//------------------------------//
// Chapter 28: Surprise Visitors 
// Story: The Elements of Honor 
// by Flanagan 
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After their final week of training, the once unprepared five ponies were now ready to protect Ponyville. Despite the fact there were only five of them. Greatsword and the other ponies looked on with pride as the volunteers received their certificates and designations.
“Defensive corrdinator…” Graphite said looking at his sheet, “cool, I’m gonna make this town a fortress.”
“A runner?!” Scootaloo shouted in disappointment. “Why can’t I be an advanced scout like Thunderlane?”
“You’re still very young; Scootaloo,” Greatsword explained, “and you’re faster than Thunderlane. you can get help quicker if Ponyville were to come under attack.”
“Fine…” Scootaloo grunted, “But that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
“Big Mac’s the heavy lift specialist,” Carmel said. “I wonder what I’m designated as?” Carmel looked to the bottom of his paper, what he saw made his jaw drop. 
“SQUAD LEADER?!” he exclaimed. “Sir, do you really think I’m good enough for that?”
“I do Carmel,” Greatsword said. “But it wasn’t just me, it was the general concessions that you should lead them, you gave 110 percent every day. That’s what you need to be a leader.”
“Thank you, sir.” Carmel said smiling, “I can’t wait to tell A.J.”
“Do you all know what this calls for?” a voice called out over the ponies.
“You have GOT to be kidding me…” Lug Nut said as he and the group looked around for the pink pony.
“A party!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed popping out from under the platform the ponies were standing on.
“Why not?” Long Shot said, “I could use a little relief after these last four weeks.”
“Well I’ve got just the thing!” Pinkie said pulling a cannon out from under the platform. “My party cannon!”
Several rounds were fired from the cannon, setting up a party in mere seconds. A few minutes later several ponies arrived and the party began. Not everypony in town was there for this party, however, just family and close friends. It seemed fitting that it was like that because the ones there were the ones who the volunteers signed up for in the first place.
It didn’t take long for Long Shot made his way to Scootaloo. He didn’t want to ask, but he needed to know for sure if what he thought was true. Long Shot stood there looking at Scootaloo, who was giving him a strange look back.
“Are you ok, sir?” she asked, “Do you need to ask me something?”
Long Shot took a deep breath and began. “Scootaloo, I don’t mean to sound insensitive, but are your parents?”
Scootaloo looked at him angrily, but she answered anyway, “Well I never knew my dad, mom said he ran off before I was born.” she looked slightly angry while she explained her life story. “That’s why mom moved here about eight years ago.”
“And where are you from originally?” Long Shot asked, his voice quivering.
“I was born in Flankford.” Scootaloo continued. “Why are you so interested in my story anyway?”
“I’m just curious,” Long Shot said quickly. His mind was racing, he needed to ask one more question then he would know for sure if he was right or not. “What was your mom‘s name?”
Scootaloo quickly gave a death stare at Long Shot. He knew that something had to have happened to her mother, whether it was that one pony or not. “Her name was Roller Blade…” she said gritting her teeth. “She died about six years ago because she got really sick and my dad never even bothered to come help her get better.”
Long Shot’s legs buckled, what he thought and what was the truth were the same thing. He was cretin that Scootaloo was his daughter; Roller Blade never told him that she was pregnant when he left to join the military. All he ever got was a letter saying that she didn’t want to be with him anymore and that he should never come back to Flankford while he was in hoof camp. What upset him the most was that Scootaloo believed that her ‘dad’ was a dead beat who didn’t care about her mother. That was not the case; he hadn’t been in Flankford for over sixteen years because of her request.
“Are you alright sir?” Scootaloo asked concerned, seeing Long Shot nearly fall over. “Do you need to see a doctor?”
“NO!” Long Shot said back as he tried to find his balance, “I’m fine, I-I just realized something.” Long Shot darted away from Scootaloo who stared at him the whole time as he ran off.
“What was his problem?” Thunderlane asked Scootaloo as he walked up next to her.
“I don’t know, Thunderlane,” she said back, “but whatever it is, it must be very important.”
“If she’s got one thing going for her, Pinkie Pie can sure throw a party.” Battleaxe said to Twilight.
“It is her special talent.” Twilight said back filling two glasses of punch for them. “How was training those ponies anyway?”
“I’ve trained far worse,” Battleaxe said reminiscing to years back. “FAR worse.”
“I can hardly believe anypony would be harder than Scootaloo,” Twilight said giggling. “She can be quite the hassle.”
