> Berserk Pony: The Sanguine Warrior
>  by Crimson Dragon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> The Sanguine Warrior: Chapter 1
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Blue, green, orange, white, and red.  Those were the only colors he was used to seeing now, or at least those were the only ones that mattered.  These were the colors that he saw every day ever since he decided to come to this place.  But he had no right to complain; no one forced him to be here, he chose to embark on this path even at the protest of his best friend, just like he embarked on many others so long ago.  His mind drifted back to the colors and what meaning they held for him.  Blue and green though prominent in occurrence and importance came in small size.  Green was the color of his current ally’s young reptilian eyes.  Blue was the color of said ally’s spikes that adorned the top of his body and the under part of his wings.  It was also the color of her coat and mane; the one who had hurt him last. He’d rather not think of that.    
So he went to orange, the color that the sky was most of the time, the sky he slept under and looked up at, and the color of his eyes.  White was the color of his mane and the color his oldest friend’s coat.  The pure white of his mane was impossible to miss especially in the dark, to his ever growing mortification, and white matched his friend’s personality perfectly.  However this friend was far away.
Red and black were without a doubt the most predominant color in his life and held the deepest meaning.  Black was the color of his spiked armor that adorned his chest, over his shoulders, half way down his forelegs, left his wings exposed, and over his waist all the way down his hind legs.  His armor also had red eyes when the helmet part of it was active.  Red was the second color the sky took on nights like this one.  It was the color of his previously mentioned companion’s scales and top part of his wings.  A crimson red was the color of his coat earning him his namesake.  And it was the color that gushed out of his enemies when they were crushed under the weight of his blade or cut open by it. 
Yes he was a warrior, one that had seen countless battles and slain even more foes.  He had been fighting for so long that it had become his life, and had left little room for anything else.  All his biological family was gone buried in the Earth by his own hooves.  Friends and comrades in arms had come and gone; most of which died on the battlefield, some performing acts of betrayal, and others simply moving on with time.  
Then there were those two.  His non biological family.  They were sisters both alicorns- a pony who possessed the attributes of an earth pony, pegasus, and unicorn- but related to him in no way.  Despite not being tied by blood he had known them almost his whole life and cared about them deeply and vice versa.  
The eldest sister was tall far taller than the other or any pony for that matter, at about 8 feet in height.  She was the one who had a white coat that matched her personality.  She also had an ever flowing mane of multiple warm colors like an aurora borealis, and an orange Sun upon her rear as her cutie mark.  She had a voice that was sweet yet stern almost motherly and it was reflected in how she carried herself.  Always thinking about what was best for others no matter the cost.  He knew her as Celestia sometimes Tia for short, but as the years passed by others would come to know her as Princess Celestia Ruler of Equestria whose duty was to raise and lower the Sun and look over all of Equestria’s citizens….  Despite having more than a thousand years to get used to that title it still didn’t sound right to him.  
The second one was similar to the first in some ways but different in many others.   So much so that the two were almost like night and day; no pun intended.  She was taller than most ponies like her sister but nowhere near to such a degree at 5 ½ feet.  Her coat was a night blue and her mane which flowed much like her sister’s matched the coat perfectly with the exception of lighter blue streaks on the edges, with a white crescent moon surrounded in blackness as her cutie mark.  The younger sister held just as much authority as a ruler as the older sister, tasked with raising and lowering the moon.  Thus earning her the name Luna.  Luna cared about her subjects just as much as her sister, but wasn’t quite as mature.  She was quicker to anger which was always noticeable in her voice, shyer when it came to certain things, and seemed to prefer a more personal approach to “Celestia’s advice from a safe distance” method.
They were like Yin and Yang the two sisters.  Being different yet similar and complementing each other perfectly, or at least that was the ways it was supposed to be.     
Events that transpired many years before involving Luna had caused him to grow rather distant even from Celestia who had done nothing wrong.  However despite this, Celestia remained and never stopped writing to her “brother”.  Always checking up on him to see how he was doing, to see if his mission was going well, and to keep him aware of current events that transpired, and he always wrote back.  
When Luna had returned a little over a year and a half ago and the damage between the two sisters was mended Celestia made it a point to come up with every excuse in the world to try and get him to return.  
All except the important stuff.  
Like when she informed him two days after Discord the Embodiment of Chaos had escaped his stone prison.  He asked if she needed him to return temporarily with most haste and “WHY THE HELL DIDN’T SHE TELL HIM SOONER!”  But she simply replied that her apprentice Twilight Sparkle and her friends the other Elements of Harmony had taken care of it.  It was that same line from that point on for every major threat to Equestria.
When the Changelings invaded; Twilight and friends, Sombra returning; Twilight and friends, Tirek escaping his prison in Tartarus the very place “HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GUARDING!” Twilight and friends.  At this point this Twilight Sparkle had definitely caught his interest.  No doubt she was a part of one of Celestia’s big plans, and sure enough he was right.  After Sombra but before the Tirek event he received a letter from Celestia informing him of the world’s newest alicorn.   
“So Tia’s just going around turning ponies into alicorns now?  GRREEAATT,” he joked.
But what had brought about this urge to reminisce about life and what it had laid down in front of his hooves?  
A simple letter, a letter from her…no FROM BOTH OF THEM.
This was the first time both of them had ever written to him in the same letter.  Actually it was the first time Luna had written to him since her return.
His birthplace was having a tournament for all the knights and warriors all over the land who served the kingdom to show off their stuff without fear of death or grievous injury in actual combat.
Normally he would have refused quickly but certain words in the letter struck a chord within him.
“It’s time to come home Crimson Ire we miss you.”  
It had been a long time since she said his name and in that amount of time he had received another name; “The Sanguine Warrior”.  Even Celestia in previous letters had referred to him simply as “you” or “brother”.  
But they missed him.  Not surprising really, it had been a thousand years since he saw them last, and he didn’t leave with the best of feelings.  However what made this letter different from the others was the fact that Celestia wasn’t asking him if he was ready to return like before, but simply that it was time and home along with those two needed him emotionally.
Oh and she mentioned that if he didn’t come willingly she would come with an entire battalion of royal guards and drag him back to Equestria with an honest to God smile on her face.
He felt a bead of sweat roll down his face in annoyance as he let out a sigh.  But it was quickly replaced with a light smile.  It was nice to know that all these years as a leader hadn’t changed their relationship. 
“Not much of a choice now I guess,” he thought to himself.
What about his mission?  He considered this and had come to the conclusion that his mission was complete a long time ago, and that at this point he was just avoiding those closest to him.  
His mission was to stay in Tartarus and assist the demon Scorpan in keeping the peace between good demons and bad ones while making sure known of the bad ones escaped.  The only reason a demon as powerful as Tirek escaped without him knowing was because he was preoccupied in a battle with a lighting breathing multi headed demon. 
Besides despite the incredible span of peace his homeland had enjoyed for all these centuries those letters he had received prior had shown that events as of late had proven that perhaps that time was coming to an end, and if so he would be needed there now more than ever.  Everything he did was for his old home, even when it hurt him to be there.
