The morning sun shone brightly over the training field, illuminating the man and teen sparring on it with quarterstaffs.
"Your form holds well," Celerius said to his apprentice between strikes, "but your concentration is slipping!"
Faster than he could even see, the teen found himself on his back, tripped up by Celerius.
"Now then Ardon, should I criticise you for your lapse in attention?" the older man extended a hand to his protégé, who took it, "Or maybe I should complement you on your eyesight?"
Ardon found himself whipped about to face the very reason he'd lost focus, sitting just across the street, speaking to a pegasus mare, brushing her rich red hair from her face...
"So you've an eye for young Angua?"
"That's not it at all!" Ardon backed away from his mentor quickly, "I was just- I ah, well I-"
"There's nothing wrong with it," Celerius chuckled lightly, "everyone needs a bit of romance in their life."
"What about you Master?" Ardon was desperate to change the topic, "do you have someone special in your life?"
"I tell you what," Celerius grinned, raising his quarterstaff, "beat me and I'll tell you."
Ardon slowly woke from his sleeping reminiscence to the voice of his subordinate.
"Captain," Damarus stood over him, "we'd best get started now, I think the meeting was planned for noon."
"Right, of course." Ardon looked at his wide-awake Lieutenants on their bed, "Was I asleep long?"
"Only long enough to argue on whether to wake you," Escura said offhandedly, "so, what did you want to talk about Captain?"
"Yes," Ardon paused to think, "First off, what kinds of information did you find out? Damarus?"
"Unfortunately, Lady Luna was less than welcoming of my presence," Damarus sighed, "all I learned is how far we are from Tartarus and that I'm still tone-deaf."
"You saw Tartarus?"
Damarus shook his head, "Just the black mountains, we're a ways off, but it's nothing we couldn't reach in a day or two on foot."
"Understood, Garris?"
"Apart from how trains work not a great deal, I was mostly telling Miss Lyra abou' us," Garris rubbed his chin pensively, "though I did learn a bit abou' that Discord fellow Lady Celestia mentioned, apparently he's some kind of 'Spirit of Chaos' that tried to take over in the past, but they somehow won him over."
"Interesting." Ardon stopped to consider this information, "And Escura, what did you learn?"
"Yessir!" Escura grinned as she jumped to attention, "I was able to obtain information regarding the general military tactics and practices, the history regarding the reawakening of the Elements of Harmony, and at least a partial history of a rebellion enacted one thousand years ago by the Lunar Princess."
"Impressive," as his subordinate began to looked pleased with herself, Ardon continued, "but did you learn of their currency? The current political situation? The social customs employed in today's world? The current state of the law?"
Escura could only shake her head dejectedly.
"Thankfully we should be able to gain that information going forward," Ardon sighed, "it's not too important as I doubt we'll be in such a situation again, but a wider scope to your inquiries may have helped, and that goes for the two of you as well."
They each stated their assent, and Ardon smiled slightly.
"For anyone who's wondering, the currency is bits, which seem more valuable to the coin than marks by about three times, Equestria functions under a Diarchy through Luna and Celestia, but individual cities retain the majority of their autonomy, as for social customs, the largest difference I noted was that the racial boundaries amongst ponies have become less overt, and while I only skimmed their criminal code, I found that we'll need to register ourselves as agents of the crown in order to carry weapons."
Ardon raised an eyebrow as his Lieutenants looked at him appreciatively.
"Did you think I'd come up with those questions on the spot?" the Captain smirked, "Now then Escura, deliver your report."
"Right, I think it would be prudent to begin with-" she was interrupted by a knock at the door, "Enter."
The door opened, revealing a meek-looking unicorn, "Sorry for the intrusion My Lords, My Lady, but Princess Celestia asked I see to any needs you may have."
"Yes," Ardon moved his eyes over the room as he thought, "we'll need some equipment to maintenance our armour, and if you could run us all a bath that would be appreciated."
"A-a bath, sir?" the unicorn seemed strangely hesitant about it.
