Redemption is My Business

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Twilight tossed and turned in her bed. Her most recent adventure had taxed her physically, mentally, and emotionally, but sleep would not take her. She tossed and turned in the large bed in an attempt to get comfortable. Memories of her most recent adventure assaulted her mind, keeping her from rest.

After his defeat, the princesses had decided the Friendship Festival must go on, in part to ease everypony's fear and worry after their, albeit temporary, enslavement. Seeing her friends and subjects in shackles weighed heavily on the young princess's mind. Despite her desperate desire for rest, questions continued to present themselves: How had the airship armada managed to get to Canterlot without being spotted? Surely somepony would have seen it and warned them. Although, she had doubts that even the best pegasi could outrun the Storm King's airships. They were true vehicles of war and conquest, not the comparable cruise liners Equestrians possessed.

Her thoughts turned to Ponyville. She had seen it: a smoking ruin marring the otherwise tranquil Equestrian landscape. Twilight knew most of her friends had been in Canterlot for the Friendship Festival, but not all of them. As far as she knew no new information had come verifying the current state of the hamlet. Were they still in danger? Had releasing the magic from the Staff of Sacanas restored just Canterlot or all of Equestria? How many cities had been attacked?

Worse than her frustrations from the apparent lack of information was her guilt. Once again, enemies had darkened Equestria's doors and she and her friends, though victorious, had narrowly escaped the clutches of defeat. How would events have gone differently if Ditzy Doo hadn't jumped in and saved her life? The significance of her friend's quick thinking sacrifice was not lost on the princess.

The Storm King's armies had enslaved Canterlot and defeated the princesses. The Pony of Shadows had attempted to suffocate Equestria in evil and darkness. Lord Tirek had stolen all of Equestria's magic, rendered the ponies powerless, and thrown the princesses into Tartarus. Chrysalis had kidnapped and enslaved; Sombra had cast the Crystal Empire into a millennia-long banishment; Discord and his reign of chaos; Nightmare Moon's eternal night. She was forced to add Starlight Glimmer, her own student, to the list, as she had abused time travel with apocalyptic results. Every one of these villains she had faced, and against every one she, Princess Twilight Sparkle, had emerged victorious. But only just.

Twilight was out of bed now, her emotions frayed by the realization of how close she and her friends had always been to defeat. Moving towards the window, the calm of Canterlot at night brought some comfort, but she couldn't help but imagine how different tonight could have been. The moonlight glistened off the rooftops and spires of the city, and the river below the castle looked like a great vein of silver. From her vantage in the guest wing, she had hoped to see activity from Princess Luna's suite. Noticing the lack of light, she surmised Luna was possibly asleep, despite the night princess's normal schedule.

"I really need to find out how Ponyville is doing," she ruminated to herself. She freshened up, and walked out her bedroom door. The hallway was dim, doors lining each side. Her friends were staying in other suites, and Twilight decided that surely they had fallen asleep. Noticing the nocturne guard standing watch outside her door, she whispered quietly,

"Onyx Shield, has there been any news from Ponyville or the other cities?"

"I don't know myself, Princess, but relief operations are being headed by Lieutenant Stone Keep in the War Room. I can escort you there, if you wish."

Twilight nodded, and proceeded to follow the guard down the hall. The moment of silence was broken by Twilight's quiet outburst,

"We have a war room?"

The War Room was everything Twilight expected. The cylindrical room was dominated by a massive central round-table, the center of activity. Upon it depicted a map of Equestria. The walls of the war room were covered in charts and various documents. Across the table from the entrance was Lieutenant Stone Keep, busying himself with paperwork and shouting orders. Twilight couldn't help but be impressed by the efficiency and organization. He noticed the princess's presence, turned to her and bowed.

"Good Evening, your Highness. How may I be of service?"

"At ease, Lieutenant," Twilight ordered, and Stone Keep rose from his bow. "I was hoping for an update on your operation, specifically news from Ponyville."

"Yes, your highness. As per my orders, a squad of Pegasi Guards was dispatched to Ponyville at nineteen hundred hours following the liberation of Canterlot. Originally it was to be a reconnaissance and a company of Unicorns were to follow. However, upon arrival, the Pegasi Guards found the town seemingly abandoned. As it turns out, the citizens of Ponyville had retreated to your castle and barricaded themselves inside. If I may speak freely, Princess, despite the Friendship Castle's... unique design, it proved a very effective keep against the Storm King's forces. I must say I am pleasantly surprised. At any rate, the citizens of Ponyville are all present and accounted for, no casualties, and the Storm King's forces have retreated from the area."

At this, the Princess smiled.

"Are there any other settlements affected by the Storm King's army?" Twilight asked. She was worried how much influence the Storm King still had over Equestria.

"Negative, your Highness. In fact, if you will turn your attention to this documentation-" He pointed an armored hoof at some documents and charts on the table. "These charts and manifests were captured from the invader's airships. From what we can gather the fleet of airships crossed the North Luna Ocean bearing Southeast, braved the Smokey Mountains, and went straight for Ponyville. If I may be so bold, I believe they were expecting you to be in your castle. They left a contingent there to siege Friendship Castle, and the rest of the fleet attacked Canterlot."

The possibility of Ponyville once again playing victim to the enemies of Equestria because of her presence there upset Twilight, but she tried not to let it show.

"If anything, your Highness," the Lieutenant continued, "this army appears to be nothing more than a large raiding party. As our intel shows, their numbers were less than a hundred, but the mobility provided by their airships is second to none. I truly doubt they would be able to conquer Equestria with a force like this."

"Their route is clever; that must be how they avoided notice and took us by surprise," Twilight said sourly. She continued to read the captured documentation, though she was unsure what she hoped to accomplish. Her attempts at reassurance that the Storm King's demise would be the end of further conflict fell on her own deaf ears, and worry dominated her subconscious. Something had to change, she decided. And where better to start than with myself.

"Lieutenant," Twilight called, "I'm worried I'm lacking in several areas of knowledge regarding our military. I wish to remedy this. When is Fizzlepop Berrytwist's trial tomorrow?"

He gave her a confused look.

"Tempest Shadow," she responded, understanding the source of the guard's confusion.

"Ah, her trial will begin at o' nine hundred hours, your Highness."

"In that case, I request you assign somepony to help me better my understanding. Have them meet me in the castle library following the diplomatic luncheon. As you were." With that, Twilight and Onyx Shield exited the war room.

The gears were turning in her mind as she made her way back to her room. It was just nearing four o'clock in the morning, and though much needed to be done, she knew a nap would be required to bring her plans to fruition. She thanked Onyx Shield, entered the suite, and retired to bed. Knowing Equestria was safe gave her some peace, and sleep finally took hold.

Fizzlepop Berrytwist, for the first time in a very long time, was truly nervous. She, Grubber, and the captured Stormguards had been allowed to enjoy the Friendship Festival following their defeat, but the rest of the night was spend under lock and key in what appeared to be an unused guard barracks. Tomorrow, she would face trial for her actions. By her honor as a commander, she would face the day with her head held high.

That morning, two guards entered the barracks. Their gold armor gleamed in the sunrise. Fizzlepop had already come to grips that this may be the last sunrise she would ever see, appreciating it all the more with the knowledge that the Storm King had abused the powers she had given him to toy with the sun and moon.

"Tempest, let's go," one of the guards ordered, curtly. Fizzlepop rose to follow, and they made their way across a lawn into the Castle proper. If nothing else, she could add 'Conquer Canterlot' to her list of accomplishments. She chuckled quietly.

As they walked toward the court, a castle servant briefed her on the trial's function, schedule, and expected etiquette. Nearing a pair of large, ornate doors, the guards and Fizzlepop halted.

The Courtroom was bustling with activity. The stained glass windows let in god-rays of golden sun, tinted a rainbow of colors. One could point out the prevalence of purple, however. On the far end of the room from the doors sat Princess Celestia and Princess Luna on their respective thrones. Both wore stoic expressions, and their somber attitude carried across the court.

In front of them a dais had been erected, containing five seats. Those occupying were two military officers, two nobleponies, and, in the center, a judge to oversee the proceedings and pass judgement. Binders and paperwork covered the dais, and the judge let a small smile of satisfaction creep on his features. A lot of work had gone into making this happen so quickly, and so far everything had gone perfectly. A crier had taken position in front of the dais. Noting that everyone pertaining to the proceedings was in place, he began,

"Announcing the defendant in Fizzlepop Berrytwist vs Equestria: Fizzlepop Berrytwist."

On cue, the two royal guards opened the large doors with their magic, and the three of them entered. Without hesitation, the three made their way down the aisle, flanked on both sides by crowds of ponies in attendance. Fizzlepop maintained her stoic attitude, entering as a conqueror instead of a prisoner of war, with her head held high.

Subtly, she glanced around. She was well aware of the possibility that the crowd may ignore protocol and attack her, and she would not going to be taken down in such a way; not after everything she had accomplished. The crowd diminished in her attention, though, as the absence of a presence entered the forefront of her conscience. The realization struck her: Princess Twilight wasn't there.

Twilight woke with a start. Her mane was plastered against her face, and her eyes squinted against the sunlight pouring through the window. A nervous suspicion crept up, and to confirm her fears, she glanced at the clock.

"The trial!" she exclaimed. A swift brush of her mane was the only preparation she made before teleporting out of the suite.

She reappeared before the now closed doors to the court. Pressing her ear to the door, she listened for just a moment.

"Based on the evidences and testimonies witnessed today, this court finds you-"

No time to plan, it's time to act! Twilight teleported.

The courtroom found itself awash in a sudden wave of blinding lavender light. Appearing in front of the dais was Princess Twilight Sparkle. She held out a hoof.

"Stop!" she roared, utilizing the full effect of the Royal Canterlot voice. Without hesitating, she turned and faced a now bowing audience. She walked up to Fizzlepop, her demeanor and poise carried the full authority that had been vested in her as a Princess of Equestria.

"Fizzlepop Berrytwist," she commanded, "I offer you the opportunity to amend for your transgressions against the ponies of Equestria. Will you swear fealty to me, and take up the responsibility as captain of my honor guard? Will you serve me and protect your Princess with your life?"

Fizzlepop fell into an even deeper bow, "I swear it. My life is yours to command, your Highness."

"Then rise, my captain." Looking past Fizzlepop towards the crowd, she enhanced her voice once more, "As penitence for her crimes, Fizzlepop Berrytwist shall become the captain of my honor guard. Court is adjourned!"

As commanded, ponies shuffled out of the court, leaving only the guards, some staff, and three princesses. Throughout Twilight's display, Princesses Celestia and Luna had maintained their neutral demeanor, not reacting in the slightest. Once the crowd had vacated, and the great doors were closed once again, Twilight turned and made her way towards her elder counterparts. Bowing deeply, Twilight released a nervous chuckle.

"I apologize for my interruption, Princesses." Celestia easily noticed perspiration marring Twilight's brow, and the subtle quake in her knees.

"Rise, my faithful student." At Celestia's command, Twilight stood straight and sheepishly looked up at her mentor. "I imagine we have much to discuss, Twilight. I wish for you and your captain to join us for the diplomatic luncheon." Celestia continued, "Please follow us to the Grand Hall." Celestia cast a loving smile towards her student, and some of Twilight's nervousness melted away.

Fizzlepop had remained in place as Princess Twilight spoke with Princess Celestia. Just a moment ago she was prepared for the worst fate possible. She ruminated on the charges: war crime, attempted regicide, the list went on. And Princess Twilight, despite everything that Fizzlepop had done, pardoned her seemingly without a second thought.

Three times she has saved my life in the span of less than a day. Fizzlepop glanced around the hall, taking note of the stained glass windows. Depictions of Twilight and- who were these creatures? she thought to herself. A black alicorn; a strange dragon sort of creature; a vicious looking centaur; an alicorn that appeared to be entirely composed of roiling shadows. Has the Princess... defeated these monsters?

"What have I signed up for?" She mumbled under her breath.

Twilight spoke up as the elder princesses made a move to leave the chamber,

"Captain Berrytwist and I will catch up with you, I need to speak with her."

Celestia nodded, and the procession marched out of the court. Twilight pulled Fizzlepop into an antechamber and shut the door.

