Fluttershy was in her front yard playing with her rabbit, Angel Bunny, and saw two human-like figures approaching her cottage from the back. She was hidden behind a window as she peered in from of the front so they didn’t know she was there, and she couldn’t really tell who they were. At first glance, they were most likely Meer and Ozean, but they seemed awfully different. Needless to say she was shocked as she watched the two creatures from behind her front window. She watched the two come through the back door and carrying small metal discs. Placing them on their backs, they were suddenly wrapped in some kind of combat skin, completely with yellow glowing lights. Black robes aligned with similar lights appeared and draped over them. A mirrored, black helmet appeared over their heads and faces, concealing their identities perfectly, but reminding her of the creature from the night before; the one with no face and lights on its skin. One turned around just as his helmet covered his face.
He looked directly at Fluttershy as he said, “Well, consider yourself lucky my dear…”
The other one turned around, “The Florians…have arrived,” it completed the other’s sentence. Both of their voices were metallic and distorted.
Fluttershy could do nothing but step aside and utter a small “eep” as the two human-like creatures stepped out of her cottage. As they did so, Twilight, Rarity, and two royal guards appeared.
“Stop!” Twilight yelled, “Forget the Discordia spies, they’re a bigger find! Fluttershy stop them!”
Fluttershy let out another “eep” and crouched down hoping to stay out of this. Luckily, the two royal guards were able to grab the two Florians with little resistance and they were taken to the airfield. Fluttershy followed them as she tried, but to no avail, to tell Twilight they were Florians; hoping that Twilight would know what to do with a Florian.
“Forians?” Twilight asked her when she finally heard Fluttershy’s voice. “Florians haven’t been around for a millennium. They’re all dead; these two are clearly Discordian spies trying to seem innocent.”
“Really?” one of the Florians turned to her and forced the guards and the other Florian to stop, “You’re gonna assume Florians have died? Why don’t you go find Princess Luna and see what she thinks of your ignorance?”
“Luna is wise enough to know that Auflorsung is gone,” Twilight said.
“I’m afraid you’ll be soon see your sad mistake,” the Florian replied.
“Some people,” the other said. They had not removed their helmets since their capture, and the guards didn’t seem to try to remove them. After a while, a military airship arrived and the Florians were herded onto it. They were brought to the middle front of the top deck and chained to the floor and several guards that surrounded them, as well as having their hands bound by chains. “A friendly welcoming party,” one of the Florians commented.
“Shut it,” one of the guards told them.
“Well, luckily for you two, my brother is in town from the Crystal Empire; and as former captain of the guard, I’m sure Celestia will allow him to decide your executions,” Twilight said triumphantly.
“Well, such strong words coming from royalty of a country that can’t seem to defend itself against Discordia,” one of the Florians said.
“Hey, they can still jail and starve us,” the other told him. There was a sudden vibration, and the airship’s mooring to the ground was cut. It rose into the air and began moving forward; its massive propellers spinning quickly. The airship didn’t make it very far beyond Ponyville before the Florians could see their destination: a large city cut into a mountain, most likely Canterlot. The two Florians stood still as they waited for their possible execution by starvation. Even though they were extremely powerful, they weren’t remarkably physically strong so the chains kept them in one place.
They made it about half way to Canterlot, when two other airships, armed with cannons, flew up on both sides of their airship: escorts. The small V formation carried on to Canterlot, many cannons aimed at the two Florians. Their reflexes were fast, but there was no way they could dodge a cannonball while focusing on getting loose from their chains, especially with the guards ready to pounce. The three airships continued to Canterlot, and the two armed ships broke off the formation, finding two places over a long bridge that led to a castle: the airship dock.
On the dock, there was a long line of heavily armored guards, two females dressed in military uniforms, a third female in a royal dress, and a male in heavy armor. They seemed to all be royalty, and they were all approaching the end of the dock. The tallest female, dressed in white and gold wore a very stern, almost angry expression. The next one, dressed in blue and shorter wore a silver mask: a tactic she was reminded of in Auflorsung. The ship docked and the six guards chained to the Florians herded them off the ship, across a very thin wooden gangway. They were stopped several paces beyond the gangway; both Florians towered by the guards that stood around them, despite their already tall stature. The four royals approached the Florians, each sizing them up and making their own opinions.
“They’re Florian,” the blue one whispered behind her mask to the one in white.
“But why are they here?” the white, tall one asked her, “And are either of them the one you met on your journey to Auflorsung?”
“I don’t know, sister, I’m not a mind reader,” the blue one teased her, “And probably not; he had white lights on his clothes, they have yellow, and they have their faces covered.”
The tall one, dressed in a white military uniform with gold trim and a rapier sword on her side approached the two Florians. She was at even height with them, impressive for an Equestrian woman. She looked sternly at each, trying to find their eyes beyond their mirrored helmets before she finally spoke. “Florians,” she said without complete certainty, “Why have you invaded Equestria?”
“We didn’t,” one of them said.
“You’re in Equestria, you’re obviously wearing some kind of armor, if it is only head protection. No doubt you’re carrying some kind of weapon. This looks like an invasion,” Celestia said and then muttered, "And a poor one at that."
“It’s not,” one of them replied, “We might be wearing armor and we might be armed, but it is simply for protection.”
“Then why are you here?” Celestia asked them.
“We cannot say,” the same Florian replied.
“If you cannot say, they you are obviously not here for peace,” Celestia said, “And therefore, you will be executed.” She turned to the male standing a few feet behind her. “I’m sorry, Shining Armor, but I think it best to make an example of these two right now.”
“Do what you must, m’lady,” the male said. He reached for the princess next to him and covered her eyes.
Celestia drew her sword and cut the chains that attached the Florians to the guards with a decently hard swing. Then she swung it as hard as she could at the Florian to her left. The blade collided with his arm, and she expected to feel his bone as her sword penetrated it. What she got, however, was not what she or anyone expected.
The Florian was knocked over by the force of the sword and landing on his side, letting out a muffled grunt. Celestia, surprised, took a swing at the other, getting the same results.
They both stood up and looked at Celestia. Although their faces were hidden, she could feel their anger. “Care to explain?” one of them asked with fury in his voice.
“I don’t understand,” Celestia said ignoring their inquiry, “My sword can cut any armor.”
“Obviously not,” one of the Florians said with much disrespect in his voice.
“Perhaps you’d like a lesson in your inferiority?” the other asked with the same amount of disrespect and an equal amount of condescendence.
Celestia said nothing, but stared at them stunned.
“Well here it comes,” the Florian said. “If you knew anything about Auflorsung, you’d know it houses the most dangerous creatures on Equus. Our armor was designed to withstand their claws, teeth, and acid. Do you think your petty gold plated blade would be enough?” The other Florian took a baton from beneath his robes and activated it. A blue blade of energy appeared, and with a gentle flick of the wrist, the energy blade cut Celestia’s sword in half like butter. He sheathed his baton and stood with his arms at his side.
“You will pay for that,” Celestia said. She turned around and led her entourage back into the castle; the Florians were herded behind them by the guards. They all walked at a quickened pace along the long bridge that led into the castle, and ultimately to a large throne room.