A Clash of Magic and Steam

by law abiding pony

51: Homecoming

“And that’s the long and short of it.”

Luna slowly nodded as Twilight fell silent. The empress had pulled her into a sitting room during a recess in court. A strong fire filled out the room where the warm light bulbs failed to reach. The fine furniture was so new the cushions were still a little stiff.

A tea cup clinked back onto its saucer as Luna finished her sullen musings. “Friend Twilight, I can honestly say I would love nothing more than to see my own parents again. I can have a thousand acquaintances and a dozen friends, but no one ever replaces your parents…” A short, rough laugh escaped the empress. “They’d probably bite my ear off for everything that has happened between Tia and I, but all the same…” Luna fell quiet as she tried to leave that scar alone. “But it is politically troublesome to let you go. I like to think the public see you as Lunarian, but a visit to Equestria like this might give your detractors reason to sow doubt.”

“I thought of this,” Twilight stated with her wings held forward for emphasis. “Which is why I’m not there to visit family, but to see about establishing an embassy for us.”

“An embassy?” Luna met the idea with a low smoldering scowl. She stood up so as to hide her souring face. “I had thought better of you, Friend Twilight. We have no need for such a thing with Equestria, and as much as I value your friendship, I will not sink into nepotism for your political convenience.”

Taken aback by the vitriol, Twilight gave a placating wave of her wings. “With respect, your highness, I do not ask this of you lightly,” she replied a bit too hastily for her liking. “I will admit, the timing is convenient, but I firmly believe we need an embassy, now more than ever. A proper one that is more than glorified museum piece.”

Luna felt a flash of the old anger, of the nobility’s silver tongues robbing her sister of her sight and reason. Yet thus far, the pegacorn had served her faithfully, and so Luna was willing to listen rather than kick her out of the palace then and there. “I can speak with my sister freely each day, we can negotiate in moments what it would take diplomats and talking heads years to accomplish.” Luna did not turn back around just yet, unwilling to trust herself to remain outwardly neutral, let alone cordial. “The dream realm is my embassy.”

Twilight saw her mistake in that moment and bowed a little out of habit. “I wouldn’t - Ah - dream - of trying to put ponies between you and Celestia. I know that’s how our people became divided in the first place. But what if you got hurt, or wanted to go on holiday and couldn’t reach us?”

Humming in annoyance, Luna shook her head. “Yes, yes, and I heard all of this before both from your lips and others when I first took the throne. It must seem so obvious to you, to delegate so much, but it was not so in my day.” At last she turned back towards Twilight Sparkle with barely any improvement to her scowl. “There is so much talk of practicality and ‘common sense’ to it all. What personal touch do I have left if not diplomacy? The way it all feels, am I ruling ponies, or a vast machine?”

Had it come from anyone else, Twilight would have been incensed by deriding a machine. Here however, she had to think for a moment to find the right words. “If… Your Highness, I - that is a very impersonal way to look at government.”

“Am I wrong?” Luna challenged sternly. “I have a department of agriculture, war, law, treasury, education, coal, there’s even one for just handling shipping in and out of the city. All of them cogs and belts. I will confess speaking with my sister is not always pleasant. By Terra she can be damnably irrational half the time, but at least it is pony to pony. Not some untouchable thing that claims responsibility but takes none of it.”

Trying to hold firm under such glowering scrutiny, Twilight kept her tone strong. “I am not trying to take Celestia away,” she continued a bit softer now. “But what I propose would allow you more time to just be sisters, not only rulers.” When Luna pulled her head back in suspicion, Twilight pressed on. “Believe me when I say this, Pinkie means the world to me, and I have no doubt Celestia means that to you, or else you would have told Rainbow Dash to fire a second shot that night. Let a diplomat take care of the small things, the little necessities that get between you two and just having a nice night together.”

Luna said nothing for a spell. She averted her gaze to think, yet no matter how much time Twilight gave her, the alicorn’s mood only darkened.

Realizing that more rebuttals were coming, Twilight had to think quickly. “I - if - if this is not -” Twilight gasped a little as an idea struck her. “May I ask you a personal question?”

Luna’s grim mood faltered at the reluctant tone. “Go ahead.”

“Do you want our species to reunify?” Twilight spoke with quick insistence now. “I don’t mean tomorrow, a decade, or even a century. But at some point, do you want us to come together?”