"I am so sorry!" Twilight all but shouted. Fizzlepop pulled back, surprised by both the outburst and that Twilight was apologizing. "I cannot believe I overslept! My original plan was to put a stop to the trial before it got started, but I couldn't sleep last night, and when I woke up and realized what time it was, I was so worried. I thought for sure I was too late; they were about to sentence you to who knows what!" Twilight continued to get more agitated, breathing heavily. Before she could continue her explanation, Fizzlepop put a hoof on her shoulder.

"Princess, please calm down!" Fizzlepop reassured, "You have nothing to apologize for. I was prepared for whatever punishment they had for me, but you've offered me a chance at redemption. That is far more than I could ask of anypony, so don't beat yourself up for sleeping in, okay?"

Twilight calmed down and took a deep breath.

"Thanks, Fizzlepop. We should get going."

As Twilight and Fizzlepop exited the court, they were intercepted by two guards. The four marched down the hallway towards the Grand Hall, the epicenter of Equestrian fine dining and diplomacy. Grand windows lined its western wall, standing watch over a massive oak table in the center of the room. Seated at the head of the table was Princess Celestia, her coat seemingly incandescent in the noontime light. Princess Luna had opted to skip the luncheon, exhausted from the whole affair. A currently empty seat sat at Celestia's right, reserved for a particularly purple princess.

The rest of the table was occupied by visiting dignitaries and lesser nobles, who were looking forward more towards the discussion than the meal, if such a thing could be believed. The events of the previous day had left plenty of questions in their minds. After all, it was becoming all too commonplace lately that Equestria's fate hung in the balance.

Princess Twilight Sparkle entered the hall. At first, the silence was deafening, but as she made her way towards her seat at the table, the conversation began anew. Nearing the table, past the heads of the dignitaries, Twilight realized who her conversation partner would be. To Celestia's left sat none other than Queen Novo, with Princess Skystar to her left.

This will be fun, Twilight thought to herself, hoping her dread did not show. Gracefully taking her seat, she addressed the three, "I'm here, Princess. Hello, Princess Skystar," the greeting was said cheerfully, "Queen Novo," Twilight said, flatly.

"Princess," was all the Queen said in reply before being overridden by Skystar's bubbly reply and subsequent ramble. Twilight and Novo stared at each other for just a moment, neutral faces speaking volumes, before Twilight's focus was taken by a question from Skystar. Alarm bells were blaring in Celestia's mind.

There is obvious animosity between these two, I must tread lightly to find out why, she thought to herself. Before she could postulate a question, bells announced the first course of the meal. Servants marched out, carefully and elegantly serving appetizers to the guests seated at the table.

No Twilight, you can't act like that towards Novo, she thought to herself. Sure, she tried to kill you as soon as she saw you, and sure she didn't offer any help towards fighting the Storm King, and sure she shirked you and left for the spa instead of entertaining any sort of diplomacy... No no, this is just making me more upset. After all, with Tempest working for the Storm King, she had reason to be suspicious of ponies. This thought seemed to placate Twilight somewhat for a moment. She didn't even let you mention that Celestia had asked for her personally. The neutral mask Twilight wore broke ever so slightly, but only enough for Celestia to notice.

Celestia turned to Novo, "Thank you again for your assistance, Queen Novo." At this Twilight humphed and furrowed her brow. Celestia continued, "Though I was not present, I am told that Princess Skystar fought valiantly against the Storm King's forces. You must be very proud." Novo grinned, and Skystar beamed at the praise. "I am excited to hear the full story," said Celestia, "so far I have met a few of our heroes, including an Abyssinian named Capper and a band of Avian swashbuckling treasure hunters," the description caused Twilight to giggle, despite her frustration, "I'm excited to hear the exploits of your famous Hippogriff warriors. In days past their abilities with the spear were second to none."

Queen Novo drew back slightly, and Twilight smirked, but the Queen smiled and said,

"Yes, well, when Princess Twilight told us what happened, it was all we could do to mobilize quickly. I sent Skystar ahead, but we simply didn't make it in time. By the time we arrived, Princess Twilight had already beaten the Storm King, and we are so thankful. Now we can return to the skies and rebuild our civilization."

Twilight sat, wide-eyed, and stammered. "That's a bold faced lie!" she yelled, which brought a surprised look from Celestia and Skystar, and a scowl from the Queen. "First, we nearly drown in your entrance. If Skystar hadn't saved us, we'd be dead." Twilight's rant had only just begun, "Then, as soon as she presented us to you, you tried to kill us! If Skystar hadn't stopped your guards, you wouldn't have, would you?" At this, the Queen began to wilt. "Sure, you showed us the pearl, but when I attempted to reach out diplomatically, you shut us down immediately. And then you left for the spa!" Twilight's volume had increased, and she was drawing attention from further down the table.

"Sure, I admit that trying to steal the pearl was absolutely wrong; I failed. But it was only because we were desperate to save our nation, and you had shut down all routes of diplomacy. I felt completely out of options. Celestia asked for your help, specifically, and Luna almost died trying to reach you! To find out that Celestia's hope was placed in such a vapid, listless 'leader'," she emphasized with hoof-quotes, "I was heartbroken. And you did not send Skystar ahead, she risked everything to aid us against the Storm King, and when you finally do show up, at the party, I might add, you grounded her!" Celestia had seen Twilight angry before, and she wanted to intervene, but she was gaining valuable information from her student.

"At least I can somewhat understand your suspicion of us, given that Tempest attacked you in the name of the Storm King, but we are fellow Equines. You should have been more open to discussion."

The Queen's scowl was replaced with confusion, "Sweetie, I have no idea what you're talkin' about. Our scouts located the Storm King's fortress months ago, and we retreated to Seaquestria the moment he set foot on Mount Aris. And I do not know any 'Tempest'."

Twilight scowled, "Then you had absolutely no reason to be suspicious of us!" she shouted, "And you knew about the Storm King that far ahead of time, and it never once occurred to you to contact us? We could have allied and defeated the Storm King long before he gained power and attacked Equestria. We were completely in the dark, and you fled instead of reaching out to your allies, your friends! You are a-"

"Enough, Princess Twilight." Celestia had seen what was coming, and tactfully stopped Twilight mid rant and shut her down. Twilight's rage cooled and she looked down at the table.

Queen Novo's face flashed many emotions, and settled on a scowl. "We have never been insulted like this! Come on, Princess Skystar, we are leaving." She marched out, with a sulking Skystar following behind. As the doors closed, Celestia was about to lecture, but Twilight spoke first.

"Three times," she said, quietly.

"What?"

"Three times! I have had my magic, my very essence, ripped and stolen from me three times! First it was Tirek, may he rot in Tartarus, when he went on his rampage. Never had I suffered as sensation as bad as that. And then Starlight Glimmer stole my cutie mark, and with it all my magic and flight!" She was getting more agitated, her eyes glowed, and a wind whipped up inside the hall.

"And now, just yesterday, my magic was ripped away from me again. At least you weren't conscious when it happened, Princess, they didn't even bother to turn me to stone first!" Many of the nobles had left the room, and the staff had vacated.

"This didn't have to happen. If Novo had aided us, I wouldn't have been captured, and the Staff never would have worked. But again, I had my magic ripped from me, thanks to that no good, lying, coward!" She slammed her hoof on the table, leaving a massive dent and sending splinters flying. In that moment, everything stood still. While everyone remaining was focused on Twilight's rage, Celestia witnessed her lower lip quiver, almost unnoticeably.

"Everyone leave, now." Celestia bellowed, and rushed to embrace Twilight. There was a cacophony of hooves, and even Fizzlepop, who had been standing guard by the door, quickly took her leave as if compelled.

Twilight, her anger expelled, sank into Celestia's embrace, and sobbed. There was nothing Celestia could do or say but silently comfort her student. The recent events had been too much for Twilight, she knew; she only wished she knew exactly what had happened.

As if reading her mind, between sobs, Twilight began to recount her and her friends' adventure: Falling off the Canterhorn, the trek through the badlands, Capper's betrayal, the scare aboard the airship; all of it came spilling out.

Twilight sniffed, "I had planned on waiting until the conference this evening to explain everything to you and Princess Luna. I'm sorry for my outburst, and for ruining the luncheon."

Ruining the luncheon? Celestia thought to herself, With everything she's done for me and Equestria, she could smite me and usurp the throne, and I still wouldn't be angry.

"Twilight, it is quite alright. I am just so glad you are safe, and, at least for now, everything is back to normal. I couldn't be happier."

Celestia displayed a motherly smile, calm emanating from her disposition. Twilight wiped her eyes and grinned sheepishly back at her mentor. With a final hug, Celestia knew the situation had been diffused.

"Princess," Twilight started, "I have a lot of preparatory work to complete before my presentation this evening, and I think I should get started right away. If you don't mind, of course."

"Of course, Twilight. I'm looking forward to it."

"Thank you, Princess. Oh, and could you send up the Castle Armorer to the castle library in an hour?"

Celestia nodded, and Twilight turned and exited the hall.

The guards had just finished dispersing the crowd of displaced ponies as Twilight entered the hallway. Fizzlepop had maintained a position outside the door, stoically waiting for her charge. Despite her discipline, she could not help but notice the dirty looks given by the vacating ponies. She couldn't blame them.

If Princess Twilight can forgive me for what I've done, maybe the others will too, she hoped.

Twilight motioned to a guard and said,

"Steady Aim, I need Tempest Shadow's armor and a Storm Guard shield brought up to the library as soon as possible."

"Yes, your Highness."

Twilight thanked him and nodded at Fizzlepop, beckoning her to follow. She fell in step beside Twilight, and the two made their way down the hallway toward the castle library. Noticing a servant, Twilight requested her to find Rarity and send her to the library as well. Fizzlepop could only guess at what Twilight was planning as they continued their walk.

As soon as they had stepped hoof through the library's ornate double doors Twilight set to work. Book after book flew of their shelves, grasped in a lavender aura. The literature marched through the air in ever increasing numbers, landing on a nearby reading table. Fizzlepop was amazed, both by Twilight's telekinetic ability, and by the sheer number of books she was gathering.

"I'm going to get caught up on some history," Twilight said, "and I imagine your absence from Equestria has you in the dark on some recent events as well." Twilight levitated a gold and brown book in front of Fizzlepop: The Exploits of the Elements of Harmony.

"We have a lot of work ahead of us to prepare for," continued Twilight, "I think it's important that the captain of my honor guard knows what threats my friends and I have faced so far."

"Sure, Princess." Fizzlepop complied. She sat down at the table and began leafing through the book.

Minutes passed in silence as Fizzlepop fell into the introduction. The book had a surprisingly sarcastic tone, as if the author was frustrated with the subject matter. The quiet thunk of yet another book or two being gathered threatened to steal her attention, but she persevered.

Suddenly, there was a cacophony of page turns, and Fizzlepop looked up to see Twilight flipping through the tomes held in her telekinetic grasp at an alarming rate. More surprisingly, it was as if she was reading three books at a time. She stared at the display of academic prowess for minutes, and then Twilight set down one of the books and picked up another, continuing her history lesson as if in a trance. Once again, Fizzlepop was surprised and impressed by the Princess. Desiring to know more about her new ruler, she returned to the book.

Fizzlepop had finished reading of Princess Luna's redemption from Nightmare Moon when the library doors opened. She looked up and saw an older stallion walking toward the table.

"Well hey there, yer Highness," he said in a gravelly, but cheerful, voice.

Twilight looked startled for just a moment, then carefully released her reading materiel back to the table. She turned, smiled and said,

"Hello, Anvil, thank you for arriving on such short notice. I was hoping you-"

"Oh my stars, Princess," he interrupted, "You have no idea how excited Ah got when Ah was summoned. Ah finally get to create a stellar, amazin', one of a kind suit of armor for you. You know it just makes me a nervous wreck hearin' my favorite filly runnin' all over Creation and yon without any sort of protection! Why, it seems like just yesterday you were this high nippin' at the heels of Princess Celestia, and now yer wantin' a full suit of armor! Ah couldn't be happier. Ah-"

"Hold on, Anvil," Twilight giggled, "Although this most recent adventure has finally convinced me to take you up on your offer, it will have to wait. The reason I called you is to get my Captain outfitted with a temporary set until I have time to get something more official. I've also requested Rarity's aid; she should be here soon." She had expected Anvil to be disappointed, but his eyes lit up and he exclaimed,

"Absolutely, yer Highness! As soon as Miss Rarity arrives, we'll head down to the barracks and get it taken care of." He looked around with a confused countenance.

