//------------------------------//
// Chapter 12: Meeting Royalty- Part 1 
// Story: What does a Hero Truly Need? Vol. 1: A New Age of Heroes 
// by zelkova48 
//------------------------------//


What Does a Hero Truly Need?



By: Zelkova48



Chapter 12: Meeting Royalty- Part 1






Shining oversaw the devastation that Gondar wrought mere minutes ago with a big red swollen nose. 

There were guards littered all over the train station. Some were barely clinging to consciousness while others were knocked out completely, though all suffered numerous scars and welts marring their bodies. Shining visibly winced as he passed by the guard that had his face smashed directly into the ticket booth, and shuddered at the sheer animosity that was brought upon his squad commander. His thoughts were interrupted however as Gondar shoved him forward.

"Come on buddy, get your guards and help my friends out." He spoke with a cold voice completely devoid of mercy. "Or do you want me to give you a black eye to go along with that nose of yours?" he threatened.

Shining could swear he was sweating like a hog caught out in the sun too long, he did not want another punch from this freak. He quickened his pace double time and started gathering whichever guard that was still capable of performing their duty. Gondar on the other hoof trotted on over to his unconscious friends with Twilight and the others.

He started poking the sleeping Rhasta, whose sleeping form made for an amusing sight. Even after being shocked into submission, he looked humorous curled up in a little ball sleeping without a care in the world. Gondar poked him some more, getting more and more forceful when each subsequent poke. As he did, Rhasta began to stir, mumbling a guttural chant as he stood up. 

As Rhasta stood up, he rubbed the sleepiness away from his eyes and began stretching to relieve himself of the aches that riddled his body. With a quick smack of his lips, his grin returned and he was overjoyed to see his friends again.

"Ha ha! It is so nice to see you all again." He went up and gave everpony a great big hug. "I had the most horrible dream. I dreamt that someone had turned me into a chicken, only to remember that I did it to myself!" He laughed to himself as he pulled away, a jovial air surrounding him in spite of getting zapped earlier. 

"Let's go wake up the others," Gondar suggested. He walked over and started to poke Rubick while Rhasta attempted to wake up Aiushtha. The two slumbering heroes eventually rose after several rude pokes from their friends, their senses still addled as they struggled their way upright.

"Guah... Did anyone get that Razor's username?" Aiushtha groggily asked as she stumbled back to her hooves and regained her usual cheerful behavior. Rubick let out a long yawn and readjusted his combat mask to make sure it was fitted properly, he then picked up his staff and acted like nothing serious had just transpired over the last half hour.

"Hmm, well this little fiasco only served to prove my hypothesis," he told his friends. Twilight, being the curious filly she always is, decided to press the statement.

"And what hypothesis is that?" she asked. Rubick was all to ready to given an answer to the studious unicorn.

"Why, the hypothesis that even lesser spells have their uses," he pointed out. "As demonstrated with our earlier incapacitation. The guards used a incredibly weak shock spell. I could've blocked it with a flick of my hoof but because they caught us off guard, they were able to subdue us" he answered nonchalantly. Twilight was thrilled to hear this little nugget of wisdom "Remember that, young Twilight. It will come in handy in the near future" he added "I am going to have to be more careful around here, being taken out like that was rather humiliating" he chastised himself but stopped when Gondar spoke up.

"Alright, now that we're all up, why don't we follow our lavender friend here to meet the princesses. We still need to find Sven" he reminded everyone. They all agreed with the suggestion and proceeded to prepare themselves as they embark towards castle Canterlot. By then, some of the guards were up and about with a limp helping their comrades up. They looked like they were about to drop bricks when Gondar gave them a terrifying stare to make sure they didn't try anything funny. Rubick, feeling a twinge of guilt at the injured guards, offered his help.

"Shining Armor" he addressed "I believe I can be of some assistance for you and your men. If you let me, I'll be able to heal all of them back to full health" as kind as the offer sounded, Shining wasn't about to trust these criminals anytime soon. 

"Thanks, but no thanks. I think we can manage without conspirators to the crown getting in our way" Shining replied through gritted teeth. Rubick simply shrugged his shoulder and moved on with the others.  

