Avenging is Friendship

by Boltstrike58

Flashback

Over one-thousand years previously...

Equis, Everfree Castle

Taking on new responsibilities is always a stressful process in life. For the young Celestia and Luna, newly ascended alicorns, taking the throne of Equestria, a country still trying to fully move past the divide between the three pony tribes, was a terrifying process. With their parents gone, the two would be ruling on their own, in a newly unified pony society. Given that the three tribes had never been under one single government before, nopony would blame them for their fears.

Standing in front of their castle alongside her sister, the newly-crowned Princess Celestia ignited her horn, slowly pushing the sun down from its position in the sky, creating a creamy orange glow. At least they wouldn't have to organize the shifting of the celestial bodies anymore, she thought, glancing at the Cutie Marks now adorning her and Luna's flanks. Moving the sun or moon before had been a tedious task, requiring about a dozen unicorns at minimum. Since everypony was using their telekinesis on one object, the results were often crooked sunsets, or the moon rising in some peculiar zigzag manner. With only one pony in control, the process was far more streamlined, and the sisters were capable of moving them smoothly, creating beautiful effects in the sky.

Once she'd made sure Luna was already working on raising the moon, Celestia's thoughts returned to their upcoming conference. Several weeks ago, Equestria had been contacted by a being called Odin Borson, who ruled over a distant realm called Asgard. Odin had apparently learned of Equestria's new unification, and had decided to open diplomatic relations with the new nation. Celestia and Luna had agreed, believe Equestria needed all the allies it could get right now, with Discord causing chaos across the world, and the secretive Crystal Empire keeping to themselves, but it was a bizarre scenario. Not because Odin and his Asgardians weren't ponies, but because they apparently lived on an entirely different 'planet.' They didn't even see the same sun as Equestria. And while they had ponies, those ponies were just animals, unable to speak. It was shocking.

Not to mention, this would be their first major government affair. Celestia was confidant about her ability to rule, as well as Luna's, but the pressure was immense. Dealing with the griffons, hippogriffs, or even the dragons would've been enough, but dealing with another world entirely was something else. Celestia didn't like to admit she was afraid, but she was, and she could feel her legs wobbling on her hooves, and her wings twitch at her sides, as she and Luna waited for King Odin.

"The meeting will proceed fine," said a voice to their left. Celestia and Luna turned, finding their teacher, Star Swirl. "All you require is your hearts. Bring the compassion and harmony that drove away the windigos. Show them Equestria is a friend, not an enemy."

Celestia smiled. Even without their parents, at least they still had Star Swirl. The elder unicorn was a renowned wizard among all ponies, thus his expertise was in high demand, but he always found time to help the two of them.

"But..." Luna started, giving voice to the thoughts they both had, "what if we make a mistake? What if we offend them, and they decide to declare war on Equestria? We will not have the power to defend ourselves, and—"

Star Swirl cut her off, placing a reassuring leg on her back. "I promise that will not happen, Luna," he answered calmly. "My magic detected no malicious intentions from King Odin. You must merely be as kind as you are capable of being. I believe in you." He smiled, his face devoid of any signs of falsehood.

Celestia and Luna faced each other once more. Both sisters could already feel the anxiety coming off each other, without using their sight, as they'd always been able to. Not to mention that neither had gotten a good deal of sleep over the last several days, which both knew from their shared bedroom. Each had tried to comfort her sister as best she could, but it was nigh-impossible.

As they mulled over Star Swirl's words, both eventually reached a small smile. At least he was confidant nothing would go awry. Both knew for a fact that the unicorn was wiser than they, and if he claimed their worries were unfounded, they were. It was as simple as that.

Both alicorns were suddenly wrenched from their thoughts, as a massive beam of golden light came from the heavens, slamming into the ground in front of them. Celestia, Luna, and Star Swirl all leapt backwards in surprise, their heartbeats accelerating with shock. Odin had informed them that he would be traveling to Equestria via a device called the Bifrost, capable of warping beings anywhere in any realm, but this was something they'd never expected.

The onslaught of golden light eventually faded, leaving the grass with a series of intricate patterns burned into it. What was more attention-grabbing, of course, was the group of beings that had appeared in the wake of the light, standing in front of the Equestrians, staring them down. The creatures were bipedal, standing above the ponies, with their forelimbs descending into ape-like hands, though without the hair. The only hair they seemed to have came directly out of their heads, like manes. Additionally, the majority of their bodies were covered in clothes, leaving nothing besides hands and heads exposed.

The largest of these creatures was obviously King Odin, the Allfather (at least, that was the title he claimed). He was clearly older by the standards of his species, his face wrinkled in some places. His hair was a darker shade of brown, but grey streaks were beginning to show themselves in it. He wore dark grey armor, with silvery patches on his chest, arms, and legs. A bright, crimson cape descended from his back, reaching down to his heels. He wore no helmet, likely to make himself seem less threatening. His right eye was obscured by a bright gold eyepatch, but at the bottom of the covering, Celestia thought she could see the tip of a scar.