"Uh, Princess, who is this Captain?"

Twilight gasped, "Oh, how rude of me. Anvil, this is the Captain of my honor guard, Fizzlepop Berrytwist. Fizzlepop, this is Anvil, the castle Armorer."

Anvil extended a hoof to match the greeting, but withdrew quickly. He squinted and said,

"Hey, wait a tic. Ain't you the one that invaded Canterlot yesterday with those hairy fellers?"

That's all in the past," Twilight responded quickly, "She's making up for her actions by serving me."

"Well, if Princess Twilight trusts you, then I have no reason to doubt 'er." Anvil extended his hoof and they shook amicably. "You take care of the Princess now, ya hear? She's always runnin' off to save Equestria and whatnot, and leavin' us to fret about 'er. It eases my mind knowin' somepony competent enough to conquer Canterlot is protectin' 'er."

"I owe her my life," Fizzlepop responded.

Just then, the library doors opened, and Rarity cantered in.

"Twilight, darling, I came as soon as I could. Is something the matter?"

"Hello, Rarity, I'm glad you were able to come. Nothing's wrong. I'd like you to assist Anvil here in outfitting Fizzlepop with a temporary suit of armor. At least until we can establish something more official. I have a guard bringing up her old armor, hopefully that will help."

"But of course, darling. I would be delighted!" Rarity and Anvil acquainted, and she grabbed Fizzlepop in her telekinesis and posed her on top of a nearby table. Fizzlepop began to protest, but a quick tut tut from Rarity halted any resistance. Soon measuring tapes were flying all over the would-be conqueror, and she could think of nothing but to continue standing there.

"I must say, Fizzlepop, you have an exquisitely unique physique; perhaps a side effect from your-" she cleared her throat, "line of work, as it were." Fizzlepop blushed slightly, and Rarity continued, "Oh I do so hope you are returning to Ponyville with us tomorrow. I am absolutely inspired. You must let me make you a dress, my treat."

Fizzlepop was shocked. How could this mare be so generous after what she had done? She was brought out of her revelry by the entrance of a royal guard carrying a shield and her old armor.

"Excellent, thank you," Twilight said, "Alright, everything's ready for your outfitting, Fizzlepop." She turned to Rarity and Anvil, "I hope it's not too much to ask, but I have a meeting with the Princesses at nine o'clock. Can you have Fizzlepop and her armor ready by then? I need her to attend."

Rarity and Anvil looked at each other, then turned and nodded. "Of course, darling. We'll have her ready post-haste!"

"You betcha, yer Highness. We'll have her kitted out in two shakes."

Rarity, Anvil, and Fizzlepop exited the library, leaving Twilight and the guard behind. Twilight attempted to lift the Storm Guard shield in her telekinesis, but it resisted her grasp.

"So the armor and the shield are definitely different materials," she said out loud. Analyzing it magically was out, and despite her alicorn strength she could barely manage to lift it. Leaning it against the table, she returned to her historical studies, awaiting the arrival of her final guest.

Fizzlepop followed as Anvil and Rarity led her to the armory. The two continued chatting, passing ideas back and forth for their upcoming task, every once and a while turning back to analyze Fizzlepop. She couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed by the attention.

"I must say, Fizzlepop," Rarity began as they continued walking, "I am quite surprised by this turn of events. Beyond event organizing and saving Equestria now and then, Twilight has mostly avoided the pomp and circumstance of her royal stature, but it seems she is finally embracing her title. I wonder what changed her mind."

"Well, it might have somethin' to do with y'all's little adventure yesterday."

Fizzlepop winced, but understood. Rarity responded,

"Perhaps you are correct, darling. I dare say we had a few more brushes with fate than usual. I for one will not be going skydiving again anytime soon." Anvil gave her a confused glance, and Fizzlepop avoided the two with her eyes.

After a few moments of silence, Fizzlepop spoke,

"Rarity, this might be inappropriate, but I'm curious. How did you all escape after falling out of the airship?"

"Oh, simple really. Twilight threw a bunch of junk together in midair and built a hot air balloon. It was quite ingenious, but the experience was nerve-wracking."

Fizzlepop balked. "She built a hot air balloon in free-fall?"

"Yes, darling."

Once again, Fizzlepop was completely surprised by the Princess.

The trio arrived at the armory, and Anvil lead them to an ancillary chamber. The room was filled with spare suits of armor and weapons. Fizzlepop was surprised at the difference between these flat gray suits against the gold armor the Royal Guard wore.

"Princess Celestia has always preferred the gold ceremonial armor against more practical heavy armor," Anvil explained, "Princess Luna has a little more sense, 'er nocturne are at least outfitted with a mail hauberk under their plackart, but it still leaves a lot to be desired. Let's take a look at yer old set before we get started."

Rarity brought the suit to bear telekinetically, disassembled it, and placed it on a ponequin. Anvil circled the armor multiple times, only stopping to take in details or write notes. Rarity was off to the side, writing her own detailed notes.

"Definitely not what Ah would do," Anvil commented, "The plates across the back are sturdy, but flexible, but yer chest and barrel are completely exposed." He turned to Fizzlepop, "I'm guessin' agility was yer prerogative, not defense?"

"I didn't have much say in its design," Fizzlepop replied, "My job was grand strategy. I think it served its purpose."

Anvil nodded, moving towards a bookshelf near the door. Reaching up, he grabbed a catalog, and began leafing through it. Rarity floated some notes in front of him, and he compared the information in the two documents. Seemingly satisfied, he closed the notebook, and began moving through the suits of armor.

"Miss Rarity, yer a bit swifter than Ah am. Mind gettin' this down?"

"Of course, darling."

Rarity, with her telekinetic prowess, quickly disassembled the armor Anvil had chosen and floated it piece by piece towards Fizzlepop.

"Ah'm sure it'll need some work, but this is the armor Ah have closest to yer size. Let's see how it looks on ya."

Fizzlepop made a move to reach for the armor, but Rarity waved a hoof.

"Please, allow me."

Rarity exemplified great prowess in assembling the puzzle that was the armor. Piece by piece, the protection applied itself to Fizzlepop's body.

"Miss Rarity, have you worked with armor before?"

"No, but clothes are clothes," she answered, somewhat absentmindedly.

Twilight had been studying in silence. Information poured into her mind: dates, statistics, weapons, motivations, strategy. All creating a cohesive history of conflict in Equestria and beyond. Her visage displayed nothing but tranquility and satisfaction as she continued her ritual.

Suddenly, the library doors slammed open.

"Twilight Sparkle," yelled an agitated, and slightly effeminate, voice.

Twilight jumped straight up, books once nestled in her telekinesis flew in all directions. Eyes wide, she frantically looked around, settling on the scowling pink and white-maned stallion walking towards her. She scowled in response.

"Warrior Ballad? You can't just-"

"You have a lot of nerve. Not 2 weeks ago I published the 12th edition of Exploits of the Elements of Harmony after you 'rescued' Star Swirl and his buddies," his voice dripped with sarcasm and contempt, "and now you've saved Equestria again! If I didn't know better, I'd say you were inventing these villains to make your life seem more exciting. But the evidence is sound. I could almost forgive the frequency of your adventures, but you have crossed the line!"

Twilight's scowl had been replaced by a more neutral look as she let Warrior Ballad continue his rant.

"Before it was always somepony else requesting the updates: Princess Celestia, royal guard officers, but never you. But here you are, ready to regale me with another tale of derring do, and then I'll have to interview your friends, and probably some of the villains too, because of course you redeemed them somehow."

"Enough, Ballad," Twilight interrupted, "I did not call you about that book, or about our adventure yesterday. Did the guard not explain what this summons was about?"

Ballad blanched, "Well, perhaps he was going to..." he trailed off, mumbling something about slamming the door in the guards face while looking sheepishly at the ground.

"The reason I called you here is because I need help. I've decided the efforts of my friends and I are not enough for Equestria. Even though we've been victorious so far, every time we come closer to defeat and... fate than I'm comfortable with. I've spent the day studying military history, but I need some insight. I believe you can provide it. Will you hear me out, please?"

Warrior Ballad started to deny her request out of spite, but looking back over his actions that day made him realize he had made much to do about nothing. Relief that this summons had nothing to do with Exploits dominated his anger, and he sighed and agreed to help the Princess.

"Thank you, Ballad," Twilight said. They sat down at the library table Twilight had been working at, and Twilight telekinetically cleaned up the scattered books. Satisfied by her reorganization, she turned to Warrior Ballad and began,

"As I am establishing my own honor guard, I'd like your perspective on how the other Princesses view theirs. I know I haven't really taken advantage of every privilege my title grants me, but I can't allow these invasions to continue. But I don't really know what operating a guard entails, or the responsibilities it comes with. You know me, I'm not going to jump into something this big without a plan."

Warrior Ballad thought for a moment, then said,

"Well, to answer your first question: Princess Celestia technically doesn't have an honor guard, just the Royal Guard. The Royal Guard is the overarching military organization tasked with protecting Equestria and the Princesses. In my experience, Princess Celestia doesn't view them as a military per se, more like a group of first responders in times of danger. We've been relatively at peace the past thousand years, but I think your recent escapades should provide quite the wake-up call, if you don't mind me saying.

"In times of peace, the Royal Guard are a staple police presence in Canterlot, and a morale device. Their presence brings peace of mind to ponies, as if they're an extension of Celestia herself."

Twilight, meanwhile, had been feverishly writing notes.

"Princess Luna, on the other hoof, views her Nocturne Guard explicitly as a military force. I'm sure you noticed during your studies that the majority of peacekeeping efforts were led by her, not by Celestia. She disciplines them thoroughly, and if I were in trouble, I would pray bat-ponies appeared at my rescue, rather than the Royal Guard. As far as I can tell, they are an integral part of the Royal Guard's hierarchy, and will answer to either princess, and maybe you, but they feel separate. Perhaps that is due to the differing attitudes of their progenitors."

Twilight was tallying and comparing how many military campaigns the two elder princesses had undertaken.

"Lastly, your sister-in-law, Princess Cadence, has established her own, separate, Crystal Legion. They are a sort of compromise between the other Princesses' mindsets: a true, trained, at the ready military force, as well as a policing body and personal bodyguard. I'd say that while she lacks in experience, she has the most fleshed out equine military."

Probably Shining's influence, Twilight thought.

"As for your second question, your responsibility to your future honor guard, in my estimation, would largely depend on what you wish to do with them. The Captain of the Royal Guard is responsible for training and overall organization, while Princess Celestia takes a back seat observer role. She trusts the ponies she puts in charge. Luna, on the other hoof, takes direct charge over her Nocturne Guard, and Prince Shining Armor is in charge of the Crystal Legion."

Warrior Ballad continued on, offering information and voicing opinions. Twilight was feverishly writing, producing hypothetical hierarchies, chains of command, comparable statistical estimates, funding avenues, potential candidates, resource allocation, all culminating in a thorough, bulletproof plan. They continued into the evening.

Twilight was finally feeling prepared. She and Warrior Ballad had worked tirelessly for hours in preparation for the meeting. Charts, graphs, note-cards, and other documentation had been stacked neatly in a crate, ready for teleportation. All she needed was Fizzlepop, Anvil, and Rarity to finish.

As if on cue, the three entered the library. Twilight couldn't help but beam as she saw the culmination of their efforts. Fizzlepop was decked out in a full suit of shining, lavender armor. The silver sabatons, which shown brightly in the soft light of the library, bled seamlessly into the grieves covering her lower legs. Her chest and barrel were armored in lavender plate, and the gaps to allow movement were bridged by silver chain mail. Centered on the armor's chest plate was Twilight's cutie mark, enshrined in a silver circle.

Twilight quickly circled Fizzlepop, taking in every detail of the armor styled in her honor. She drew Rarity and Anvil in a tight hug.

"Thank you both so much! I can't believe how amazing this is. How did you get something like this done so quickly?"

"Well, we already had armor in 'er size, adjustin' took a while. It was thanks to Rarity's attention to detail and measurements, not to mention 'er telekinesis, that everythin' went so smooth."