"Well then, like a lazy tailor would say. Suit yourself. I'm sure a group of big strong stallions such as yourself can stand a couple months of physical and mental therapy all on your own" he quipped, chuckling ever so slightly as he joined up with his own friends.



 

After tending to last of the wounded Shining joined up with his sister and her group, making sure to steer clear of the other four, just in case. As they were walking down the street, all the heroes were given a welcome similar to the one they had back in Ponyville. While everypony in the city happily waved and greeted the mane six and the captain of the royal guards with open hooves, everypony practically had a panic attack as they saw the heroes.

Apparently, word of Gondar's latest action spread throughout Canterlot like wildfire. He had only been in Canterlot for about an hour and now he is infamous for defeating the elite royal guards without breaking a sweat. All the heroes could hear the surrounding chatter around them as frightened ponies gossiped about their presence.

"There he is!" a mailmare whispered to her flying companion "It's really him! He's the yellow devil!"

"Did he really defeat all those guards by himself?" her companion asked, rather fearfully as well "Look! there's blood on his coat! I guess he really did do it!" Gondar examined himself, there were small spatters of blood alongside his shaggy yellow coat. Not that much though, only enough that he was able to wipe it off without a trace of it being there at all.

"I heard he was orphaned in the slums of Manehattan and that his special talent is beating ponies up!" a fearful fruit stand owner spoke to his co workers.

"I heard he raised by timberwolves in the Everfree forest! That probably explains why he looks so much like an animal!" one of the co workers pointed out to Gondar's noticeably shaggier coat.

"Is that the yellow devil!?" a terrified chef shouted worriedly from his restaurant "Somepony, quickly put some food out as offering so that he doesn't hurt us!" just like that, the entire staff of the restaurant placed an entire vegetarian buffet out in front of the restaurant hoping that the yellow devil will turn a blind eye to them. Gondar only rolled his eyes as he passed by, this was getting out of hoof.

They continued to walk, ignoring all the slurs and snide comments that were being thrown at them. Shining Armor was beginning to regret his decision about helping out the criminals.

"Are you absolutely sure this is a good idea? Letting these freaks walking around freely like this?" Shining asked worriedly. Twilight remained resolute in her choice, she and her friends were going to talk to the princesses, they were going to make everything right again. Just like they always have.

"I'm sure Shining, I'm gonna make it better. Trust me" her words only served to rattle him. He hoped she knew what she was doing. Then something popped into Twilight's head, a question she had been meaning to ask before this whole fiasco spiraled out of control. 

"By the way.... who is this, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza you're marrying anyway?" she asked, with a stern look on her face "How come I never heard of her?" the mood around the two lifted up when Shining chuckled at her question. With his nose all red and swollen he sounded just like a broken bicycle horn.

"Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, Twilight, is Cadence" Twilight's expression immediately changed when Cadence's name popped up.

"Cadence!? As in, the best foalsitter I've ever had in the history of Equestria!" she beamed, her anger towards her brother earlier was gone, and instead, in its place a joy.

"Hahaha, you tell me, she was your foalsitter" he laughed. Twilight began to reminisce about all the great times she had with Cadence, from the little song and dance they would do, to all the wonderful moments she experienced in her childhood. How Shining managed to nab such a wonderful pony as his fiance was a mystery to her but who cares, Cadence was going to be her sister in law! As she was hopping around with the glee, all her friends and the heroes just stared at her.

"Does she always do this?" Aiushtha asked.

"More often than you would think" Fluttershy coolly replied.

"Heheh, easy there Twiley, the wedding's not for another week" Twilight stopped her hopping and rejoined the group with a light blush on her face. She was excited, extremely excited for the wedding now.

"I'm still mad at you for not telling me in person though" she quickly let out "And for hurting my new friends"

"Are you still going on about that? Look I told you, I was only doing my job!" Shining said as he tried to shift the blame away from himself "These ponies are criminals and we're bringing them to the Princesses to get them judged" Twilight just rolled her eyes at her brother's ignorance. Apparently, Cadence was about to marry Shining Armor, the best older brother Twilight could possibly could ask for, a brother who can also be as dumb as a bag of rock hammers when the time called for it. But she wouldn't hold that little tidbit over his head, not when the wedding draws near.

