//------------------------------//
// A New Challenge 
// Story: Fortune Favors The Bold 
// by TheEquestrianWing 
//------------------------------//

Canterlot Castle was massive. It had been the largest building in Equestria for almost a thousand years. Its architects had spent three years just to design the blueprints, and the construction phase itself had occupied a timespan of five decades. While parts of the fortress had been renovated, augmented, or severed over the centuries, most of the original structure was still intact.

Due to its gargantuan size, it was easy for somepony to get lost in its labyrinth of hallways. At this time, Blade Bearer was leading SIG Sauer and Bronze from the locker room in the lower levels to the throne room in the upper levels. The quickest and most direct route required for the three stallions to navigate through at least fifty corridors and six flights of stairs.

Fortunately, none of the three stallions needed an escort. Most of the Royal Guard were very well-acquainted with the outline of the castle. Blade Bearer had been on the force for nine years, and although SIG Sauer no longer worked for them, he still had an impeccable memory of the castle's outline.

For Bronze Star, traversing through this path was even easier. He had been born in the castle, he had been raised in it, and he had lived in it for his entire life. He had been through every single hallway in the castle so many times that he had virtually memorized the whole layout. The only person who knew its layout better than Bronze Star was his mother. Considering how she had resided in the building for centuries, it was unlikely that Bronze Star's familiarity with the castle would ever surpass hers.

To Bronze Star, the most amusing part about the castle's massive size and its complex structure was its unpredictability. That is, you never knew who or what you were apt to come across at any time.

For instance, when Bronze Star, SIG Sauer, and Blade Bearer arrived on the floor of the throne room and turned around the corner of the wall next to the stairwell, they encountered a young female Unicorn. Her coat was lavender, her mane was violet with a pink stripe and a purple stripe down the center, and her eyes were light purple. Her cutie mark was a six-edged pink star. Bronze Star would recognize her anywhere, and vice versa.

She was Twilight Sparkle, one of his closest friends and his mother's personal apprentice.

"Good day, Twilight," the gold Alicorn greeted the lavender Unicorn.

"Oh, hi, Bronze," the magic student replied, smiling. She noticed the other two stallions and said "Oh, hello, SIG. Hello, Blade Bearer."

"Morning, Twilight," SIG Sauer acknowledged.

"Greetings, Miss Sparkle," stated Blade Bearer.

"Where are you gentlecolts headed to?" Twilight inquired.

"The throne room," Bronze Star informed her, "My mother just summoned me there."

"Really?" Twilight remarked, raising an eyebrow, "Small world; Spike just got a message from her. She beckoned me there, too. She didn't give me a reason why, though."

"She didn't tell me why she wanted to see Bronze Star, either," Blade Bearer informed her.

"Maybe it's for the same reason," SIG Sauer told the two younger ponies, "Otherwise she would have asked for you at different times."

"That's not an irrational assumption," Bronze Star concurred, "But rather than speculate on why she wants to see us, let's go ahead and see her."

"Good idea," Twilight Sparkle agreed to this proposal, "Mind if I accompany you?"

"Not at all," Bronze Star replied.

The mare joined up with the three stallions, and the four of them trotted down the next hallway. They moved in silence for a couple minutes. When they were about halfway between the stairwell and the throne room, Bronze Star broke the silence. He thought aloud "What do you suppose she will have to discuss with us?"

"It will probably be something that pertains to the Summer Sun Celebration," SIG Sauer theorized.

"Or she might wish for some input on a certain topic from ponies she trusts," Blade Bearer proposed.

"Whatever the reason, it must be very important for Celestia to involve both of us," Twilight Sparkle pointed out to the Alicorn.

Soon, the small group reached the throne room. There were two Unicorn stallions standing guard at the entrance. They stepped aside, used their magic to open up the doors, and allowed the four to enter.

With the possible exception of the ballroom, the throne room was the biggest room in the entire building. The two long walls were ornamented with dozens of stained-glass windows. While most of the windows were blank, the ones at the far end of the room were elaborately detailed. All of these windows were significant in that each one of them was meant to capture a specific event in the past. There was a great deal of history to be found in this hall, and the windows had been built in a way that they formed a straight timeline. You could say that the closer one got to the throne, the further back in time one went.

Since Celestia had witnessed all of these events, it would seem appropriate that her throne be positioned at the very end of the hall. She was sitting there right now, and three stallions were standing at the base of the throne. Two of them were Unicorns; they were members of the Royal Guards in armor. The third stallion was a very tall but thin Pegasus. He had a palomino coat, a white mane, and azure eyes. His cutie mark was a partly-unrolled white scroll with one word on it: Honor.

