“Hey Kill, there’s a letter for you.”
A white unicorn with a choppy burgundy mane levitated an envelope over to a creamy white pegasus brandishing a Moorish bass. “It’s even got a red wax seal! What’d you do this time…”
The pegasus mare placed her instrument down and shook her head, “Nothin’! At least not recently I don’t think…”
Peeling back the envelope haphazardly, and pulling the faintly vanilla-scented letter, three express train tickets to Canterlot slipped out. Confused, two ponies read through the letter thoroughly, their expressions growing more and more distraught with each sentence. Killjoy promptly packed her bass guitar and other essentials for the journey ahead as Blast informed her sister, Rosella. As the twin unicorn hastily trotted into the living room where the pegasus was, her bated breath interrogated the two as she levitated the letter towards herself.
“I swear if this is another one of your pranks-”, her vexed voice cutting off as her stunned eyes glazed over the piece of paper. As quick as the unicorn trotted out, she was back in her room and out again with two saddlebags, one for herself and one for Blast. The three promptly set out to catch the next train to Canterlot.
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The clock struck one and the band of bards galloped towards Ponyville Train Station, the clickity clacks of their hoofsteps overlapping each other as they hit the wooden planks. With just a minute to spare, the Canterlot Express Train arrived, steam seeping from underneath the rails and from the chimney. The carnelian velvet carpet padded their steps as the three mares climbed aboard. Greeted by the upholstered booths, adorned with bolster cushions enveloped by velvet tassel covers, they took their seats with bated breaths. It was a rarity for the bards to board a train, an express one with such rich interiors no less.
Gradually loading their saddlebags in the overhead racks, the three settle down to recollect themselves. The pegasus, still troubled, took out the now slightly creased letter, rereading it. The two unicorns looked at each other and back at the pegasus in both worry and pity.
“Sorry for dragging you two into this…” Killjoy finally spoke, her ears drooping.
Rosella shook her head, “We know you were close with Velebeth and besides we weren’t gonna let you go by yourself.”
Blast nodded and tapped the pegasus’ hoof in reassurance, “Yeah, don’t worry, Kill. I’m sure Vele’ll be just fine.”
Killjoy dipped her head and tucked the letter under her wing. Though the atmosphere was downcast, the twin’s consoling words aided in tugging a smile from the troubled mare. With things settled, the pegasus redirected her focus to the view outside, the passing white pastures and sky blended together like fleeting images on a filmstrip. Hours flew by with the sisters asleep and Killjoy still fixated outside, looking every chance she got to see how much longer until the destination. Nightfall came and went and the view of Canterlot Castle emerged from the thicket. Through crossing the border, an aerial display of the military darted through the sky in VIC formation with a dark mahogany stallion leading.
“Jetblazer? Wait guys, look! That’s my brother!” The excited mare exclaimed with her wings fluttering. Shooting up and stumbling awake, the two unicorns clambered over to the window and surveyed the sky, busy with slews of pegasi guards.
“Woah, haven’t seen him in ages!” Blast exclaimed, smiling warmly.
Rosella chimed in, “Why are there so many of them?”
“Oh yeah… Now that you say that, there’s a whole lot of ‘em out and about…” Killjoy scanned the terrain as the train slowed down to a stop. The unicorns were right, Canterlot was swarmed with herds of military ponies adorning either jet-black or vermilion uniforms, all marching around with Berettas by their sides.
As the bards retrieved their luggage and departed the train, parting ways with the luxurious transport, a tawny-coloured stallion pegasus landed at the train carriage door, a gust of wind and a group of other pegasi guards following closely behind.
“Killjoy! I knew I saw you on my flight! What brings you here?” The stallion’s smile beamed as he messed with the mare’s mane playfully. He smiled at the other two mares as he gave a nod to his soldiers, following with them dispersing.
Before the pegasus could explain, she stopped herself. It was her brother but she was more aware than anypony that Velebeth’s occupation was at the very least distasteful in most pony’s eyes and with Jetblazer being an authoritative figure, it was unwise to tell him, especially in someplace so public.
“J-Just needed some reading material to help with my songwriting!” The mare replied unconvincingly.
The stallion frowned and tilted his head. “Yeah right. You never read.”
Blast stifled a chuckle but trotted beside Killjoy in support, “Honest! She’s been really struggling lately and Rosella convinced her to go to Canterlot Archives to read up! We're going for a time sorta theme!"
With a pause and still unconvinced look, Jetblazer sighed, gave the pegasus the benefit of the doubt and nodded. “Okay… But how’re you gonna get access? It’s pretty restricted to the public…”
“Somepony who works there gave us the green light before we came!”
The stallion sighed, “Well, do you know how to get there at least?”
Killjoy stared blankly with a dumb smile.
“I’ll take that as a no.”
The pegasus nodded in defeat.
“Well, I’m on break now so I can just take you there before I grab some grub. C’mon.” The stallion beckoned the mares as they began trotting through the streets of Canterlot.
The bustling town is even more so with the military marching around. Killjoy fluttered above the group to avoid being an unnecessary casualty in the sea of claret and coal. In the thick of the crowd, a mare in a black uniform with silver and navy accents caught the pegasus’ eye. Her piercing sea-green eyes glowed through bounties of snow and passing ponies like a bullet shot in a pool of muffled white noise. The crunching of ice beneath blurred as the pegasus drifted back onto the ground, her ears growing warm.
“Brrr… We should’ve packed more warm clothes-”
Killjoy cut off the maroon-maned unicorn off, “Hey Jet, who’s that mare over there with the blue eyes…”
“Hm? Oh, I think that’s Eulavelt from the L’eau Division. She’s Lieutenant General but that’s all I know. Why?”
“Oh, no reason… Anyways, we almost there yet?” The mare cleared her throat, readjusting her wings awkwardly.
“Right… And yeah, we’re here! Well, I’m starving so Imma head now, nice to see you guys again though! See ya!” Jetblazer waved as he shot back into the sky.
As the three mares waved goodbye, they shuffled into a corner under the looming tower. Discretely retrieving the letter and checking the address again, the group of bards turned to their right. Sure enough, there stood a humble store with a faded swing sign which read The Crested Crux.