The group continued en route to the castle until they finally reached the outer walls of the castle. After a quick check in with the guards, they all strode into the castle courtyard and took in the brilliant architecture up close. From afar, the castle looked great. Up close, the castle looked absolutely breathtaking. Rhasta and Rubick could appreciate the magnificence of the stone work that made up the entirety of the wonderfully crafted structure. Aiushtha adored the gorgeous garden that the castle had to offer. Gondar liked all the gold that coated certain parts of the building.

"Wow, this is great! Isn't it Gondar?" Aiushtha asked. Gondar agreed with her.

"Yeah, look at all that gold!" he mentioned. As he continued to admired the gilded castle it started to look a tad familiar. This was his first time here ever, yet the he felt like he had been here before. And then it hit him, with a great big grimace beneath he mask, he prepared for the worst "Oh no..... Aaaaaaaah!" Gondar collapsed to the ground screaming agony. Rarity saw that he was in trouble and immediately rushed to his aid.

"Gondar, dear, what's wrong!" she spoke to the yellow stallion who was gripping his head, writhing upon the ground in pure agony. Rarity kept calling out his name, but her voice slowly faded away as it entered his mind.


"Gondar! Gondar! Speak to me! Gondar! Speak to me! please!"






Inside his mind, Gondar was back in the massive burning city all over again. The roaring flames continued to rage more violently as people wildly panicked around him. There was an army of soldiers slaughtering innocent women and children everywhere he saw. Then there was the screaming, no, not the screams again. The screams resonated within Gondar's head, it sounded like several nails were being scratched across a chalk board multiple times. 


"Both the sun and the moon shall be brought down"


Harbinger's words echoed throughout his aching head. The screams around him grew louder and louder with each passing second he stayed in the burning city. It was unbearable, downright maddening if this were to keep up.


"They will oust and enslave the heavens" 


The vision continued again to the aftermath of the burning warzone. The city around him was reduced to the same smoldering ruins that he dreaded so much the last time he saw it. He saw the victorious soldiers again, cheering wildly as they claimed their destructive victory. The cheers grew louder when they wheeled out their prize. Two chained up prisoners within a massive cage. The prisoners looked bloodied and beaten as they struggled and screamed from their bindings. But their pleas and cries for help were drowned out from the overzealous cheers of the soldier.

The vision slowly began to black out, the image that he was forced to watch twice over was ending. As the last of the image faded away into nothingness, it was all over. No more screaming, no more agony. But now Gondar had a migraine the size of Tiny, he held onto his head as his he could feel his mind rejoining his body on the physical plane. He could feel the tugging again, tugging at his chest just like his near death experience before he met Rarity. With a great big jerk, he could feel his consciousness regaining.

As he opened up his eyes, he could see the bright blue sky in front of him, as well as all of his friends surrounding him in a ring. He turned his head to see that sitting right beside him was a very worried Rarity. Gondar slowly stumbled back up and regained his footing as he wiped of all the sweat that soaked his coat during his state of short catatonia. Everypony stared at him worriedly, save for Shining who just glared at him.





"Gondar, what happened to you?" Rarity asked, genuinely concerned for his well being. Gondar shook his head back and forth a few times to clear his headaches before replying.

"It's really nothing, I'm fine. Don't worry about it" he then pointed to the castle "You and the others should go speak with the princesses, me and my friends will stay out here for the time being" he suggested. Though Rarity wondered what caused him to break down like that, she quickly brushed it aside when Twilight signaled for her to go with her. She figured Gondar really is alright. After all, he did just defeat an entire battalion of Equestria's finest soldiers. He's tough and he can handle a little migraine.

"Well then, If you say so" she quickly brushed herself off and began to trot back towards her friends who were already at the door "This won't take long, don't worry" she mentioned.

"Before I forget miss Rarity, sorry" Gondar told her, which gave her a quizzical look.

"Sorry for what exactly?" she asked. Gondar chuckled lightly before replying.

"For making you worry" a soft smile curled upon her flawless face along with a blush, she giggled lightly as well.

"Kind of reminds me of our first meeting just yesterday huh?" the two shared a heartfelt laugh together before Applejack called out for Rarity.