He was Bellerophon, Celestia's chief of staff and most reliable advisor. He was also Bronze Star's consultant in matters of politics and diplomacy, as well as one of the few ponies that the prince trusted as much as SIG Sauer. Some would say that Bronze Star was even closer to Bellerophon than he was to SIG Sauer. After all, while the prince had known his trainer for eleven years, he had known his mentor for as long as he could remember.

Bellerophon's predecessor was a mare named Righteous Decree. She had served as Celestia's chief of staff for forty-two years. She would have continued aiding her princess, but she had passed away during her forty-third year of service. Bronze Star never knew her; she had died shortly before his third birthday. However, whenever his mother brought up Righteous Decree, she always spoke of her with utmost respect.

After the period of mourning for Righteous Decree, Celestia had quickly busied herself with searching for somepony to replace her. Scores of ponies had applied for the position, and many of them had ample qualifications, but none of them met Celestia's expectations. Then Bellerophon arrived on the castle's doorstep. Almost immediately, she thought of him as a most interesting character. He had no prior experience working for the intelligence bureau, the military, or any other part of the government, but the counsel and insight he gave on every cultural aspect was phenomenal. Celestia doubted that she had ever met anyone so wise or intelligent. Which was saying something, as she had met several of the founders of modern theories of science. After having just one lone thirty-minute conversation with the palomino stallion, Celestia chose straightaway to hire him. Bellerophon had been faithfully serving her and her son ever since.

At this point in time, he was conversing with Celestia on a certain topic. This topic happened to involve the two young ponies who had just arrived in the room. When he noticed the lavender Unicorn and the gold Alicorn approaching them, Bellerophon pointed them out to the princess. Celestia smiled at their visitors and stated "I'm so pleased to see you both."

"Likewise, Your Highness," Twilight Sparkle humbly stated, bowing her head in reverence. Bronze Star bowed his head as well, even though he was under no obligation to do so. He simply preferred to show his mother the same respect everypony else did.

"Is everything alright, Mother?" inquired Bronze Star, "Blade Bearer mentioned that you wanted to discuss something with me. Twilight told me she got the same message through Spike. I can only assume that you want to speak to us about the same subject."

"You are correct, Bronze Star," Celestia confirmed her son's suspicions.

"Based on what Bronze told me, and based on your wording in the letter to me, whatever you have to tell us must be urgent," Twilight Sparkle discerned.

"It is urgent," Celestia affirmed, "But not in the way you may think. It's not a matter of national security. It has to do with the Summer Sun Celebration."

Bronze Star and Twilight Sparkle were a little surprised to hear this. The latter raised an eyebrow and asked "What do you mean, Princess?"

"As you know, the Celebration takes place on the longest day of the year," Celestia went on "And while most of the festivities occur here in Canterlot, the actual ceremony is usually in another city."

"Sure we know that," Bronze Star acknowledged, "Last year it was in Appleosa. The year before that, Cloudsdale, and the year before that, Manehattan."

"This year, it will be in Ponyville," Celestia added in.

"Ponyville, huh?" remarked Twilight, "That's not very far from here. Only about fifty miles."

"I would say between fifty and sixty miles," Blade Bearer cut in.

"To be precise, approximately 55.4 miles," SIG Sauer corrected him. That was another one of his many accomplishments; he knew the exact distance between any two cities in the country.

"Okay, we're starting to get off-track here," Bronze Star bluntly stated, looking over his shoulder. He then turned back to his mother and requested "Please, go on, Mother. What were you saying?"

"It's come to my attention that you and Twilight Sparkle have almost never been outside of Canterlot," Celestia explicated, "And you've certainly never attended any of the Summer Sun Celebrations held outside the city."

"Well, with all due respect, we are well-aware of that," Twilight pointed out, "Neither Bronze nor I regret being unable to show up at those ceremonies. Staying here during them was our own choice."

"I know, and if this was any other year, I would not protest if you decided to remain in Canterlot again," Celestia informed her son and her apprentice, "However, this marks the 1000th anniversary of the Summer Sun Celebration. If given the opportunity, nopony should have to forego appearing at the ceremony this year on such an auspicious occasion. Least of all, the two of you."

"Do you wish for us to come with you to Ponyville?" Bronze Star assumed.

"I would like for you to be at the ceremony with me," Celestia answered him, "But I would actually prefer it if you travelled to Ponyville before I did."

"What do you mean, Your Highness?" asked Twilight.

It was here that Bellerophon spoke for the first time. He responded for his ruler: "Every year, after Princess Celestia selects the location of the ceremony for the Summer Sun Celebration, she has a committee go to the town at least a day in advance. This committee is tasked with overseeing the preparations and ascertaining that everything and everypony stays on-track."