He heard the sound of a splash behind him but it didn’t startle him, he had heard the footsteps beforehand.
“AAAWWWWW C’MON!” Yelled a young voice in frustration.
Crimson turned his head slightly around to look at the creature that had decided to make a big deal out of something.  It was his companion the baby dragon Plasma.  The one who had blue spikes and blue under his small reptilian wings, red scales over his body and the top part of his wings, and green eyes. 
“Stop being a baby Plasma, you should be used to this, and you can’t even tell there’s blood because of your scales,” he said with an uninterested yet slightly irritated tone.
He had found Plasma when he was just an egg eighteen years ago after killing some demons that were going to eat him.  Those same demons mistakenly thought they could make a meal of him as well; oh how quickly the tables turn.  With the only ones who might have known where he came from slain and his parents or any other dragon nowhere to be found he took it upon himself to raise the baby dragon and teach it combat to defend itself, and when it could, it could do whatever it wanted.  Leave, try and kill him, or stay with him as a companion.  Obviously he chose the latter.     
Plasma when walking towards him had accidently stepped into a rather deep puddle of demonic blood causing it to splatter all over him.
Plasma looked up at his mentor and friend with anger for not understanding his blight.
“It’s not that about whether or not you can see it, it’s the fact that it’s on me!  Plus it’s gonna make me smell bad, I’m pretty sure it got in my mouth, and when it dries it’s gonna become black and then you’ll definitely be able to see it!” Yelled the young dragon in frustration.
The red pony that sat some distance away could only raise an eyebrow in confusion.
“Then why don’t you just wash it off,” Crimson Ire said with just as much lack of interest as before.
To be perfectly honest he was more surprised as to the fact that Plasma hadn’t stepped into a puddle sooner for all around them were pools of blood (none of it theirs) just as deep if not deeper.  What laid atop those puddles for some would have to been a sight to behold.  For others with weaker stomachs something that would cause a lot of upchucking.
Demons, scores, upon scores, upon scores of demons laid scattered across the battlefield along with some smashed parts of the once rigid landscape.  In fact he himself was sitting on a rather large pile of twenty deceased demonic bodies.  The demons weren’t just killed however they were slaughtered.  Fifteen out of the sixty demons had claw marks and burn marks on their bodies, in fact some had yet to be put out and their dead bodies were burning in green flames.  
But those were the lucky demons; those fortunate few who were killed by Plasma; those who got to avoid the bite of that horrid weapon and its master.  The remaining forty five bodies were almost unrecognizable.  So many of them had been cut in half in one fell swoop that there were pairs of the same body meters away from each other, their remaining little bit of life force dripping out of them.  Some were even more unlucky and instead of being sliced were simply crushed under the weight of the blade itself, receiving a pain worse than anything they thought possible before their death.
However this was no ordinary weapon it was a sword of monstrous proportions.  No it was too thick, too massive, too heavy, and far to rough to be called a sword; it was more like a heap of raw iron.  
A silver blade with a black streak going down the middle on both sides.  Easily six feet six inches long and weighing four hundred pounds, which was really saying something since even the largest of ponies the princesses aside, were only four feet in height; the blade was also four inches thick.  The tip was in a diamond shape showing that it was a stabbing and a slicing weapon.  In the middle of the sword at the base  under the black streak is a silver guard that went up both sides of the sword in a circular shape, and on the right side of the guard is a single metal chain.  The handle under the guard was wrapped in orange bandages with a grey cone shaped pommel.  The blade was the only one like it in the entire world and was hoof crafted by its master and this sword had tasted the blood of almost every creature in Equestria.  Dragons, chimeras, manticores, hydras, gargoyles, timberwolves (although gargoyles and timberwolves don’t bleed), sea serpents, gryphons, minotaurs, demons, other ponies and much more.
Plasma could only stare at the pony and his gigantic blade with a face that said “you’re serious”.
“Oh sure I’ll just go wander into the invisible lake that’s just over that hill, then I’ll be clean in no time,” Plasma said with the utmost sarcasm.  
Tartarus was a desert that had little to no water in it, and if anypony ever did find water it would be a miracle.
“Fair enough guess you’ll just have to go to Equestria like that,” he said with a small smile.
As Plasma tried to pull himself out of the puddle hearing those words turned him from irritated to pissed in an instant.
“Seriously Crimson, this will be your first time back to Equestria in a thousand years!  The very first time for me!” Plasma shouted as he stomped towards his mentor completely unaware that he had stepped on one of the demon’s tails.
“You know how important it is for me to make a good first impression, so you could at least act like you care!  My whole life all I’ve known is this God forsaken place, fighting everyday just to keep alive, and while you may think its fun-” Plasma stopped to pick up a small boulder to throw at the pony using his draconic strength enhanced by years of intense training.
A sinister smirk appeared on Crimson’s face, but he had his head turned so his companion would not notice.
“-I don’t!” Plasma was about to unleash the rock he held with all his might right at the back of his friends head.  But at a speed that would make most pegasi rethink their life choices and faster than the blink of an eye Crimson Ire had bolted from his spot atop the pile of bodies in front of  Plasma and had already drawn his massive sword preparing to bring it down atop of his target.  All the while flashing that horrid smile that couldn’t possibly belong to a pony.
Plasma realized this all too late and knew instantly there was no time to dodge, and thought at that moment that the blade he had seen cut down so many demons would now be his undoing.  
Ironic really.
The young dragon did the only logical thing and closed his eyes awaiting the inevitable.  He heard the swiss of the blade cutting through the air followed by a crushing sound, along with what sounded like blood gushing out.  Yet the young dragon felt no pain and was fairly certain he was still alive.
He reopened his eyes to see that Crimson Ire’s blade had stopped a few feet above his head and that the pony in questions smile or attention was not directed at him.  With a turn of his head it all made sense. What stood behind him was a snake like demon that Plasma could have sworn he killed, nearly cleaved in two by Crimson’s sword.   
The demon had the body of a cobra with the exception of the red face shaped like a pony that stuck out of its mouth and the two arms it had that formed scythe like appendages in replace of hands.  Plasma could also see that those same appendages were pointed only two feet away from his neck.
When word spread that the infamous Red Swordsman was leaving Tartarus, many demons decided this would be their last chance to kill him. 
The serpent had fought alongside its demonic brethren in a last ditch attempt to try and kill the infamous pony who had plagued their kind for a thousand years.  He thought he was being safe by choosing to fight the small dragon instead but in a matter of minutes even he had proven to be more of a match for them.  When the dragon failed to deliver a fatal burn the serpent decided it best to play dead and wait for an opening; he was however unprepared to witness the almost effortless slaughter of the rest of his comrades by one messily pony.
He could see now why so many of their kind had perished, why so many took this last ditch effort so seriously, and why some had refused to take part altogether.
It was fear, and as he stood there his life his life force coursing out of him. He wished he too had taken the wise approach and saw the Red Swordsman’s departure not as an opportunity but a blessing.  
