Equestria is known to be a kingdom full of hospitality, and any esteemed visitors are almost always invited to the royal castle in Canterlot to have a formal audience with the two princesses that rules over the realm. Princess Celestia, while reading some reports from her trustful assistant Raven, is making her way to the throne room for such an audience.
"Six individuals... They're called 'The Champions of Foenum'." Raven speaks with princess Celestia as they enter the room.
The alicorn of the sun reads the papers given to her silently, learning about her visitors. It's only a month ago when explorers under Princess Luna's wing discovered a new continent across the vast western Celestia Ocean. It's nowhere as big as Equestria, but the land is inhabited by numerous species of ungulates, united under the banner of 'Foenum'. After some visits from envoys, Equestria were to expect some visits back from their new friend. Although princess Celestia invited the leaders of Foenum, they sent their 'Champions' first instead. Six ungulates, each a representative of each species in Foenum.
"Thank you Raven." Princess Celestia gives her assistant a warm smile. "We are to expect them shortly, yes?"
"Yes, princess. It's almost time for them to arrive." Raven receives the report papers as the princess gives it to her. "Should I make myself scarce?"
Due to certain circumstances, the meeting is only to happen between the two princesses and the six champions. Well, besides the royal guards that's guarding the room. Just as Princess Luna enters the room, Celestia dismisses Raven to let her do more of her work. The lunar princess, however, seems to be more nervous than usual.
"Luna? Is something bothering you, sister?"
Princess Luna made her way to her throne right next to her sister's, sitting on it before replying.
"...I suppose you already know the group we're expecting?" Luna asked, as she saw Celestia walking to her throne.
"More or less, Raven had shown me. Is it something about them?"
Luna's expedition was the first to make contact with Foenium after all, and knowing her secretive wing, her elite night guards would've sent more ponies to learn about this new civilization across the seas. Maybe the princess of the moon knows something Celestia doesn't based on that fact.
"I am just slightly nervous, especially for our plan for them." Luna confesses as princess Celestia sits down. "The last time we tried to approach another kingdom, they almost declared war on us."
Despite her having to keep her regal posture in front of her guards, Celestia's eyes twitch very slightly. It was quite lucky that Twilight managed to solve the problem with the Yaks, otherwise she's pretty sure that after hearing what the Yaks did, a lot of ponies would actually consider going to war.
"I'm sure this one... doesn't smash things Luna." Celestia chuckled. Though this doesn't seem to ease Luna too much.
"No, but from what I have gathered, they are capable, sister. Their six champions that's coming are supposedly the Foenum's finest warriors." The younger alicorn said. "It's still wise to not upset them."
It doesn't take long before a guard enters the room to inform the princesses of their visitor's arrival. As Celestia orders to let them in, the golden double doors of the throne room opens wide to reveal six... no, seven creatures walking on the carpet leading to the throne.
There are two of them in front of the main group, one seems to be a dark coated unicorn with a long and rather arched horn, arguably as long as the princess' own horn. A strange book is floating in front of her, similar to when a unicorn would hold one with their telekinesis, except her horn doesn't glow. Next to her is a light brown reindeer, walking with her head held high, oozing, for a lack of better word, arrogance, as if she owns the place.
On the right of the group, there's a brown calf, curiously looking around in awe of the castle walls and not really looking where she's going. Close to her is a strange light green creature with fires coming out on it's head and rear, shaped like mane and tail. It has characteristics of a dragon, except it's a quadpedal and having hooves. She seems to walk in a straight posture, almost like a soldier.
The main thing that caught the princess' eyes, though, is a rather tall figure, probably as tall as Celestia, that looks like some kind of dark eldritch horror. The only thing about it's form that's comprehensible is it's head, shaped like a goat's skull with four horns. The body looks like dark fire with purple outlines, forming two forelimbs to cradle two more creatures in it's embrace. One is a fluffy... creature with a thick yellow wool, seemingly giggling happily to the creature carrying her. The other one is a sleeping... lamb? Her eyes are closed, and her body is not moving, even with a black puppy continuously licking her face innocently.
Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had seen a lot of things, but it looks like even after a thousand years, there's still some things that can surprise them.
"Champions of Foenum." Princess Celestia called with a voice that's barely not quivering. "As the princess, I welcome you to Equestria."
Out of the seven, only the dragon and the unicorn reacts in time. The former clap her hooves together before bowing, and the later simply nods her head. The calf seems to have just snapped back to reality as she stumbles on her legs slightly, before finally giving the princesses her attention.
"We are humbled under your presence, princess." The dragon speaks first.
"Or, princesses, should we say?" The unicorn adds. "I see that Equestria is also ruled by more than one leader."