"Come on Rare's, we gotta meet up with the princesses!" with a jolt out of their revelry, Rarity excused herself and dashed off with the others. As Gondar walked back on over to his friends who were calmly sitting by one of the pillars near the large golden door of the castle. As he approached them, Rubick got off of his haunches and walked over to Gondar. Underneath his mask he could tell that Rubick was being serious about something.

"Gondar, we need to have a word with you" Gondar threw one of his hooves up defensively.

"I already told you guys, I'm just acting professional about it!" Rubick and the others simply laughed at his friend's misinterpretation before returning to seriousness again.

"No, it's not that. We're talking about that seizure you just had earlier" Rubick removed his mask to show his stern face. Aiushtha and Rhasta also maintained a look of resolute seriousness.

"Your lady friend Rarity isn't the only ones who're worried about you" Rhasta interjected, the jovial smile no longer on his face.

"You're suffering from something Gondar" Aiushtha spoke as if she was bearing the weight of the world upon her shoulders "Please tell us what's wrong, we want to help" 

Gondar looked at his friends and sighed, he really did have some great friends. Since the others were gone to speak with the princesses, he might as well come clean to the people he normally entrust his life to in a fight. 

As he came clean about his near death experience earlier the day before, he told everyone about how he met Harbinger and how he showed him the cataclysm that was meant to happen in the near future. He told them about all the horrific images he was force to experience. The other three were shocked to hear that the Outworld Devourer entered Gondar's mind just to deliver some sort of cryptic message.

"The Outworld Devourer entered your noggin? Hmm... most mysterious indeed" Rhasta implied as he tapped Gondar's forehead with his hoof. Gondar just knocked Rhasta's hoof away from him when the tapping became annoying.

"But, what does it all mean. That prophecy sounded incredibly foreboding" Aiushtha added "It sounded like the world was killing itself....." Aiushtha cheery personality was replaced with a feeling of dread.

"Honestly, I haven't the slightest in what the hell it's suppose to mean or what I'm suppose to do with this information at all!" Gondar replied as he racked his brain cells for some form of logical conclusion "For all I know now, this premonition has something to do with this world. Whether it will happen soon or a couple hundred years from now is beyond me" Rubick however, was still in deep thought. Something was bugging the Grand Magus.

"The last part of the prophecy sounded strange. Although something good happening after some sort of apocalypse isn't very uncommon, I can't help but feel that the last segment of the prophecy felt.... out of place" as intelligent of a scholar as Rubick is. He, like Gondar, can't fit the random pieces together. Aside from a cryptic riddle wrapped in mystery, there was another issue.

"Do you think I should tell the others about my visions?" Gondar asked his friends "They can't be left out of the dark like this" he added. Rubick began to ponder his options, inevitably, it all came to one conclusion.

"No" he replied as he put his mask back onto his face, with a quick readjustment with his hooves he went on with his reasoning "We should later, but with our newfound friends talking to the princesses right now, it would not be wise to tell them about an uncertain cataclysmic event that will happen on Equestrian soil" Rubick sat back at the spot he was previously before "They will either take it seriously or laugh at us for being crazy. When the time is right, we will tell them everything"

Everyone mulled over the opinion and agreed alongside Rubick, now is neither the time nor the place to speak about such horrible things. 

"I just really hope nothing else will trigger these visions in the near future" Gondar grumbled as the serious air around the group began to dissipate away. Gone was the air of uncertainty, now they went back to chatting about past encounters on the battlegrounds as they awaited their equine friends to finish.





As the mane six, Spike and Shining Armor walked through the halls of castle Canterlot, they were greeted with a sight that was somehow more phenomenal than the exterior. The floors were wall carefully selected tiles of marble lined in a symmetrical and elegant pattern. The windows were gilded with exquisite decors lining the actual glass itself. There was a great red carpet lined with gold that stretched all the way from the thrones to the direct entrance of the room. The only noticeable new addition to the room were the large brilliant curtains that covered the entire back wall of the room. Simply put, the princesses court looked absolutely divine.

While Applejack and the others admired the decor. Twilight, Spike and Shining Armor quickly made their way to greet the princesses. They don't have time to admire anything at the moment. Besides, they already seen everything already. Canterlot is their birthplace after all. As the group stacked up before the thrones, a quick fanfare from a pony that looked like he hopped straight out of the Shakespearean era signified the princesses approach.

