//------------------------------// // Fortune smiles on the Greedy // Story: Ponies and the Alpha Team // by Optimistic Pessimist //------------------------------// "Oh! I remember this place!" It was a bright clearing. The birds were singing, the flowers were blooming, and there was not a single hint of evil in sight. "This is where I think Twilight came from, right?" Troy looked down to Pinkie Pie. "Correct! I think you should pay a visit to Ponyville! It's not too far from here." Troy chuckled nervously. "I, don't think that's such a good idea, Pinkie." Pinkie Pie dragged him along anyway. "Come on, Troy! It'll be fun! Ponyville is friendly!" ~~~~ "What happened here, Pinkie?" Ponyville was as brilliant and vibrant as ever. The flowers lining the streets were in full blossom, and the birds sang a merry tune. Except that there was nopony around. "I'm sure it's just a new pony thing. The same thing happened to Zecora. Let's go to town hall!" Not surprisingly, it was also closed. "Pinkie, I'm not so sure this was a good idea in the first place." Pinkie Pie laughed. "Ah, don't worry about it. I'm sure once everything's explained, you'll be welcome here!" Pinkie Pie knocked on the door. The mayor peeked her head from around the door. "Hello Pinkie Pie. What are you wearing?" Pinkie Pie smiled. "It's a new armor my friend gave me!" The mayors' eyes widened a little. "Really?" She opened the door a little wider and saw Troy. He waved. "You must be the leader here." The mayors eye opened her eyes in surprise. "You can speak?" "Well of course I can talk. If I couldn't talk, I probably wouldn't be with Pinkie Pie here right now." The Mayor stared in amazement. "Well. I think the Princess is in the Town Library. Go visit her. She'll know what to do." ~~~~ "Hey Princess! We're BACK!" Pinkie Pie opened the door to the library. Troy followed close behind. "This is you library? Impressive." The Alicorn turned around. "Ah, Pinkie Pie, you're..." She stopped short when she saw Troy. "Hello, being. May I know your name?" Troy turned around and gasped. The Princess towered over him, literally twice as tall as himself. His voice shook as he introduced himself. "P-Pleasure to m-meet you, your majesty." The Princess giggled. "You're not from here. I can tell. Please. I have no authority over you. You have no reason to fear." Troy loosened up, but just so slightly. "I'm Troy. You are Celestia I presume?" The royalty smiled. "See, now that wasn't so hard now was it? Please, take a seat. Tell me how Twilight's doing." Troy smiled. "You know Twilight too?" ~~~~ Princess Celestia sat in wonder at what Troy said. She looked at Pinkie Pie. "So Twilight is probably somewhere in the Clockworks?" Troy and Pinkie Pie nodded. "I can't pinpoint her exact location, but if anything happens, she will be safe." The Princess tapped her chin. "You know, I found the most curious thing several years ago in my old castle." Troy looked surprised as the Princess' horn lit up. He leaned towards Pinkie Pie. "How many castles does she have?" Pinkie Pie only giggled as the white light grew brighter. When Troy brought his hands down, the most curious set of armor had set appeared on the table top. They gleamed a snow white, and they shined with quality and care. The Princess used her magic to bring it together. "I had no idea what this was, or what it did. But seeing you reminded me of it. If I could just..." The magic of the Princess were swinging it around until it was a completed armor. Troy stared in awe. "The Valkyrie Armor. Said to have been worn by an ancient branch of Spiral Knights." The Princess gave it to Troy. "How did you find it?" The Princess shrugged. "I found it on a skeleton. Fortunately, the dragon didn't want it anymore. I figured I'd keep it for show or something." Troy smiled. "Wow. This is just. Wow. Thank you." The Princess smiled. "There's one more thing." The Princess brought over a large, two pieced blade. It was black, and it looked like it hadn't been used in a while. Troy looked in surprise. "What's that?" The Princess looked around the sword. "Huh, it looked different before." Pinkie Pie watched as the Princess turned the sword in all direction. "Princess, may I?" Celestia turned to Pinkie Pie, and gave it to her handle first. Pinkie Pie took a nearby quill and played around with the area in between the blade. "I think..." Pinkie Pie grunted, and something came loose. "There! Now all I have to do is..." Pinkie Pie swiped it in front of her. The blade suddenly blazed to life. Fire and sparks blew out from the blade. Pinkie Pie smiled broadly as she handed it to Troy. "Cool, huh?" Troy held the blade and listened to the fierce crackling of the fire in the blade. "Amazing! And you just found this?" The Princess nodded. "It was just lying there. Take it if you want. My artists have sculpted so many like it." Troy smiled broadly. "Thank you, Princess!" "You're welcome." The Princess smiled as the pair left through the door. She could hear Pinkie Pie saying, "See? I told you it was a good idea!"