//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: First Impressions // Story: Lodestar // by BubuJones //------------------------------// Chapter 5: First Impressions         Luna watched intently from a castle balcony as a steady stream of ponies flowed through the Canterlot streets. Several weeks had elapsed since her announcement of The Lunar Tournament, and it showed little indication of losing its popularity. Ponies from all over Equestria were coming to participate in one of the largest events ever recorded in Equestrian history. She had anticipated the sheer immensity of applications, but it was still truly a sight to behold for the princess.         She couldn’t help but feel proud of her creation and what it was soon to become. The coming together of so many ardent ponies with the sole intention of becoming her protégé. A proud smile adorned her face, wide eyes scanning the city. She took a deep and satisfying breath, exhaling loudly and taking in the scenery. “Princess Luna!” came a voice from behind her, breaking her pleasurable captivation. She turned to see Twilight Sparkle, trotting at a brisk pace towards her with a cheery smile on her face. “Twilight, it’s a pleasure to see you again,” Luna said with a happy nod as the smaller unicorn came to her side at the balcony. “I apologize for summoning you on such short notice.” “The pleasure is all mine!” Twilight replied. “What can I do for you, Princess?” “Hmm, you see, Twilight Sparkle, this tournament is becoming a major undertaking, as predicted,” she said gesturing towards the bustling streets of Canterlot with a hoof. “I am going to require a chief assistant at my side in order to keep everything as organized as possible... a right-hoof pony, you could say.” Twilight blinked in silence, obviously not following what the princess was working towards. “A pony such as yourself would be a perfect fit to such a position,” Luna continued, leaning in closer with an encouraging smile. She had heard much from her sister about Twilight’s impressive organization skills, and how pedantic she could be with even the tiniest details. “Wha-what? Me?” Twilight sputtered with wide, sparkling eyes. “But... I mean, yes, of course I’ll accept! But... I would think Princess Celestia would be better suited for something like this...” “I do not wish to burden my sister any more than I have already done...” Luna said with a wavering smile and a laugh. “And I could not think of another pony more qualified to help me locate a student than the student of my sister.” She gave Twilight a wink, causing her to blush ever so slightly. “It’ll be an honor to serve as your right-hoof pony,” Twilight accepted with certainty, giving a deep bow. “Uhhh, but, if you don’t mind me asking... what will I be doing?” “Oh, nothing too difficult for you. I need somepony to discuss my plans with, review the tournament, assess its progress with me, and so on and so forth. This will require you to be present in Canterlot, which means you’ll be moving into the castle for a short time... You can relinquish the position at any point, of course,” Luna explained. “No need to worry, Princess. I’d be glad to help out! I’ll just need to make a few preparations. I need somepony to look after Spike and the library; I’m also going to need a few of my things...” she mused, tapping a hoof to her chin in contemplation. “Take all the time that you need. You will not need bring too much, I suspect, as you will only be here until the preliminaries are over. For now, anyway.” “The preliminaries?” Twilight inquired. “I should explain... with so many ponies arriving we must get through preliminaries quickly, keeping, at most, one quarter of the contestants.” “That’s... quite a small proportion,” Twilight thought aloud. “There are many entrants,” Luna smiled, “and we must find only the most eligible - those with unique or considerable magical ability. Afterwards, the real tests may begin. Now, once the preliminaries are over, and those accepted taken into account, there will be a break. One that will span over three months, to be precise, when winter comes to an end. There are many things that must come to pass in that time. Lots of work to do,” Luna said matter-of-factly. “I’ll also need to give the contestants some time to prepare, as well.” “I see... okay, Princess, got any plans for me today?” Twilight said with a smile. “Yes, a simple task for today. I’d like you to accompany me for a walk, if you have the time.” “A walk? Of course I’ll go, but... where exactly are we going?” “I’ve been watching from the top of this tower for some time now, and I’m rather eager to get a little more acquainted with the sort of ponies signing up for this tournament,” Luna said, staring out over Canterlot. “I’m rather curious as to what I’d see. And while we’re out, we can have some conversation over the matter of post-preliminary games.” “Right. But... Princess, you’re not exactly the most inconspicuous-looking pony around.” “I am well aware of that, Twilight, but it is of no concern. A quick mirage spell should perform adequately.” A momentary flash of her horn and a dim glow around her frame completed the process, still leaving Twilight to stare in bewilderment. “Uhh, you