Citadel and Preparations
It had been two days since the meeting with Shepard, Twilight had spent much of her time working with the others trying to figure out what ability they had gained from fusing with the elements. When she wasn't with the others she was working on the extranet learning about the galaxy and other races, on the side she spent time learning a skill herself. She was learning something that she felt would open doors to new knowledge, hacking. She also worked with Rarity in planning out the design and materials need to make them all armor. It was during one of these armor planning sessions that she and the others were called over the intercom to come up to the bridge of the ship.
"Thought you would all enjoy the sight of the Citadel." Shepard informed them as the stood around him and the bearded pilot. The sight to Twilight was fantastic, not just the sheer size of it nor the shape it was the sight of the atmosphere that each of the arms seemed to posses. Her scientific mind was trying to come up with an explanation to the artificial structures actually having its own atmosphere.
It wasn't long after the ship docked that the six of them where coming out of an elevator into what would appear to be out doors. Twilight looked around as she walked slowly behind the silent Shepard at body of water that ran through the center with numerous walkways and stairs winding along the side and above said pools. She looked and the various healthy trees that littered all around. The sky was the more curious to her as she looked at the blue sky of day time even had small puffy white clouds drifting around, but saw no sun to create the color she was seeing. Not knowing the technology yet she couldn't figure it out as even though the station was bright it should still show a black sky, maybe starless from the light pollution but still black.
They kept a some what straight path through the area Shepard called the Presidium, drawing her attention from the aesthetic of the massive space station she noticed so many races all intermingling with one another like it was an every day thing. One though seemed to give her the creeps, taking a closer look at the four legged green insectiod a flash of pain filled her head. Suddenly visions passed through her mind as she saw these creatures working among the blood and bodied of several alien races, non of which she had seen in the station in their walk nor in any information on the extranet. As quickly as they came they left her, now the creature was back to working on the terminal like before only a dark aura surrounded it with a tendril coming off of it and leading deep into the space station.
What are those things?" She asked with a shaky voice from the visions she had taken their toll on her.
"Wha... ohh those are the keepers they maintain the station." Shepard responded with a thoughtful look.
Twilight kept her eye on in the dark aura bothering her a bit. "Where did they come from?"
"No one really knows they have just always been here, they don't communicate with anyone either. It's against the law though to interfere with their work so no one as of yet has completed any research on them." Purpassly leaving out the knowledge of his aiding the salarian scientist Chorban's research by scanning them because of all the people around it may get him in trouble.
Twilight tried to ignore the visions she had just gotten and the sight of the aura by looking forward at Shepard and for a moment noticed a dark blue field coating him. Her vision quickly returned to normal after turning away from the keeper, but left herself a personal note to look into it later whether or not she was remaining on board the Normandy.
After another elevator ride into the darker area known as citadel towers where counsel races offices where located. Following Shepard along one of the corridors to a door with a surprisingly familiar symbol appeared on the door, two alicorns chasing the sun and the moon. Out of the six only Twilight was not surprised having read that the legend or myth as many modern equines called it of Equestria still held with in the culture and the flag of the lost kingdom was used to represent the race as a whole. She had read how even though equines were constantly exploring and looking toward the future they still held the past and legends with relevance. Having read the history and culture of the leading races as well as humans she knew that meeting them would be like Shepard meeting King Arthur, Merlin and the knights of the round table.
After entering the door they entered a waiting room with rows of seats made out of a leather like material and a female equine secretary at the far end of the hall giving the six shorter brightly colored equine females a funny look. They followed Shepard up to the mare in question.
"I am Commander Shepard, I have an appointment with Counselor Silver Tongue." He said in a crisp professional tone his eye sternly locked on the mare still staring and the six girls with him, making her jump a little and for the first time noticed the human leading them.
"erm ... wh ... right Shepard umm have a seat a moment, I will inform the Counselor that you are here. It will just be a moment." She started stammering as she tried to refocus her attention on her job.
It only took a few minutes with her silently talking into a communications device on her desk before she looked back at the group still trying to hide her curiosity at the strange group. "Counselor Silver Tongue will meet with your all now please head through the door." As she pointed to the door on her right.
Shepard once again lead the six girls into the massively spacious office,that seemed to have a lot of relics of Equuis through like a recreated broken alicorn statue that they had seen the the castle of the two sister's library. At the end of the room was a tall white equine male with a long black mane tied back into the ponytail wearing a shiny black long sleeved high collard top with the collar white that runs down with a white line running across his chest three times. He sat behind a large steel desk.
"Counselor Silver Tongue, might I introduce you to Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. " He said to the stuned stallion.
"Shepard, I got your message but to actually see them in person." He announced standing up to display his full eight foot height making him tower over the elements, whom he had seemingly rushed over too. Reaching out with his hand to the lavender alicorn with a huge smile on his long face and excitement in his huge eyes. "Your Highness it is a pleasure to meet you, like many equines I grew up on tales of you six. To actually meet you in person is well, an honor and a real privilege.
