//------------------------------// // My tuxedo is a straight jacket... // Story: Beyond This Galaxy Of Ours // by bronystrongwing //------------------------------// [DATA TRANSFER PLATFORM 149 TO PLATFORM 2058: ERROR, TEST UNIT HAS USED DAMAGED RELAY. UNKNOWN LOCATION. PERFORM JUMP USING SMALLER SHIP AND SECONDARY UNITS.] [DATA TRANSFER PLATFORM 2058 TO PLATFORM 2000: THIS PLATFORM WILL COMMAND SECONDARY UNIT. PLATFORM 2000 SHALL ACT AS REPLACEMENT UNTIL RETURN.] [DATA TRANSFER PLATFORM 2058 TO ALL: SECONDARY UNIT SHALL CONSIST OF PLATFORMS 1902, 3040, 7777, AND 5589. ALL LISTED PLATFORMS PROCEED TO LANDING VESSEL.] ------ Meanwhile, Canterlot castle ------ As the sun rises, it rays pierce the lids of Max. He slowly stirs from his sleep, eventually untangling himself from his sheets. A knock on the door catches his attention. "It's open." He says, curious of who it may be. The door opens to reveal the same pale blue pegasus maid from the night prior. "Oh, good morning, Sharpy." She smiled to him and replied. "Good morning Max. Say, I've been needing to ask you something. Why are you calling me 'Sharpy'?" She asked. "Sorry, I've got a habit of giving people nicknames." He says, heading towards the door to leave. "Oh, don't be sorry, it's okay. I was just curious was all." She says as she follows him down the hall. "Um, where are you going?" "Trying to find the kitchen, I'm starving." He says as he turns down a corner. "Then you're going the wrong way. Besides, I came to your room to get you for breakfast, everybody's waiting for you." She says with a giggle. As they finally enter the dining hall, they were greeted by a myriad of colored ponies ranging from unicorn to pegasi to earth ponies. At the head of the table sat Celestia, Luna sitting to her side, staring intently at the two aliens already seated, and didn't change this when Max found his seat in between Samdon and a rather large, pale orange stallion. "I see you finally decided to join us, visitor." Luna said, a slight tone of anger present. "Excuse me your highness," Samdon said. "But I get the feeling you don't like us." At this she glared daggers at, to which he merely rolled his eyed. Celestia, seeing the rising tension began to speak, but was interrupted as an unexpected diamond dog burst through the doors. "Sun princess! We need help!" Said a tall, red husky wearing a black vest. Before he could advance further, he was stopped short by the three mercs, all of which had their weapons trained on him, as well as max readying to toss him out a window with his biotics. Max spoke. "What are your intentions here, trespasser?" The hound's ears splayed back against his head as he soon figured out that the objects pointed at him were intended to hurt him, or worse. "Indeed, what do the diamond dogs need from us?" Celestia asks, her voice hiding her rising fear of an incident. She noticed that an aura of dark blue was beginning to form around Max. "A-a rock has fallen from sky! Many tunnels have collapsed! Pack still down there! They are trapped!" He stammers out, both fear and worry shaking his voice. "Wait, they're stuck down there?" Max asked, lowering his pistol and his biotic aura dissipating as he calmed. "Shit, we need to help them! Celestia, would it be okay if we take two guards with us, preferably the two from yesterday?" Luna, seeing this as too convenient, decided to intervene. "He said something fell from the sky. Did you send for it to attack? And why did you start glowing? Why take the guards from yesterday? Do you plan on taking ou-" Before she could finish her interrogation, Strongwing and Flashpoint had arrived and started leaving with the three aliens and the diamond dog. "Hey, what do you think you're doing?! Come bac-" Once again she was interrupted, this time by her sister. "Luna! If they planned to attack, they would have done it already. Besides, They want those two because they're familiar with them." "Familiar? They never spoke a word to one another! All they did was sit in the same carriage!" "Which is more than any of the other guards can say. Luna, you need to trust them. They do not pose a threat. I don't know how they got here, but they seem to be willing to help with anything, like we just saw. Just relax." "Relax, right. I'm sorry, it's just, even before Nightmare Moon, I never really trusted anyone besides you or mom and dad. I mean, I trust the elements, but they saved me." "Yes, but what if these visitors saved you one day? Would you trust them, or still see them as a threat?" "I don't know, I'll try to be more trusting, I'm sorry."