"Nonsense, darling," Rarity replied, "your expertise in armor was truly something to behold. I merely brought the color out."

"An' she means that literally. Usin' 'er magic, she literally turned the gray armor lavender, as if it was meant to be that color."

"Oh, it was nothing," Rarity said somewhat bashfully, but fully relishing in Anvil's praise.

"If'n the Princesses approve of your honor guard, Ah'm gonna need to borrow Rarity for the rest of the sets of armor," he turned to Rarity, "If'n you'd oblige, of course."

"Oh, darling, I'd be delighted," Rarity replied, her eyes gleaming, "Truly this has been an amazing learning experience, and of course anything to help Twilight. Now, when do we get started on your armor, darling? Surely this effort was to prototype, hmm?"

"All in due time, Rarity. But you are correct, while I have a number of reasons for tasking you two with this, partially it was to prototype my own set. I think we've had a few too many brushes with fate lately, and I'm worried that this Storm King business is far from over. Fizzlepop and I are about to have a meeting with the Princesses and the Royal Guard, where I'm going to make a few propositions."

"Well, Twilight," Rarity replied, "I completely agree with your assessment, and I wish you the best of luck tonight. Are you heading back to Ponyville tomorrow with the rest of us?"

"That's the plan. Thank you both so much. Now, if you'll excuse Fizzlepop and I, we need to get going, and I don't want us to be..." she glanced at the clock and blanched, "Late! Fizzlepop, we need to go now!" she exclaimed. Grabbing the crate of documents, and Fizzlepop, in her telekinetic grasp, Twilight teleported out of the library, blinding Rarity, Anvil, Warrior Ballad, and the hapless guard she had left behind. After regaining their senses, the four looked at each other, shared a laugh at Twilight's expense, and left the library.

Twilight and Fizzlepop materialized on the floor at the front of an auditorium, catching the staff by surprise. Realizing it was the Princess, they went back to work preparing the auditorium for the coming audience.

Fizzlepop, not having experience teleportation, let out a gasp and fought to catch her breath.

"Princess, warn me next time you're going to do that," she exclaimed.

"Oh, sorry Fizzlepop," Twilight apologized, "I was in a hurry." She began to frantically copy stacks of documents, and placed them across the rows of desks. Fizzlepop watched as the front of the auditorium was transformed by charts, diagrams, and graphs. She couldn't help but notice the copies of her navigation charts used to attack Canterlot.

"Now I'll go ahead and warn you," Twilight said while going over her note-cards, "I'm going to need your help during this presentation. The officers are going to have a lot of questions, as will I."

"You can count on me, Princess. I am in your debt."

Twilight looked around, satisfied. Coffee and snacks had been provided by the staff, and she had completed her own preparations. Turning to Fizzlepop, she said,

"We have some time before our guests arrive, so I want to try something with your new armor. Mind holding still?"

Fizzlepop posed neutrally as Twilight lit her horn. The magic coursing through her emanated throughout the room, seemingly dimming the artificial light. A thaumic circle appeared around Twilight just off the floor, its outline and runes glowing an intense lavender. As Twilight concentrated, magical essence reached out in tendrils, grabbing hold of Fizzlepop's armor. Minutes passed as Twilight continued the ritual, the armor glowing under the magical influence. Suddenly, the magic circle spun faster, and the glow emanating from the armor flashed into a blinding light. Twilight dimmed her horn, exiting the trance-like state she had entered, and smiled.

"What was all that?" Fizzlepop questioned.

"Oh, I enchanted your armor. Just some simple things: essence key, magical defense, blunt force defense, basic anti-magic shield, enchantment of featherweight. Watch this."

Twilight lit her horn, and before Fizzlepop could react she launched a lavender beam of energy at Fizzlepop's chest. The beam traveled swift and true, but before it could hit its mark, a magenta shield appeared around Fizzlepop.

"Oh, this is so exciting," Twilight exclaimed, clapping her hooves together, "I knew it would work!"

Fizzlepop was spellbound.

"I had no idea enchantments like this were possible, how does it work?"

"Oh, well the foundation of it is an essence key spell," Twilight eagerly explained, "The armor essentially only recognizes the magical essence of the owner, which is you, and the enchantments feed off of your thaumic energy. For any other pony, I probably would have used lower level enchantments, but I know you have a lot of magic ability.

"If, Celestia forbid, you do get in combat, I wouldn't recommend attempting to just take the damage, it could exhaust you. Plus, those shields and defenses aren't invincible; a strong enough magic blast could break down the enchantment. They'll help in a pinch, though."

"Wait, so even without my horn, this armor can do spells for me?"

"In a sense, yes, but enchantments only go so far. I can't enchant more complicated combat spells."

Fizzlepop was having her worldview torn apart by Twilight. She started to thank Twilight, but she spoke first,

"Alright, Captain, I'll need you to stand over there," she pointed with a hoof, "our audience is arriving."

Ponies began to leak into the auditorium, slowly but surely filling the allotted seats. Most were officers of the Royal Guard and Nocturne Guard, but Twilight noticed a few diplomats and even Crystal Legion officers. Twilight grinned and waved as Princess Celestia and Princess Luna entered, and they returned the gesture. The two elder princesses took their seats, and Twilight, satisfied that most everyone was ready, began her speech.

"Welcome, everypony," she said, cheerfully, "Princesses, officers, and all others, I'd like to thank you for attending this urgent forum, especially on such short notice. I will try not to keep you for too long, but considering the gravity of our situation I believe we could run a little late."

Suddenly, an audience member's hoof launched into the air, waggling distractingly.

"Please hold all questions until the end of the presentation," Twilight responded in a professional manner.

Twilight launched her presentation by recounting the events following the Friendship Festival's setup. Memories of key events were projected magically from Twilight's mind onto a cloth screen behind her as visual aids. Images of Kludgetown, she noticed, got a particularly negative reaction from some ponies. Fizzlepop couldn't help but notice a break in Twilight's professionalism when recounting their interaction with Queen Novo.

Twilight completed her review with her interruption of Fizzlepop's trial and began listing information she had learned from Lieutenant Stone Keep, including enemy numbers, confiscated equipment, routes, and enemy resources. She then recounted the invasion of Ponyville as she had been told, although she was certain that most of the audience knew the situation already.

"Are there any questions?"

The stallion near the front who had attempted to launch a question raised his hoof immediately, and Twilight called on him.

"Uh, your, uh, mane looks really pretty tonight, Princess," he said, awkwardly, plastering his face with an exceedingly wide grin.

Twilight deadpanned as snickers sounded out throughout the audience. She squinted at the stallion, noticing he looked far too young to be an officer.

"Who are you?" she called out, "This is a confidential military forum, and you aren't Royal Guard. How did you get in here?"

The pony stammered, and then launched himself out of his chair. Attempting to vault over the desk, he caught his hoof and face-planted. He recovered quickly, and galloped straight out the side door, with guards hot on his tail.

Twilight face-hoofed and audibly groaned. The elder princesses shared a giggle, and some of the more undisciplined officers audibly laughed at the intruder's awkward display.

"Alright," Twilight said as she moved behind the podium. Leaning against it, she called Fizzlepop forward.

Fizzlepop had been standing in the corner, shadowed by the stage lights. Maneuvering on stage, her armor caught the light and reflected, shining brilliantly. Audible 'ooh's and 'ahh's sounded out from the audience, and Twilight couldn't help but notice the glee on Princess Luna's face. Princess Celestia wore a more stoic expression, however.

"Thank you, Captain. For those not aware, this is Fizzlepop Berrytwist, the Captain of my honor guard. Her armor is courtesy of Anvil, the castle Armorer, with which I'm sure you are all familiar, and my dear friend Rarity. Now, Captain, I have a few questions."

"Yes, Princess," Fizzlepop replied, maintaining a professional posture.

"As we know, you were a Commander under the Storm King. Where does that place you in his hierarchy?"

"I oversaw grand strategy, lead military operations, and answered to the Storm King himself."

"So you were his second in command, or are there other commanders?"

"There are other commanders, your Highness."

Dark expressions dominated the audience, and Twilight's fears were becoming validated. She continued,

"How many other commanders are there?"

"I don't know, your Highness. I know of one, and I know there are more."

"Did these other commanders aid in the invasion of Equestria?"

"No, that was solely my doing."

"Can I assume that these other commanders are carrying out the Storm King's desires for world domination in other parts of the world?"

"Yes, your Highness."

"Do you know of any of their plans?"

Fizzlepop thought for a moment, "Does the phrase 'Crystal Heart' mean anything to you?"

The Crystal Legion officers sat up, and murmurs sprang among the audience.

"Yes, it is a magical artifact in the Crystal Empire. Should we assume it's a target?"

"Yes, your Highness. I don't have any details, but I overheard Commander Xanthantos discuss it with the Storm King. Commander Xanthantos is a Gorgon, and in my limited experience with him he is slow and lazy. Is the Crystal Heart a weapon?"

"No," Twilight replied, "It is a purely defensive artifact that protects the Crystal Empire from weather, among other things."

"What is a Gorgon?" someone called from the audience.

"Gorgons are tall, snakelike creatures, possibly related to dragons. It is rare that they leave their home island Medusus, which is located in the North Luna Ocean, due to its unique climate. Medusus is a volcanic island surrounded by cold climate conditions. For cold blooded creatures, it makes travel almost impossible. Also, worryingly, they are very powerful mages," finishing her explanation, Twilight turned back to Fizzlepop.

"What forces does Xanthantos plan to invade the Crystal Empire with?"

"I don't know, Princess. The Storm King largely segregated us to our own operations. The Storm King's primary goal was to dominate the world, and he believed that magical artifacts were the key. If Xanthantos convinced him that the Crystal Heart was a powerful artifact, then he's probably planning the invasion right now."

Twilight was failing to maintain her composure, quickly hopping from leg to leg.

"Ooh, this is bad. Really bad! We need to mobilize, and alert the Crystal Legion."

Seeing her distress, Celestia cleared her throat and said,

"Twilight, calm down. I have already notified Prince Shining Armor of the threat. Please continue your presentation."

Twilight took a deep breath and, satisfied that her family was not in immediate danger to an unknown threat, decided to switch gears.

"Thank you, Captain. Before I move on, does anypony have any real questions?"

A number of hooves went up, and Twilight chose a most official looking officer. The officer cleared his throat and, in a clear, authoritative voice that only comes from years of discipline and leadership, asked,

"May I receive a glorious suit of plate armor like your captain's?"

Twilight scowled, and the whole room burst into laughter. The officer blanched and said,

"'Tis an honest question."

Twilight could not hear him over the din, and halted continuing until the laughter had died down.

"I'd like everyone to open document three, page twelve. There are a number of reforms and proposals for your consideration. Of course, I will require the Princesses' approval, but we'll get to that.

"Currently the Equestrian Military is lacking in some technological areas that, in my opinion, should be targeted for improvement. Communication, or lack thereof, needs to be addressed immediately. As we witnessed earlier, Princess Celestia was able to make use of a long range teleportation spell to alert the Crystal Empire of the Xanthantos threat. Princess, is this a spell that anypony can learn?"

"No, Twilight. It requires significant magical power and a deep familiarity with the recipient's magical essence."

"Then we need an alternative. Pegasus Courier, or 'runners', are simply not fast enough. I have recently learned of a neat technology that shows promise. Copies of the patent and possible implementations, as well as cost and resource allocation, start on page twenty-five." The sound of papers rustling dominated the room.

"If approved, I argue the patent holder be contacted immediately, and resources be allocated for what I am tentatively calling the 'Dot-Dash' Project. With this, we will no longer be in the dark of impending dangers that attempt to cross our borders.

"Secondly, thanks to the Storm King's generous donation, we find ourselves in possession of fourteen combat airships; two of which are at my castle right now. These will be a great boon to the Equestrian military, if for no other reason than their mobility. They are faster than most pegasi and put our Equestrian airships to shame.

"I propose, post inspection, that we donate two airships to two promising airship manufacturers, specified on page thirty-two, for reverse engineering. Four should be allocated towards my next proposal, and the rest should be implemented into the Royal Guard immediately."

Murmurs of approval floated among the crowd. Seeing that this was going well, Twilight continued.