Demons considered ponies nothing but as a means for food along with other depraved things.  But this…the creature that stood before him couldn’t be a pony.  No pony was this strong and no pony enjoyed bloodshed like this; also no pony had that horrible smile.  A smile that screamed he enjoyed this more than anything, and wouldn’t give it up for the world.  When he smiled like that his pupils almost completely disappeared and his fangs bore through.  Another strange thing since ponies aren’t supposed to have sharp teeth.
The demon serpent knew he stood no chance against a monster like this so he intended to kill the dragon instead, and attempt to make a run for it when he succeeded, and even if he couldn’t get away from the swordsman in the end he would still take pleasure in knowing he caused the famed monster some distress at the death of his ally.
However Crimson Ire was not one to be thrown for a loop so easily.  Even amidst his own busy battle he watched his pupil to see if he would need assistance and while doing so he saw Plasma’s careless mistake at missing the killing blow and watched as the demon tried to play dead.  It slowed its heartrate and breathing but Crimson knew all the while he was there and never once took his attention off it.  Instead of ending the demon right away when his own battle was finished he figured it be more fun to let it think it was being clever, and it would also be a good learning experience for the inexperienced Plasma.
“Whh….a.aatt are you?  You ca...aa…nt be a mere po…ny?” The demon questioned through gasping breaths.
The one who held his life in the palm of his hooves smile grew even more at this question.
“I’m just a pegasus who’s gotten real good at getting rid of scum like you, no matter what form you take.  Now hold on to the shame of being killed by a mere pony,” he said while gripping the handle of his sword tighter.  
“AND TAKE IT TO YOUR GRAVE!”  Crimson Ire shouted as he pulled his blade down further running through the demon completely.  
Plasma jumped behind Crimson Ire to make sure he wasn’t cut in the arc of the giant sword.  The demons body split in two instantly causing blood to gush out of the now two bodies as they flung into the air passed each other, landing a few meters away.
Plasma thought his heart was going to explode out of his chest and begin to tap dance, after what had just happened.  It’s bad enough Crimson was using the psycho smile but he just realized he had come this close to losing his head.  His friend stood a few feet away from him now covered in demon blood just like he was, and turned around slowly looking straight at him.  
“Now were both covered in blood; better than you being the only one right,” he said with a normal smile.  A sharp contrast to the one he bore before.
Plasma felt a wave of relief and guilt was over him.  On the one hand he was grateful that Crimson saved his life and more importantly didn’t want to take it because of his constant pestering.  On the other however he should have known Crimson would never try to kill him after all this wasn’t the first time he saved his life; actually it was more like the fiftieth.  And despite the fact he was about to throw a rock at him he still saved the young dragon without hesitation.  He shouldn’t have been so careless on the battlefield, and he shouldn’t have gotten so angry when Crimson showed no interest in his dilemma.  Crimson’s always showed a lack of interest when it came to things that didn’t involve killing “scum” as he called it.
He looked down at the stone he was still holding in his claws and dropped it, as a red hoof brushed over the top of his head rustling his spikes.
“Don’t worry about it kid, no hard feelings.  I just wish I could get you that interested when it came to training,” he said with another smile replacing the one of bloodlust entirely.
Plasma smiled back at his lifelong mentor and only friend quickly giving him a hug.  Which was his way of apologizing?
“Alright, alright don’t go and get all sappy on me,” Crimson Ire patted the Plasma on the head some more before releasing himself of the young dragons embrace.
“We’ll search for a lake or river once we enter Equestrai.  If it’s anything like I remember then there’ll be plenty of opportunities to wash up,” Crimson said as he began to walk away from the battlefield toward the gates that would be their exit, now that he was certain all the demons were dead.
Plasma beamed as heard those words and began to hurry quickly behind the red stallion.  He slowed down however as he scanned the battlefield one more time as a question entered his mind.
“Hey Crimson Ire don’t you think it’s weird that all these demons showed up right when we were about to leave?  I mean only a hooful of those in Equestria know you’re coming so far right?” he asked inquisitively. 
Crimson nodded his head to signify a yes.
“Then how did demons all the way in Tartarus find out?” Plasma couldn’t hide the worry in his voice.
“Perhaps it was coincidence, after all this isn’t the first time we’ve been ambushed,” he said stopping his walk to look behind him.
“And even if it wasn’t, you’ve lived here your whole life, so you of all ponies should know.  In Tartarus even the rocks have eyes and ears,” Crimson said as he continued to walk toward the gate.
Plasma stopped dead in his tracks.  He glanced through his memory and turned around quickly searching for the small boulder he held early that he would have thrown at his friend only to find that the rock was gone without a trace.  They had been watching them ever since they got the letter, how could he have been so stupid as to not notice it sooner. 
“Forget it Plasma.  We’re leaving with our lives and limbs intact which means their plan failed.  Now come on before I change my mind and decide to stay here for another couple of thousand years,” Crimson Ire ordered 
Plasma realized he was right; there was no point in worrying about this place when today was their last day here.  The demons would be unable to follow them out because of the protective field around the gates and even if they did an entire army of ponies would probably meet them head on within a day or two. 
So with a flap of his wings the dragon flew next to the pegasus as he stopped in front of the gates.  The gates were huge almost the size of a three story building, and probably weighed just as much.  These gates were designed to stop anything and everything from exiting or entering Tartarus.  However just in case there was a creature capable of lifting the daunting weight of the two giant doors.  The entire gate had been encased in a magical sphere of the strongest alicorn magic that went even into the ground, preventing magic such as teleportation, and phase shifting from getting through.  
So how were Crimson Ire and Plasma to get through this impossible barrier, well his sister had seen to that with the most recent letter she had sent.  He rummaged through his saddle bag and pulled out the golden letter, lifted his right hoof and held the letter from Celestia toward the gate.  In an instant the letter began to levitate on its own and unwrap itself.  It then turned into a sphere of pure golden light and bolted into the gates of Tartarus.  When it did a brilliant golden light began to appear in between the doors.  The physical gates themselves were not opening but it was as if a tear had been formed in the fabric of reality allowing for passage through.
Plasma stared in wonder at the hole in reality; one step, one step would be all it took and his life would change for the better forever.  The red pony beside him could only think of one thing something he tried to avoid.  
“Luna,” he said in a hushed whisper.  After all these years he was going to see her again, but after what had happened did he really want to.
It didn’t matter, his time here had run out and he had already taken the first step toward his journey home.  Besides if he turned back now he would never hear the end of it from Plasma.  So he stepped forward into the blinding light with his draconic companion following close behind.  
Crimson could feel the magical energy flowing through the surface of his body as it scanned him making sure that they were indeed the ones meant to pass into this peaceful land.
With only a few steps Crimson Ire could feel the pleasant warmth of grass under his hooves as they exited the portal and were blinded by a completely different light.  He squinted against the bright light as his eyes took a moment to adjust.  When he could finally see again he realized it was the powerful rays of the Sun in full gleam that had blinded him, giving him the assumption that it was most likely noon.  