The dark unicorn glances at Luna, who had been looking back at her with a gaze filled with unease. Like advanced magic users, Luna can sense another creature's magic, and what she sees in this unicorn puts her on edge. She's filled to the brim with dark magic! Not to mention that demon looking entity tailing them...
"Yes, you are correct." Princess Celestia either ignored her sister's visible concern, or just plain unaware of it, chuckling as she continued the conversation. "You may address me as Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna is my own sister."
"It is an honor, princesses. As you know, we are the Champions of Foenum." The dragon continued. "And I, Tianhuo, is the champion of the Huoshan Empire."
"My name is Oleander, champion of the Woodlands" Unlike the dragon next to her, Oleander doesn't even look at the princesses when she tells them her name. Instead, she's simply flipping the pages of her books.
"I see." Princess Celestia nods with a smile, but she notices only two of them are talking. The calf seems to be a bit nervous in front of them, and the reindeer is showing a bored expression, like she does not want to be here. The alicorn then shifts her eyes to the calf, who eventually speaks.
"O-Oh! Ah'll be Arizona! Proud champeen of ta Prairie!" She said with pride.
Princess Celestia simply smiled at the cow, before turning to the reindeer next to Oleander. However, instead of talking, she simply turns her head away and turns her body to the side. Oleander rolls her eyes at the sight.
"This is not a place to show off, Velvet." Oleander chided, before turning to face princess Celestia. "Pardon her, she's Velvet, the champion of the Tundra."
"Ze champion at everything, really, but I'm being humble." The female reindeer said with a thick accent, and a thick dose of narcissism. Just as it seems like Oleander and Velvet is about to bicker, princess Luna suddenly speaks.
"I should ask the obvious, but we're under the impression that there's supposed to be only six of you?"
The princess of the night points at the strange demon-like creature cradling two more members of the group. To this, Tianhuo volunteers to explain.
"This dark one is the companion of the forsaken unicorn. Such is the price of following the path of dark magic." The dragon explains, giving Oleander a look that the unicorn can't stand.
"Ugh, I thought we agreed that my dark magic helped to save Foenum, and thus you'll tolerate it." Oleander sighs, before returning to the princesses. "This is the entity that resides in my book. He goes by a name, but we call him Fred."
"Hi, I'm Fred." Said the demon himself, way too casual for such a lovecraftian horror to act. As strange or unexpected his voice turns out to be, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna welcomes it all too well. At least it doesn't possess the throne room and turns the whole castle into a monster, or something. After that horrifying image went away, the alicorns can hear Oleander continuing.
"That... creature that keeps giggling like the half brained ungulate she is, is the champion of the High Plains, Paprika. And, with all due respect, princesses, do not ask how she managed to get that title, because she can't speak in comprehensible words".
"Oleander, ya have ta admit that fuzzball runs like a bull seein' red." Arizona said. "That weirdo almost managed to snap mah rope..."
"I'm afraid that our alpaca companion did frighten some of your guards, princess." Tianhuo admitted. "As much as it shames us, we need the demon to restrain her."
"I prefer to use the term 'keeping her company'." The demon replied cheekily, somehow not bothered at all by Paprika's constant giggling and attempt to hug him.
Princess Celestia took a mental note to make sure none of her guards are too mentally scarred to do their jobs properly, if her image of Paprika's... show of affection is accurate. The alicorn then points to the other member who's passed out on Fred's hands.
"And, her?"
The group seems to look around at each other, especially at Oleander, who in turn looks at Fred, as if hoping someone would explain the unconscious lamb with the puppy. In the end, Arizona is the one who speaks.
"Err... That kid is Pom, champion of the Meadow. She's all timid, so when that mons-- Ah mean, Fred, comes out, she got her lights knocked outta her..." The calf chuckles nervously. "Scared her off her wool."
Luna really wants to question how wise it is for the very thing that knocks her out to be the one carrying her, but holds her tongue. They're champions, so they should know what to do, right?
"Will she be alright?" Princess Celestia asked.
"She may be timid, but she is much tougher then we all think, princess." Tianhuo replied. "The young one will be fine."
"I personally will make sure that no harm will be done to her. After all, she's one of us." Oleander added, before she changes the subject quickly. "Anyway, Princess, are you aware of the reason for our visit?"
"Of course." The alicorn replied with a warm smile. "You have been sent on the behalf of the Council of the Ungulates of Foenum, are you not?"
"Yes... And they sent us here... to..." The words from the dark unicorn slows down and stops, as if she's reluctant to say it. Eventually Arizona finishes it for her.
"Leave a trail around Equestria! Er... explorin and stuff, and return to them afterwards."
"It vas their idea." Velvet said, speaking as if not caring that she's standing in front the two rulers of Equestria. "I vill only take ze scenic route, and it better be good."
