Chapter 20-
now...
"Are you absolutely certain that you cannot come to our aid?"
Queen Majesty was at Dream Castle, conversing with the other leaders of Ponyland. From the queen's magic mirror hanging on the wall, were projected the holographic images of the rulers of Fort Rainbow Dash, Hoofkaido, and Flutter Valley. The queen was asking her fellow leaders for help, in the coming battle against the forces of Tirek.
"I'm afraid we cannot help you at this time, most honorable Majesty." Snowflake, the Earth pony shogun of Hoofkaido, stated sadly. "The dragons have launched a surprise attack along our eastern border! My Pegasus Samurai and earth pony ninja have their hooves full!"
"Can't you even spare a unicorn shugenja or two?" Majesty pleaded.
"I am sorry, most honorable queen." The pink, kimono-clad mare with the snowflake cutie mark shook her mane.
"And I'm afraid I cannot be of much help either." Starshine, the Pegasus Margrave of Fort Rainbow Dash, agreed. "My Pegasus hoplites and earth pony centurions are busy dealing with a griffon incursion!"
"Two attacks at once?" Majesty whinnied in surprise. "Almost sounds like a coordinated assault!"
"I'm inclined to agree." The white mare with a rainbow-colored mane, took off her Roman-styled helmet. "I'd bet my golden sun cutie mark that both forces are trying to take advantage of Tirek's coming attack, even if they aren't allied with him."
Majesty looked to Rosedust, queen of the flutter ponies. "And will Flutter Valley come to our aid, if need be?"
"I cannot answer that, Majesty." Rosedust looked down. "Although Dream Valley has saved us times beyond counting, I am still uneasy about helping outsiders."
"But why?" Majesty inquired. "What has the outside world done to your kind, that has vexed you so?"
Rosedust nodded towards the other two leaders, and their holograms vanished... leaving the two queens to talk alone.
"We flutter ponies have a genetic ancestral memory, Majesty, and mine goes all the way back to Rosedust the first." Rosedust narrowed her eyes. "When our tribe was first born, your Princess Celestia betrayed us. She murdered my ancestor's newborn daughter, and tried to exterminate our kind."
"And that memory is as vivid for you, as if it were your own daughter." Majesty replied, understanding. "And you extend that blame onto the rest of ponykind."
"I'm sorry, noble Majesty." Rosdust replied sadly.
"Very well, Rosedust." Majesty Sighed. "You must follow what your conscience tells you, of course."
Rosedust's hologram vanished, and left Majesty alone with her thoughts.
It was then, that North Star returned from her mission to retrieve Megan... only much to the queen's surprise, she returned alone.
"North Star, what is the meaning of this?!?" The queen asked in a shocked tone. "Where is the human girl?"
"My queen, I come from the human world, with news." The pink Pegasus told her. "Megan could not come to our aid once again. But she did give me... this."
North star held out a familiar, heart-shaped locket.
"The rainbow of Light!" Majesty muttered under her breath. She stared at it a moment, then grabbed the locket from the pink Pegasus. "North Star, go to the treasure vaults, and retrieve my battle armor, and the Crown and robes of my ancestor, Princess Platinum."
"My queen, you can't possibly be thinking of going out to the front!" Masquerade, the yellow Pegasus who was in charge of palace intelligence, pleaded. "Your very life could be in danger out there, and we cannot lose you!"
"If my subjects are risking there lives out there, then I shall be right there beside them!" Majesty responded. "I am no fawning princess, who hides behind walls whilst others fight for her! I am a queen! and I shall carry the responsibilities of one! I shall take the rainbow of light, and join Twilight and the others on the front!"
...
At majesty's orders, two earth pony mares- Sundance and Sweet Stuff- were moving the foals and elderly ponies deep into the shelters far under the castle. As the civil defense ponies activated the Castle's magic shield, those equines who remained prepared for the worst.
"I hope they'll be alright out there." Sundance said in a worried tone, as she motioned ponies down into the caverns. "My mate is out there on the front."
"I'm sure he'll be okay, Sundance!" Sweet Stuff replied, her jewel eyes looking over the ponies trotting down the tunnel. "Sweet Celebrations is a tough stallion! But our job is to stay with the poor ponies here!"
Watching the ponies file past her, Sweet Stuff then spotted a little earth foal, sitting over in the corner and sobbing. She trotted over to the crying Baby Cuddles. "It's all right, little one, you're safe here."
"But I scared!" Baby Cuddles whined. "Mommy and daddy go away, while I visiting castle!"
Sweet Stuff frowned. The earth foal's parents must have been at Paradise Estate, meaning she was all alone now. She hugged the filly. "Easy, child... I shall care for you from now on."
"Don't make promises you can't keep, Sweet Stuff!" The white earth mare with the circle of hearts cutie mark complained. "You already got you hooves full with your own daughter!"
Sweet Stuff merely sighed. "This isn't like you, Sundance... and I know you're just being like this because of all the stress we're under. But we need to put that aside now, and concentrate on helping these ponies."
"Fine!" Sundance snapped. "But we'll have this out later!"
As the last of the Ponies trotted down into the shelter, Baby Applejack looked back over her shoulder.
"Mommy...Daddy... Aunty Twilight.... please be ok..."
...
Far away from Dream Castle... the mixed pony/humanoid army was on the move. As they entered the Equestria Valley, Applejack turned away in sadness, as they passed the Ponyville ruins again.
"You gonna be all right, AJ?" Twilight asked. "I know coming back here must be hard on you."
"I'll be okay, Twi, don't worry about it." She looked back at her past one last time. "Sometimes, it's just hard to let go... and hard to say goodbye."
A tear rolled down her cheek, and Lighting trotted up and nuzzled her. She smiled, and the two of them trotted back up towards the front.
At the head of the army trotted the Pegasus, General Fireball. On his back, rode the human Sir Alonzo- the head knight of King Scorpan's court. A friend of ponykind, the Dream Valley ponies had helped him earn his knighthood, after he had mistakenly tried to slay Spike.
"Were coming upon the ruins of Canterlot Castle, but the hour is growing late!" He looked over to Twilight, the senior ranking pony there. "Lady Firehooves, I suggest a nighttime assault would give us the element of surprise!"
"Neigh, good Alonzo." The unicorn replied. "It's too dangerous, and I won't risk our stallions!"
For the life of her, Twilight couldn't understand why human mares allowed human stallions to run their society. Males were too aggressive, too impulsive, to think logically when tempers flared. No wonder the human kingdom was always at war, despite King Scorpan's best efforts.
It was soon they came into the shadow of Canterlot mountain, just beyond the range of the Strydon Patrols.
"Get the tents set up." Twilight ordered Fireball. "I'll send a telepathic message to our queen, and King Scorpan's court wizard Moppet, and inform them of our current situation."
"As you command, my lady." Fireball saluted. As the three humanoid races and ponies moved to put the tents up, a group of Pegasus moved to take up the first watch for the night.
"My knights will comply." Sir Alonzo nodded. "Let us pray that nothing happens to us, over the course of the night."