As he observed his surroundings he was greeted by the sight of luscious vegetation spreading across stone at all angles on a mountain side, and further below was an open plain that showed an almost endless patch of grass bisected by a large river.  It was a beautiful sight to behold and a refreshing one compared to the desert wasteland of the previous location.  
The scenery was not the only thing that had changed.  The difference in atmosphere was just as present.  In Tartarus every breath stung his lungs and it took years for him to adjust before he stopped feeling pain.  Also the smell of something foul lingered constantly and could not be avoided.  Lastly the air was also heavier.  
As a Pegasus one would naturally try to find a pocket of air easiest to navigate.  There was no such thing in Tartarus; gravity felt like it was twice as heavy making it near impossible to get off the ground, the air was stiff making it harder to flap your wings, and whatever gusts of wind that appeared were like hurricanes with winds threatening to throw you for a loop or rip the flesh from your bones.  
However the air in Equestria was kinder than that of Tartarus the air smelled of flowers and the water from river streams, and every breath he took filled his lungs with new life and his body with energy.
When a gusts of wind came and tickled his face he could feel how more maneuverable the air was.  The wind then moved from his face to wings and danced along them almost as if inviting him to shake loose the shackles of the earth and become free in the sky.  And judging from the feel the air had it would be a significantly easier task than previously.  He unfurled his feathered wings and began to test the air further.  The air was no longer stiff as if fighting against his every move but instead calm and happily went with the flow of his wing beats.
Crimson Ire could not believe how pleasant this all felt.  The air, the scenery, even the Sun that had previously blinded them now shined warm fully and caringly filling him with newfound energy just like the wind.
It’ true that his time in Tartarus had probably hardened him to a different way of life; but even this was a fair amount different than the Equestrai he knew before he left.
Crimson looked behind him to find that the portal had closed just as soon as they arrived and the letter had returned to its original form and landed next to his foreleg.  The gates of Tartarus along with the entire previous landscape were also gone, implying that the portal had teleported them a fair distance away upon entry instead of simply temporarily opening the barrier.  Celestia obviously didn’t want him changing his mind.  
He looked down at Plasma to see that an expression of pure wonderment had taken over the dragon’s face.
“You gonna be ok?” he asked with a puzzled expression.
“It’s even more beautiful than I imagined,” Plasma said with his eyes still fixated upon the lush landscape.
The red pegasus turned his head and looked out toward the horizon.  Celestia had told him to go to the capital city Canterlot so that’s where he would go.  He picked the letter up from the ground and turned it over.  There on the back was a map of modern day Equestrai, in which he saw a variety of different cities and locations that were all inhabited by ponies.  Yet another reminder of how things had changed.  
How Celestia was going to ease him into this he had no clue.  
Also on the map was a large red X that said “You are here” on it.  He turned his eyes to where Canterlot also was on the map to see that there was a fair distance between the two.  
Trying to visualize the distance in the map as though it were reality he concluded that it was most likely a three hundred sixty five mile gap.  Easy enough at almost top speed he could be there in seven minutes or less.  It would have been considerably greater had the princess not teleported them like she did.
However before he could embark on the road to Canterlot, he first had to keep his promise.
“There’s a river down there where we can clean up.  After that no stops,” Crimson Ire said as he unfurled his wings and floated down toward the river.
Plasma finally stopped daydreaming and quickly did the same.
Landing down at the stream Crimson Ire took one more look at the horizon wondering about what the future would hold for him and whether or not any of that would leave more bodies in his wake.
So after all this time, after all the heartache and betrayal The Sanguine Warrior had finally come home.
	
> The Two Sisters: Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The sun was beating down upon Canterlot with exceptional force today.  Celestia’s Sun was holding nothing back, casting its light upon all of Equestria, almost as if it was trying to light the way for something or somepony.  
Celestia herself sat atop the highest tower in the capital city where she looked through her telescope to make sure all was well within her realm.  But there was another reason she was doing this; one that preoccupied her mind more so than anything else.  She was searching for him to see if he was already on his way here; her friend; one who she considered a brother.
“He should have left Tartarus more than an hour ago.  What could possibly be keeping him this long?” Celestia said with slight worry in her voice.
At first Celestia hadn’t intended on using her telescope to locate her brother, but as time passed she feared something may have interfered with her spell.  Originally she endowed the magic scroll she sent him with a homing signal.  This meant the moment the scroll and its intended receiver exited Tartarus through the portal and entered Equestria it would send out an invisible pulse to Celestia; letting her know he was at least out of that horrible place.
Despite how late her longtime friend was Celestia kept her composure.  There was very little that could pose a threat to that pegasus and whatever it was she was sure he could handle it.   After all he’d been doing so for more than a thousand years.  
The worst case scenario was if he changed his mind about returning.  She did say if he did she would come with the royal guard and drag him back, but she’d rather not resort to that; mostly because all of the royal guard combined still wouldn’t be enough even if she did.  But she also wanted him to return willingly so that they could heal the wounds of time together, and with the three of them together again it would be like old times; maybe even better.  She knew her sister Luna wanted that to be more than any other pony.
Crimson Ire; how Luna longed to see him.  Celestia had also wanted to see her brother after so long as well, but Luna was passionate about it.  She had no idea how she would break it to her if he had indeed changed his mind.  Seeing the pain it would cause her is the last thing Celestia would want to see, for she had seen a look like that before and she never wanted to see it again.
Almost as if on cue she felt a surge of magic run into her body and travel up her horn causing it to glow with a golden fluctuating aura.  That was the signal she’d been waiting for.  She dispersed the aura around her horn and left her perch entering the tower; reassurance calming her to back to her usual self.
Crimson Ire had finally left Tartarus; after all these years she was going to see her best friend again.  She couldn’t hide the gleaming smile springing across her face as she made her way down the spiraling tower, and into the purple halls of Canterlot Castle.  

Luna’s Chambers

In the far west wing of the castle there stood two blue double doors with the insignia of a white crescent moon upon them.  Through these doors was the bedroom of the princess of the night.  It was a very spacious room that was kept clean and organized; nothing less to be expected of a princess.  Objects such as curtains and dressers were black as night with blue handles.  Markings of constellations and other stars decorated almost every inch of the room.  The walls of the room along with the floor, bed, and rug were blue, and in the bed lay Luna herself.  Next to her was a small open chest with a red and blue color scheme that contrasted with the rest of the room. 
The princess of the night was deep in thought almost as if in a trance and was sitting up in her bed gazing down at an object she held in her hooves.  She had been staring at this object with her deep blue eyes for hours now; and she held it with extreme tenderness almost as if it would fall to pieces should she grip it too tightly.  The object in question was a ring of gold with a blue diamond positioned on the very top.  Out of all the treasures Luna had received in her many years of living this was by far the most precious to her.  
Blue magic formed on Luna’s horn and around the ring as she levitated it into the air closer to her face so she could once again read the inscription on the outside of the ring. 
“To the one I love, whom I know will never betray me.” 
This had to be the tenth time Luna read those words and it didn’t make it any easier to stop the tears that swelled up in her eyes. 
She grabbed the ring holding back tears as she clutched it to her chest over her heart.