The difficult question was posed firmly, and in that Luna felt compelled to answer rather than blow it off. “I… can not say. Right now I do not. As much as I wish to hold my sister again, my people revile Equestrians, and how can I blame them? And yet today’s Lunarians are so very different than the ones I led in rebellion. They honor me, yes, but the culture… is so very different. You were from Equestria before, surely you understand. What I want now, what the people want could change in time into something unrecognizable.”

So a long winded way of saying ‘I don’t know yet.’ It was noncommittal, but it was something Twilight could work with. “If it is too early for a diplomat, then what about an… an envoy!”

Luna’s thoughtful glower turned a modicum towards a humorless smile. “Are they not one in the same?”

“Not necessarily,” Twilight hastened to say with a raised warding wing-finger. “We could, instead of imperial business, let the envoy speak on… um, matters of Harmony, like Faithful Hymn. Yes, we could continue his work there. And might I add, there is a distinct lack of cannibalism in Equestria.”

Having acquiesced to Luna’s refusal, the empress’ expression softened considerably. But only to a point. “Crass, but fair. Besides, they already follow Harmony. What would be the point?”

Now that she had bought more time to think, Twilight tried to refine the idea. “While I have no doubt you can keep the peace with Celestia on a personal level, the public at large doesn’t exactly benefit from these talks. Which is what the envoy would be for. They can speak with the Equestrian public directly and quell the animosity between us, one act at a time. Celestia would have an easier time imposing the peace if the number of potential warhawks was diminished.”

Luna waved a wing for her to stop. “You have made your point.” The empress turned to think it over for a minute or so. “I resent having my wing twisted like this, but I will discuss the matter today with her. I doubt the mare eternally guilty of pollyanna will be more than happy to hear this.” A playful grin crossed Luna’s muzzle. “Do you have a candidate in mind, yourself perhaps?”

Twilight’s fur bristled out of panic and she hastily waved her wings to the negative. “No no noooo no. No. I have a workshop and children to raise. With respect, my place is at Talon Peak.”

“I only jest, my friend. I’m sure a candidate will manifest soon enough. I will make an announcement in court that you will be sent to secure this… embassy of peace for us. That should give you leave to see your parents in the public’s eyes.”

Bowing with a relieved sigh, Twilight resisted the urge to rub the stress out of her face. “I thank you for your kindness, your highness.”

“Oh don’t thank me too hard. Your estranged family may be eager to see you again, but I doubt you’ll get such a warm reception from anypony else who recognizes you.”

---

Within relatively short order, Twilight, Pinkie Pie, and the twins were on a boat for the old world. With her son far too young to travel, both he and Silver Vein reluctantly remained behind to keep an eye over the estate and the foundry’s progress in particular.

On a clear and crisp night barely a day or so from arriving at port, Twilight was seated at a desk going over notes and draft paper as she conjured her next invention, an improvement to aluminum smelting.

Her desk was as organized as the rocking of the ocean would allow her, yet it was a far cry from the mess her daughters caused not hours prior.

A knock on the door dragged Twilight’s nose out of the draft paper. “Enter.”

Rainbow Dash stuck her nose inside the cramped cabin before fully stepping inside. “Everything is set for departure tomorrow.”

“Wonderful.” Twilight closed a red binder to focus on her friend and bodyguard. “Rainbow, I’ve considered your problem with security, but I’m afraid your proposal is untenable.”

Scoffing and blowing some mane out of her eyes, the thestral spoke with more annoyance than anything else. “Only you would find it impossible to avoid work on what amounts to a holiday.”

“Oh it’s not the work issue. I’ll be shipping these back home when we arrive in Mechiburg. But I will be making use of the safe I mentioned.”

Rainbow groaned loudly at the idea of having to lug such a thing around, let alone protect it. “If you’re not putting anything in a safe, then why bring it at all?”

Twilight stood up and waved a hoof with an aristocratic flare. “If there is one thing Equestrians know us for is that we love our secrets. Something they equally loved to force slaves to divulge. You’d be surprised just how many spy novels and plays Equestria has about us.”

Rainbow tilted her head out of mild confusion. “So you’re going through the trouble of bringing a safe to play up a stereotype?”

“In part. The safe is a statement,” Twilight replied with an overtly conspiratorial eyebrow wiggle. “The common Equestrian will be drawn to expose whatever secret lies within. The only thing of value in the safe are drawings from the girls. Believe me, this’ll make your job easier,” she added with a coy wink. “If opened by anypony other than myself, a multicolored staining dye will explode out. That part was Pinkie’s idea.”