She took his hand in hers to shake as the large white hand engulfed her own tiny one. For the first time since reading about the size her people descendants evolved into had the differences between the six of them of their people been so blatant. " Same to you, Counselor Tongue but I seriously doubt that title still holds I haven't been on the throne for more the fifty millennia."
"Thank you Shepard, for returning our legends to us." He moved to Shepard shaking his hand as well with exuberance.
"We do have a problem though counselor." The tall equine in question tilting his head in question to Shepard's responce. "I'll tell Twilight tell you it's her request anyhow."
Clearing her throat the room turned to her. "To put it blunt counselor, we would like to join Shepard's mission."
"What, why, you just came back to our people and you expect me to allow you, the last of the ancient royal alicorns and the rest of the legendary elements of harmony to just go out on a dangerous mission with a human." The tone in the white stallion's voice doing a complete 180 going from excited tone to an enraged yet questioning one.
"Truthfully, answers." She motions to Shepard who brought up the still video image of the reaper that attacked Eden Prime. "This thing looks so much like the one that attack that day, it might have answers to what happened why the other attacked. We need to know, we need to understand why everything we knew and loved was taken from us that night. Our friends and families either died that night or grew old and passed on with us being frozen in time and never getting to be there with them. Heck our whole race has changed since our time, mana and magic gone to this eezo and biotic, the pony race in general gone and you horse race taken its place." She sighed as she looked from the image to the Silver staring him right in the eyes. "We need answers before you parade us around in front of the equine media."
The stallion seemed to think about it and grumbled to himself. "Well I would still like to say no but truthfully I couldn't refuse your request. First of all let me say I completely oppose this, but we are a free race and unless you volunteer to join the military I have no say to tell you know since it is not against the law to travel with other races as long as it doesn't bring harm to our own people. Secondly if you are dead set on doing this give me a moment I will give you something."
The stallion went over to console on the side of the room and starts input data into it. After a few moments of typing he returns with a card handing it to Twilight. "There is one million credits on that card should be more then enough to outfit you and the others with weapons and armor. If you are sure your going to go on a risky mission I want to make sure you have the best chance of making sure you all come back alive."
Twilight smiled as she took the card in her furry fingers. "By the way would you happen to know where we could get assorted gem stones and the materials to craft armor?"
After a catching a transit cab to the market in the wards the six mares and one humans wandered around to the various shops. First Twilight got a six savant x omni tools from a salarian dealer for her friends to have access to data and keep in touch better if they separated also a hack upgraded one for herself. They went to a a volus merchant and got ceramic, metal and cloth to create armor and clothing for them all.
After getting the armor components Shepard spoke having been quiet while the girls shopped. "Hold off on the guns ladies, I will provide them for now when we figure out what you are each proficient in. Now what else do we need?" He finished looking at Twilight.
"Just some gems for the armor. After that Rarity will start crafting them then I will finish it up with some touch defense magic." She relied to the human.
"Okay after that we will return to the ship Rarity can work in private in the cargo bay at William's usual bench. I will have her work with you all in how to use fire arms and decide which will work well for whom.Because you will be working on the armor I am going to have you sit out on the next mission till you get some weapons training Rarity." He finished as they climbed into the cab he had called to take them to the presidium's market area.
The cab pulled up to the the transit point near the markets and the seven pulled themselves from the vehicle and headed into the open space that served as an upper scale market. Twilight leading as they made their way to the asari jewelry merchant on the far end of the right side.
"Greeting, I was told you sell uncut gemstones is that correct?" Twilight asked looking up at the beautiful blue saleswoman.
"Yes what kinds do you need I have a decent stock of them I haven't used to make jewelry of." She replied in a pleasing tone .
"I need six diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and rubies. I also need one gemstone of certain colors orange, pink, blue, purple, red and magenta. also if you have a few strips of gold as well." Twilight listed off.
"Just a few moments I think I have what you need." She relied in a happy tone looking forward to the commission of this sale. She went over to a large locked safe and opened it and went inside to get the needed items.
The group waited around five minutes before she came back out carrying a large box. "Here you go." Opening the box to let twilight confirm the contents.
When it was verified Twilight took the bow. "How much?"
"Comes to 479 thousand credits." She stated happily as Twilight handed over the card she had been given by the counselor.
She handed the box to Rarity with a small smile. "Okay you know what to do with these Rarity."
"Of course darling, with the supplies I should have my part of the armor done in a day or two that could give you girls time to ready yourselves." The white mare said in rely.
"Then that is all, we are ready to head back. After you, Shepard." She said as the six fell in behind the commander heading back to the Normandy and off into the stars hopefully for some answers and a little closure.