//------------------------------// // Chapter One: Meeting of the Princesses // Story: Battle Ready: Envy // by D101 Reviews //------------------------------// Chapter One: Meeting of the Princesses Twilight Sparkle could hardly contain her excitement. She knew that if she let her friends see how flustered she was she would never be able to live it down. Even this though was barely enough to keep her in check. She spent most of her time rushing to the bathroom mirror to check her mane, her clothes, her feathers and anything else that could possibly have gone wrong in the past thirty seconds since she had looked at herself. It wasn't because she was nervous she told herself. It was because the pony she was expecting to see today had saved her life. The least she could do was look presentable. She gave out a small girlish squeal before blushing severely. She did not just make that noise did she? "Twilight come on, you're gonna be late!" Spike cried from downstairs. "The train's leaving in five minutes!" Twilight checked her watch and gave a cry of alarm as she realised Spike was right. She had been so worked up about her appearance she had completely failed to notice how time had flown. She flew downstairs to the library proper and turned to Spike who was holding the front door open, tapping his foot impatiently. "Thanks Spike, you'll watch the library while I'm gone?" she said breathlessly, jogging on the spot. "Yeah, I always do don't I?" Spike asked. "I don't see why I can't come to Canterlot with you though." "Spike we'll barely be there for an hour if all things go right," Twilight explained. "Plus with the train ride there and back, do you want to spend four hours on a train for an hour in Canterlot?" "I guess not," Spike admitted. He looked up. "You better get going. You don't wanna be late." "Oh right! Bye Spike, don't eat too many gems while I'm out!" Twilight said as she rushed out of the front door and down the high street. Spike rolled his eyes as he closed the door after him. "I swear she get's worse everyday." "Hoo." "Twilight." "Hoo." "TWILIGHT!" Rainbow Dash tapped her foot impatiently, wings fluttering rapidly behind her back. Applejack rolled her eyes at her friends impatient behaviour. "Give it a rest Dash, Twilight'll be here when she gets here," she sighed. "Yeah but isn't Twilight always like super early when she's meeting somepony?" Dash asked. "And you'd think with who she's meeting today, she'd be camping out in front of the damn station." "Dash there is no need to swear dear," Rarity admonished checking her mane in a small pocket mirror. "I know," Dash sighed. "It's just... I'd hate for her to be late you know? I mean we all know how important this is for her right?" "Well duh?" Pinkie exclaimed. "I mean she's only been talking about everyday for the past week! And besides, who wouldn't be excited. I mean, every pony in Ponyville is in a buzz. Isn't that right Fluttershy?" "Um, yeah, every pony," Fluttershy mumbled, slightly terrified of being put suddenly in the spotlight. "You see? Even Fluttershy's excited!" Pinkie cried. "I mean this is only the first time Battle's come to Equestria since we beat the pants off of Wrath after all!" "We know Pinkie darling," Rarity said, flipping her mirror shut and sliding it into her pocket. "And we're all terribly excited to see Battle again." "Well of course we're excited Rarity, that's what I was just saying," Pinkie cried, rolling her eyes. "Oh, yes," Rarity muttered. "I just hope he brings some of that Warhorse mead with him," Dash muttered. "He still owes me a barrel." "Oh, Apple Family Cider not good enough for ya now Dash?" Applejack huffed, folding her arms. "I never said that!" Dash cried. "But you refused to try any so you never saw how good it was. I mean don't get me wrong, it's not better than Sweet Apple Acres Cider but... it's not worse." "I was messin' with you Dash," Applejack chuckled. She looked over Dash's shoulder. "There she is." Dash and the other three turned as Twilight came panting into view. "S-sorry," she panted, "Lost... track... of... time..." "You? Twilight Sparkle, loose track of time?" Dash scoffed. "What were ya doing?" Applejack asked. "I was... reading through some notes," Twilight lied. "Uhuh," Applejack nodded, not believing a word of what she said. "Twilight it's okay to be nervous," Rarity assured her. "I'm not nervous! Who said I was nervous?" Twilight demanded, flushing bright pink. "Well considering the last time you saw Battle he was two steps away from sticking his tongue down your-" "RAINBOW!" Applejack cut off. "Throat," Dash finished. "Celestia get your mind out the gutter AJ, geez." "You, um, saw that?" Twilight squeaked. "We all did Twilight," Rarity said before adding, "And we all lost ten bits to Fluttershy." "For what?" Twilight asked as Fluttershy scuffed her feet, a small smile on her face. "We had a bet on how he'd say bye," Applejack explained. "Fluttershy was the only one who bet on that sweet little smooch he gave your Cutie Mark." "It wasn't a 'smooch'!" Twilight protested. "Really? Looked like that from where we were standing," Dash chuckled. "Oh look here's the train!" Twilight exclaimed loudly, a blush staining her face a deep red. And she was correct as the train pulled up into the station. Twilight was the first aboard, instantly trying to avid any further conversation about the last time she had seen Battle Ready. She did however have to ask one last question. "My brother didn't see did he?" Celestia bit her lip in annoyance and rubbed her temples with two fingers each. Frustrated was one word to describe how she was currently feeling. Another word would be disappointment. Not for any failings that would have normally affect her. No the disappointment was to something that she knew would only cause distress to her student