"My last major proposal will bring clarity to my decision to appoint an honor guard. Right now, I have one member: my Captain, Fizzlepop Berrytwist. I propose the establishment of an elite, mobile peacekeeping force to help combat Equestria's seemingly ever increasing foes. I believe that despite our past successes against Nightmare Moon, Discord, Queen Chrysalis, King Sombra, Lord Tirek, Starlight Glimmer, Queen Chrysalis again, the Pony of Shadows, and most recently Commander Tempest, the efforts my friends and I, as the Elements of Harmony, are simply not enough. Too often we have brushed fate, and we need help.

"As to the particulars, document four has a number of separate hypotheticals for your approval. As per the information we have gained on the Storm King's forces thanks to Captain Fizzlepop, I believe the most appropriate course of action is Proposal Three.

"I will head a peacekeeping force numbering approximately one-hundred elite combat troops, specializing mostly in unicorns for their magical prowess, but I believe a proportion of 20%/50%/30% split of Earth, Unicorn, and Pegasi will be appropriate. We will utilize four of the captured airships as transports and mobile combat platforms. Think of it as an enhanced version of the raiding party Fizzlepop used to conquer Canterlot. We will be able to respond quickly to any threat, not just within Equestria's borders, but for our allies as well. If successful, I believe that this guard could become a prototype for revolutionizing Equestrian Military dogma.

"I will require both the Royal Guard and the School for Gifted Unicorn's cooperation in locating potential Unicorn Candidates of magical prowess. I believe the Wonderbolts Reserves will be a good start for Pegasi, and a general recruitment for Earth ponies should suffice. Also, I will need resources allocated for airship crews, medical staff, various service-ponies, etc. We will..."

Twilight stole a glance at the Princesses and paused. Both were staring at the document proposal: Princess Luna was grinning from ear to ear, but Princess Celestia stared wide-eyed, frowning at the pages she leafed through.

"Princess Celestia, is something wrong?"

"Twilight, are you building an army?" the Princess asked dourly.

"Well, technically speaking, yes. This is what I believe we need to combat further threats from the Storm King."

Celestia started to rebut, but was interrupted by Luna's shout,

"Oh most glorious of nights!" she cried, before teleporting out of the room. In an instant, she reappeared on the stage next to Twilight, clothed in a full suit of midnight blue armor, with a gleaming silver broadsword mounted across her withers.

"Truly this is a dream come true," she continued, "for so long I have wished to experience the glory of battle with you, Twilight Sparkle. Celestia forbade me from pushing you, but I see you have matured, and now wish to make your name truly in the annals of history; not that your previous accomplishments aren't worthy in their own right, but there is nothing quite like combat to test somepony's strength of character. Thou has our full support in whatever proposal you-"

"Wait just a minute," cried an agitated Celestia, "Twilight, I understand you have been through much, but you might be taking this too far. You are the Princess of Friendship, and in my understanding a pacifist. This past adventure has frightened you, as you have made clear to everypony, but surely this is not the answer." Before Twilight could speak, Luna turned and said,

"Nonsense, dear sister. It is obvious that this is no knee-jerk reaction, you of all ponies should understand your student better. She has thought this through, and speaks from clarity that only comes to a pony after a significant trial. The evidence is in front of you." She turned back to Twilight, "When this campaign is through, and you are no doubt victorious, you will be forged in the fires of battle, and will have earned the privilege of being called 'Sister'."

"Now listen here, you little warmonger," Celestia shouted, "I will not have you polluting Twilight's mind with nonsense about the 'glory of battle'. You just want to go on the warpath again, and I won't let you use her as a surrogate."

"How dare you," Luna shouted back, "I am no warmonger, I desire peace. But we are under threat from a powerful enemy, that much is clear. If you cannot see that retaliation is necessary, then my absence and one thousand years of peace have made you soft!"

"This is too far, we have had too many breakdowns in the past because of open conflict. Need I remind you of the Bay of Pigs disaster?"

"Those pigs received what was coming to them!"

"Jingoist!"

"Sissy!"

The sisters continued name calling as Twilight entrapped them in a bubble of silence. She sighed and turned back to the now wide-eyed audience.

"They'll come around," Twilight assured, "I would like to propose a small change in current doctrine in regards to receiving threats. I want to specify, this is more of a self-criticism, but I believe it will be a valuable lesson to everypony. Captain, if you would please stand in the aisle there."

Fizzlepop walked up the inclined aisle, then turned to face Twilight back on the stage.

"Now, I would like us to repeat your performance yesterday. You made quite an entrance, after all, and I believe it can be used as a valuable teaching experience."

Fizzlepop blushed. "Princess, I don't know if- I mean, I don't remember-"

Twilight, quoting Princess Celestia, said,

"Tempest, is it? How may we help you?"

"Princess, please-"

"Say the line, Captain," Twilight said in an almost motherly tone.

Fizzlepop sighed, "How about we start with your complete and total surrender."

As soon as the final word was uttered, Twilight's horn lit, and Fizzlepop found herself immobilized.

"You see, officers, when a mysterious enemy shows up and asks for your complete and total surrender, we, from now on, will not allow them to continue to monologue. Now, I have temporarily cast some spells on my Captain, which I believe are useful in at least postponing threats until they can be evaluated. First, I hit her with a Bubble of Silence, to keep her from shouting orders to her soldiers. Then, I immobilized her with a stasis spell, to keep her from retaliating physically or magically. Lastly, I have picked her up with my telekinesis to eliminate all routes of escape.

"I have done nothing to harm her, only immobilize. I believe that tactics like this give better opportunity for dialogue and an eventual dissolution of conflict than allowing the threat to do whatever they want. Any questions?"

While Twilight performed her demonstration, the two elder princesses were having the most epic, jaw-dropping sissy fight ever witnessed by pony or beast.

Satisfied that the ponies present had understood her orders, Twilight released Fizzlepop, thanked her for her cooperation, and ordered her back to the stage. She returned to the presentation, going over details and receiving suggestions from the audience, who were showing much interest in Twilight's proposals. Twilight stole a glance at Celestia and Luna, who were now openly sobbing, embracing each other in a deep hug.

An officer was describing a hypothetical flanking maneuver when Celestia popped the Bubble of Silence. Everyone turned as Celestia announced,

"My sister and I have reached an agreement. Although she and I differ in our opinions on military and combat, we will defer to Princess Twilight's intelligence on the matter."

"Agreed," followed Princess Luna, "She may not have formal experience in combat, but she has proven herself time and time again in Equestria's defense, and if this is what she believes Equestria needs, she has our full support."

The auditorium burst into cheers. Twilight vaulted over to the two princesses and embraced them in a deep hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Twilight repeated, "I promise that I will do everything I can to keep Equestria safe from the Storm King's Commanders."

"We know you will, Twilight. You have never failed us before," Celestia complimented.

"Indeed, we have no doubts in your future success. May the enemies of Equestria quiver at the name Twilight Sparkle," Luna added.

Twilight giggled and hugged the princesses once more. She returned to the podium and announced,

"Thank you, everypony, for your attendance and support. Expect further orders from me soon. You are dismissed." With that, the auditorium emptied.

Soon word of the Storm King's demise would leave Equestria.

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Twilight Sparkle and her friends waved as the airship flew off, the sunrise behind them gleamed off the steel hull. It was sad to see their new friends leave, but adventure was the siren call of the swashbuckling treasure hunters and their new feline compatriot.

"Oh, I hope they stay out of trouble," said Fluttershy.

"Not likely," argued Rainbow Dash, "They're way too awesome to play it safe. I bet they'll have a super cool adventure by the end of the week."

The group shared a laugh and began walking away from the courtyard. It was nearly time to leave for Ponyville, but Pony Joe's donuts and coffee were waiting for them just down the street. The chilly air of the early morning did nothing to dampen their spirits.

It had been awkward, at first, for Fizzlepop. She had largely avoided Capper and the pirates at the party, but that morning Twilight had insisted she come along for 'Official Princess Business'. Falling into her new role as the princess's guardian was easy; apologizing to Captain Celaeno, her crew, and Capper proved to be much more difficult.

The captain had been none too pleased at Fizzlepop's destruction of their ship, and she voiced her frustrations boisterously. In the end, she came around, and everyone forgave Fizzlepop. One of the crew mentioned it was bad luck to leave bad blood behind.

Fizzlepop was walking beside Twilight at the front of the group, her keen eyes wary of any trouble. She was annoyed, however, at the obscenely peaceful streets of early morning Canterlot. Does the Princess even need a bodyguard? There were no shady characters, no dark alleyways, no mercenary gangs, no slavers. After all this time living abroad, how could she acclimate to peaceful Equestria? Not like I have a choice, she ruminated. After all, this was still a far better option than whatever punishment the court had planned for her.

The group arrived at Pony Joe's unaccosted, and Twilight led them to a large table in the center of the restaurant. They greeted Joe as they walked by the counter, and Joe replied warmly. He turned from his fryer, and his eyes went wide peering at the heavily armored mare sitting with them. Nearing the table, he asked,

"Hey Twilight, you gonna introduce me to your friend here?"

"Oh, of course," she replied, "Joe, this is Fizzlepop Berrytwist, the Captain of my newly established honor guard. Fizzlepop, this is Pony Joe, owner and proprietor of Pony Joe's."

"Hey, nice ta meetcha," greeted Joe as they shook hooves, "Nice ta hear Twilight has somepony protectin' her now, what with all the badies that seem ta be after her. Why, with an outfit like that, I bet you could take on a whole army of those mooks what invaded Canterlot!"

The table shared a laugh, and Fizzlepop chuckled nervously. As they ordered their breakfast in turns, Pinkie Pie couldn't help notice Fizzlepop staring intently at the menu.

"What's your fix, Fizzlepop? Can't pick just one?"

"Sort of," Fizzlepop replied, "I guess I'm not sure what to get. I've never had a donut before."

The whole table, and Pony Joe, gasped. Twilight was quick to console, however.

"Now girls, remember Fizzlepop left Equestria when she was just a filly. I'm sure there are lots of things she's missed out on. Let's not give her a hard time."

This seemed to calm everyone, and Pinkie decided Fizzlepop should start out with a tried and true plain-glazed donut. As Joe left to fulfill the order, Pinkie asked,

"Well, if you haven't had donuts, what other delectable delicacies have you missed out on? Pie? Eclairs? Ice cream? Milkshakes? Cookies? Brownies? Pie? Cobbler? Marshmallows? Muffins? Pie?"

"Uh, Pinkie Pie, I think you said pie, like, three times," Rainbow Dash interjected.

Fizzlepop had shook her head against every treat Pinkie Pie had listed.

"Well, what did you eat while you were gone?" Pinkie Pie shouted.

"Mostly rations, hardtack, wild flowers and grasses. Most of the lands outside Equestria are carnivorous, or at least omnivorous, so finding cooked equine food can be difficult. I was never bad off enough to try meat, though."

Twilight's eyes shifted as she giggled nervously. Her friends looked at her concernedly.

"It was one time! It's a long story," she defended.

"Fizzlepop," Rarity interjected, "It occurs to me we know very little about your time outside of Equestria. In fact, I believe this adventure was the first time most of us had left as well. Would you care to regale us of your adventures?"

"I guess I wouldn't mind," Fizzlepop replied, "but you know, I wasn't at my best in the past. Looking back, I was pretty awful most of the time, and the lands outside of Equestria are rough places. Most of my stories aren't fun. Are you sure you want to hear them?"

The six ponies glanced at each other, then nodded at Fizzlepop.

"Of course, darling," Rarity assured, "We all have things we're not proud of, and we know that losing your horn was traumatic. You can confide in us, because we're your friends."

A wall was crumbling. As they enjoyed their breakfast, Fizzlepop recalled her experiences outside of Equestria. The reactions of her audience were as varied as their color palettes: tales of daring and combat elicited excited expressions from Rainbow Dash, but frightened Fluttershy; tragic stories brought tears to Rarity's eyes, and her few tales of true success brought out warm smiles from Twilight.

She was regaling her introduction to the Storm King when Twilight interrupted,

"Girls, we need to get to the city gates, everypony is going to be waiting for us if we don't hurry."

The group quickly cleaned up, said their goodbyes to Pony Joe, and cantered down the street. From their vantage at the crest of a hill, they could see the crowd of Ponyville citizens loitering around the gate. Hundreds of ponies and their belongings, loaded into carts, were at the ready for the march back home. Twilight took this opportunity to separate from her friends and flew up above the crowd.