"Hear ye, hear ye. Please welcome their royal majesties. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna!" and just like that, two doors on respective sides of the door bursted open to reveal the two regal princesses in all of their glory. Princess Celestia graced the floor as she approached her own throne while Princess Luna took slow yet evocative and calculated steps to her own. As they sat down, the pony with the bugle and the large collar ran around throwing flowers around their hooves as one last touch to finish their appearance. The group clapped at their rather... unique entrance.

"Thank you Wind Pipe for that extravagant bugle segment! That would be all for today" Luna told the Shakespearean pony. The pony now identified as Wind Pipe gracefully bowed and tipped his hat to the princesses and the audience as he made his way out of the room, leaving the princesses and the group to properly discuss urgent matters.

"That seemed a little... over excessive dontcha think?" Rainbow Dash asked. Celestia lightly chuckled upon hearing about the presenter.

"It was Luna's idea. Even after a thousand years in exile she still appreciates remnants of a time long lost" she laughed when she saw that Luna was glaring at her.

"Is it really my fault I still enjoy the experience of a proper introduction?" she retorted "But enough about our presentation, let us discuss more... serious matter" she then blinked in a sheet of parchment and a pair of reading glasses. She put on her reading glasses and glanced through the list quickly before she reached her goal "Hmm.... let's see. Aha! There is the wedding to talk about, then there is also that other.... thing we must talk about" she mentioned with a hushed whisper. 

Shining Armor was the first to step up upon hearing that thing he was suppose to report as soon as he finished his job, which he kind of did, sort of, not really. He walked up to the princesses with a dignified stance and saluted the princesses. Luna noticed Shining swollen nose and mistook it as a battle scar for a job well done. 

"Hmm, I see you acquired something to remember your victory today it seems. It would make for quite the conversation during the reception" she admired "Tell me captain, tell me of how you and your battalion of elite warriors smite the foul villains of Equestria!" she obliviously assumed. Shining rubbed the back of his neck nervously cracking at weak grin towards the princesses.

"Well you see...." he hesitated "We caught the first three easily by surprise...." he stopped which made Luna excited with anticipation.

"Oh, I'm already liking how this story starts off! Please captain, continue!" she requested with utmost enthusiasm. Shining began sweating profusely again. 

"When we made sure the other three were out cold, we moved on to take down the last conspirator...."he stopped. Celestia began listening in, she was interested in the story of him and his soldiers heroism as well.

"I take it you were able to stop him quickly?" she asked. Shining started to feel like he was Neighagra Falls.

"Uh.. I ordered my squad commander to apprehend him. He gave him an ultimatum and the conspirator just.... laughed at us...." Luna and Celestia stared at Shining Armor with a quizzical look.

"Laugh? As in nervously?" Luna asked.

"Actually, it was more along the lines of insultingly...." he put out. 

"Well? Go on, continue. What happened after? Did the squad commander detain him? Did you detain him? Did anypony detain him?" Celestia asked. Shining reeled back at the question, he knew the princesses weren't going to like the answer.

"Actually.... the conspirator took out the squad commander... brutally" he let out which gave the princesses worried looks.

"Well, I'm sure the rest of you stopped him right?" Celestia questioned. Shining Armor hated to be the bearer of bad news but....

"The entire battalion of elite royal guards is out of commission your highness..... each and every single one of my men were viciously incapacitated by the conspirator...." Celestia and Luna's jaw practically hit the floor upon hearing such an outlandish report.

"Oh dear, how bad was it?" Luna inquired "It couldn't have been that bad right?"

"The entire elite guard battalion is in the emergency room your highness. All of my men suffer several broken bones, major cases of blunt force trauma, and a severe diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder..... " Both the princesses went wide eyed upon hearing the injury report. But Shining didn't stop there.

"One of my guards had their face smashed into the glass window of a ticket booth and the doctors had to be extra careful to remove all the shards of broken glass that was stuck in his face...." Luna winced upon hearing such cruelty.