“Classy, maybe we can give them a clown nose to complete the look.” Rainbow’s mirth proved persistent as she wiped a tear away at the mental image of a royal guard covered in dyes. “I’ll pass the word on to my crew to treat it like actual sensitive documents.” Rainbow paused for a moment as a devilish grin crossed her lips. “Ya know, if the whole point is to draw attention, what if you ‘accidentally‘ carry away some ‘documents’? I can tackle you to the ground to stop you, eh?”

Twilight recoiled from past pain. Anytime a threat emerged the thestral loved to tackle Twilight to the dirt ‘for her protection’ of course. “I would prefer you announce your intentions for once. If nothing else, it’ll keep my brother from jabbing a pistol against your temple.”

“I’m sure he’s got a sense of humor in there somewhere,” was all Rainbow said while keeping a sly grin.

Suddenly feeling like she was in danger of visiting the floor again, Twilight had to physically shake herself to keep her poise intact. “All joking aside-”

“Who’s joking?” Rainbow interrupted flatly.

Grimacing at potential future pain, Twilight coughed into a wing. “Yes, well, I wanted to thank you for coming along with me. I know the last thing you wanted to do was to set a hoof inside Canterlot without an army at your back.”

“Are you kidding?” Rainbow asked with genuine enthusiasm. “Not only am I going to be the first bat to enter Canterlot, but everypony’s gonna know it was the same mare who blooded Celestia’s nose. Oh I can’t wait to see all those angry faces! It’s going to be awesome!”

Now deeply regretting her choices in life, Twilight nearly dropped all poise and leaned over the desk with a pleading look. “Rainbow, please for the love of the armada, don’t cause a diplomatic incident. The last thing we need is your battered smirk on newspapers across the world.”

Rainbow held her wings out in a faux innocent gesture. “What do you take me for? I’m a stand up imperial officer, with plenty of diplomatic standing around and looking tough. I don’t have to do a thing, the thugs will come to me. Just like how they occasionally come for you every so often.”

“As I recall, the local ruffians are after my money or food, not my person.” Twilight had to breathe nice and slow to calm her nerves. “At least self defense is an enshrined right in Equestria.” Twilight adopted a conspiratorial grin to derail the thestral’s teasing. If Rainbow was going to play dirty, then so could she. “All that aside, I heard from a very reliable source that you’re up for promotion to major when we get back.”

Rainbow groaned at the reminder. Major was more than just a step up in rank, but an automatic acceptance into the nobility, no matter one’s birth or wealth. An elevation in status that was only up for renewal a decade after retirement. “That’s the last thing I need.”

“Poppycock,” Twilight declared with a dismissive wave of a wing. “You are going to be a general one day, and you’re not allowed to retire until you have a star on that sleeve.”

“If I go major, I’ll be taken off your protection detail,” Rainbow countered with a morose tone and wilting ears.

“Rainbow Dash, the sixth Merchant’s Creed expressly states: Never allow family to stand in the way of opportunity. It’s a crass rule, but it has enough merit to listen to.” Rainbow gave Twilight a sour look with one ear going flat. “What I mean is, we can and will still be friends, but don’t cling so tightly to me or the others that your career suffers.”

“It’s not just that,” Rainbow countered weakly. “Odds are good I won’t get a frontier assignment, and even if I do, I won’t get to do any actual exploring. I’ll be a desk jockey.”

Suppressing a need to roll her eyes, Twilight decided to ignore the jab. “I doubt the one who ‘smacked the sun’ will be chained to a desk. Besides, even if you do, it’s not the problem it sounds like, because I heard you bought a ring for Soarin.” Rainbow went beat red, only egging Twilight on. “Rainbow you crafty temptress, he’s quite a dashing one isn’t he? Oh you two will make beautiful foals together.”

Flushing bright red down to her neck, Rainbow made sure the door was shut and leaned in to whisper-shout at Twilight. “How did you hear about that? I haven’t told anypony!”

“A lady never tells,” Twilight stated, irritating the thestral to no end. “Just be sure to let me know when the wedding is, I insist on covering the costs.”

Trying to gather her wits, Rainbow pulled back and cracked the door open to make sure no one was eavesdropping. “What makes you think I want a big wedding in the first place?”