Normally Luna would be asleep at this hour so she would be well rested and prepared to watch over Equestria for the upcoming night.  However as irony would have it no matter what the princess of dreams did she couldn’t lull herself to sleep; she was far too anxious for that.  
Then again Luna had much to be anxious about.  After so many years of being banished to the moon and after more than a year of uncertainty she was going to see Crimson again; the stallion who had given this to her.  This fact made her happy; so much so that at first she could hardly contain herself.  Despite all the time that had gone by her feelings for him never changed, not in the slightest.  But the root of her fears was what if he didn’t feel the same anymore, and what if he didn’t want to see her.  
When Luna became Nightmare Moon and tried to bring an eternal night upon Equestria she knew she was betraying ponies in the process; ponies she cared about.  Her sister Celestia, her subjects, those who died to see her on the throne and her brother turned love Crimson Ire.  Luna knew her betrayal would hurt all of them but she also knew it would hurt Crimson Ire the most.  His whole life ponies he thought he could trust one after the other betrayed him in some way and as a result he had become cold towards everyone except Celestia and Luna.
But now Luna had become one of those ponies.  Of the two ponies he thought would never betray him; one of them had done exactly that.  Tears began to fill Luna’s eyes again at this thought.  Disappointment flowed out from deep within Luna making her wish she could take it all back; for her subjects, for Celestia, and especially for him.

A few weeks after being returned to normal by the elements of harmony she had inquired about Crimson Ire.  What Celestia had to say was disconcerting to say the least.  Luna’s betrayal had struck him hard, and as a result he left Equestria altogether.  While it was true Celestia along with the rest of the kingdom had forgiven her;  a part of Luna felt Crimson Ire wouldn’t do the same.  
However despite all the uneasiness, all the anxiety, and all the fear, Luna could not deny she wanted to see him.  That’s why at first she was ecstatic when Celestia told her Crimson Ire had accepted her offer to monitor the Royal Knight Tournament. 
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
“Luna may I come in?” Celestia asked from behind the locked doors.
“Yes give me a minute,” Luna said as she wiped the tears from her eyes and placed the ring back into the red and blue box.  She then levitated said box back to its spot atop the dresser to the right side of her bed.
She sprung up out of bed and unfurling her wings glided to the door.  Before she opened the doors however, she took a moment to compose herself as not to worry her sister.  
Luna opened the double doors widely and greeted her sister with a fake smile.  Celestia returned Luna’s smile with one of her own and stepped inside the room; upon doing so she noticed that Luna’s eyes were slightly red and that her mane was a bit messy.  Celestia then looked towards Luna’s dresser and saw that one particular box was out of order.  After Celestia lost Luna the first time she vowed to never let something like that happen again; so as a result she had become very good at picking up when others were acting slightly off.
So when she saw how the box was positioned she knew instantly that Luna had been looking at the ring again.
“Luna are you alright?” Celestia asked with a slightly worried expression.    
“Why of cou-,” Luna was about to utter a lie, but stopped herself for she knew it would have been pointless.  If Celestia felt the need to ask then she had already noticed.
“-No, not entirely,” she said as her smile disappeared, the tone of her voice grew lower, and she lowered her head.  
“Luna I’ve told you, you don’t have to worry about Crimson Ire.  Yes he was hurt by what you did, but he’s gotten past that through the years…for the most part.  And he by no means hates you,” Celestia said as she wrapped a wing comfortingly around her worried sister. 
“Emphasis on “for the most part,” Luna said with disappointment.
Celestia felt her heart sink seeing her sister worry about this.  She herself was happy about Crimson Ire’s return and for a time Luna was to.
“Everypony makes mistakes Luna; what’s important is that ponies own up to those mistakes and try to make up for them.  You have done both these things,” Celestia said.
Luna wondered about this and it was true, ever since she’d returned to Equestria she had done everything she could to show how remorseful she was, and how much of a better ruler she would try to be.  But how would she prove this to the stallion she loved.
“Luna tell me, when you told me you still wanted to see him like I did… were you being honest?” Celestia inquired.
“Of course I was!  Nothing would make me happier,” Luna shouted with utmost honesty.
“B-But still,” Luna was about to begin.
“Then let those feelings of love and longing overshadow any doubts or fears you have, and show Crimson Ire when he arrives that you’re still the same Luna he wanted to marry,”  Celestia said with confidence as she pulled Luna closer smiling down at her little sister.
Those words lifted Luna’s spirits immensely.  Perhaps Celestia was right; the day Crimson Ire proposed was the happiest in her life and she had screwed it up, but it wasn’t too late.  Both he and she were alive and well which meant the harsh feelings of the past could be replaced with wondrous ones of the future.  Even if he didn’t feel the same way anymore it didn’t matter; as long as she got to see him, be near him, that would be all that mattered.  Crimson Ire had done so much for her that simply being there was the least she could do.  She owed him that much at the very least.
Luna pulled away from Celestia’s embrace and looked at her blue flowing mane. She brushed her hooves through it as she noticed how unkempt it was.
“Do you think he’ll like it if I do something with my hair?”  Luna asked with a blush.
“Well a little bit of brushing couldn’t hurt,” Celestia chuckled.
Luna joined in the laughter as well and the two of them continued like that for a few moments.
“Thank you sister,” Luna said with much more energy.
“I was glad to help my sister,” Celestia said
“So I take it he’s here, I assume that’s why you came to get me?” Luna asked
“Actually I was coming to tell you he’s only just now left Tartarus,” Celestia said.
“Really but shouldn’t he had left over and hour ago?” Luna’s face shifted to one of slight worry.
“Yes, I can only assume something came up that required his time, but the important thing now is that he’s finally on his way here,” Celestia said with reassurance.
Luna’s face calmed and she instead turned her attention towards the red and blue box.
“This time I’ll get it right,” Luna said as she stood up.
She levitated a hair brush out of a dresser and began to brush her mane with gentle strokes until it was finally back to its neat and proper self. Out of a different dresser she pulled out a handkerchief that she used to wipe her eyes; removing any signs of tears.  Out of the closet she levitated her royal garments; a black crown which she placed atop her head, a black vest with her cutie mark embroidered across the front that went on her chest, and four light blue shoes that glittered much like her mane upon her hooves.
After this procedure the Luna that stood in front of Celestia was completely different from the Luna beforehand.  This Luna was confident, strong, and wouldn’t give up easily; this was the Luna Celestia knew and was happy to see.
“Well, Crimson Ire should arrive shortly.  So it would be best if we check all the preparations we’ve made to make sure he feels welcome,” Luna said with newfound confidence as she opened the door for Celestia to exit.
“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather rest so you could have more energy for your duties tonight?” Celestia asked
“There will be plenty of time to rest later.  After all what kind of princess would I be if I didn’t greet an old friend?” Luna joked. 
Celestia was relieved to see that her words were able to help Luna return to her usual self and walked out of the room, with Luna following close behind after she locked the door behind them.  
“So if Crimson Ire is running late does that mean the elements along with   Cadence and Shining Armour will get here before him? Luna asked as they walked down the purple halls of the castle.