"Another guard is missing all of his teeth, one had all of his legs broken. A certain pegasus, who shall remain anonymous is now officially terrified of bill boards and signs. One unlucky guard got hit with every the projectiles we had when the conspirator used him for a shield...." Celestia felt sick to her stomach as Shining Armor continued with his report. 

"All in all, we lost the fight and the entire elite battalion wishes to be discharged from the royals guards so that they may pursue a quiet nomadic lifestyle around the foal mountains where they hope to open a successful rock farm" Shining Armor cracked a very pathetic grin as he finished up his story.

The room was quiet, deathly quiet. Even in the afternoon where the birds would be normally chirping and the bees would be buzzing there was nothing to be heard once the princesses received the bad news. The silence was deafening for everypony, the only thing that broke the silence was the laughter that came from the princesses afterwards. The princesses were in a fit of laughter, they looked like they were ready to bust a gut.

"Bwuhahahahaha!" The royal pony sisters bellowed "Th-that has got to be the funniest thing we've heard all day!" the sisters continued to laugh for a while until they calmed down. Princess Luna wiped away a tear from her eye as she addressed Shining Armor.

"Phew, I haven't laughed that much in such a long time" Luna said, still giggling a little from hearing Shining's apparently hilarious story "Honestly though captain, please, tell us the real story"

"Yes, as good as a joke that was I would very much like to hear about your heroism in battle" Celestia added "I'm sure your sister and her friends would as well" she pointed over to the group who jumped upon remembering the fight. They did their best to remain inconspicuous. Rarity played with her hair, Twilight pretended to check on Spike, Fluttershy hid behind her mane and the rest whistled a little tune that was off key.

"But.... I wasn't joking your majesty...." The smiles on the princesses face disappeared at the drop of a hat "We really did lose, there really are guards in the emergency room your highness.... and there really is a pegasus that will enter a fetal position everytime he come across any bill boards or signs" Luna's face remained neutral before slowly contorting to that of anger. 

"How...." she asked "How did the most elite group of highly trained and equipped group of warriors in all of Equestria get defeated, DEFEATED by one single unicorn?" she yelled with a voice that was loud but not close to the royal Canterlot voice. Shining held his ground, making sure not to get blown away by her yelling.

"Actually your highness, he wasn't a unicorn..." he yelped.

"Pardon me then, this pegasus-" Luna was about to speak again until Shining corrected her again.

"He wasn't a pegasus either, Princess Luna..." Luna just gave him a confused stare.

"You're telling me you got defeated by a lone earth pony!? Was he a gargantuan like Applejack's older brother?" she demanded an answer.

"U-u-uh no your highness. He was actually pretty small, shorter than the average stallion, princess. In fact, I think he was the same size as my sister" Celestia joined in with her sister, there was no way that the elite royal guards were crushed singlehandedly by a little earth pony. She didn't believe a single word that was coming out of Shining Armor's mouth.

"How on Equestria did one lone little earth pony crippled the elite guards so easily!? Did he have some sort of magical artifact that enhanced his strength or power or anything!?" Shining recalled back to the fight.

"N-n-no your highness, he t-took them all down with his bare hoof, your majesty" Shining Armor was starting to sound like a little dog caught between a rock and a hard place. The princesses could only stare at Shining with a dumbfounded look upon their faces. yet they still refused to believe anything he had been saying for the past fifteen minutes.

"Are you certain he didn't have a little help in the fight? Like some kind of hidden partner, o-or some sort of-" before Luna could finish her sentence, Shining interjected again, this time much more forcefully to get his point across.

"Princess! This earth pony didn't have anything to help himself!" he yelled "He had no magic! No artifact! No partner! NO NOTHING!" he was practically yelling at the top of his lungs "This earth pony was not normal however, he did some things that I didn't even think was possible! He moves swifter than the wind and is more nimble than any of the wonderbolts! And then there's his animosity, the way he brutalized my battalion made me believe that this pony isn't even of this world!" his words were caught by the others and they felt a cold sweat come on.

"WE HAVE HEARD ENOUGH!" both the princesses thundered with the royal canterlot voice. The resulting shout shook the entire castle like it had been hit with a miniature earthquake and pushed back the group a few inches backwards. The shout was also so forceful that the curtain behind them fell, revealing the entire shamble that was formerly the back wall of the court. 