Now it was Twilight’s turn to scoff dramatically. “You, the braggart who looks for a new face at the lounge so you can tell the story about you breaking Celestia’s nose? Or how your unit ambushed a camp of twenty inquisitors while dragging poor helpless me all the while?”

“All of that is mostly true.”

“Funny, because whenever Applejack joins you, those stories sound far less grand.” Twilight leaned in, causing her friend to start sweating. “Don’t bother trying to get out of this. Pinkie Pie’s already working up the details. The history books will dedicate a whole page on it after she’s through.”

“She wouldn’t dare!”

“Are you sure?” Twilight developed a mad hatter grin. “If you behave, I might be able to talk her down to just a hoofnote in history.”

“Hey, would you look at the time? I need to check on my team.” Rainbow bid a hasty retreat, leaving Twilight cackling in her wake.

---

The transfer from ship to train took only a day, and the group were traveling westward by the following morning. Since Mechiburg had not fallen, by old treaty, the Equestrian border wouldn’t be reached for another seventy miles. For many, it was still too close. Due to her official mandate, Twilight had been granted a special car with an expanded cabin for all, including a private study.

Her private car had been latched to the rest of the more Equestrian-sourced train. With both Rainbow’s small detail of soldiers along with a large contingent of escorting Royal Guards, no one along the route bothered the car, let alone the family itself. With the train having taken the last collection of supplies for the final push to Canterlot, both sisters and Rainbow were present in the study. Twilight had given up trying to work days ago, and was instead trying to teach the twins the alphabet with mixed results. Something Pinkie Pie was glad to help with. Content to watch the education from afar, Rainbow Dash lounged on a bench with her nose in a book, but most of her focus was on the passing landscape outside.

In the flatlands surrounding the Canterhorn, the town of Ponyville was whipping by. What she saw both confused and worried the soldier. Tenement houses flanked a series of factories if the tall smokestacks and steady stream of black smoke were anything to go by. It was a pale shadow to Tranquility’s industrial zones, but their existence at all is what got Rainbow to stand up out of concern. “Equestrian factories… By the moon, that’s horrifying,” she exclaimed inadvertently too loudly.

The tone drew the sisters’ attention. Pinkie stayed with the twins, allowing Twilight to join her protector at the window. “What’s wrong?”

Rainbow waved a hoof outside. “Look!”

Complying, Twilight gazed out and couldn’t help but to coo out of delighted surprise. “Moon in the stars, I didn’t think I’d see this for two hundred years.”

“What’s going on?” Pinkie called out while Prism demanded snacks.

“You remember Ponyville? It’s becoming a factory town.”

Shaking a few cookies free of her mane, Pinkie offered them as sacrifices to join the others at the window. “This I have to see for myself.”

The others moved aside, and once Pinkie saw it she let out a low whistle. “I’ll be. Looks like you got your wish, Twily.”

“Wish?” Rainbow asked in worried astonishment.

Twilight lingered at the window as the factories were obscured by the rest of Poniville. The train was soon going to start the long winding path up the mountain. “This was back before I defected of course, but I had dreamed of bringing Lunarian-style factories into Equestria since I was a filly. To see it now… irks me a bit I suppose, because now I can’t be the one to pioneer it.”

“Psshh,” Pinkie huffed dismissively. “You got to skip the hard part. You’re still doing great work with aluminum and the reworked flying machine. It’ll be five years tops before even a pauper could afford a set of aluminum cutlery. After that, a flying machine that anypony can use.”

Prism pulled away from her twin and scampered over to weave herself in between her mother’s legs. She looked up into Twilight’s face with a massive grin. “Hi momma.”

Giggling, Twilight brushed the filly’s mane with her unarmored wings. “Hey my little cloud hopper. What about you, do you want a flying machine?”

“Yeah!” The filly cheered happily as her featherless wings wrapped around Twilight’s forelegs. “A fast one that can beat a pegasususus.”

“I might just do that.” Twilight brushed Prism’s nose with her own.”

---

Screeching metal wheels heralded the train’s arrival at Canterlot Station. Twilight had Prism nestled between her neck and her armor’s engine. She was gnawing on a cookie to distract her. Pinkie followed after her along the car’s hallway with Spring Roll latched to her mane. Rainbow Dash came up third while her three soldiers followed after them with the safe being rolled along.