"I'm sure you will be treated well during your stay." Princess Celestia smiles, though the deepest and darkest pit of her heart wants to give the reindeer a lecture on how to behave. "In fact, I was expecting this sort of thing, and had created an... arrangement of sorts."
"Oh?" Oleander raised an eyebrow.
The alicorn of the sun pulls out a scroll out of nowhere, and opens it in front of her. Even from learning who the champions are from the information she gets, princess Celestia knows that she knows some ponies that will be a good company for each of these champions, because they remind her of them a lot...
Excellent job on the start of this story. Love the work that went into the exchanges, characterizations and future chapter set-up in all the right places. Loved how Luna's crew was the one that found Foenum (and the fact that this is apparently set shortly after "Party Pooped" is a wonderful detail in mentioning the timeline). The introductions to the main champions of Foenum was quite spot on as far as I can tell.
I am guessing that one of the AU details is that the six champions DID eventually realize they would have a much better chance of success by working together (since I doubt the actual game is going to go THAT route unfortunately), which is another welcome detail.
Yeah, I could EASILY see Rarity trying to provide Velvet with the gift of a top quality hat, cloak and boots (all ice blue, of course) simply because she thinks Velvet would like them AND they would look great on her (and, to be fair, she wouldn't be wrong on the latter point).
Another possibility could be Fred having a meeting with Discord with the two giving an elaborate greeting suggesting that the two already know each other AND are glad to see each other (given Fred is basically a hybrid of Discord and Spike [Discord's power and personality, Spike's role as Twilight's {or rather, Oleander's} sidekick])
And, I could see Pinkie pulling an Actor Allusion by wondering if Arizona reminds her more of Applejack or Twilight doing a VERY good Applejack impression.
And Applejack finding out Arizona's parents are still alive would probably lead to some beautifully bittersweet stuff.
And I could also see Tianhou teaching Spike some fighting moves while also dealing with Rainbow being ridiculously competitive.
All in all, immense potential and I am definitely looking forward to more of this.
I like this story.... I hope to see more
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Ahem... Please, excuse my exuberance. I was hoping to find a story like this. While I have encounted other crossover stories of these two worlds, I do not believe I have come across one with this level of quality. All the characters act and sound like themselves, and the tone that you have struck is perfect.
I look forward to seeing where you take this.
I like it so far! Have been waiting for a real Equestria/Foenum crossover :)
A couple of things:
* It's spelled "Prologue". You should correct that - it's one of the first things a reader will see and they'll immediately think that you can't write.
* Don't write in present tense - it's difficult to maintain. I can already see some places where you slipped into past tense. Using past tense will work absolutely fine for this story.
Other observations:
You say that, but you haven't met Arizona yet.
Equestrian dragons are not exclusively bipedal. They seem to be able to switch between two and four legs, at least when smaller. Large dragons, like Crackle and Torch, tend to be quadrupedal, so seeing a dragon that walks on four legs shouldn't be that much of a surprise.
I have to admire the Princess' restraint. I'd probably have blasted the thing to Tartarus and asked questions later.
Small nitpick: "fire" in this context is a substance, not an object. (For example, you wouldn't say that something "looks like a water"; you'd say it "looks like water". The same is true here).
However, I really liked the way this was done, having Fred inexplicably restraining two of the Champions. It made me immediately curious as to what the situation was.
To reiterate, the royal guards are more frightened of an affectionate, floofy alpaca than a eldritch shadow demon.
That is awesome.
Well, that's what memory-erasing spells are for.
Looking forward to more!
I'm really excited to see this crossover. I'm looking forward to seeing how the characters interact with the Mane 6.
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Ah, thanks for the heads up! I fixed some of the things you mentioned, glad you take the time to comment on multiple parts of the story, I really appreciate it!
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Thanks a bunch! Of course, more will come. I might not be the fastest writer, but next chapter shouldn't be too far off!
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Take the time you need to make sure you like it first.
This is a variation of the advice i give every author despite not being one myself.
The advice is, take as long as you need to make sure it sure it is up to YOUR quality standards.
You will be the first to see the finished product, so if you like it then you can be reasonably confident a majority of your readers will as well. And those that don't like it as much will either be satisfied by having something they like updated or just move on
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In regards to the walking death by infinite hugs bearing the name Paprika scaring the guards more than the literal demon that lives in a book (keep Twilight away from it) who's to say Fred was out before Paprika scared the guards?
I also like how Fred doesn't see it as restraining Paprika but as keeping her company
Tianhuo is called a Longma – Chinese mythical half-horse, half-dragon creature.
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Ye, I know, but I wrote it in the Princess' perspective. They don't know exactly what Tianhuo is, they just know that she looks like a dragon~
i'm mostly looking forward to Twilight vs. Oleander & Rarity vs. Velvet