"It appears these conspirators are more dangerous than we originally surmised" Celestia spoke, her voice losing it's motherly tone which shook that group to their cores "They must be stopped at all cost, I want the entire royal guard assembled. I want each and every one of them to find and detain those villains, Now!" Celestia shouted. But before anypony could do anything, Twilight stepped up and confronted the princesses.

"Princess Celestia! Princess Luna! Stop this!" her words broke the princesses out of enraged state, returning them to back to their old selves.

"Whuah? Twilight? We are monumentally sorry for... losing ourselves like that. We... we didn't know what came over us" their rage was gone but in it's place was guilt, guilt for acting so uncouth and wrathful in front of their beloved peers "You must understand, we couldn't bear to see anything horrible happen to you, your friends, or our loyal subjects" Their heads hung low but they regained their proper composure when everypony forgave them for their outburst, they knew why they had done it but now was to opportune time to set things to right with everypony. That is, if they can.

"It's alright princess, we forgive you" Twilight told the princess with a voice that was both innocent and sincere "Though there is something that we must speak with you. It's very important" she requested.

"Can it wait for the time being, Twilight?" Princess Celestia spoke with the calm and serene tone she was known for. Both the princesses rose from their thrones and stepped down to formally greet their guest that they had so rudely ignored during Shining Armor's report "For now, let's just enjoy the fact that you are safe. That you are all safe" Princess Celestia hugged Twilight caringly. Twilight accepted the loving gesture and hugged back.

Everypony had their chance to greet with the princesses. Whether it was hugs, hoofshakes, or just overall kindness. All the anger and fear faded away into nothingness as everything returned to normal.... for the moment.

"Praise our mother that you are all alright. We thought for sure that your lives were in mortal danger" Luna told the group when the greeting was over. Twilight and the others all exchanged confused looks, but they all knew what she was talking about. They were going to have to do something about it now.

"Yes, about that....." Twilight tried her best to get the words out, but she just couldn't say it.

"You all must be so exhausted and terrified form being held captive by those disgraceful group of ponies" Celestia chimed in "Shining and the elite royal guards may have been defeated but we commend him for freeing you all, isn't that right Shining Armor?" she looked at the white unicorn only for him to hold that same pathetic grin that had been plastered on his face since he brought forth his report.

"That is where you are wrong, princess" Twilight mustered up the courage to speak properly "He did not rescue us from the supposed conspirator. We went here with out friends on our own free will" she told the princesses.

"Friends? But aren't they all here?" Luna asked. Twilight just shook her head implying that she was wrong.

"Who else could there be?" Celestia asked Twilight "Is this somepony whom we've never met before?"

"Well.... yes and no, Princess Celestia..." Twilight pawed at the floor "Their names are Aiushtha, Rubick, Rhasta, and Gondar" she told them.

"Why, those are perhaps the most bizarre set of names I have ever heard before" Luna interjected "And believe us, we used to know a pony named Equus ferus caballus. Apparently his special talent was inventing binomial nomenclature for all living species on Equestria" she giggled a bit at the mention of the name. 

"Actually, you know kind of know them already...." Twilight let out "I mentioned them to you in a letter earlier this week" she mentioned. The princesses searched their minds to remember the letter.

"The only ponies I remember you mentioning was the three fillies whom wrote distasteful rumours about you and your friends. They wouldn't happen to be here would they?" Celestia asked.Twilight shook her head again which perplexed the princesses.

"That was recent, true. But I sent you another letter, later that same day" Celestia and Luna looked at each other, they don't remember a letter being...... their pupils dialated when they finally put two and two together.

"By friends.... you couldn't possibly mean...." Celestia stopped.

"The ponies that fell from the sky? Yes, I do mean them" Twilight answered. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna just stared at the group with their mouths agape. This was far too much for them to take in, let alone believe. 

It is rare to tell the princesses something incredibly world shattering and actually receive a true reaction from them in a day. To do so multiple times within the same day was an even rarer occurrence as it normally involved some form of supernatural threat that could possibly involve some form of evil deity and the destruction of their world. To do so in the same day multiple time with simple news was almost unheard of. In fact, it was unheard of.


"They're waiting outside. They wish to parley with you"







Chapter 12 end