An earth pony conductor was standing at the exit and bowed lightly upon seeing them. “I trust our accommodations were to your satisfaction, my lady.”

“They were, thank you.” No sooner had the words left Twilight’s mouth that she caught sight out of the doors. While other passengers freely departed the other cars, a cordon of royal infantry was quickly forming up. “It seems our debutant chaperones are here. Captain, it’s time to be introduced to high society, I hope you worked on your airs.”

“Oh very funny,” Rainbow jeered as her paranoia rose, being around so many royal soldiers without a rifle. “Try to put me in a sundress and I will stab you.” She waggled her wing claw for emphasis, an act that didn’t elicit much concern out of Twilight, only an amused grin.

Twilight took the lead with Pinkie Pie at her side. Rainbow came next with her three troopers escorting the safe on noisy rollers.

Standing not too far off was Shining Armor resplendent in his dress uniform with Cadence at his side. She too wore her regalia with practiced grace. The crowd of ponies beyond the cordon of infantry took keen interest, doubly so when they realized there were four thestrals and a unicorn wearing the imperial army’s uniform.

The crowd started to press in, only for the infantry to bang the ground with the butts of their rifles, a firm warning that the civilians heeded. While keeping enough distance to avoid provoking the soldiers again, the crowd’s curiosity caused many to go airborne to get a better look.

Twilight tried to ignore it all to focus on her brother and sister-in-law. Upon reaching speaking distance, she bowed to Cadence. “Thank you for having us, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, Prince-Consort Shining Armor.” Pinkie bowed as well, however Rainbow and her crew who only gave a nod of respect, as was tradition. Through it all, the fillies were wide-eyed at all the new sights and sounds. Silver had trained them well, and the twins remained quiet, but were excitedly bouncing around on Twilight and Pinkie’s backs.

Cadence wore a brilliant smile upon seeing Twilight and that smile only grew upon laying eyes on the foals. It took serious effort to refrain from squealing over them. “Imperial Engineer Twilight Sparkle and company, please join us in the carriages. Given the late hour, Queen Celestia would prefer to formally welcome your arrival in open court tomorrow morning. Especially you-” Cadence paused to check the rank insignia on Rainbow’s hat. “Captain. I don’t think there has ever been a thestral in Canterlot.”

At least not one that wasn’t a prisoner, everyone thought in one form or another.

The request caught the soldiers by surprise, and they all looked to their commander. “Uhhh -” Rainbow coughed to buy time to think. “That shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Excellent.” Shining Armor waved to the waiting carriages. His eye caught the safe, making him stumble a bit. “We expected luggage, but a safe?”

“You know me, I never could go a day without work. Unfortunately a lot of what I do is confidential.”

“Yeah but…” He sighed a laugh. “You haven’t changed at all.” Shining Armor laughed warmly before he guided everyone to the carriages.

Between the four family members and the two fillies, the first carriage filled up quickly. Before stepping inside, he looked at Rainbow Dash. “We have a second carriage for you and your subordinates.”

“If it’s all the same,” Rainbow Dash stated with a note of malicious compliance. “I am not one to leave my charge unattended. My crew will take the carriage, and I’ll ride on top of yours.”

The declaration caused Shining’s brain to backfire, and he dumbly blinked at her. The delay was enough for Twilight to stick her head out to whisper in his ear. “We all have our eccentricities. Best to let her have this one if it won’t cause undue trouble.”

Trying to digest it all, Shining’s stupor was broken by the sight of Rainbow’s fang filled grin. “Interesting. Then by all means, have your fun.”

The family jostled a bit to settle in with the sisters on one side and the couple on the other. Once the door was closed and the windows drawn, Cadence couldn’t wait to fawn over the fillies.

“My stars and garters they are so darn cuuute! Please let me hold them!”

Prism didn’t wait for her mother’s permission and fumbled over as the carriage started moving. “Hello lady.” Twilight giggled as Cadence claimed the little pegacorn into her magic so she could rope Prism in a crushing hug.

“You look just like your momma.” Cadence took in the filly’s dark purple fur and toothy grin. “She has your eyes and nose.”

Twilight held onto Spring Roll and nuzzled the top of the thestral’s head. “And she’s a hellion. There isn’t a nook and cranny she won’t get into. Spring here is much more mild mannered, aren’t you, baby girl?” Spring mumbled a reserved reply.