Perching on a guard tower above the gate, Twilight addressed the crowd,

"Good Morning, Ponyvillians."

"Good Morning, Princess Twilight," shouted the crowd, threatening to knock Twilight off her perch. She began her speech,

"Alright, everypony. Soon we will begin our march back to Ponyville. I know that most of you have been informed by representatives of the crown, but for those not in the know, Ponyville came under attack by the Storm King's forces while we were here. Nopony was hurt, but I've been told that there may be some property damage. Not to worry, though, because no matter what, we've got this together!"

"Together!" cried the crowd.

As the ponies marched slowly through the gate, Twilight maintained her perch. She furrowed her brow, searching for a pony in particular. Not seeing her, she swooped down towards the gate, where a violet unicorn was directing traffic.

"Good morning, Amethyst," she called, "is everypony accounted for?"

"Morning, Princess," she replied. She looked at her clipboard and said,

"Everything looks good so far, but I haven't seen Starlight Glimmer or Trixie Lulamoon yet."

"That's worrying, I didn't see them at the party either. Well, I'll go look for them. Keep up the good work."

Before Amethyst could respond, Twilight took off, soaring high above Canterlot. She saw the rest of her friends at the back of the crowd, standing around the Apple Family wagon. She landed next to them, and asked if they had seen the two missing unicorns.

"Sorry, Twi," Applejack answered, "Ah don't think they've shown up yet. But Ah wouldn't worry about 'em. They're adults, they can get back to Ponyville."

"That's not what I'm worried about. What if something happened to them during the invasion? Last I saw they were-"

"We're here!" Starlight galloped towards them, with Trixie held in her telekinesis, floating behind her. Their manes were disheveled, their coats covered in dust, and Starlight had heavy bags under her eyes. She deposited Trixie in the back of the wagon, then dropped down, exhausted.

"Starlight, what happened to you and Trixie?" Twilight asked frantically. Starlight was still trying to catch her breath. Fluttershy hoofed her a canteen of water. She drank of it greedily, and after regaining her composure, answered,

"It's a long story," she stood, "Trixie and I had just entered the courtyard when the airships showed up. I assumed there was trouble, and tried to get to you, but those monsters jumped us! I brought three of them down, but one of their friends had captured Trixie. Before I could prepare a spell, Trixie bucked the monster in its face, and it dropped her." She became increasingly animated as her tale continued, gesticulating wildly.

"So, then, me and Trixie ran away, and I saw you and the girls running across a bridge. You did some sort of spell, but fell into the river! Oh, I'm so glad you're safe." She drew Twilight into a hug before continuing.

"I tried to get to you, but Trixie wanted to hide, but I wanted to save you. As I was trying to make a plan, an airship knocked over a whole tower, and it nearly fell on us! The tower caused a freaking sinkhole right there in the street, and of course we fell right in. So there we were, stuck under Canterlot wandering around the Crystal Caves for what felt like days. We just managed to escape! You know, I could really use some food." And then she collapsed.

Nurse Redheart had completed her evaluation. Trixie and Starlight were completely exhausted from their adventure in the Crystal Caves. She explained to Twilight that with some rest, and some food, they would be right as rain. Twilight's relief was palpable.

Starlight and Trixie were asleep in the back of the Apple Family Wagon, and the group started walking towards the gate. Twilight and her friends walked beside the wagon, chatting idly.

"I just can't believe they fell through the cracks like that," Twilight said.

"Literally!" cried Pinkie Pie.

"You know what I mean, Pinkie. We've been back in Canterlot for a full day, how did nopony notice they were missing?"

"Don't beat yerself up, sugarcube. There were over a thousand ponies in attendance fer the Friendship Festival, it's no wonder they got lost in the crowd."

"I know, but this is a big deal. They were lucky they escaped at all. When Cadence and I were trapped there by Queen Chrysalis, it took hours to make our way back to the castle, and that was only because Cadence could fly. I'll have to talk to Princess Celestia about this; we can't have ponies getting lost in those caverns. Perhaps a ward system to alert the guards when ponies enter could work."

"Well, I'm sure you will think of something," assured Rarity, "but what matters is that they're safe, and there's no use fretting about it now, hmm?"

"You're right Rarity. I can't get worked up, especially when we have so much work to do back in Ponyville. Oh, I hope the damage isn't too bad."

"Don't sweat it, Twi. Ponyville's been through worse, Ah reckon. Everythin' will be just fine."

"This is a total disaster!" Twilight cried.

It was late afternoon when the crowd arrived outside of the town. Standing atop a bald hill at the edge of Whitetail Woods, the ponies could do nothing but gawk at the destruction. Half of Ponyville nearest to the castle had burned down, and many other buildings were caving in on themselves. Flowerbeds were upturned, windows smashed, awnings knocked down, and detritus was everywhere. An airship sized hole had appeared in the center of Rainbow Dash's cloud home, and many of her belongings lay smashed on the ground below. On the edge of town below them, the Royal Guard had erected a tent city in preparation for the returning townsfolk.

Twilight hovered above the crowd, surveying the damage.

"Listen up, everypony," she shouted, "I know you all are tired from our trip home, but we cannot let this destruction stand. Report to the Royal Guard, get something to eat, and begin itemizing damages and lost property. I expect everypony to be ready to work in two hours. Mayor Mare, Amethyst Star, report to me immediately. On my honor as a Princess, we will get through this."

The crowd shifted down the hill, and Twilight returned to the ground. She ordered Amethyst to maintain a headcount. Turning to Mayor Mare, she ordered her and her assistants to report to the town hall as soon as they had eaten. Rainbow Dash was to alert the Royal Guard of the incoming mob of disgruntled ponies, and the Apple family to aid the Guard in supplying food. She grabbed Spike and Fizzlepop, and teleported straight to the Friendship Castle.

The Castle showed no outwardly damage, but Twilight was too far in the zone to assess. She galloped through the front door, and paused. The foyer was in complete disarray, with furniture scattered everywhere. A unicorn guard was attempting to break through the mess, a table held in his magic grasp, but was startled by Twilight's sudden entrance.

"Your Highness, thank goodness you are back. I'm assuming you return with the rest of the Ponyville citizenry?"

"Yes, that's right," Twilight responded distractedly, "It looks like a tornado went through here. Is the rest of the castle this bad?" The guard was quick to shake his head,

"Negative, your Highness. The remaining townsponies who valiantly defended themselves here used your furniture as barricades to block the doors and windows. Except for some misplaced tables and beds, the spare rooms, the master suite, the throne room, and the library are all untouched. Now, I believe we have a reconstruction effort to set underway."

"Absolutely," Twilight replied resolutely, "For now, the citizens are at the tent city resting, but I have work to do. Please assign me a courier to fly between my office upstairs and Town Hall. It's easier for a Pegasus to get to the balcony than through the front door."

"Right away, your Highness." The guard ran out the door, and Twilight flew up the stairs. Spike and Fizzlepop were left in her wake.

"Well, let's go. She's gonna need our help," Spike commented. Fizzlepop nodded, and the two ascended the stairs.

"Normally I'd show you around the castle, it can be pretty easy to get turned around in here, but I know Twilight's going to need a letter mailed any second now."

"Spike, where are you?" Twilight called, as if on cue.

"Told ya." He ran down the hall to answer Twilight. Fizzlepop smirked, and cantered to keep up with him.

"There you are, Spike. Go ahead and send this off, then you and Fizzlepop head to the kitchen and get something to eat. I know you're tired too. Oh, and bring me some tea please."

As she spoke, Spike enveloped the letter in green flame, and turned to walk out the door. Fizzlepop followed behind, but stole a glance at Twilight. The princess was in her element, scribbling letters out as fast as she could. Fizzlepop left her to work.

As they entered the kitchen, Spike frowned.

"Looks like they had their way with our food stores while they were here, though I guess I can't really blame them." He took inventory, then set the kettle to boil. He was able to scrounge up just enough food to make the trio some dandelion sandwiches, and a gemstone for himself. In time, the kettle hissed, and they returned to Twilight's office. Twilight was addressing a pegasus guard,

"Tell the mayor I've declared Ponyville in a State of Emergency. I've already alerted Princess Celestia, and as we speak the Royal Guard is requisitioning the railway for the relief effort. I'll be writing orders for raw materials for the next few hours. After you relate that information... Who's in charge down at the camp?"

"That would be Sergeant Keen Edge, your Highness."

"Thank you. Communicate to the Sergeant that he is to pick five guards to scour the city and mark each house with paint: Red for total loss, orange for condemned, and green if it's habitable. They can get paint and maps of the town from Town Hall. Let's get some of these ponies back home."

"As you order, your Highness."

The Pegasus cantered out the office door, and disappeared down the hall. Twilight, not acknowledging Spike or Fizzlepop, continued writing furiously.

"Twilight, I know you're in a hurry, but you need to eat something. All you've had today are donuts."

"I understand, Spike, but I have to get these done as soon as possible, Ponyville is counting on-"

Her stomach interrupted her with a growl. Blushing, she said,

"Okay, maybe I can take a few minutes."

Spike chuckled as he finished setting the nearby table, and the three enjoyed their meal. Between bites, Twilight was still voicing her plans,

"Fizzlepop, what do you know about your airships?"

"I know how to operate, maintain, and pilot them."

"Perfect, I have a special job for you two then. Spike, when we're done here, I need you to grab two of our large banners and hang them off the sides of one of the airships. They're moored off the balcony; you can't miss them. And try to hide any Storm King iconography.

"Fizzlepop, in thirty minutes I want you to go down to the camp and collect a crew. None of those ponies have experience operating airships as far as I know, so it'll be up to you to train them. I'm going to count on you two to travel to Manehatten and contact a few industries there. With that armor on they won't question your authority, but all of my orders have my seal as well. If they ask questions, tell them they will be compensated by the crown at a later date.

"After you deliver these manifests, I need you to head to this specific hardware warehouse and give them this order. They'll load the airship, and you will return here. I expect you back just past nightfall, as long as there isn't trouble."

The two voiced their understanding, and Spike ran off to start his task.

"I'll need to do a pre-flight check on the airship now." Fizzlepop rose, her armor buckling audibly, and left.

The large balcony stretched out in front of Fizzlepop. The railings were being used as bollards for the airships; their mooring ropes swayed in the breeze. The afternoon heat made Fizzlepop uncomfortable in her armor, and she quickly set to work.

In no time at all she had chosen an airship to make the trip. Functionally, they were identical, but her experience told her all she needed to discern which one had been maintained better.

Spike was out of breath as he entered the balcony. In his claws was a rolled up, lavender tapestry. He trundled up the gangplank into the airships hull, and Fizzlepop pointed him towards the staircase to the deck. Soon they had the tapestry attached to the port side railing and unrolled it, proclaiming its new ownership. They repeated the process for the starboard just in time for Fizzlepop to leave for the camp. She instructed Spike to watch over the engine room while she was gone. She knew it would take time for the boiler to warm.

She cantered her way through the crowds of displaced ponies, all enjoying some sort of stew. She arrived at the front of the food line, where a number of guards and Apples were serving the last few ponies. Looking around, she saw Big Mac gathering pots and pans for cleaning. She paused for a moment to come up with a way to address him, then set to work.

“Stallion, the Princess Twilight requires you for a special mission, will you comply?” Yes, I’m certain this is how Twilight would want her Captain to carry herself: Absolutely no nonsense.

Big Mac chuckled deeply, then responded with a hearty “Eeyup.”

“Excellent. First, we need to gather up seven more strong ponies, a lookout and an engineer. Uh, you wouldn’t happen to know anypony that has experience working on steam engines, do you?”

Big Mac nodded his head, and led the way. As they made their way down the impromptu road, lined on both sides by white tents, Rainbow Dash intercepted them.

“Hey there Fizzlepop, Big Mac, whatcha up to?”

“I’m gathering an airship crew for an emergency trip to Manehatten,” replied Fizzlepop. She thought for a moment.

“Rainbow Dash, you seem like a skilled Pegasus; do you have a keen eye? We need a lookout.”

“Are you kidding, that would be awesome! I’d love to help. Let me finish up here, and I’ll meet you all at the castle.” And she disappeared in a rainbow blur.

