Celestia watched from her balcony as the moon began to rise, signaling the beginning of the night. Later, she had decided, she would visit Luna, and speak of what occurred from the day. It had certainly been a long one, with nobles talking about problems of the Crystal Empire, the acquisition of new titles, lands, and various other laws to include the now foreign Crystal Ponies.
Celestia sighed in frustration, It’s a shame that all of my, I mean our ponies do not act the same way as Twilight and her friends. I had hoped they would become an example for Equestria. But, it seems that even our ponies still have a ways to go. I suppose a Princess’s work is never done.
A flicker of movement catches her attention in the darkening twilight. Focusing her vision, Celestia attempts to understand the tiny figure that is out of place. Her expression darkens, her smile turning into a frown. What could this be? It certainly isn’t one of my ponies. None would be out at this time of night. And I certainly wasn’t expecting any news, especially at this time of night. Perhaps this is the doing of the new Captain of the Guard. Ever since Shining left for the Crystal Empire things have been quite hectic.
Focusing on her target, Princess Celestia tenses herself, and leaps into the air, intending to meet the anomaly in Luna’s night. She smiles again, feeling freedom in her own ability to move, unrestricted by guards protecting her from every side. The wind blowing over her wings, the fresh smell of the night, and the cold crisp feel of the fleeting warmth of day all came together and made Celestia feel free again. But, all of this fun must end eventually. Upon looking closer, she spots the lone pegasus, flying erratically and in full guard uniform, or at least what appeared to be guard uniform.
Celestia hovers near the path of the pegasus, and waiting for him to approach. The pegasus continues on as if not even noticing the Princess hovering nearby. She could hear the guard mutter as he passed her, “Got to get to Canterlot… Got to get to Canterlot…” Celestia looks in a confused manner at the armored pegasus. Celesita follows close behind, this odd situation having fully grasped her attention. I wonder what this could be… perhaps this day will be interesting after all. Her smile broadened at the prospect of something new happening. After all, without new, she wouldn't have her sister back, or a reformed Discord.
The guard, seeing an opening, gives a final push and lands on the balcony unceremoniously. Celestia could see the guard was almost completely exhausted as he continues to lay there, the only indication of consciousness was that his wings were still twitching. Celestia decided to send a thought to her younger counterpart, Something has occurred, meet me at my balcony.
Luna sent a curt reply back. Celestia landed on her balcony, the freeing feeling of flying now replaced with worry about what could drive a guard to run himself this ragged. “Rest little pony. What troubles you so?”
The guard mumbles at first, and attempts to gain composure. First, were the wings. While disheveled from the landing, the guard began to pull them to his sides rather than leave them splayed about on the ground. Reaching out, the guard found support on a nearby railing. The guard grabbed onto it, and pulled himself up, at least using that as a resting spot instead of the ground.
Celestia watched as the guard composed himself, unsure as to whether or not she should interefere. Her look of worry grew as she analysed his armor. That… that can only be from the Crystal Empire! How did I not see this before?
The guard turned around, and dropped at the sight of Celestia. “Princess Celestia!” The guard pauses, trying to find the strength to stand.
Celestia spoke before the guard could continue, “Rest little pony. Tomorrow you may speak of your charge. I’m sure that whatever it is, it can wait.”
The guard did not move his head to look at the Princess, but spoke despite the strain on his body, “You do not understand Princess. Something bad is coming down! There are riots all over the Crystal Empire. The city is on full lockdown. A monster… a monster unlike anything I had ever seen had taken down the shield as I left! I flew here as fast as I could to warn you! I don’t know how long the castle will hold but there isn’t much time.” The guard was breathing more heavily now, the strain visible in his voice, “This monster… it must be stopped. It is rushing forward towards the border as we speak… I… I’m not sure that we can stop it…”
The guard lays on the ground, having lost all tension, the soft snores of sleep almost echoing throughout Celestia’s room.
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A part of us, and yet all of us could see something. At the far reach of our vision, we could see something beyond the white snow of this barren place. We could see tall objects. We do not know what they are, but we know they are an affront to us! Who would dare build walls so tall as to try to keep us out? Do they not know that we cannot be stopped? We flowed through the strange light barrier set up by the pathetic city, and we continue to assault their walls. We claimed few in the taking of the city, less than we expected from so many pathetic dwellings. Perhaps they lie in the strange thing that lays in the center.
It seems so odd… it is so much like our prison, but instead of keeping us in it, it keeps us out.
No matter. It will fall like all walls before it.
Over this wall will be our charge and even if there was another wall behind it, and another behind that wall, it would not stop us. Soon, the green among white shall fall, but until then, we must focus on finding it. Our mass only grows larger, our pain blinded by our rage!
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The pegasus, after quite a bit of time had reached it. A barren rock wall faced him, his home. He tapped against the rock face. An echoing sound reverberated throughout the clearing, and the pegasus shifted uncomfortably. The pegasus began tapping its hoof against the ground in impatience, but its expression showed nervousness too. It was taking too long for the door to open. The pegasus shifted again, and looked around nervously. It began to prepare to fly away as fast as it could when a rumbling noise caught its attention.
The rock face began to visibly shift, a large piece of rock sliding backwards, revealing a dark cave behind it.
The pegasus sighed, and entered the cave, glad to be safe… for now.
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The unicorn blinked, trying to get something out his eyes. Normally, up on the mountains, there wasn’t much to do. Rarely did anything vicious come from the North, as they preferred the cold. The guard blinked again, just managing to get rid of the dust in his eyes.
Moving about his small tower, he looks at his equipment again. A bell, his mug of coffee, and the emergency flare. It’s not like I’ll ever need any of this stuff… except this delicious coffee. I probably wouldn’t even be able to get up if it weren’t for the stuff. Looking back out towards the horizon, and into the valley below, everything was as it had been for the past few months. ‘I shouldn’t have commented about Cadence’s flank… otherwise I wouldn’t even be here!’
A flicker of movement caught the guard’s attention. It’s probably just some more snow… The guard finally turned his head to see what it was, and his jaw dropped. Below him in the valley, was something he couldn’t even describe. At first, he could only see it, and then he heard something. Above the snow, and even from such a distance, he heard a song.
The guard turned, and ran for the flare. He stumbled slightly after he grabbed it. Thank Celestia that I didn’t accidently set off the flare in here…. The guard remembered the last time a flame was accidentally released, and he could see the burn mark on where the last guard used to be. He positioned himself near the window and fired the flare. Looking outside, he saw a large red x symbol appear in the sky. However, on the corner of his vision, he saw more red… Peeking his head out the window, all along the mountaintops, he saw more signals going off. Oh no… He saw pegasi scrambling to evacuate the towers one by one, and as time passed the song grew louder. He could understand it, and his morale dropped.
They won’t get me in time…
The guard began to run about the room, shouting profanities, pleading to every deity he could think of, and pondered jumping. To his surprise, and rejoice, a pegasus landed in the window.
“They called in reinforcements. This is something big! C’mon! We don’t have much time. We don’t know if this thing can climb!” The guard could see the the panic on the pegasus' face, the warm blanket of his confidence now soaked, the cold leaking into his clothes and very soul. The guard shivered.
The guard ignored the pegasus’ speech, and hopped into the personnel carrier. He smiled as they flew away towards the nearest base. However, just as the mountain was about to disappear from his vision, something crowned it. A wave of purple. The guard whispered one sentence, “Nothing can stop… the Smooze…”