Two smaller creatures stood behind the king. The first was male with a rather strong build, even as he concealed it underneath his red garments. His muscles were thick and well-developed. His hair was blond, nearly long enough to drape over his shoulders. His face further emphasized his strength, with high cheekbones and a sturdy jaw. Tiny bits of stubble grew around his chin. The boy was obviously trying to grow out a beard, even if he wasn't at that stage of life yet. If Celestia had to guess, she'd say he was around the same age as her and Luna, or his species' equivalent thereof.

The second was a massive contrast to the first. His hair was jet back, neatly-combed, and stretching down the back of his neck. His form was far more slender, with less of an emphasis on physical strength. His face was thin, matching the rest of his body. He wore a dark green tunic with matching pants, complete with a thin coat on top, with the tips of many pockets poking out from the inside. At a glance, Celestia would've guessed that this was a being who was good at keeping secrets, or hiding things.

Odin stepped forward. "Princess Celestia and Luna," he addressed them. His voice was exactly what they'd expected from their first impression of him. Strong, determined, and wise, like someone who'd experienced a great deal of difficulty and hardship in their life, but had emerged better from it. "I extend my gratitude for your hospitality in allowing me into your realm. I am King Odin Borson, Allfather of Asgard."

He gave a small bow, averting his eyes. Celestia swallowed, mentally preparing herself. At least Odin was polite, if somewhat intimidating.

"Your majesty, I am Princess Celestia, Diarch of Equestria. This is my sister, Princess Luna," she replied. "We are grateful to you for extending the hoof—er, hand—of comradeship to us."

"We hope this meeting with be the genesis of a long and prosperous relationship between our two kingdoms," Luna finished, exactly as they'd practiced.

Odin smiled warmly. Clearly, he was the more experienced party in this scenario, given how relaxed he looked. No signs of tension were visible on his body.

"Pleased to meet you." He gestured to the two smaller Asgardians behind him. "Allow me to introduce my sons. Prince Thor," he gestured to the blond one, "and Loki." He pointed to the black-haired one.

"I'm honored to make your acquaintances, Princesses of Equestria," said Loki. His voice was calm and quiet, fitting more to a scholar than a warrior.

"I...er...me too," Thor finally said, tugging awkwardly at his collar, his formal wear clearly irritating him. Luna chuckled too quietly for anypony to hear at the sight. It was clear who was more inclined towards diplomacy and such amongst this family.

"Lovely to meet you," Celestia answered, before a thought suddenly occurred to her. "Oh! T-this is our teacher, and our most trusted counsel, Star Swirl the Bearded."

Star Swirl bowed politely, acknowledging the compliment with a brief wink at Celestia, so subtle that nopony else saw it.

"Excellent," said Odin. "Shall we step inside?"

---

Celestia and Luna had made sure that a complimentary meal was prepared for Odin and his guests. Luckily for them, Asgardians weren't carnivores like the griffons, but omnivorous, able to consume meat or vegetation. Thus, they merely set out the best wild greens they could find, hoping it would suffice. And overall, Odin and the others seemed to enjoy their food. Of course, there were exceptions.

"I can't believe we're being forced to eat like livestock," Thor grumbled around the vegetables he was currently chewing. A glare from Odin silenced him.

With their meal eaten, Thor, Loki, and Odin took their seats on one end of the conference table, facing Celestia, Luna, and Starswirl on the other side. This arrangement had been Star Swirl's suggestion, as opposed to the Asgardians facing the ponies on their thrones, as it gave a better sense of equality between the two parties.

"So," Odin began, "our first order of business should be discussing how an alliance between Equestria and Asgard is mutually beneficial."

Luna opened her mouth, prepared to iterate her conviction that Equestrian citizens would not become domesticated war animals, as equines were apparently regarded in Asgard, but Star Swirl shot her a look, silencing her. This had been a topic of debate before the meeting, and Starswirl agreed that, if Odin requested such a thing, it should be automatically refused, but antagonizing him ahead of time was a poor decision.

Odin continued, having apparently missed the silent conversation. "One factor our kingdoms have in common is our shared interest in magic. I would suggest we open a sort of magic trade. Students of the arts visit both worlds, exchange of spell books, perhaps?"

Celestia and Luna thought about it. It sounded harmless enough, after all. They had little knowledge of Asgardian magic, apart from the Bifrost, and trade would be a good avenue to learn about it. Of course, sending their own mystical secrets to another nation was a risk. At the same time, they had an advantage.

"An intriguing idea," said Celestia, "but you should be made aware that Equestrian magic is all formed by manipulation of Equestria's natural magical fields. In your kingdom, the effects of certain spells may be completely different, or they may fail to operate at all."

Luna considered kicking Celestia in the shin under the table, her sister having revealed one of their secrets, but thought better. After all, if Asgardian mages attempted to use Equestrian spells and they failed, the results would surely have been worse.

"Fair enough," said Odin. "However, I believe there may still be more knowledge gained from the operations of Equestrian spells, if nothing else."

"It could open up entirely new fields of magic!" Loki added, rather enthusiastically. "The idea of spells behaving differently on different worlds...it's fascinating!"