and fellow Princess. She felt sorry too of course. Sorry that Twilight would come all this way to Canterlot for nothing. Sorry she wouldn't get to see who she came here to see. And sorry she would have to deal with her. Celestia groaned as she pinched her nose. She was good friends with Veteran Centurion and they saw eye to eye on several matters of diplomacy between their two nations. However if they could both agree whole-heartedly on one fact and one fact alone they knew which one it would be. Centurion's daughter was the most annoying pony on the planet. Celestia could only hope the guards she had left in the meeting chamber would forgive her for trapping them in the same room as Tactical for any extended period of time. Why Tactical? Why? Celestia racked her head to think of a reason why Centurion would saddle her with his daughter. She came up with none. She sighed. She had to be rational and calm about this. Despite the fact that if Tactical made one more snooty request she would rip her- "Calm Celestia, calm," she breathed in deep and heavily. "Speaking to yourself is never a good sign dear sister," said a voice from behind her. Celestia turned to see Luna standing there, her grim face a mirror of her own. "What did she say to you?" Celestia asked. "She really is here?" Luna groaned. "I thought it was some awful joke Veteran thought to play on us." "I assure you, Tactical is very much here," Celestia grumbled. She looked at Luna. "So, did you want anything sister?" "Twilight's here," Luna said, glancing out of the window. "Do you want me to intercept and tell her about the change in plans?" "No," Celestia sighed. "I shall tell her." "Better hurry," Luna said as she looked down from where they stood. "She's almost at the meeting chamber." Twilight felt her smile had been stretched to near Pinkie Pie standard's as she climbed the steps to the meeting chambers. The guards that flanked her were silent and bore emotionless expressions but Twilight didn't really care. Her good spirits kept her smile on her face and, if what Battle had promised had come to fruition, she might even get to spend time with one of her few male friends. Not that there was any reason she wanted to hang out with Battle in particular. She blushed to the tips of her ears again, hoping the guards wouldn't notice. If they did, they didn't care. She cleared her throat and shook her head, trying to clear all thoughts from her head as they approached the door. She had to look presentable after all. She was a Princess. She couldn't look all flustered in front of a foreign dignitary, even if he was a friend. The guards stopped on either side of the door and came to attention with the guards who stood beside the doorway. They saluted back as Twilight's escort's turned on their heals and began back down the staircase. The door-guards leaned in and gripped a handle each and pulled. Twilight was immediately fixed with a pair of familiar navy blue eyes. They just weren't the ones she wanted to see. "You're very nearly late," said Tactical's clipped voice from where she sat. Twilight took several slow steps forward before sitting down at the opposite side of the table to Tactical. Her slight smile when the doors had opened had crashed into a disappointed scowl. "Hello Tactical," she said, her voice just as cold as Tactical's. "Twilight," she acknowledged. "A... pleasure to see you once again." "The pleasure, is all mine I assure you," Twilight replied, voice dripping in sarcasm. "This isn't a picnic for me either you know," Tactical hissed, loosing her formality. "You think I like being sent by my father as an errand dog? A mail-pony?" "What's wrong with being a mail-pony?" Twilight asked, thinking of one grey-furred pegasus that may have been offended by that comment. "It is beneath my station," Tactical replied, her voice sounding colder than Wrath's tomb. "Uh-huh," Twilight grumbled. "Where's your brother then? I was supposed to be meeting Battle." "The Commander," Tactical growled. "Left on some expedition somewhere a few weeks ago and hasn't been heard from since." "What was the expedition?" Twilight asked. "Classified Warhorse information," Tactical said far too quickly. "They didn't tell you did they?" Twilight smirked. Tactical flushed scarlet in rage and embarrassment. "So what if they didn't?" Tactical growled. Twilight rolled her eyes. "So are we going to spend our time trading quips and insults or are we going to get down to some politics?" she asked. "Oh believe me, nothing would please me more," Tactical muttered. "But I am not here to meet on political discussions for our two nations." "Then why are you here?" Twilight demanded. "To waste my time?" "I was sent here to inform you that until the Commander returns from his expedition," Tactical growled, "And when any business that he may have accumulated in his absence, both present and past, have been dealt with, these diplomatic summits shall have to be postponed." Twilight's lips curled into a snide smile. "King Veteran sent you to tell me this? You really are his mail pony." Tactical snarled before turning on her heel. Twilight smile became more prominent as she withdrew a scroll from her pocket. "Oh, Tactical?" "Yes?" she hissed. "I need you to give this to your brother, next time you see him," Twilight said, lifting up a tightly bound scroll, tied in red ribbon and sealed with a wad of golden wax. Tactical's face seethed as she took the letter. "Consider it done," she growled, before leaving the room, flanked by her own Warhorse guards. Twilight's smile faded as she put her head in her hands, the small joy she had felt in mocking Tactical draining from under a sense of crushing disappointment. Battle hadn't turned up? He hadn't even been in Legion? Where was he then? And what was the nature behind his 'expedition'?