don’t really look any different,” Twilight remarked, trying to figure out if there was something she might have missed. “To you, perhaps, but that is only because I want you to see.” Another glimmer of her magic brought forth an oval shaped mirror before the two ponies. Twilight looked between the reflection and the Princess, the alicorn at her side looking as royal as ever, but the mirror image betrayed her eyes. Instead, a unicorn mare was shown at Twilight’s side, with a dark blue coat and a short, lighter-hued mane, which no longer held the dynamic shimmering splendor of her true form. The unicorn did not sport any of the royal regalia, leaving her completely naked, as most ponies were. Her cutie mark had changed into a very simple cluster of little white stars, giving the slightest hint of the pony’s true identity. All that seemed to remain the same were those wide cyan eyes filled with wise, tamed wonder and knowledge. Twilight watched tentatively at Luna’s intriguing spell, scrutinizing every detail of the reflection and marveling at its effectiveness at hiding who was truly standing at her side. “That’s fascinating!” Twilight remarked, grinning up at the princess. Luna smiled in return, the magical glow of her horn dissipating alongwith the mirror before them. “A simple little spell, something I perfected long ago in order to escape the castle every now and then.” She winked in a playful manner. “Now, shall we?” “Right!” ~*~*~*~ The view of Canterlot from above was astounding, but once in the fray, its true bustling chaos was all the more apparent. Hundreds of ponies had come to try out for the Lunar Tournament, signing up and waiting patiently for the preliminaries that were only a few days away. The crowds only grew more dense as Luna and Twilight neared the sign-up tables, where lines stretched down streets and round corners.          As Luna walked inconspicuously through the crowds, a touch of excitement coursed through her entire being, a happy smile lighting her face as she watched ponies sign up, posture boastfully, and pass by her without even a second glance. It was an interesting feeling to be walking about her subjects so nonchalantly as a regular pony. No guards, no reason for forced formalities, and no feeling of an overbearing duty looming over her. Or, perhaps, only until she returned to the castle. Together, the two ponies walked down the side of one of the registration lines, scrutinizing the soon-to-be participants. All kinds of unicorn ponies of every color, size, shape, age, and mane style could be seen waiting eagerly in line. “So, you wanted to discuss post-preliminaries?” Twilight interjected, trying hard not to give away her companion’s identity by referring to her as ‘princess’. Luna kept her focus on the huge array of ponies as she replied. “Yes; I only have a few plans on how I want the tests to proceed. But there are many things to keep in mind,” Luna said. “Safety is a top priority, of course. These tests must also be fair, accurate, and have the ability to truly exemplify a ponies strengths and weaknesses alike. There will be many, and with each passing test more ponies will be eliminated.” “There really will be lots of tests needed for a variety of different results. I suggest starting easy, with more broad tests. Also, a pony’s magical skills can’t be the only thing tested. How about comprehension? Focus? Work ethic? Knowledge of magic and its history and-” “Do not fret, Twilight,” Luna said, stopping the purple unicorn from going off on a tangent. “I am taking these all of these things into account as well.” “Right. Umm... question. What sort of preliminaries do you have in mind? Just curious.” “Ah, yes, the preliminaries. I came up with them rather quickly, as I wanted the first stage of this whole thing sorted out as quickly as possible. We can’t have Canterlot filled with ponies for too long! Therefore, I’ve devised a rather complex obstacle course. Nothing too dangerous or arduous, of course.” “I see... and how about-” Twilight was suddenly halted by a loud noise - a crash or explosion. Both ponies’ ears perked at the sound as they scanned their surroundings for the source. Surprised faces turned somber as a dust cloud rose from the registration booths, ponies now scattering away in confusion. “Twilight, hurry and fetch the guards,” Luna spoke urgently, about to run off into the pandemonium. “Wait, what about you?” “I can handle myself,” was all she said before the two ponies parted ways. She hadn’t bothered to remove her disguise, too busy dodging the oncoming traffic and trying to quickly slip through as fast as possible. The cloud of smoke was already beginning to settle when she reached it, though not yet enough to reveal any casualties. Luna searched frantically, trying to find the source of the destruction. Then, from the corner of her eye, she spotted a figure burst from the cloud at top speed, heading towards an alley to the rear of some shops. The guards had not yet arrived, so she took off in pursuit.         As she followed, she tried to take a mental picture of the suspect. The pony’s features weren’t easy to make out, but that was because of what she wore: a purple cape adorned with blue and yellow stars.