"Well we haven't had one in coming on," Damarus screwed up his eyes in mock thought, "ooh, longer than this city's been around, and no offense meant or anything, but my cohorts don't exactly resemble a sweet-pot."
Despite the Knights' good-natured laughter, the unicorn still seemed tense, "P-perfectly understandable Lordship, but a bath for all of you together?"
"Isn't that how it's done anymore?" Escura made a puzzled look.
"Well it's just not very common, what with the, er bareness of, that is..." by this point the unicorn resembled more of a pointy beet than a pony, "I'll have a bath drawn momentarily Milady."
An uncomfortable silence fell over the group that Damarus was only too pleased to lift.
"They do know they don't normally wear clothes, right?"
The shining halls of Canterlot Castle were richly decorated with elegant portraits and beautiful vases and sculptures, many dating back to before even the events of the Lunar Rebellion.
Naturally, this splendor was largely ignored by nearly every pony who passed by.
Unnaturally, Lyra of Ponyville could be counted in their number as she wandered, obsorbed in thought.
What was she even doing here? She was no Element Bearer, she wasn't royalty or a noble, she had no special skills that could be put to use in such a quest.
Lost in doubt as she was, she didn't hear the soft pattering of footfalls, nor the softly reveling voices approaching from in front of her.
Suddenly Lyra found her vision filled with something pure white and fluffy, she jumped back with a yelp, breathing a sigh of relief as she saw it was just the Knights.
"Are you alright Milady?" it was Damarus, who Lyra had nearly walked into, who spoke, "I didn't mean to scare you like that."
"N-no, I mean yes- I mean I'm fine!" a blush slowly grew on her cheeks as her brain finally caught up with what was happening in front of her.
Four Knights, creatures of legend she'd adored since foalhood, marvelous beings renowned for their courage, strength, and valour.
And they were practically naked.
Not that nudity held a special connotation for most ponies, but she found it strange to see the Knights looking so bare, she realised she was staring but couldn't quite help it, each Knight was dressed in no more than a fluffy white towel wrapped around their waist (Though Garris' looked like it had been magically stitched together from three different towels) and their sparse hair stuck to their damp skin where it was exposed, leaving them with an almost balding appearance.
"I know we're a bit of a shock to you, but you'll need to get used to us sometime," Escura chuckled, and Lyra couldn't help but marvel at the differences between their genders, "not to mention that in our culture it was considered rude to stare at a woman's chest."
"I-I'm sorry!" Lyra clenched her eyes shut and lowered her head, only to raise it in confusion as the Knights' joined together in laughter.
"She meant nothing by it Miss Lyra," Garris' eyes were sparkling as he kneeled to be closer to Lyra's head-level, though that still put him nearer to his comrade's full height, "ye can be at ease, I'm sure we'll be able t'sort out everyone's fears once we meet come noontime, ye'll see."
"I don't think I'll be going to the meeting, actually," Lyra turned her eyes away from the gentle giant in front of her, not wanting to see his stare as she delivered her news, "I've thought about it, and there's no reason for me to be here, I'm just a Bard, not some hero, I should be at home writing songs about all this."
"Miss Lyra," Garris' voice was tender, and Lyra couldn't help but look into the man's eyes, so full of compassion and sorrow, "if there's but one thing I've learned in all my years of being a Knight, it's that hero's aren't born, they aren't even made, because there are none worthy of the title who'd ever accept it."
"Then what would you say you are if not a hero?" Lyra chuckled slightly at how subtly absurd it all seemed, "A Knight? A warrior?"
"A Baker, as much as ye're a Bard." Garris' eyes twinkled as he placed one huge hand on Lyra's back, "Come t'the meeting, if ye still feel that ye don't belong here I'll understand, but I for one would enjoy yer company on the road ahead.
"As for us, these halls are a tad drafty, and our laundry's awaiting us in our quarters," Garris slowly stood back up to his full height, "So Miss Lyra, d'ye think this meeting will be able t'put our fears t'rest?"
For the first time that morning, Lyra smiled a bright and honest smile, "I think it will, Sir Garris."