//------------------------------// // The Calm Before The Storm // Story: Dawn of the Harmony Corps // by MarkOfKhorne //------------------------------// “All aboard the night train!” yelled out the old conductor of the last train back to Ponyville. Twilight sat motionless in her seat, her head against the glass of the window. The passenger car was completely empty after a request she made to the railroad owners, both persuaded by Twilight's tear-stained eyes and a strongly-worded order from Princess Luna. The mare sat in absolute silence, deep in thought. As the train departed the station and gained speed, the world felt like it was rushing past her. She kept her eyes upon Princess Luna’s night sky, hoping that she could find sweet comfort in sleep, but being alone with her thoughts kept her awake. She tried making sense of all the drastic change she went through in the past few days. A simple green flash of light brought her to this state of dismay, and brought her mentor to the verge of death--as surreal as it sounded. "There is nothing more we can do, Twilight," Princess Luna had said. "We can only wait. We both know my sister. She is strong and whatever illness has befallen on her, I know that she will prevail." But how did she know for sure? Twilight thought. Her screams, that explosion for Harmony's sake, how was she sure that she come out of this safe and sound? How was she sure that Equestria would come out of this safe and sound? Twilight shut her eyes. Equestria was on its way to Hell by the insanity and hidden malice from her fellow Equestrians. Mere faith wasn't going to save them, and, as much as she was her friend, Princess Luna couldn't save them either, not with only two years of experience. She was a pony displaced in time and one thousand years-worth of change couldn't be learned overnight. It was going to take a miracle to maintain order, and Luna's methods would be futile in the long run. Twilight wished she was something more, something stronger, but the pony the nation needed laid on a hospital bed in a coma. As these thoughts spun around her head, Twilight tried remembering the horrible events that led to her mentor's downfall. She thought back to the wedding reception when her mentor was well, when she was alive. Princess Cadence and Shining Armor sealed their marriage with a kiss on the balcony. After the loudest uproar of applause by the attendees, everyone followed the newlyweds to the reception. As Twilight headed towards the door to join her friends, she heard Princess Celestia behind her. “Twilight, may I speak with you before you partake in the festivities?”, said Princess Celestia. “Of course, Princess,” politely responded Twilight, “what did you want to talk about?” “I don’t want to keep you long, so I’ll be quick. You and I both know that what’s happened today is possibly the closest to anarchy we have come in a long time. If Cadance and Shining Armor would have failed in defeating the Changeling Queen, I’m not sure that I could have done anything about it. I hope you understand that even though I have lived for a long time, I’m not immortal, and I feel that you should know that I thought this day would be my last.” Twilight’s facial expression reflected the serious tone of the conversation. “Yes, Princess. I was afraid of that.” “I have almost walked down the shadow of the valley of death several times throughout my life: on my travels, in the midst of battle. I even felt that the night Luna was corrupted, I would die defending the country from her destructive tirade. I hope I do not put off the happiness of today’s achievements, but I do have a reason I am sharing this with you.” Twilight was fearing where the conversation was going. Underneath the solemn mask she wore for the Princess, anxiety ate her alive. “And what would that be, Princess?” “Today you have learned to trust your instincts as it might prevent the worst from occurring. That is why I am choosing to trust mine. I don’t have evidence of what I have determined, but I do feel a… disturbance.” “A disturbance?” Twilight said, puzzled, “ Princess, are you alright? Do you feel ill?” “No, of course not, Twilight,” the Princess quickly responded, ”I know that I have been speaking with dark undertones, but trust me, I feel perfectly fine. What I fear is the security of the country. If I would not have survived the invasion today, I fear that the nation would not have prevailed. I trust my sister with my life, but I do not believe she is ready to lead the ponies, not yet at least. Maybe long ago, she would have been perfect leader, but much has changed. She needs to learn the ways of modern society, and even then, I don't know if she'd be able to hold everything together. I don’t expect her or anyone to. The burden of leadership takes a heavy toll on everyone who must bear it. With this in mind, I know that since my sister’s return, she has taken it upon herself to understand the kingdom, proclaiming that the safety of the ponies should always be the greatest priority. And it is. But with the feelings that I