Cadence smushed the filly into a hug. “Hello, Prism. I’m your aunt Cadence, and this is your uncle Shining Armor.”

“You so pretty, Caddy!” Prism bubbled as she buried her face into Cadence’s neck.

Shining Armor tostled Prism’s hair, an act that the filly all too happily leaned into. While he busied himself winning the filly over with play, his words were reserved for his sister. “Thank you for coming, Twily, it couldn’t have been easy to return.”

Continuing to nuzzle Spring’s forehead with her chin, Twilight tried to put up a confident front, but inwardly she was filled with doubts. “It took some doing with Luna, and I’m here with her mandate. As far as the rest of the aristocracy is concerned, I like to think I’ve earned enough trust.”

Cadence allowed Shining Armor to take Prism into his grasp so she could speak easier with Twilight. “I’m glad to hear it. As much as we all wish you could stay with us…” Cadence paused as she struggled to bring out the words she had practiced on. “I think you are where you need to be.”

“Where is best for you,” Shining Armor added while dodging a bouncing young sparking horn that would have zapped his face.

“I think they know you even better than I do,” Pinkie stated with a nudge and a wink.

“Gah, enough about me, what about you two?!” Twilight fussed while gently rubbing the spot her sister nudged. “I can’t believe you have factories now, and not a peep about it hit the papers, let alone what you two have been up to!”

Both Shining Armor and Cadence shared an uncertain, but cordial enough look at Pinkie Pie before focusing on Twilight. The years of seeing her as a slave and now more or less family was tough for them to broach. “You can blame the factories on me,” Cadence announced proudly. “With enstripement gone, so went the primary reason Equestria neglected machines. I - well - questioned whatever captured engineers the army claimed. Before Celestia returned, the plan was to lift the ban on all machines outside of Canterlot’s plates. I was hoping to use the knowledge I collected, along with the actual machines we captured to give us a leg up in starting our own industrial revolution. It turned out you only needed to get your hooves bloody to end enstripement.” Cadence ended that with a melancholy look. Not one of regret, but of how little she believed her subjects would have listened at the time.

Twilight hugged Spring Roll close, an act that made the filly wiggle around so she could hug her mother back. “I always knew getting rid of that was going to be a bumpy road. Back then, I thought it was going to be my life’s work.” She shook her head to clear away such grim thoughts. The last thing Twilight wanted was to be in a dower mood before seeing her parents. “So I’m glad that same work has become far more constructive.”

“Luck willing, you’ll end up with multiple life’s works,” Shining Armor quipped with a smirk before settling on a more down-to-earth expression when he faced the mostly silent earth pony. “Pinkie Pie…” He coughed to collect his thoughts. “I wish to say this in full, please bear with me. I - I want to thank you for looking after Twily for all these years. By the time Twilight and you had fled to Lunaria, I knew you would protect her.” He fixed the stunned pony with a warmer look, one he had practiced when speaking to injured soldiers. “I had been around enough slaves to know it was not your stripes urging you to protect Twily, it was what you truly wanted. It pained me greatly to watch both of your successes from afar, but I am gratified you did it side by side. I can’t speak for our parents, but I want to personally say, I welcome you as family.”

Tears welled in Pinkie’s eyes and her lip quivered her other raw emotion. Twilight was quick to hug her sister, and nuzzled her. Cadence rested a hoof on Pinkie’s own. “I am of the same mind. I could see your bond every time I could break away from my duties to foalsit Twilly. How Twilight shared her treats when you thought I wasn’t looking, or how many times I had to hide draft papers in both of your writings from the maids,” she added with a wiry grin.

“That was you?” Twilight asked in bewilderment. “I thought Sunbeam was just staying quiet about it.”

“Perhaps she caught it a few times,” Cadence admitted. “But if she was, I had no clue.”

Pinkie would have leapt forward to hug them had the carriage allowed it. Instead she had to be content with Cadence’s touch. “Thank you. Thank you so-” Her breath hitched as the tears flowed. So Twilight held her tighter, and Spring Roll joined in as well, only knowing her aunt was crying.

The group started to share stories as the Light Manor came into view. Two figures waited eagerly at the gates.

---

Earlier, as the family climbed into their carriage, Rainbow Dash rounded on her three soldiers moving the safe on a litter. First Sergeant Jacks was trying to look nonplussed, but she could tell he was wary around so many royal soldiers, let alone being in Canterlot itself. “Boss, when I told you I’d follow you to Tartarus and back, I didn’t expect you to send me somewhere worse.”

