soon was distant again, though the roaring thunder of its engines was deafening to her ears. "Princess!" shouted a familiar voice, and the captain of her guard was by her side in an instant, his coat a dark charcoal black, while a horn came out of his head. He did, however, have another helmet nearby, this one with wings painted on it, to become a white pegasus, should she demand it of him, as he stared off after the now dot like shapes of the fleeing vehicle and the Wonderbolts. "I'll summon all the guards immediately, please retire to the throne room while we assist the Wonderbolts," he said, and began to don the helm that would give him wings instead of a horn. Celestia, looking after the Bolts, just stared intently for a moment, before chuckling to herself, and holding up her hoof to stop him. "No need, Captain. Instead, have Sundance and Selene brought here immediately, and then lock the doors to this balcony," she instructed, and for a moment it looked like the Captain might object. However, he quickly thought better of it. After all, she was a goddess, and instead issued orders to several of his men who had gathered, already in the form of white pegasi, who all bolt off to find the requested duo, who would be in the library, where they always were. While waiting, Celestia observed the aerial dance being done by the four in the air just past Canterlot, smiling as her little ponies gave that mechanical monstrosity a run for its bits, as it had to roll away from them firing at it, before doing the most peculuar thing, sprouting arms and legs from beneath it, and firing little bits of stun magic from a grey pod thing, while also letting loose with several smaller solid constructs it kept connected to itself by thin lines of magic that looked like tiny cloud trails. The Wonderbolts, slowing a bit, were able to expertly weave through all that, and indeed, one of them, Soarin she thought, landed a hit on the thing that made it tilt to one side, before it fired a stream of magic dots at him, and then transformed back into its more aerodynamic form, and shot off again. "Your majesty, what seems to be the trouble? We heard noise I can only describe as explosive like, and then this summons," said a voice, and Celestia turned to find the guards escorting in a white mare, her golden colored mane a bit disheveled by whatever was happening, while at her side, while at her side, a dark blue unicorn trotted, looking towards the shapes, adjusting the glasses she wore, until a loud thud and then a clack signaled that they wouldn't be disturbed, and 'Selene', the dark blue unicorn, became Princess Luna instead, staring out at the shapes. "Sundance, I believe I owe Hoyden an apology. I had assumed that noise to be his fault again, but it seems our little otherworldly visitor is to blame," said Luna, as she looked, and more importantly, felt towards the flying shapes, feeling the magic in the air between them, as the human continued to dodge fire from all sides, and returned it as well, though it was obvious he could have simply outrun his pursuers. "You mean, that thing you two mentioned from your visit to Ponyville?" asked the white mare, looking where they were looking. Of course, without the power of a goddess, she saw nothing, as the shapes were so far removed from Canterlot, that they were invisible. "Indeed. It seems that the little human, in only a day, is learning magic that took us years to master. A commendable feat, though not without it's disturbing implications," responded the moon goddess, falling into the role of protector of her people. She had, last night, tried to spy on the dreams of the human, but found...nothingness, in his mind. All the dreams of everypony, and everything, from the mightiest dragon, to the smallest bird, were open to her, as dreams were part of the night, and thus, her realm, but this human....he dreamed of nothingness, a void that was simply darkness. She knew of no creature that did that, and it disturbed her for reasons she could not fathom. "Yes, still, that's why I called you. It seems Spitfire is training with him, or the magic of her attacks would feel different. I get the same sense from his own weapons, strange through they are, and since he seems to be winning, despite their numbers, I thought I'd ask you to throw some assistance their way," asked Celestia, turning towards her sister, who seemed surprised at the suggestion. "You can't...I mean, it's just not something they do...I know who you want me to send Tia, and it's not going to happen," protested Luna, while Celestia gave her what could only be described as a puppy dog eye look, begging her. "No, not in a million years," she said firmly, and Celestia's lower lip began to tremble a little, as Luna turned away, folded her forelegs, and tried to look disinterested. Of course, one eye peeked open, and she saw her sister looking just like a little filly begging for a sugar cube, and she sighed. "Oh all right, fine," and Celestia's face instantly brightened, as Luna's horn glowed, and her magic rang a bell deep inside the palace. Moments later, Sundance jumped, as three shapes just seemed to materialize beside her, their costumes black where the Wonderbolts were blue, and their faces cut in grim lines, as they looked towards the Moon Princess who commanded them, not dropping on their knees, but instead standing there, waiting for orders. "My sister believes the Wonderbolts could use some help in their training, flying against the one known as a human. I would like you to render them assistance, though do not injure the human beyond training, is that clear?" she commanded, and the three turned to each other, before nodded, their hooves going up, as they messed with something on their shoes, and then seemed to fade away, gone just as they appeared. "Razgriz, launch!" shouted Luna, and instantly three black streaks came from the palace, moving towards the distant struggle.