Big Mac stopped, and pointed a hoof. Fizzlepop looked where he was pointing and saw an orange unicorn mare with a spanner for a cutie mark. She nodded and Big Mac, and the two walked up to the mare.

“Excuse me,” Fizzlepop got the mare’s attention, “Do you have experience operating steam engines?”

“Oh sure,” replied Silver Spanner, “I maintain the boilers around Ponyville, and before that I did maintenance on shunting locomotives down in Baltimare. How can I help?”

“The Princess requires an engineer to operate an airship for an emergency trip to Manehatten. Will you comply?”

“Oh wow, never worked on an Airship before. Sounds like fun. Of course I’ll help,” Silver Spanner replied cheerfully.

“Excellent, report to the Castle immediately.”

In no time at all, Big Mac and Fizzlepop filled out the rest of the crew, and the group returned to the castle.

Silver Spanner was certifiably lost. She had galloped ahead to get to work on the airship engines, barely able to contain her excitement. She had only been to the castle once, and didn’t know the inside, but she was too eager for the new experience to worry. Now she was worried.

“I feel like I’ve passed this set of doors 3 times now, like I’m going in circles.” Sure enough, she was repeatedly looping the circular hall on the second floor, and couldn’t find her way back to the stairs.

“I saw the balcony from the outside, it should have been easy. All these doors look the same!” Frustrated, she started opening doors at random. The first was a broom closet, and its contents spilled out on top of her. She yelped, more in surprise than in injury.

A few more doors yielded similar results: Most led to guest bedrooms or bathrooms. She slammed the door of her most recent attempt, only to hear another door open.

“Is somepony there?” a nervous voice called.

“Hello?” called Silver Spanner.

Twilight rounded the hall to see Silver Spanner, which was a surprise. Not quite as surprising as the feather duster on her head, though.

“Hello, Spanner. Are you here to help with the airship?”

“Yes, Princess. I ran ahead to examine the engine, but I got lost in this hallway. Why do all the doors look the same?”

The Princess frowned, recalling her own attempts to learn how to navigate the Friendship Castle. “It just takes some getting used to,” she said, “I’ll lead you to the airship, and then I’ll probably need to help Fizzlepop and the rest. She hasn’t been in the castle very long either.” She led the way towards the balcony.

They entered the balcony just as Rainbow Dash landed.

“Hey Twilight,” called Rainbow Dash.

“Hi, Rainbow. Are you here to help with the operation too?”

“Yep, Fizzlepop asked me to be lookout. Oh man, what if it’s just like that scene in Daring Do and the Griffon’s Goblet?”

“Well, I doubt a horde of brainwashed griffons are going to attack you with fireballs while you’re on your way to Manehattan, but I’m sure it will be an adventure in its own right. Also, Rainbow, I need a favor.”

“Sure, Twilight, whatsup?”

“I expect Fizzlepop to go full tilt while on this mission, so I want you to race the airship at least once. I need to see-”

Rainbow cut her off, placing a hoof on her muzzle, “Shh, you had me at race.”

Twilight giggled, and teleported to the atrium. Silver Spanner had already entered the airship, and Rainbow followed suit.

Fizzlepop and the crew she had gathered had just entered the Castle’s atrium when Twilight teleported in. For a brief moment, the whole room as awash in a bright light.

“Ah, Fizzlepop, perfect timing. Silver Spanner got lost in the castle on her way up to the balcony, so I figured I should lead you all up there. Eventually I’ll give you a proper tour of the place.” She turned and walked up the stairs, with the group of ponies following behind her.

The trip up to the balcony was uneventful, and Fizzlepop led the crew up the gangplank. She ordered them onto the deck, but before ascending herself, she decided to check the engine room. She saw Spanner, and Spanner turned and held a hoof up to her muzzle, letting out a quiet hiss. Concerned, Fizzlepop quietly cantered over to Spanner.

“Look,” Spanner whispered, pointing a hoof at the open firebox door, “I was about to stoke the fire, but Spike must have climbed in while you were gone. He’s asleep in there. Isn’t that too cute?”

Fizzlepop’s jaw dropped. Sure enough, Spike was napping in the firebox, comfortable as a cat in the 1000° heat.

“How are we supposed to get him out? We’ve got work to do.”

“Well, we could ask Twilight, but I’m not sure what she could do either. Can’t use my magic, that’d hurt. I’d hate to wake him up.”

The though clicked in Fizzlepop’s mind. Why was she wasting time with this?

“Spike, wake up!” she called into the firebox.

“Huh, wuh?” Spike mumbled, “Woah, guess I fell asleep, huh?”

“Ya, time to get to work.” Spike crawled out of the firebox door, and Spanner set back to work prepping the engine.

“Man, that was great! That was one of the best naps I’ve ever had.”

“You were supposed to be watching the engine, not napping,” Fizzlepop said sternly.

“Well, nothing bad happened, did it?”

She passed Spike a dirty look as they walked towards the stairs to the deck. He reminds me too much of Grubber.

Princess Celestia wasn’t sure what to do. The other storm guards seem to understand what it meant to be a Prisoner of War, and had maintained themselves in the old guard barracks under lock and key. This small one, however, kept escaping. And he would not stop asking for cake. He doesn’t seem to be trying anything, other than getting cake. Celestia figured that, since sending the guards after him wasn’t working, she might as well pacify him.

“Alright, Grubber, I have a moment now that Day Court is over, we’ll go get some cake.”

“Sthounds great, Princeth.” He started rambling about all the different confections he had had since his arrival in Canterlot. Though she did not show it, Celestia was absolutely losing her mind. I have got to get rid of him.

Fizzlepop lined up her impromptu crew on the deck of the airship. She debriefed them on their mission as Twilight had explained, and gave them a crash course on the operation of the airship: Basic nautical terms, rigging, communication standards, and even some pointers on the onboard weapons. She was sure they wouldn’t be needed. Most of her time had been spent with Spanner going over some of the mechanical minutia of the airship’s engines and controls. She could tell that Spanner was a skilled engineer, and had taken to her job like a fish to water.

Satisfied that they were ready, Fizzlepop sent Rainbow to tell Twilight they were ready to cast off. Rainbow had only been gone a matter of seconds when Twilight teleported onto the deck behind Fizzlepop. I’m really going to have to get used to that.

“Excellent timing, Captain. I just finished the last of the orders. By the time you arrive in Manehatten, your contacts should be ready for you. That, or you’ll beat the Pegasus couriers I sent.”

“That sounds like a challenge, Princess.”

Rainbow arrived, “You bet it is. And I’ll be putting this tub through its paces on the way there, so don’t hold back, Fizzlepop.”

Twilight smiled while throwing a pair of binoculars around Rainbow Dash’s neck. Then, she floated a parcel to Spike, and a checklist to Fizzlepop.

“Hit your stops in that order, and all the necessary requisitions are in that package. Good luck, and have a safe trip. Ponyville’s counting on you all. Now, I need to go help organize the demolition teams. Wish me luck.” Twilight vaulted off the deck and flew towards town.

“Alright, ponies,” called Fizzlepop, “Let’s cast off!” Rainbow undid the mooring, and Fizzlepop set the reverser. Satisfied that the ship was maintaining gyroscopic stability, she massaged the throttle forward. Rainbow called their distance from the balcony, and Fizzlepop carefully shifted the ballast to list the airship left. Turning another control, rudders shifted, and the accelerating airship turned skyward.

“Everything’s looking good so far, Captain,” called the disembodied voice of Spanner from the engine room. Loud hissing emanated from the rear as the cylinders blew excess condensation for a few moments, then stopped. A grin of satisfaction creeped on Fizzlepop’s features; rarely did she ever get to run a rig at full tilt. She slammed the throttle forward, and the ship bucked slightly as the props kicked into gear.

Even Rainbow Dash was impressed,

“Heh, no wonder you found us so quick the other day, this boat’s pretty quick!”

“Well, that rainbow was the real giveaway.”

“Heh heh, ya,” chuckled Rainbow Dash, nervously.

Silence passed for a few moments as the airship gradually increased in speed. Rainbow chose this as a good opportunity to stretch in preparation for the race. Flapping her wings hard, she vaulted off the deck in a blur, quickly leaving the airship in the metaphorical dust. Fizzlepop was not deterred. Eyeing the gauges, she called for the fireponies to increase their rate. Soon coal was flying into the firebox, monitored by Spanner. The engine’s governor spun out further and further, and white steam billowed out from the aft’s exhaust. She adjusted the reverser more, gaining precision from the machine. Calling out to the crew, she had them adjust the rigging to aid streamlining, improving the ship’s air resistance. Rainbow Dash was merely a dot on the horizon, but that dot was getting bigger.

Rainbow Dash barreled through the sky, goggles misting from the humidity. She had already put a massive amount of distance between her and Fizzlepop, and she knew she could maintain it. Her endurance wouldn’t get her all the way to Manehatten, but staying far enough ahead for long enough would prove her ability against the machine. She dared not look back; nothing was going to slow her down. At speeds any other Pegasus would hit at a sprint, she was pacing herself.

Eyeing her charts, Fizzlepop estimated their arrival in Manehatten around six o’clock, putting their flight time at just under two hours. Spike was leaning against the railing, looking down. They were thousands of hooves in the air, and he was mesmerized by the quickly scrolling forests down below.

“Wow, Fizzlepop,” he called, “this is amazing! And you get to do this all the time?”

“Uh, not all the time. Only when I went on missions for the Storm King. It was no vacation.”

“Oh, right.” Spike returned to his sightseeing.

Everything was going well. Rainbow Dash was getting closer, and the engines hissed with a steady rhythm. Her gauges read well, and no callouts had been made by the crew. The sleepy countryside passed beneath them, and white clouds floated by. Fizzlepop knew the engines were going to top out soon, but Rainbow Dash was nearly in her grasp.

Rainbow Dash was having a blast. The sun was just beginning its descent, casting shadows across the countryside below. She couldn’t remember the last time she had pushed herself this far for this long; it was exhilarating. Judging by the landscape, she figured they were a little over a quarter of the way to Manehatten. In her peripheral, she could see the Canterhorn, with Canterlot shining like a jewel in the early evening sun. Focus, Rainbow. She noted her altitude. At this altitude, we’re way higher than any pegasi would normally fly, and we’re above most Equestrian airship routes too, so no traffic to worry about. Just over the horizon she could see the first glimpse of Manehatten.

“Aww ya, this race is as good as mine!” she called out. Something caught her ear, and she looked down. Not twenty hooves below her was the airship’s balloon, just creeping on her. She quickly accelerated, putting herself in front of the airship, then slowed down just enough to land on the deck, matching the speed of the airship as best she could.

“I had a feeling you would catch up eventually, but not that quickly!” she whined, “This airship is really fast.”

Fizzlepop nodded and said, “Well, I really pushed it; both for the thrill, and because I needed my spotter back.”

“Heh, I guess that is a good reason. Well, I can report that I spotted no other airships or pegasi in the area.”

Fizzlepop realized she had been more worried about pirates than traffic, and she chuckled. Thanking Rainbow Dash, she adjusted the controls again to bring the ship to a more reasonable speed. Communicating to the engine room, she ordered the fireponies to slow down. In the engine room, the two ponies collapsed, grateful for the rest after half an hour of constant shoveling. Spanner laughed.

Shadows lengthened as they reached the halfway point of their trip. Canterlot was well behind them in the distance, and Manehatten was growing on the horizon. The crew had settled in for the trip, only making small changes to the trimming when necessary. Rainbow Dash was circling the airship in swift but loose barrel rolls. Spike was bothering Spanner in the engine room, desperate to get out of the cold air and take another nap in the fire. It was all she could do to keep him out of there, so he settled by stretching himself over the boiler.

Fizzlepop was making use of her time studying charts. A grand map of Equestria stretched over the nearby table, held in place with clips. We must be over the Hollow Shades right now. She cantered to the railing, but below there were only deep forests. Must not be visible from the air. She returned to her post at the helm. Big Mac walked up beside her, copying Fizzlepop’s gaze over the bow of the ship. They stood in silence for a couple of minutes, and Fizzlepop began to feel awkward. She broke the silence, saying,

“So, it’s pretty cold up here.”

“Eeyup.”

“Doesn’t bother you?”

“Nnope.”

“That’s good, I guess.”