“Cadence and Shining Armour arrived a little bit before Crimson Ire left Tartarus, and Twilight and her friends should arrive any moment.” Celestia replied as the two of them approached the throne room.   
As they did so royal guards in shining golden armor greeted the princesses and pushed the doors to the throne room open.  Inside waited two ponies; one was a male unicorn of a pure white coat and a mane of mostly dark blue with neon blue edges.  The second was a female alicorn with a light pink coat and her mane consisted of three colors; dark pink, purple, and cream yellow.
The two of them were only a foot shorter than Luna and were the same height in comparison to each other.
These two ponies were Princess Mi Amore Cadenza (Cadence for short) and her husband Prince Shining Armour; the rulers of the Crystal Empire.
Cadence and Shining Armour greeted their fellow rulers with honest smiles.
“It’s wonderful to see you Aunt Celestia and Aunt Luna,” the pink alicorn greeted walking up to her adoptive aunts.
“It’s wonderful to see you too Cadence and you as well Shining Armor,” Celestia said.
“Please the pleasure is all ours Princess,” Shining said with a bow.
“I feel as though we should apologize once again for dragging you away from the duties of your own kingdom.  At the very least we trust your journey from the Crystal Empire was a safe one,” said Luna.
“Of course; and there’s no reason to apologize we’re happy to help whenever you need it.  But I am a bit curious as to who this pony you’re having us meet is.  You said he was really important, but you’re trying to keep his arrival a private event,” said Cadence.
“I’m a little curious about that as well or does this guy just really like his privacy or something,” Shining Armour said jokingly.
Celestia and Luna looked at each other for a moment and then back to the young couple.
“The situation is a bit more complicated than that but you are right Shining, the stallion in question most likely wouldn’t be pleased if we made this out to be a big event,” Celestia answered with a quirky smile.
“Is the reason why it’s so complicated because Equestria is in danger again?” Cadence asked.   
“Not at all, it’s just that the one who’s arriving is a very dear friend of mine and Celestia.  Unfortunately he hasn’t been to Equestria in quite some time, and the last thing we want to do is overwhelm him,” Luna answered.
“Oh, well that makes sense.  So when was the last time he came to Equestria princess?” asked Shining Armour.
“One thousand years ago,” answered Luna.
Now it was Cadence and Shining Armour’s turn to look at each other strangely.
“You did say he was a pony correct?” asked Shining trying to make sure he hadn’t misheard something.
“Indeed,” replied Luna.
“But normal ponies don’t live that long.  Is this visitor another alicorn?” asked Cadence wide eyed at the idea of meeting a male alicorn for the first time.
“No he is a normal pegasus, who simply received the means to halt his aging,” Luna answered.
“This is what we meant when we said the situation was complicated.  But please do not worry yourselves; the stallion that is coming has been an ally of Equestria from the very beginning and you have my word you can trust him,” Celestia reassured them.
“We would never doubt you Princess it’s just whoever heard of a thousand year old Pegasus?” Shining said with a chuckle.
“Actually he’s just as old as us,” Celestia said with a smile.
This comment caused Shining Armour’s jaw to practically hit the floor.  He had thought the only creatures capable of living as long as the princesses were other alicorns or dragons. 
“So when do we get to meet him?” Cadence asked suspending her disbelief at this point.
“He was actually supposed to arrive before you, but has only recently embarked for Canterlot,” said Luna.
“And since he appears to be behind schedule, Twilight and “The Council of Friendship” will also most likely beat him here,” Celestia said calculating the odds in her head.
“So are you planning on explaining the rest of this to us when Twilight and her friends arrive?” asked Shining Armor still eager to hear more about this pegasus. 
“It would be easier that way,” Celestia responded.
“Then well gladly wait with you while both parties arrive,” said Cadence.
“Your patience and understanding are most appreciated,” said Luna with a bow of her head.
“Oh Aunt Luna there’s no need to be so formal,” Cadence said waving a hoof to dismiss the formalities “So besides us and the seven from Ponyville how many others know about this special guest?” asked Cadence.
“Only a hoof full of the royal guard are aware of his arrival, and all they know is that a red pegasus with orange eyes, white hair, and a royal letter is to be allowed inside the castle without question,” Luna explained.
“So how long until the seven from Ponyville get here?” Shining Armor asked. 

The Outskirts of Canterlot

Just outside of Canterlot a train was moving steadily along the tracks that were built into the side of the mountain the city was a part of.  Inside the pink and brown locomotive ponies buzzed about with their care free activities.  Six mares and one male dragon in particular seemed rather occupied.
An orange earth pony with a yellow mane was playing cards with another earth pony that had light pink fur with a darker pink mane.  
The orange earth pony mare watched the facial expressions of her pink companion carefully but was only able to find a sly exaggerated smile.  She knew that Pinkie Pie had something up her sleeves, but she didn’t know what.  She took one last look at her own cards and being pleased with what she held placed down four jacks.  However the pink mare responded by placing down an entire hoof filled with jokers; a hand that spelled victory in their game.  
“Ah shoot; that’s the third time that’s happened.  How come you keep ending up with the exact same cards every game Pinkie?” asked the orange mare; sticking her hoof under her hat and scratching her head in confusion.
The pink mare giggled and shrugged her shoulders.
“Sorry Applejack but sometimes you just gotta believe in the heart of the cards,” Pinkie Pie answered.
Applejack’s face turned into one of sheer bewilderment.
“Uh Pinkie, what does that even mean?” Applejack asked.  
On the seat to the left of them; a neon blue pegasus with a rainbow mane was conversing rather excitedly with a small purple and green male dragon.  
“And then right before it hit the ground I swooped down and grabbed the flag.  That’s when all the players on the opposite team closed in, but I zoomed past them and scored the winning point!” Rainbow Dash said with extreme enthusiasm. 
“That’s awesome Rainbow, I’m glad you and your team won the Capture the Flag Tournament,” Spike the dragon said with a smile.  “It’s too bad me and Twilight were busy interviewing staff for the castle; we would’ve loved to have been there to support you,”
‘Ah don’t sweat it.  Just make sure you guys make it to my next game.  You wouldn’t want to miss out on my awesomeness a second time,” Rainbow Dash said with a cocky smile. 
On another seat in front of Rainbow and Spike; a yellow pegasus was having her light pink mane combed by a white unicorn with purple curled hair.  
“Thank you for helping me with my mane Rarity.  I didn’t have time to do it myself because I had to make sure Angel and the other animals had enough to eat,” said Fluttershy with a slight frown.  Disappointed she was taking up Rarity’s time like this.
“Think nothing of it Fluttershy I’m always glad to help.  Besides one should always look their best when receiving an audience with the princesses,” Rarity said with a smile to reassure her friend that this small task was no trouble.
To the seat next to the unicorn and pegasus sat a purple alicorn all by her lonesome; her facial expression showing that she was ensnared in deep thought.    
Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia’s prized pupil and the newest princess to Equestria was pondering the recent news she’d received.  The letter she’d received said the princesses were welcoming a stallion who was very close to them back into Equestria, and that they wanted Twilight, her friends, and the Rulers of the Crystal Empire there to meet him.  
