The Night Of A Broken Heart

by WanderingPony

Chapter 9: Maybe You Can't Figure It Out Just Yet

Floating pegasus-high in the sky isn't natural for for earth ponies or unicorns, but the small crowd riding in a formation of aerial chariots were doing a good job of making it look easy...or that could have been the Guard pegasi keeping the three chariots in perfect balance. Sadly for them, nopony was paying much attention.

The lead chariot in the wedge barely managed to fit the massive form of Big Mac alongside the equally un-massive Spike. The dragonling rambled on about his theories as to why his breath had gone on the fritz, a subject the stallion barely commented on- the occasional polite "Eeyup" dropped in as he thought about his sister.

Y'know, iffen it was only a cold, why'd they send a chariot?

The second chariot held Rarity's mother, who spent most of the time chattering away in a non-stop barrage to her fellow passenger about seeing Canterlot. Angel Bunny frequently looked like he was going to leap off the chariot and end it all, especially after realizing that if anything, Pearl's cutie mark was apparently in talking your fuzzy ears off. Next time, he was taking the train!

Chariot number three had joined them in mid-air as they flew towards the mountain- a family of earth ponies. The eldest stoically held his hat in his mouth as the wind rushed by, a older grey mare who would have blended in perfectly with any boulder you care to mention leaning against her husband for a little warmth- or perhaps because he was the steadiest rock in the chariot. Two younger mares with slate and shale-colored coats hung their hooves over each side, trying not to leave breakfast behind. Most of the Pie family preferred only to leave the ground two hooves at a time, at most- and never more than six inches at a time. Anything more you...left to Pinkie. The thought that Princess Luna had cajoled them into this completely overdone method of arrival instead of a more sensible method hadn't failed to cross the minds of Pinkie's parents, either. Along with a copy of the Chronicle story. Disasters and evil kings and suddenly, one of the rulers of Equestria summons you to see your daughter for a head cold? The only visible reaction to that thought was Clyde's hat developing an extra crease where it met his teeth.

The golden spires of Canterlot Castle distracted the travelers from their gloomier thoughts as the wide...open...covered in tents and ponies? Courtyards and gardens rolled out beneath them as they slid beneath the cloud cover. From the sky, it looked like nearly every empty piece of ground in the castle was first covered in a quiltwork of fabric shelters, a tent city filled with the sparkle of crystal ponies mixed in with a dash of one species or another. What space the first chaos didn't fill, a second array of tents did- in neat squares, each topped with the Equestrian flag. Lines of glittering metal marked units of guardponies as they marched from one spot to another or drilled in neat ranks.

Ahead, a landing platform awaited the chariots. The dusky form of Luna stood by the platform entrance, a squad of bodyguards clustered about her like an island of steel- only the occasional dip of a spearhead marked any real animation from the Night Guard, but Luna herself showed few signs of tension. Big Mac relaxed a bit as the alicorn's body language spoke more of happiness and relief than sadness or grim tidings.

As the pegasi brought their rides to a halt, she stepped out of her ring of protectors, dipping her head in a friendly fashion. Clyde and Sue's faces stayed stony, but their children simply looked dazzled at being greeted by a princess. Pearl wasn't much better off until Angel, who'd used her back as a proper ride flicked one of her ears with a claw. Spike simply waddled forward with a grin- Princesses were old hat!

"Welcome to you all, and I thank thee for coming so swiftly to see your familes here. Princess Celestia sends her regards, for as you may well have seen the affairs of Canterlot have been most pressing of late, and the Court has barely given her a minute to eat, much less escape it. Your little ponies are on the mend, and I see you are all most eager to be with them. Hast thou any questions before mine guard brings you to them?"

"Three hoof shakes and a rattle.", replied Sue. "Three. Hoof shakes. And a rattle. What did you do to my little filly?"

The mother of the Pie clan slid forward almost with an eerie silence, with a gait that made the Princess take a step back.

"That was no "little cold", a Pie mare knows what happens to their children. And you don't fib about it to me, not one word!"

Suddenly, Princess Luna knew what it was like to be under an avalanche just before it crushed them- even if it wasn't even half her size.

"Th-thine daughter was wounded in battle 'gainst Sombra, but I...I swear, she will mend anon! Twas her that let me know your arrival was near! Mine missive was writ so only to keep such knowledge privy only to their beloved ones!"

Big Mac looked like someone had booped him on the nose with a branding iron. Luna looked like someone was holding said red-hot iron perilously close to where the moon doesn't shine. The crushing weight of Sue's eyes relented, seeming to hover above Luna like a brooding cliff.

"You take us there yourself, young lady. If you weren't royalty, I'd be putting a cupcake in YOUR eye."

Inky and Blinky shuddered. They knew what Mama Pie put in the "special cupcake frosting" when you didn't tell the truth.

"Yes....yes Madam Pie! Certes! Guards, clear this mare a path to the Ivory Tower for her and her most esteemed companions. I shall escort them mine self to their destination! Swiftly, for my sak- for their sakes!"

With the special kind of speed that hovers just between "panic" and "swift gait", Luna's bodyguard cut a path through the castle corridors, Luna slotted in behind them. A single guard kept curious ponies from coming up behind as the family of the Elements trotted down marble hallways towards Twilight's old quarters. Sue and Clyde calmly trotted down the center of the way as if it was nothing more than a country path, most of the group giving them -just- a little more space than needed, even if it meant crowding someone else. Except Angel.

The fuzzy wiseass was hopping up and down on the back of the rearguard, waving like a king as he passed.