“Oh relax, this is a milk run. Watch the safe, mind your P’s and Q’s and we can claim to be the first Lunarian troopers to set hoof in Canterlot in forever.” Rainbow jabbed a wing at the second carriage. “Load the safe and let’s get going so we can find some proper grub.”

The unicorn and thestral privates could get behind that and hurried themselves to obey. Jack eyed the carriage and inwardly scowled at the lot of them. “I don’t trust this one bit. The ladies might be blinded by family, but these people could make us disappear if they wanted to.”

“Which is why I’m riding on top of the front carriage,” Rainbow snarked. “I can keep an eye on you three and flaunt myself at the same time.” Rainbow made a show of flaring her leathery wings. “And I get to ruffle some feathers. I want to end up in a gossip rag as a diplomatic irritant by week’s end. Carry on, Sargeant.”

“Yes ma’am.” Jacks smirked at the idea as he saluted. “I’ll be sure to buy multiple copies for posterity.”

The two separated with Rainbow flying up to land on top of Twilight’s carriage. The two driver stallions looked up at her with irritated confusion. They had not been selected for diplomatic grace. “We know the way, we don’t need a conductor.”

“I’m not here for that, I’m here to flaunt,” Rainbow mocked while flaring her wings. “And to see if there’s any threat to my charge.” Probably should have led with that.

The drivers grumbled at each other when a loud whistle behind them shrilled out. The drivers started moving at the signal with the rear carriage following close behind. Lastly, the cordon of royal soldiers took flight and flanked the two carriages from above.

Rainbow did her best to ignore them and focus on the city itself. She could see right away it was all too bright for her tastes. Most of the buildings were pale white with gold roofs or highlights. Everything from the lowest warehouse to the highest spires all had sun motifs in one form or fashion. Worse yet was that some places had mirror shines to them which flashed the sun in her eyes more than once. “Sheesh, is that all there is? Sure, we got the moon all over the place, but at least we have other things too.”

Pulling a road map Twilight had given her earlier, Rainbow scrutinized the street signs as they went. After a few turns she was confident they were not being led astray. So she tucked it back into her coat and primped herself for the locals to gawk at. More than one civilian pointed at her in bemusement, and that caused a slow but steady ripple effect as she pulled ever more eyes.

“That’s right, you got a bat in the belfry. Marvel at me.” That turned a few heads of the escorting soldiers, and an equal number of dirty looks. I always heard the Questies get riled when it came to the ‘stoic guard’ routine, but I didn’t think it’d be that easy.

Rainbow basked in their collective ire until one of the more level headed soldiers banked to fly a bit closer to speak his mind. “Captain, I have little doubt the queen will be glad to see you all.”

Rainbow leveled a smug grin at him. “Why? Looking for revenge?”

“Revenge?” He tilted his head and glanced at his flanking comrades to see if any of them knew what she was talking about, yet all he got were shrugs.

If anything, Rainbow was rather annoyed no one had heard of her clubbing Celestia in the swamp. Even so, she had been around military politics enough to know sometimes intrigue was worth more than an open truth. “Well if she hasn’t said anything, then it’s just as well. You lot be good, yeah?”

The pegasus officer desperately wanted to push her for more details, but now was not the time. So he huffed in disappointment and nodded at her. “Fine, keep your secrets, Captain.” Without another word, the officer rocketed forward to resume his place in the convoy.

Snickering, Rainbow laid down on the roof and kept a silent eye out. They were out of the city before long and were on the cobblestone road leading to the Light Manor.

Comments

[Hillbe]

Bats in the belfry

[Doge of Venucci]

Love it.

[Cross Lament]

but she could tell he was weary around so many royal soldiers

Why is it that literally no-one on Fimfiction can manage to type the word "wary"?

[new55]

That was a good chapter.

[Dragon_V2]

Ahhh, Rainbow may complain… but she secretly loves an excuse for her favorite hobby. For she already is a general… a general menace to polite society.

[YewUnicorn]

11716829
This made me have to slap a hand to my face to smother my snorting laughter in my quiet cubicle space. 🤣

[Blewfire]

I just love the interactions between Cadence and Twilight's foals. The writing of Rainbow in this chapter was awesome too.