have been having, I don’t know how she would respond to a menacing threat, just like I don’t know how Equestria will respond to her decisions. What I’m trying to say is that I hope that as my student, you will carry on to protect the nation that I have cared for millennia. You are a mare of incredible talent for leadership, as well as having one of the strongest hearts only rivaled by my sister. I sense a change coming along, and Luna cannot be the only one to make the hardest decisions. Many will try to guide the nation in several directions and I hope that you maintain course and overall, protect the nation.” Twilight was speechless. Was the Princess insinuating that something is going to happen to her? Was she asking her to move on without her? The mare took it all in slowly, maintain her calm facade until the Princess interrupted her thoughts. “I ask that you consider all that I've spoken with you, but do not let it linger in your head. You are a young mare, and my presumptions are just that. I've only told you this as a precaution. And don’t think that you’re the only one to have heard from me. I've had a rather lengthy conversation with Luna while the wedding was being set up. She understands completely what I ask from both of you. Now, go on. Celebrate their victory as much as yours. I’ll be with everyone shortly.” The Princess began to exit the room but stopped midway and turned towards Twilight. “Oh, and please do keep this to yourself for the time being. The dark undertones could be taken in a different sense and I don’t want panic to spark.” Twilight looked on as the Princess left. Alone, she trotted towards the door, cheerful to be surrounded by her friends, but everything her mentor said still lingered in the back of her mind. The nighttime was calm--thanks to Luna--as the wedding reception died down with the carriage disappearing in the far horizon. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna retired to their Royal bedrooms and guests began to leave one by one. “Ooh, ooh, ooh. This has to have been one of the greatest, super-duper parties I've ever been to,” Pinkie Pie squealed. “What do you girls want to do now? After-party? After-after-party?!” The party pony bounced around her friends. “Come on, ladies. The night is still young,” she said while throwing her hooves in the air to the full moon above. “Actually, Pinkie,” Twilight drearily responded as she rubbed her eyes. “As much as I’d love to party around Canterlot after hours, I think I've had enough for tonight. We've all had a very, very, VERY long day and we really should get some sleep.” She gestured at Spike who passed out on the ground, his limbs splayed out in all directions. The rest of the girls nodded in agreement, each of them rubbing their eyes. Pinkie gazed at her friends and pouted. “Come on? What have we done today that we haven’t done before… besides attending a small wedding, discovering that your older brother's bride was truly a demonic bug queen, having Canterlot be invaded by the insect army, running across the city kicking Changeling butt to find the Elements of Harmony, using you as a Gatling Gun--which I have to admit was pretty fun, making it to the Hall of Harmony only to get captured by the Changeling drones, nearly losing all of Equestria to your brother’s crazy fake fiance only to have him and your brother’s real fiance and now-sister-in-law save us all using their love magic against her, then salvaging the old wedding to makeshift the new wedding and dance the night away until where we are right now?” Pinkie's gasp for air punctuated her long, run-on sentence. Her blue head drooped down to the ground as she nearly passed out. There was a long pause. "Is she okay?" Rarity whispered to Twilight. Immediately, Pinkie lifted her head to meet her friend’s awkward faces. “You see?" she said panting, "it’s just an average old day for us!” The tired ponies just stared at the pink mare. Pinkie frowned, but Rainbow Dash quickly shook herself awake. “You know what?" Rainbow Dash said, "I’m think I’m up for a few more hours of partying, Pinkie Pie.” A wide smile crept up onto the pink pony’s mouth. “In fact,” Rainbow Dash continued, “I heard the DJ talk about another party a few blocks from here. You game?” “YEAH!” Pinkie Pie yelled out, disappearing and reappearing behind Rainbow Dash, pushing her towards the gate of the courtyard. The group saw the two ponies quickly run out. “Have fun, you two!” Applejack shouted as she waved them off. “Well, now that that’s over, I guess I’ll see y’all in the morning. I think we all need some shuteye.” Applejack trotted off to her room while the other ponies said their good nights and goodbyes. They left for their rooms in the castle, Twilight having to drag a slumbering Spike by his tail to their room. As they reached their room, she tucked the young dragon into his small bed. As Twilight lied down on her bed finally having a moment's rest, she looked up at Luna's moon through her window. "Goodnight, everyone,” she whispered as she shut her eyes and drifted off to sleep.