The thing that bothered Twilight was that the princesses for some reason wanted this to be a private event almost as if they were keeping a secret.  Why keep the arrival of a close friend a secret from all of Equestria?  Was this close friend somepony important, or was he dangerous?
“Calm down Twilight I’m sure the princesses have their reasons for keeping this in a small circle.  After all Equestria doesn’t have to be in danger every time the princess wants to talk,” thought Twilight in an attempt to calm her nerves.
So Twilight instead of trying to figure out the princess’s reasoning she began to think about what the stallion she and her friends would meet and what he was like; his appearance, and what kind of pony is he.  Well considering he’s friends with the princess he’s probably very kind to say the least.
Twilight jumped out of her chair at the thought that maybe he was an alicorn from a faraway land!  
A movement that got the attention of her six friends.   
“You alright over there Twi, you’ve been awful quiet ever since we left Ponyville?” Applejack asked.
Twilight giggled nervously, embarrassed at her outburst.
“Yes I’m fine just wondering about this mystery pony we’re all about to meet,” Twilight said sitting back down rather quickly.
“What about it, you nervous or somethin?” Applejack asked taking a seat next to Twilight.
“Kind of,  it’s just that it seems kind of odd that a single pony arriving to Equestria is important enough to send all of the royals and the former Elements of Harmony to meet him, and yet still keep it a secret from everypony else,” Twilight voiced her previous mental worries out loud.  This allowed the previous sense of worry to overcome her again.
“I do admit it’s peculiar to say the least, but the letter did say that he was a friend of Celestia and Luna. And any friend of the princesses is surely no cause for alarm, and worth meeting at the very least,” Rarity said making the finishing touches on Fluttershy’s mane.
“Yeah Twilight, there’s no way the princesses would let someone dangerous come to Canterlot, and even if this guy is something to worry about, we’ve handled way worse than one pony,” Rainbow Dash said with her usual confident attitude and cocky smile.
“I highly doubt it would come to that Rainbow Dash.  Besides just imagine what he’s like.  Why I wager he’s a dashing and charming diplomat that only recently has returned from dealing with foreign affairs,” Rarity said as she fantasized about a tall sleek stallion with glossed back hair, in a dashing outfit containing designs from different cultures, with a kind voice. 
“I’m hoping he’s some fierce warrior.  I mean just think how awesome that would be!”  Rainbow Dash nearly shouted with excitement.
“Whoever he is I’m sure the princesses have their reasons for keeping it a secret,” Fluttershy said with a meek smile. 
“I think Fluttershy is right.  No matter who this guy is I’m sure the princesses are thinking of what’s best for Equestria.  So there’s nothing for you to worry about sugar cube,” Applejack said as she wrapped a hoof around Twilight’s shoulder to comfort her friend.
The words of her friends were enough to finally set Twilight’s nerves at ease.  She smiled at her friends to reassure them all was now well.
“You know if we’re supposed to be keeping the arrival of this mystery pony a secret; should you really be talking about it on a public train?”  Spike asked.
The five ponies’ eyes went wide as they all looked at each other and then back to Spike. Then they all then began to burst into laughter at their own silliness.
“You’re right Spike we’ll try to be more careful from here on,” Twilight said.
“Too late for that we’re already here!”  Pinkie Pie yelled with joy as she pressed her face against the window of the train.
On the train station dozens of ponies of all kinds waited either to board on or for somepony to depart.  
Two stallions in particular stood out the most in the crowd.  One was orange with a blue mane while the other was white with a blue mane.  They were clad in the golden armor of the royal guard and had the focused stare to match.  Twilight knew one of the guards as Flash Sentry.  The six ponies and dragon got off the train and approached the icy stared guards.
“Good morning Princess Twilight we’re here to escort you and your friends to the palace where the Princesses and the Rulers of the Crystal Empire are waiting for you,” said Flash Sentry.
“Thank you very much.  Please lead the way,” Twilight said with a nod of thanks and a slight blush she tried to hide.
“No problem Princess right this way,” Flash said with a smile as he began to walk through the crowd.
Twilight began to follow closely behind until interrupted by Spike.  
“I see you’ve still got a thing for Flash Sentry,” Spike said with a mocking nudge of his elbow.
Spike’s comment only made Twilight’s normally purple face turn bright red earning giggles from all her friends.
“You should go talk to him darling, make small talk and what not.  After all you don’t want this opportunity to pass you by,” said Rarity.
“Maybe later, right now were on official Canterlot business,” Twilight said with a confident voice.  
Now focused the seven companions followed the two guards through the busy streets of Canterlot all the way to the Castle where they were escorted to the throne room.  
Everything about the throne room was highly above average to say the least.  It was very spacious with a white floor and light purple walls. A large red carpet led from the door all the way to the throne; the throne was a tall golden seat of circular proportions with a dawn purple center.  The seat was also much taller than Celestia herself.  On the walls were giant stained glass windows; each one beautifully crafted and colorful, and they all depicted different important events in Equestria’s history.    
And inside this extravagant chamber were the four royals.  Celestia sat in the middle of the throne while Luna sat on the right.  Cadence and Shining Armor were standing in front of the throne and turned around to see who it was that had entered. 
Smiles lit up on everyone’s faces as the seven from Ponyville finally arrived.  Cadence and Shining Armor were the first to greet them. 
“Twilight!” shouted Cadence happily.
“Hey Twily!” shouted Shining.
“Cadence, Shining Armor!” Twilight shouted back with glee; excited to see her brother and sister in law.
Twilight and Cadence approached each other and began their “Sunshine Dance” dancing in place, clapping their hooves together, and shaking their rumps in the air.  This was something that had become standard procedure every time they saw each other.
“Sunshine Sunshine lady bugs awake, clap your hooves and do a little shake!”  Twilight and Cadence chanted with laughter.
“It’s so good to see you both again,” Twilight said.
“Feeling’s mutual little sis,” Shining Armor said embracing his little sister.
“It’s good to see the rest of you as well,” said Cadence as she smiled at the other six.
“It’s good to see you too Princess Cadence,” said Applejack.
Now it was Celestia and Luna who both stepped down from the throne and approached the six ponies.  
“Welcome my little ponies; I am glad to see all of you, and thank you for answering our summoning,” Celestia said.
“No problem princess you know we’re always ready to help,” boasted Rainbow Dash.
“For that we are overjoyed to have such loyal subjects whom we can call friends,” Celestia said with a smile of pure honesty.
“Aww shucks you’re our friend too princess,” said Pinkie Pie as she wrapped her hooves around Celestia for a hug.  A gesture Celestia was happy to return. 
“Speaking of friends as I’m sure you read in the letter, Celestia and I have called you hear because a friend of ours is coming back to Equestria,” said Luna.
“Yes, and we’re all very eager to meet him,” Twilight said. 
“The princesses wanted to wait until you guys got here.  But now that we’re all here they can explain the situation to us,” Shining Armor said with a smile. 