"Boring," Thor groaned, through a yawn he made no attempt to conceal.

"Thor..." Odin growled sternly. "I know you have little interest in learning the mystic arts, but be polite. And remember, it was the mystic arts that gave you your power."

Thor gulped. "Yes, father," he replied, quietly. Celestia looked down at his hands, noticing faint blue sparks jumping between his fingers. Interesting.

"Now, shall we have any dealings regarding military?" continued Odin. "I am unaware of Equestria's status in that regard. I can inform you that Asgard boasts a fairly large army, as well as a large number of magical ships. If you would like, I can provide more details assessments."

Luna critically examined Odin's statement. While on the surface, it might've seemed odd that he was being upfront about his kingdom's might, they had no way of verifying his honesty. Star Swirl had suggested a truth-detecting spell, but the idea was discarded, as they had no way of knowing if Odin would be able to detect it.

Her thoughts turned to her own country's military. Equestria had a rather large defense force, but at the same time, it was basically just the defensive forces of the three pony tribes packed together into one massive group. They'd had little time to actually get the earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns to operate as a coherent force, leaving the country rather weak at this point. This was not a fact she was comfortable sharing with new acquaintances.

Luna ultimately decided that a more vague answer was her best bet.

"Equestria has assembled a fighting force divided by species. We have units of pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies, each utilizing their own unique abilities," she stated.

"Impressive," Odin commented. "Do you have any interest in trading military tactics? We could send instructors to your armies, and you could respond in kind. Of course, our species are different, so things would need to be changed, but I believe the knowledge itself could be beneficial."

This suggestion was carefully contemplated as well. With the trouble Celestia and Luna were having organizing the military, it could be a boon. Plus, if the two kingdoms learned more about each other's military, they'd be less inclined to attack each other, since the each side would have knowledge of the other's capabilities. On the other hand, that advantage went both ways, and they didn't want to just hand Asgard intimate details of their country's power.

"We'll consider it," Celestia finally settled on. "I believe our primary interest would be in the provision of aid between our kingdoms. Not necessarily military aid, but relief aid, in the case of disasters, and such."

"Intriguing ideas," agreed Odin. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe now is an optimal time for a brief intermission." He stood up from his chair. "I believe I will take a quick look at the surrounding forest. Sons, you are free to do as you wish." With that, he turned on his heel, walking out of the room.

The three ponies and two Asgardians were left alone, an awkward silence hanging over them. Star Swirl eventually left the room as well, leaving Celestia and Luna with the princes.

Celestia quietly fumbled with her hooves, unsure as to how to start a conversation with either of them. From what she'd seen so far, they didn't have much in common.

"So...you're more of a warrior?" she finally asked, looking at Thor.

"Yes," said the prince, proudly thrusting out his chest, enjoying himself for the first time that day. "Asgard is a proud nation of powerful fighters, among which I stand proudly!" He thrust his fist into the air, a bunch of blue sparks bouncing around his flesh.

Loki rolled his eyes. "Brother, please try to show some dignity for once..."

Celestia, however, was enthralled. "That's amazing!" she said, looking at Thor's hand. "In Equestria, we can't conjure any lightning without clouds! And that's limited to pegasi!"

Thor beamed. "I possess the power of thunder!" He sparked his hand a few more times, clearly relishing the chance to show off.

"Incredible!" said Celestia. "As I am capable of moving the sun, I naturally possess abilities correlating to it! Observe!" She lit up her horn, waves of golden flame waving down the appendage. Thor looked in wonder, actually impressed at the power Celestia displayed.

"Showoffs," Luna grunted, trotting away from Celestia and Thor. She loved her sister dearly, but could never stand it when Celestia acted in this fashion.

"Agreed," said Loki, standing next to her. "Is this a frequent occurrence with your older sibling as well?"

"Yes," Luna agreed, immediately. "I respect her power, but sometimes she can get so enthralled with it. I take it you have experience with...Thor?" Her voice faltered as she looked over at Loki. Or, rather, at the Loki who hadn't spoken, still sitting in his place at the table. The Loki at her side gave a sly smile, before fading away completely.

"Oh, I love that trick!" Loki chuckled, leaning back in his seat. "I took me years to perfect it."

"Illusion? Interesting," Luna remarked with a smile, as she walked over towards the real Loki. "Perhaps our kingdoms have more magic to share than anticipated."

The royal pony sisters and the princes of Asgard separated into two distinct pairs that day. Luna and Loki lost themselves in discussing magical theories, while Celestia and Thor regaled each other with tales of their impressive feats. That day was the beginning of two unique friendships, forged across two kingdoms. Of course, every friendship has difficulties...

Comments

[Bumblebee16]

AWESOME!

[Jacky]

Hopefully they get to reunite with Loki again.

[harts fire]

grate chapter i wonderful look back at how everyone / pone met.

[AnimeGamer13]

If the events of Black Panther have not happen yet, could it be possible to have Killmonger recruited by Ross as part of a counter team to the reunited Avengers. I just can not stop thinking about Ross building his own team of enhanced soldiers to fight the Avengers when the news of the team getting back together again.