//------------------------------// // 2 - Friends on the Other Side // Story: Broken Pride // by lunabrony //------------------------------// Shortly after the meeting with Zazu... Canterlot, Equestria "Hurry up, Fluttershy, we're going to be late!" Twilight insisted, keeping a steady stride as she trotted down one of the elaborately decorated Canterlot halls. She seemed to know exactly where she was going, and why wouldn't she? Even before she'd been selected to deal with the admittedly annoying wings that now pressed against her sides, she'd known every crevice of this castle. "I'm coming..." Fluttershy said quietly, weaving her way around a guardspony heading in the opposite direction. "Oh, excuse me..." "Isn't this exciting?" Twilight gushed. "A summons! It's not very often that a princess summons a princess!" "Isn't that like... princessception or something?" Fluttershy asked. "That's not a word, Fluttershy, you should know that," Twilight said kindly, approaching a pair of Royal Guards guarding a large set of doors. "At the very least, I should know that. I own thirty seven dictionaries after all." She turned her attention to the guards. We're here to see Princess Celestia," she announced. "She's expecting us." The guards exchanged a glance. The one on the left spoke first. "We've been informed to be expecting you, but there was nothing about the yellow one," he said. "Oh, that's alright, I can take the train back home, and-" The doors swung open of their own accord, and a maternal voice echoed from within. "Guards, please stop trolling my guests. Come in, the both of you. And do hurry." Twilight and Fluttershy did, and the doors closed behind them. Princess Celestia paced nervously back and forth. This concerned Twilight, as she did not like seeing Celestia upset, but what concerned her even more was the large object sitting behind the alicorn. She blinked several times, as if not looking directly at it would make it go away. "Princess?" She asked cautiously. "...Is that..." Celestia paused and looked up, looking over the two of them. "Thank you for coming," she said, and looked over at the large object. "I thought you might recognize this mirror. Yes, it is the same one you used before." "Do you intend for us to use it? It hasn't been even close to thirty moons yet... isn't it closed?" Celestia cracked a smile. "That world is closed to you for now, yes, but there are others. A prism has many sides, after all. There are many worlds, some of which I know about, but many more which remain hidden to me. My place is here." Fluttershy spoke up, which was saying something. "And... why did you call for me as well?" She asked. Not a complaint, but more of a confused clarification. There was a gentle smile from the alicorn. "Because I'm told there is a war going on in this other realm, and you are one of the most influentially persuasive ponies that I know. I couldn't think of someone more suited for the task." Fluttershy's ears went back. "A war? Oh, goodness..." "Are you sure it's safe?" Twilight asked. "I'm sure. I would go myself, but I am needed here. Zazu will assist you in my absence. He has since retired from the King's Service, but I still communicate with him on occasion as an Ambassador." "Who's..." Twilight began. It was at that moment that the mirror rippled, and a fairly old blue hornbill soared out of it, landing on Celestia's shoulder, and dipped his head to the both of them. "Salutations! I am Zazu, messenger to the King. At least I was, in days long past. The pride is in grave danger. Our King is very sick, and fears dark magic is at work. If he falls... I don't know what we'll do." The bird looked worried. "Celestia has told me of your experience with the magical arts, as well as your fairly high success rate with such things. Will you help us get to the bottom of what's going on?" Fluttershy and Twilight exchanged glances. "Of course we'll help!" Twilight announced. Fluttershy looked a bit less enthused. "If you say so..." Zazu continued. "The conditions are simple. Meet with the King, scout around, see what you can find out, if anything. I'd be forever grateful if you could get to the bottom of this. Just be sure to return here within three days." "What happens in three days?" Fluttershy asked. "The door-" "-closes." Twilight finished. "Is that right?" Zazu nodded. "Very well, we accept your task. Fluttershy, expect a bit of disorientation," Twilight warned, and stepped forward through the rippling mirror. If this sort of trend continued, she really was going to have a hard time trusting mirrors again. Fluttershy seemed as if she'd rather be anywhere but there at that particular moment, and gave a soft sigh. "If it means helping my friends and cute little animals, I'll do it," she said bravely, and followed through the mirror. Zazu and Celestia exchanged a glance. "I suppose you didn't tell either of them that we're not exactly dealing with cute little animals?" Zazu asked. "Well, the nearby meerkat colony perhaps, but they are a fairly neutral affiliation," he said. Celestia shook her head. "I do my best to avoid meddling in other worlds whenever possible," she said. "But Twilight is one of my best. If anything is out of the ordinary, I have nothing but full confidence that she will find it and take care of it. Have you ever experienced anything like that before?" Zazu hesitated. "Once, many years ago. But those are years long past, the pridelands have been under new rule for some time now. Such is the circle of life," he said. Celestia nodded. "Very well. Go then, and keep an eye on my little ponies. See that no harm comes to them." The hornbill saluted, and followed the two mares through the mirror.