"Yes, I know of this," Bronze Star remarked, "Aren't you normally on the committee, Bellerophon?"

"Indeed he is," stated the white Alicorn mare, "My chief of staff always goes."

"How many other ponies are on this committee?" queried Twilight Sparkle.

"Typically, three," Celestia replied, "In addition to my chief of staff, I send along a security officer, a qualified inspector, and the town's ambassador, who is usually already there. However, Ponyville's ambassador retired last week, and I still have yet to appoint a new one. However, I have an idea for a temporary replacement."

"Who might that be?" asked Bronze Star.

Nopony gave an instant verbal response to the prince's question. At first, he was beginning to think that he would not get an answer. But within the next minute, he noticed something intriguing; his mother and his mentor were gazing directly at him and smirking a bit. It did not take long for him to put two and two together and realize that this was his answer. He uttered in slight confusion "Me?"

"I don't see why not," Princess Celestia debated, "After all, you have more than enough merits to apply for the position. You're very experienced in negotiation and public relations, you can defend yourself and your own, you take all your responsibilities seriously, and I know how much you've always wanted to visit another city."

"Well, I suppose I cannot deny any of that, Mother," Bronze Star admitted, "I'm honored that you think I'm so capable. I would happily accept your proposition. But there's just one… no, three small problems."

"What might they be?" asked Celestia.

"This, this, and this," Bronze Star replied, gesturing to his horn, wings, and crown respectively, "There's no telling how the residents of Ponyville – or any other town, for that matter – would react if a member of the Canterlot Royalty started representing them."

"I would imagine they would view it as an honor," Bellerophon observed, "If you're worried about making a good first impression, sir, I do not believe you would have any difficulty in that regard. You and your mother are respected by almost everypony in Equestria."

"I realize that, Bellerophon," said Bronze Star, "However, the people in this country have known my mother for centuries, as she visits all the cities regularly. I – on the other hoof – have never even been to any of the other provinces. One thing I like about Canterlot is how I'm able to walk the streets of the city without turning heads."

"How so?" inquired Princess Celestia.

"The people here respect me as more of an equal than a superior," Bronze Star specified, "I believe that's because they're accustomed to my presence. However, Ponyville and all the other towns are not. If I went to any one of those settlements, it would probably take some time for them to get used to me. The absolute last thing I'd like to do is draw attention to myself, even if it's cordiality and praise."

"I understand what you're saying, Bronze Star," Celestia assured her son, "Ever since I first ascended to power, I was faced with the same unconditional affection from everypony else. It was a little overwhelming, but I learned to adjust to it as time went on. Of course, I cannot expect you to get used to it in twelve hours."

"I think I may know a way to remedy this problem," Bellerophon thought aloud. Everypony turned to him and watched him, as if they expected him to continue. He did not announce his thoughts to all of them. Instead, he walked up the few steps at the base of the throne, leaned closer to Princess Celestia, and whispered into her ear. She listened intently and absorbed everything he said.

Once he was finished, she lightly shrugged and remarked "I suppose that might work."

"What did he say, Mother?" inquired Bronze Star.

"In his own words, Bellerophon suggested that we 'modify your façade to make you less conspicuous,'" Celestia explained. "His idea is that I could use my magic to help you blend in with the common people."

"How would you do that?" said the gold Alicorn.

"Well, I could employ an illusion spell to hide your horn or your wings, or both," Celestia informed him, "Since you're just a little taller than most ponies of your age, you should be able to pass yourself off as a Pegasus, a Unicorn, or an Earth Pony."

"That sounds like a fair idea," Bronze Star admitted, "However, isn't it possible for anypony within reaching distance to discover my horn or wings? Say for example, somepony may accidentally brush a hoof against my forehead or back. They would probably become inquisitive if it appeared as though I had an invisible appendage somewhere on my body."

"You wouldn't have to worry about that," Celestia assured her son, "My illusion spells do far more than simply cloak the targets. They also rearrange the targets' molecular composition so that they cannot be physically disturbed by anything they come in contact with. Essentially, the objects completely disappear, but they are still there at the same time."

Bronze Star spent a minute thinking about this proposal. Then he gazed up at his mother, nodded his head, and smirked in satisfaction, saying "Alright, Mother. These terms are suitable. You've got yourself an ambassador for Ponyville."

"Excellent," was all Celestia said. She was clearly very pleased that her son had accepted. After a few seconds of silence, she announced "Now we can move on to the next item of business for the committee. We'll be needing a qualified inspector. That is where you come in, Twilight."

