The Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters stood abrupt in the Everfree Forest, the grey bricks clashing with the green and brown of grass and trees. Night already fell and most the ponies inside were fast asleep. Besides the guards, there was one other pony up.
At the highest balcony of the castle’s tallest tower, a young mare sat and stared at the night sky. She was an alicorn, as any could tell from her horn and the wings folded against her shining blue coat. Her cutie mark was, quite curious, a crescent moon against a night background.
The growls and howls of the Everfree Forest critters went ignored as the alicorn stared up. She kept her gaze at the twinkling stars overhead, as if she was searching for something. Her wide eyes were filled with a longing, not for a lover but for one just as close and dear to herself.
“Lulu, what are you doing?” a voice called out.
The young alicorn, Lulu, turned away from the stars to doorway that led to her bed chambers. At the threshold was another alicorn, this one was older with a pink mane and a sun for a cutie mark. As the alicorn stepped into the moonlight, her white coat shone brighter than Lulu, which made the younger alicorn slightly jealous.
It was pushed aside as Lulu returned her gaze to the sky. “I’m just gazing at the stars, Tia,” she answered it a quiet voice.
A sigh left Tia as she trotted beside Lulu. “You’re looking for him aren’t you?”
The question, though rhetorical in nature, brought out a twinge of sadness inside the younger alicorn. The sadness in Lulu’s lowering gaze was more than enough of an answer. “I’m worried about him, sister,” she finally spoke. “He has been gone for a month now.”
Tia said nothing, only pulled her sister in a hug with a wing. “Lulu, you know he could not stay. He has done more than his part for us.” Tia looked at up the stars. “And we both know there are other evils he must fight.”
Lulu glanced up at her sister. “Do you think we’ll ever see him again?”
“I know we will,” she smiled at Lulu. After a pause of silence, Tia removed her wing from Lula. “Come on, we should be go to bed. We have a long day ahead of us.”
Lulu gave a small smile before raising herself all four legs and trotting off to bed. Tia stood there, smiling as her younger sister enter the chamber. She was about to follow when she stopped herself and glanced at the night sky with her own curiosity. She was greeted with an object rising from the Everfree Forest.
Despite the object being so far away, Tia recognized it immediately. It was a strange craft, neither a sailing ship nor cart, but a vehicle capable of flight. It was shaped like a bird with long wings and made of a strange metal unknown to the world. It roared like a dragon as flew further into the night.
The strange craft was gone from her sight, but Tia wore a small smile. The feeling of relief and happiness warmed her heart for that mere sight set aside her concerns.
Not wanting to keep her sister waiting, Tia entered the bed chamber, the smile never leaving her face.
The clouds parted ways as the small craft continued to fly higher and higher. It was not long until the craft finally left the planet’s atmosphere, but it came to a stop, remained floating loftily in planet’s orbit.
The inside the craft was filled with technology too advanced for the ponies or any other creature. The machines let out beeps that matched the blinking of multiple colors. Right in the center of all the technology was a creature of flesh, unlike any creature known to the ponies.
It, or rather he, was a biped in gray armor that covered most of his body. He could have been mistaken for a Minotaur with his muscular stature, but he did not have bull legs and there was hair only on his head, tied up like a pony’s tail. Resting next his thigh was a gray cylinder, a simple object but a symbol to the order he belonged to.
The being relaxed in his seat and he stroked his disheveled beard with a large hand. The past few months stranded on the planet had been an extraordinary experience. Never before in his life had he seen creatures such as the ponies. Two ponies, alicorn sisters in fact, were especially stuck in his mind.
The memory of the sisters brought a smile to the being’s face. Though powerful, the sisters were lonely as they lost their parents many years ago and were forced them into their roles as rulers. Yet during his stay, their faces beamed with joy.
The smile faded and the being’s brown eyes turned to the great planet he just departed. His craft floated above it, giving the view of the white clouds mixing with the blue oceans and green landmasses. It was relatively hidden from the rest of the galaxy, as well as the problems that plagued it.
The world indeed had its own share of evils but there had been one specific kind of evil, the kind the being swore to fight. Fortunately, it was stopped in its place and the planet was safe… for now, that is.
The being knew he could no longer afford to stay. There was a war to fight and he needed to lead his army into battle. When he was done, he would return, just as he promised.
Turning his gaze away, the being’s hand went to the machines and began pressing buttons. Moments later, the being felt his craft humming with life and he gripped the handles controlling his craft. The stars turned into white lines streaking over his vision.
And in a blink of an eye, he was gone.