“She’s not a Lunar Stallion.” Battleaxe replied shaking his head.
“You trained the Lunar Stallions?” Twilight gasped.
“Well, my old unit did.” Battleaxe said, “Greatsword and Warhammer were the two that trained Princess Luna’s personal guards.” He lifted his glass and pointed at Twilight, “True story…”
Twilight turned her attention to Greatsword and Warhammer, who were talking with the apple family, Cheerilee and Carmel. “They must really be something if they were able to train two Lunar Stallions that well.”
“They really are,” Battleaxe said looking to them now as well, “through thick and thin they’ve been there for me, some of the missions we went on I don’t think I would’ve come back if they weren’t there to save my sorry flank.”
“Well I’m thankful they were there…” Twilight said, her eyes glued Battleaxe; he looked to her eyebrow raised. Coming back to her senses she looked off into the distance. “To save you, because that would be horrible if you died, of course.”
“Of course.” Battleaxe said smiling charmingly at Twilight, her face suddenly turned a light shade of red.
Just as the party was beginning to die down a figure appeared in the night sky. It was a chariot being pulled by two pegasi with two figures sitting in the chariot itself. The vehicle landed and the two ponies in the back of the chariot stepped out.
“Luna.” Warhammer said making his way to her, “you have no idea how much I’ve missed you.” He gave her a small kiss, Luna looked back at him and smiled.
“Why do you think I’m here now?” she asked, nuzzling Warhammer, “I missed you too.” The two nuzzled one another for some time. Amidst the intimacy Scootaloo recognized the other pony that got off the chariot.
“Sweetie Belle?!” She called out catching the attention of Apple Bloom too. The unicorn waved her hoof excitedly at the other two looking in her direction. They ran to her and then a group hug was started. “Sweetie Belle, you actually came!”
“I wouldn’t miss something like this, Scootaloo.” Sweetie Belle said rushing to embrace her friends.
“I thought ya were all tied up by that Equestrian Idol thing-a-ma-jig that ya were in.” Apple Bloom said while the hug was broken up.
“I’m on tour for winning it, Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle explained. “But that doesn’t mean I can take a break for my best friends.”
“Can we do it one more time?” Scootaloo asked the others, who excitedly nodded.
“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS REUNION AT PONYVILLE TOWN HALL!” they shouted simultaneously, giggling.
“Aw horseradish, they’re together again…” Applejack said looking to the three young ponies. “Let’s get outta here before they ruin somethin‘.” She grabbed Carmel by his foreleg and darted for home. Big Mac and Cheerilee laughed at Applejack’s reaction, it had been nearly three months since Sweetie Belle left but she still remembered all the trouble they had gotten themselves into.
“It’s kind of funny that she’s acting like that,” Cheerilee said giggling, “she does realize that Apple Bloom helped out with Carmel, right?”
“Nope.” Big Mac said looking in the direction the two ran off in.
“Well, it’s nice to see you again, my lady.” Greatsword said bowing to Princess Luna.
“Greatsword, you need not bow to me.” Princess Luna said, motioning him to rise.
“Old habits, my lady.” Greatsword said smiling.
“Princess Luna!” Twilight called out to her, “welcome back, may I ask why you are here now? Nightmare Night is three months away.”
“For being so smart you don’t listen very well.” Princess Luna joked, “I’m here to see Warhammer, it’s been a little over a month since he left Canterlot and I have been missing him.”
“You have NO idea how much she’s been missing him.” Dark Knight said to Greatsword.
“Half the damn night she sends shooting stars, one night constilations… hell she even made the moon bigger so he could see it better.” Night Wing added taking his place next to Dark Knight.
“Love does that to a pony…” Greatsword said forcing another smile, seeing what Warhammer had with Luna made him a bizarre mix of anger and sadness; angry to see somepony happy while he was in so much pain yet sad because of what he thought would happen if they were to be taken away from one another.
“Sir, are you ok?” Dark Knight asked Greatsword.
“Holy emotional devistation, Dark Knight,” Night Wing said looking Greatsword over. “I don’t know about you, but I’m seeing A LOT of enternal conflict.” 
“I’m fine you two,” Greatsword said waving them off. “I’m just thinking about something that you don’t need to be concerned about.”
“If you say so, sir.” Dark Knight said. “We were just voicing our concern.”
“You’re too kind, Dark Knight,” Greatsword said to the stallions walking away from him and heading to the Princess and Warhammer.
“How’d ya get a ride with Princess Luna?” Apple Bloom asked Sweetie Belle.