The lavender Unicorn was mildly surprised to hear this. "Why me, Your Highness? Why not use somepony who is formally licensed to conduct this line of work?"

"Believe me, I considered sending a licensed superintendent at first," Celestia informed her student, "However, the purpose of the Celebration is to uphold the tradition and history of Equestria. Other than myself, I cannot think of a single pony who is more versed in the customs and cultures of our country than you. In addition to that, you pay admirable attention to detail, you never let tasks go undone, and I have no questions about your devotion to your work."

Twilight Sparkle was flattered to hear Princess Celestia list off her numerous capabilities. However, part of her was inclined to think that there was something more to this matter; something that Celestia had not yet revealed. After all, while Bronze Star had always possessed a desire to visit another city, Twilight Sparkle had never even shown any interest in leaving the capital city. It would make sense for him to be on the committee, but why her? This was especially odd when considering how just a couple hours earlier, Twilight had informed Celestia about a certain prophecy. Evidently, her ruler was not taking her warning seriously.

Despite her skepticism, Twilight Sparkle was not one to question her leader. She chose to look on the bright side. By going to a new town, it would be an opportunity for her to learn about the citizens and their way of life. This would allow her to increase her pool of knowledge. She also realized that if Celestia was confident that Twilight could handle the duties of the ceremony's inspector, then it probably would not take very long for her to carry out those tasks. She would still have plenty of time to investigate the legend of Nightmare Moon further.

Ultimately, Twilight Sparkle looked up at Celestia and told her "As you wish, Your Highness. You can count on me to do the job."

"I know I can, my faithful student," the white Alicorn remarked. There was silence for a few seconds, and then Celestia commented "Guess all we still need is a security officer."

SIG Sauer stepped forward, raised one of his front hooves, and declared "I'd like to volunteer for that position, Your Majesty."

Everypony in the throne room was surprised to hear this from the trainer, particularly Bronze Star. Princess Celestia focused on him and stated "I know I could trust you to get the job done, SIG Sauer. But aren't you a little… shall we say, overqualified for it?"

"I do not see it like that, ma'am," the green Unicorn elucidated, "I've been to Ponyville before. It's a relatively quiet and peaceful town. Unlike most other settlements, it has almost no police force. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem throughout the rest of the year, as crime is virtually nonexistent there. But anything could happen during the Summer Sun Celebration. This kind of scenario is not for amateurs or normal constables. You'll need somepony who's experienced in dealing with high-level threats. I have been involved in this line of work long enough that I can usually avert disasters before they even happen. Plus, I work exclusively for the Canterlot Royalty. Not to sound haughty, but I do believe I'm the most logical candidate for the position."

"No one is disputing your competence, SIG," Bronze Star disclosed, "Truthfully, there is nopony I would rather have by my side during a hostile situation than you. But are you certain you'd be able to properly focus, what with that other assignment you're working on?"

"What other assignment?" queried Bellerophon.

"Just some business outside of Canterlot," SIG Sauer replied to the chief of staff. Then he said to the prince "In answer to your question, sire, everything is under control. Even if I ordered my team to begin making preparations right now, it would be at least four days before they're ready to move. Aside from that, we have two whole weeks before the strike window opens. I'm quite certain that my subordinates can handle the arrangements without me. I can afford to take a day off to accompany you to Ponyville."

Bronze Star shrugged and thought aloud "I suppose that's all the assurance I need. What do you think, Mother?"

"I think we just filled the last open slot on the committee," Celestia answered cheerfully, "Now that we have covered everything of importance, you are all dismissed. The committee is scheduled to depart for Ponyville in approximately two hours. Bellerophon is already prepared to leave. I'd suggest the three of you quickly put together whatever necessities and supplies you'll need to spend the night in Ponyville."

"Will do," Twilight Sparkle acknowledged, "As soon as I get back to my suite, I'll have Spike start packing."

"I'll just need to acquire some equipment from my cabin and I'll be ready," SIG Sauer proclaimed.

"Packing will be simple for me, too," Bronze Star avowed, "But before I stop by my quarters, Mother, do you suppose you can go ahead and perform that spell to hide my horn and wings? If I'm going to appear in public with a bare forehead and a bare back, I want to get used to the sensation."

"Certainly, Bronze Star," Celestia remarked, "However, before I proceed, you should be aware that there is a downside to this spell. After I use it to conceal your horn and wings, you will not be able to use magic or fly. You will not even be able to feel them until I reverse the spell. Are you certain you'd be alright with that concept?"