Celestia had managed to pry herself free of Pinkie’s hug and walked next to Luna.  Using her magic a golden flash appeared in front of the curious group revealing a rectangular object that was teleported in front of them.
It was beautifully painted portrait with a golden frame.  
“This is a painting of our family right after Luna and I took it upon ourselves to become the rulers of Equestria,” said Celestia; a feeling of recollection evident in her voice.
On the portrait were three ponies and all three had smiles on their faces.  Two of the ponies were obviously a younger Celestia and Luna.  Celestia’s mane was pink instead of the warm array of colors that she has today, and neither her nor Luna’s manes flowed with power.  
There was another pony in the picture; a pegasus standing in between both Luna and Celestia. 
The pegasus in the portrait was Crimson Red in color and he had orange eyes.  His mane was short and pure white in color with constant short pointy spikes, and at the base of his hairline a few strands hung just above his forehead.  He was muscular and slightly taller than Luna.  He also had a small scar across the bridge of his nose.    
“The stallion in the painting is our brother and his name is Crimson Ire.  He is the one who will be arriving today,” Luna said.  
Strangely enough however Luna wasn’t looking at the others when she said this.  Instead she was transfixed on the painting; her eyes gazing at the male figure in it.  
Slight sorrow filled Luna’s eyes, but it was so brief no one except Celestia noticed as she turned to face the others with her usual look of composure.  She did so just in time to see everypony freak out.  
“Your brother!” they all shouted in surprise.
“Princess Luna how can the stallion in this painting be your brother?” asked Twilight in confusion.
“He looks like a normal pegasus to me,” Rainbow Dash interjected.
“He is our brother, just not biologically,” said Luna.
“The stallion in the painting is a normal pegasus, but very close to us nonetheless.  As such we consider and treat him as a brother rather than a friend,” said Celestia.
“Oh no wonder we couldn’t see the family resemblance.  There is none!” said Pinkie Pie with her usual silly smile and loud voice.
Applejack gave Pinkie a slight nudge with her elbow for her outburst in order to remind her to be respectful.
“I think what Pinkie Pie means to say is that that explains why he’s not an alicorn,” Applejack said.
“But there are still some things that don’t add up,” said Twilight trying to piece the puzzle together in her head.
“If this guy is a normal pegasus how has he been able to live so long?  This picture must have been painted centuries ago by how young you appear in it,” asked Shining Armor.   
Shining was finally ready to get an answer to the question he’d been asking since he found out about this Crimson Ire.
“Armor was crafted for Crimson Ire that would give him an edge in combat.  However it had the unforeseen side effect of also halting his aging,” said Celestia.
“But how come there’s no mention of him in Equestrian history, how come you never talk about him, and where was he when Equestria was in danger all those times?” asked Twilight curiosity taking full control.
“Relax Twilight we shall reveal all of that to you now.
“Do you all remember the creature Scorpan I told you about when Tirek appeared?” Celestia asked.
“Scorpan was Tirek’s brother and betrayed Tirek to help protect Equestria,” answered Twilight.
“Yes but what I didn’t tell you was that the two brothers were both demon princes from Tartarus,” Celestia said.
This news caught everypony by surprise.  The fact he was from Tartarus made sense, but to think that Tirek had once been a prince was shocking to say the least.
Celestia took a breath as she and Luna began to recount the story of how their brother left Equestria.
“While Tirek’s first defeat meant Equestria was safe for the moment it was only the calm before the storm.  With one of their key rulers imprisoned Tartarus was thrown into turmoil and a civil war broke out.  Many of the demons agreed with Scorpan’s idea of peace with Equestria, but others began to rebel and follow Tirek’s example.  For many years Scorpan tried to maintain stability in Tartarus but after a certain amount of time it became apparent he would be unable to do so on his own. 
We realized that if Scorpan was unable to stop the conflict at its source in Tartarus demons would no doubt roam free into these lands.  Equestria at the time wouldn’t have been able to survive an onslaught of demons and since the Gates of Tartarus had not been built yet our options were few.  Scorpan devised a plan that if a pony of Equestria could help enforce the peace he/she would have the respect of the stronger more rebellious demons.  To do this a pony would have had to have been both important politically and strong physically while also being willing to spend years away in a foreign land.  Unfortunately only four ponies matched those criteria,” said Luna.  
“When Scorpan finally approached us for help Starswirl the Bearded had already passed away, and neither I nor Luna could afford to leave Equestria to help.  So with only one other pony able to take on such a task Crimson Ire took it upon himself to go with Scorpan in order to protect Equestria’s future.  
That was a thousand years ago.
However before he left Crimson Ire asked us to erase any trace of him from Equestrian history; even in our personal diaries.  His reasoning for doing so are very personal and I’m afraid you’ll have to ask him yourself when he arrives,” Celestia said with slight lament.
“So for a thousand years you haven’t seen or heard from your own brother,” asked Applejack her voice showing that she was feeling bad for the princesses.
“No, quite the contrary, we stayed in contact constantly while he was away,” Celestia said replacing any sorrow with a smile.
“But you still haven’t been face to face for so long,” said Cadence as she hugged both Celestia and Luna now understanding the importance of this meeting.
“And as for your other question Twilight,”- said Celestia as she turned her attention to Twilight- “Crimson Ire did not return whenever Equestria was in danger because I asked him not to.  In order for you to grow as my student there were many challenges you had to face on your own, and I had complete faith that you would do so,” Celestia said with pride.
Celestia’s words caused Twilight to smile.  To think her mentor had so much faith in her that she wouldn’t ask for help even from her own brother.  This feeling was quickly replaced with shame for ever doubting her mentor in the first place.  Of course it would be hard to explain the appearance of stallion who no pony has ever heard of.  However Twilight would soon rectify that mistake.
“Don’t worry princess we’ll be sure to give Crimson Ire a proper Equestria welcome!” Twilight cheered 
“You know it!  Now all we have to do is figure out what kind of party to throw for him,” said Pinkie Pie as she began to ponder the details of the soon to be shindig.
“Thank you all for understanding, but I don’t think a party would be the best way to welcome him,” said Luna.
“Why not, doesn’t everypony love a party?” Pinkie asked in confusion.
Celestia and Luna looked at each other and laughed remembering how their brother hated parties.
“Well you see Pinkie”- Luna was interrupted by a guard who burst into the room.
“Princess there’s a battle taking place in the main hall!” shouted the guard.
Everypony quickly turned their attention to the guard.
“What, who would dare cause such a disturbance?!” Luna asked in frustration.
Of all the days for this to happen it had to happen when Crimson Ire was returning.  Celestia on the other hand had a different thought going through her head.
“I think it was the special guest you were waiting for!” he said.
Everypony’s jaw dropped; all except for Celestia and Luna.
Luna couldn’t help but snicker as she remembered all the times Crimson Ire started fights for stupid reasons.  She turned toward Celestia -“I take it he’s still as quick tempered as ever?” she asked with a laugh.
*sigh* “No, he’s gotten even worse,” Celestia said with a facial expression that read “Really Crimson Ire”.