“Well, I got Scootaloo’s letter about a week ago.” Sweetie Belle explained, “I had an audience with Princess Celestia and she told me that Princess Luna was planning to come to Ponyville so I asked her if I could get a ride.”
“And I was more than happy to allow her passage.” Princess Luna said, “I would not want you to be separated from your friends, especially on an occasion special to them.”
“Well thank you, Princess Luna,” Scootaloo smiled. “You ARE the best Princess.” Scootaloo looked to her friends. “Come on girls, I have a cool idea.” the three ran off before telling anypony where they were going.
“Wonder where their headed?” Battleaxe said.
“I don’t know, but I’m sure they’ll be fine.” Twilight replied. “But those three do have a tendency for getting into trouble.”
“Care to explain, Twilight?” Battleaxe asked.
“That will take a while, Battleaxe.” Twilight answered.
“I told you a long intriguing story,” Battleaxe said back, leaning into the table the two were sitting at. “It’s YOUR turn to tell me one.”
“Well, it’s more or less a collection of stories, all of them about them trying to get their cutie marks in various ways.” Twilight explained.
“I’d like to hear them,” Battleaxe said, “after all I’d love to know how I got MY cutie mark.”
“Oh, alright,” Twilight said, “now, where to begin...”
Long Shot ended up standing next to Patches and Lug Nut after he ran from Scootaloo. The two ponies looked at him in confusion, his was normally quiet and composed, but now he seemed to be filled with nothing but anxitity. They watched in shock as he grabbed a bottle of wine and nearly drink the whole thing in one breath.
“Whoa, Long Shot.” Lug Nut said stopping him from downing the rest of the wine. “You look like you just saw a manticore in a dark alley, what gives?”
“Nothing Lug Nut.” Long Shot said grabbing the bottle back from him.
“You were like this nearly a month ago when we started training, after you got done talking to Scootaloo and Thunderlane when they got done with their first trial on the obstacle course.” Patches said, making her way towards him. “Does it have something to do with those two?”
Long Shot’s eye became even wider at the mention of Scootaloo’s name. Patches and Lug Nut looked at one another then back to Long Shot. “What is it about Scootaloo, Long Shot?” Lug Nut asked, “what makes her different?”
Long Shot took a deep breath and looked both ponies in the eyes. “She might be my daughter…” he said, Patches and Lug Nut’s jaws nearly hit the ground.
“Are you sure?” Patches asked, “She does kind of look like you, but then again, I kind of look like Twilight and were not related.”
“She’s from Flankford and her mother’s name was Roller Blade. The same name of my high school sweetheart.” Long Shot explained, “she left me when I joined, but she never told me that she was pregnant.”
“That doesn’t may any sense,” Lug Nut said, “why would she want to leave you and never tell you that you had a foal?”
“We got into a fight about me signing up…” Long Shot answered. “And I said I was going to join and nothing was going to change my mind. I left the next day without ever saying sorry.” Long Shot’s eye became misty, “I never said sorry…”
“You still don’t know if Scootaloo is your child or not.” Patches said, placing her hoof on his shoulder. “If you could get a blood test that would be the only way to know for sure.”
“And HOW is he going to do that?” Lug Nut asked, “Hey there Scootaloo, this is crazy, but I might be your father, so let’s get a blood test maybe?”
“You are not helping, Lug Nut…” Long Shot growled.
“YES!” Cheerilee exclaimed over all the other ponies, “YES, YES, YES!” she yelled out happily, wrapping her forelegs around Big Mac.
“Looks like Big Mac finally popped the question.” Twilight said, smiling at the two happy ponies. “I want that to be me one day…”
“What was that?” Battleaxe said, turning his gaze to Twilight. “Did you say something?”
Twilight quickly looked away and used her magic to hide behind her glass, “Nothing, Battleaxe,” she said, “just talking to myself, that’s all.”
“Right,” Battleaxe said sarcastically. “Talking to yourself.”
Princess Luna looked to the two happy ponies then to Warhammer. The look on his face when her eyes met his was priceless. He quickly flinched at the thought that ran through his mind. She responded with a giggle and brushed herself against him. 
“I can at least get one thing I want tonight, can’t I?” She whispered seductively in his ear.
Warhammer let a small grin come across his face when he nodded. Amongst the happiness of the ponies there, Greatsword quietly excused himself from the party. He needed to leave because he couldn’t stay around so much happiness for too long, he would just grow angrier. He continued down the road that the Cutie Mark Crusaders went down, to the Everfree Forest.