Bronze Star needed a couple minutes to think about this prospect. Eventually, he told his mother "It would probably be difficult to adjust to the change, but yes; I do believe I can cope without my horn or wings. I mean, Earth Ponies have always managed to propser without magic or flight. There's no reason why I can't adapt to their level for a while. Besides, this won't be a long-term alteration. So, yes, Mother; I can accept those limitations."

"Very well; that is all I needed to hear," Celestia pronounced. She rose up from her throne, descended the steps at its base, and stood directly in front of her son. She instructed him "Close your eyes, stand absolutely still, and clear your mind. If this is to work, we must both be properly focused."

Bronze Star obeyed this command. He shut his eyes, froze in his stance, and rid his mind of any superfluous thoughts. Celestia did all this, as well. Twilight Sparkle, SIG Sauer, and Blade Bearer all took several steps backward to give the Alicorns some space. Bronze Star informed his mother "I'm ready."

After fifteen seconds of complete silence, a golden aura appeared on Celestia's horn. It started out miniscule and hazy, but it gradually grew in size and in brightness. When it was about the size of a soccer ball and as bright as a new flashlight, Celestia tilted her head forward. The magic aura instantly changed into two thin energy beams, and they flowed straight forward. One of them came in contact with Bronze Star's horn; the other came in contact with his wings. Once the energy beams had surrounded his horn and wings, they continued getting progressively larger and brighter.

Before long, the other ponies in the room had to cover their eyes and gaze away to avoid being blinded by the glow. Even then, its scope and radiance kept increasing. Soon, Bronze Star was totally enveloped in the energy beams and their hue was as white as Celestia's coat. There was a huge flash of light, and immediately after, the energy beams dissipated into nothingness.

Nopony opened their eyes for a good thirty seconds, including Bronze Star and Celestia. The gold stallion slowly raised his right front hoof up to the center of his forehead. Sure enough, it was bare. Also, he could feel a breeze across his back, which felt a few pounds lighter.

Bronze Star grinned and opened his eyes. He quickly noticed that everypony else had already opened theirs as well. They were all staring at him, as if they were intrigued by his new appearance. Celestia was merely pleased to see that the spell was a success. She anxiously asked him "How do you feel?"

"I'm a little disoriented, but my head's clearing up," he responded, "I'm just glad it worked. Thank you for it, Mother."

"My pleasure, Bronze Star," Celestia assured him, "Is there anything else you wish to discuss?"

"Yes, just one more thing," the gold stallion apprised her, "Since I'm taking on a new appearance, we should probably invent a new identity for me as well. After all, disguising me physically will not be enough to convince anypony that I am not Royalty."

"Smart thinking, Your Highness," Bellerophon stated, "Only a few ponies know you by appearance, but virtually everypony in Equestria knows your name. Any preferences for a new one?"

"Off the top of my head, I think 'Gold Streak' would be a fine choice," Bronze Star professed.

"Seem appropriate enough," Twilight Sparkle commented, "I've always thought of your coat as more gold than bronze."

"Then I'll go with that," Bronze Star decided, "Now I just need a way to convince people that it actually is my name."

"You can leave that to me, Your Highness," Bellerophon announced, "As an ambassador, you'll need to have a few certain documents on-hoof to prove you are affiliated with the government. Since I'm the one who always oversees the manufacture and distribution of these documents, I can have a set of them created with the name 'Gold Streak' designated as the owner. The documents should take no longer than an hour to produce; they'll be ready by the time we leave for Ponyville."

"Alright, thanks, Bellerophon; I'll make sure to acquire them then," Bronze Star told the palomino Pegasus. He paused for a moment, and then he smirked at his mother and told her "I do believe everything has been resolved. I'll be upstairs getting ready for the committee's departure. I know I won't see you until the ceremony, but I'll still be thinking of you when I'm in Ponyville."

Celestia smiled at her son, leaned closer to him, and nuzzled her head against his now-smooth forehead. He happily accepted and returned the sign of affection. When they separated, she said "I'll be thinking of you, too."

With that, Bronze Star bid his mother farewell, turned around, and headed towards the exit of the throne room with Twilight Sparkle and SIG Sauer. On the way there, he took in a deep breath and let it out very slowly. He obviously had a lot on his mind at this time. He had always wanted to travel to another city, but he never imagined he would be going to one under a different identity. Although he had willingly accepted all this secrecy, he had a strange feeling that something might still go wrong. But this was not simply because he had chosen to hide his identity. It was also because he realized he would be entering what was basically uncharted territory as a stranger. As a member of the Canterlot Royalty, life in the castle made him feel welcomed and esteemed. He hoped he could somehow acquire that same feeling as an ordinary civilian in the town of Ponyville.