Moments passed.

“So, you’re Applejack’s brother?”

“Eeyup.”

“Ah. She seems like a good pony. Well, I guess all of Twilight’s friends are good ponies.”

“Eeyup.”

“I guess; I don’t know. I really appreciate what Princess Twilight’s doing for me, but I know it’s not going to be easy to make up for what I did.”

“Eeyup.”

“And I know everypony knows what I did, and even with the Princess backing me and advocating for me, I know I’m going to get a lot of hate from them. Even today I could see the dirty looks, and I probably deserved every one.”

Big Mac was silent.

“I guess, in the end, I’m just going to have to keep doing right things, to make up for what I did. I don’t know if I really can make up for it, but hopefully everypony will forgive me in time.”

“Eeyup.”

“Thanks, Big Mac. I feel a lot better about this whole thing. We should talk again sometime.”

“Eeyup,” said Big Mac, and he walked off.

Moments later, Fizzlepop’s eyes went wide as she realized what she had just admitted to; and to a total stranger no less. I do feel better, though.

The cleanup efforts in Ponyville were going well so far, in Twilight’s opinion. Ponies marched up and down the streets, salvaging belongings and materials where they could, and loading detritus into carts for the burn pile. Twilight hovered above, using her telekinetic abilities to pick up more than her fair share, loading multiple carts at a time.

Not everything was going perfect. Guards were needed to keep ponies from entering their ruined homes. It was just too dangerous to retrieve their belongings, Twilight had reasoned. Most unicorns couldn’t create shields strong enough to protect them if the homes caved in; it wasn’t worth the risk. All they could do was be as judicious as possible during the demolition, in hopes that surviving belongings could be saved afterward. So many are going to have to start from scratch.

Twilight finished dismantling another ruin, and flew towards the train station. A group of ponies had gathered, at the ready for the next project. A trio of earth pony stallions were carting lumber and construction hardware carefully across the tracks from the depot. Another group had finished leveling a large section of grassy field in preparation for the construction project.

“Alright, ponies, listen up!” Twilight called, “We’ve only have a few hours before the first shipment of lumber arrives from Manehatten, so we need these woodsheds and the new station platform up asap. I know you all can do it.”

A hearty “Yes ma’am!” rang out from the assembled team, and they set to work. Twilight flew off towards the camp, but noticed Starlight Glimmer dismantling a condemned cottage. She touched down nearby.

“Starlight, I’m glad to see you’re up.” She said cheerfully, and embraced her friend in a quick hug, “Are you okay to be working?”

“Ya, I’m doing a lot better. Those Apples make a mean stew. Thanks for checking up on me. Anything else I can do to help?”

Twilight though for a moment, “No, keep at it. If something comes up, I’ll let you know.” And she flew off.

She arrived at the camp and saw Miss Cheerilee and Trixie entertaining a crowd of foals. Twilight was glad to see Trixie up and about, and desired to hear her side of her and Starlight’s adventure, but thought it would be rude to interrupt their storytelling. She returned to the town, knowing that there was still a lot of work to do before evening.

Manehatten was well within their sight. Fizzlepop could see the long stretch of industries on Manehatten’s westward edge. Smokestacks billowed white exhaust, creating a light cloud cover in front of the city’s tallest buildings. As they neared, she could see trains milling about rail yards, pushing freight cars back and forth in what could only be organized chaos.

She ordered the airship slower still, further dropping their altitude gradually. Matching Twilight’s checklist with her navigation charts, quickly locating their first destination. She reasoned Twilight had picked Tough as Nail’s Lumber due to its central location and the empty lot next door; perfect to moor the airship.

Gathering the crew on deck, she barked orders. The ponies adjusted the rigging to aid the ship in its descent. It would take precision to land the ship vertically over the lot. She adjusted the reverser and lowered the throttle, letting the engines stall for just a few moments. The airship drifted forward, quickly losing speed as the ambient air worked against it. She pulled a chord with her hoof, and a long toning whistle bellowed out of the machine. Opening the reverser once more, and opening the throttle, she reversed the airship’s props, quickly slowing the ship down with a slight lurch. Rainbow Dash was calling out their distance to the lot as they slowly drifted into position.

She massaged the throttle, and the airship slowed, slowed, and stopped. The ship hovered in place above the empty lot as ponies, who had noticed the whistle blast, began circling on the ground around the incoming craft. Fizzlepop adjusted the ballast, and the airship began sinking. Rainbow Dash vaulted off the deck, and called out the ships now narrowing altitude, and Fizzlepop matched it to the altimeter’s approximations. Two pegasi from the crew grabbed mooring ropes, and hovered beside the ship as it neared the ground.

Minutes passed as the ship moved into position. Finally, the ship halted a mere two pony’s height above the stone lot. Adjusting the controls, she locked down the ship, and the safety valve at the aft of the ship let out a large plume of steam. Fizzlepop announced to the crew that Spanner was in charge, and she and Spike exited the deck into the hull. Big Mac cantered up and down the deck, throwing mooring ropes to the ponies down below. They secured the ends to whatever weighty detritus was available, and the airship was finally secured. The gangplank slowly cranked down, revealing Fizzlepop, still in her gleaming lavender armor, and Spike, who was on her back, holding the parcel full of orders. He attached the parcel to her side, and pulled out the map of the area. They descended the gangplank, and met Rainbow Dash on the ground.

“Wow, never thought I could add ‘landing an airship’ to my list of accomplishments,” Rainbow Commented, wiping sweat from her brow, “that’s a lot of work.”

Fizzlepop nodded and said, “Well, at least you didn’t have to do it in wartime conditions; When I opened the gangplank the other day and saw all four Princesses standing there, I was sure I was about to meet a fiery, laser induced end.”

“Heh, hadn’t thought of that.” Rainbow Dash looked away awkwardly.

“Anyway, let’s get going,” Spike said, “We have a lot of ponies to talk to, and some of these companies are a decent trot away.”

The trio cantered down the cobblestone street, evening settling in around them. Sunlight glinted off warehouse windows, and workponies milled around, going about their business. Steam whistles sounded all around from various industries and locomotives, and plumes of exhaust sailed overhead. As they neared the lumberyard, they could hear the loud whine of buzz saws working.

The trio entered the main entrance to Tough as Nail’s Lumber, Fizzlepop leading the way. The small waiting room was largely unfinished, sporting a cobblestone floor and no immediate ceiling. Spike looked straight up at the ironwork arches holding up the massive roof to the warehouse. The right wall was dominated by filing cabinets, and in front was a secretary mare at a small wood desk.

Without looking up, the secretary said pointedly,

“If you’re here for a pick up move your cart to the north dock entrance.”

Fizzlepop cantered up and cleared her throat. Spike presented the order.

“Actually,” Fizzlepop declared, “We are representatives of Princess Twilight. We need this order fulfilled immediately, exactly as it reads.”

The secretary grabbed the order in her hooves and looked it over, her eyes growing wide.

“Uh, give me a moment. Boss!” she galloped out of the waiting room into the warehouse. In moments she returned behind a large, muscular earth pony stallion. He maneuvered behind the desk, and eyed Fizzlepop up and down. Extending a hoof, he introduced himself,

“Name’s Tough as Nails, owner and manager of Tough as Nails.”

“Captain Berrytwist, of Princess Twilight’s honor guard.” They shook.

“Hmm, well you look official enough. Let’s look at this here.”

The secretary set the order down on the desk and he read it over.

“This is quite the order, and she wants it now? Did somethin’ happen?”

“Ponyville burned down,” she replied plainly.

“Yeesh, no kiddin’? Alright, I’ll have the team get to work on fulfillin’ this order. And we’ll have the railroads full cooperation?”

“Yes, the Royal Guard is taking charge of the operation, just follow the instructions in the order. And you will be compensated by the crown, of course.”

“We’ll get on it. Pleasure doin’ business with da Princess.” He cantered out of the waiting room and began shouting orders at the employees, and the trio exited the building.

Stepping out onto the street, Spike pulled out the map and directed them to the next stop. Fizzlepop trotted down the street, Rainbow Dash hovering beside her. Minutes later they were at their next destination: another lumber yard. They quickly repeated their performance successfully, and left.

“Two down, four to go,” remarked Rainbow Dash, now hovering over Spike’s shoulder as they read the map.

“Looks like our next stop is a steel supplier of some sort,” said Spike, “Kinda wish we had stuff like this in Ponyville, then we wouldn’t have to fly halfway across Equestria just to get building materials.”

It took some time to travel to the next industry, and once again they were successful. Ponies seemed eager to accept orders from a Princess, and any potential conflict disappeared when Ponyville’s dire situation was mentioned. The promise of compensation didn’t hurt, either.

As sunset arrived, only two industries stood in their way from returning to Ponyville.

“Jack Hammer’s Construction,” read Spike aloud. So far, they had placed orders for lumber, steel, thaumic wire, plumbing materials, and had even rented construction vehicles. All that was left was to contract a construction crew to aid in the rebuilding effort.

“So let me get this straight. You want me to call back all my operators and two of my teams that are already in the field working other projects, load them onto a train, and send ‘em off ta Ponyville for the next week to build some cottages?”

“I want you to follow the instructions on that document,” Fizzlepop replied curtly. So far, negotiations were not going well. When they first arrived, the secretary ignored them. Contractors, apparently, did not cater to walk ins. When Fizzlepop mentioned the Princess, the secretary finally relented and fetched her boss. He was less than impressed by the situation.

“Well, that’s what this document says. A full crew of vehicle operators and two teams of construction ponies. And I’m supposed to send them now.”

“Then do it,” Fizzlepop was losing her patience.

“That is not how this industry works. The companies my teams are doing work for right now scheduled months in advance, and I don’t see the urgency in a little housing project.”

“Can’t you read? This is not a housing project, half of Ponyville burned down. We have hundreds of displaced ponies in need of housing; it says so right there.”

“I don’t buy it. How could any fire spread that bad, anyway? How do I know any of this is legit? And I certainly don’t see any bits on you.”

“They were attacked by the Storm King’s army.”

“Who?”

“What do you mean ‘who’? The Storm King’s army attacked Ponyville and Canterlot just the other day, captured three of the Princesses, and were defeated by Princess Twilight. Their army sacked Ponyville looking for her. How have you not heard of this?”

“Meh, I can’t keep track of every evil magician and demigod that attacks Equestria every Tuesday, and I’m losing my patience with this nonsense,” He pushed the order back across the desk at Fizzlepop, “Take your order and get out of my office.”

Fizzlepop snapped,

“Listen, I am a representative of the crown, and the Royal Guard is going to be here this evening expecting to load a bunch of ponies onto a train,” she stood up, bracing her front hooves on the desk, “You will follow these orders to the letter,” she grabbed the pony’s tie in her hoof, pulling him close, “or you will regret it. Do we have an understanding?”

Under her stern gaze, the manager finally relented.

“Fine. Now get out of my office, and you can bet the Princess is gonna hear about this.”

The trio exited the building, and after moments of silence, Rainbow Dash commented,

“Uh, Fizzlepop? Don’t you think that was kinda harsh?”

“I did what I had to,” she snapped, before cantering off back towards the airship. Rainbow Dash and Spike shared a look before speeding up to catch up with her.

They arrived back at the airship, where ponies of all sorts were milling around. Foals stood wide-eyed at the craft, while craftsponies and workers chatted with the airship crew. A few Royal Guard pegasi were standing near the gangplank, talking to one of the crewponies. Seeing Fizzlepop and Rainbow Dash, they cantered up.

“Captain Fizzlepop. Princess Twilight sent us to assist with the project, but it appears you have already completed your mission. We’ll remain to help administrate rail transport for the materials. Are you scheduled to return to Ponyville?”

“Princess Twilight ordered us to pick up hardware at a nearby industry, then return to Ponyville,” Fizzlepop responded.

“Understood,” was all the Pegasus guard said, then they flew off towards the rail yard. The hiss and chuffs of shunter locomotives echoed across the lot. Fizzlepop gathered up her crew and ordered them back onto the ship.

On deck, Fizzlepop did a headcount.

“Where’s Thunderlane?”

“He went to go get us dinner. He said Manehatten hotdogs were second to none.”

Fizzlepop wasn't impressed. "What? We have a schedule to maintain. This isn't a pleasure cruise."

The crew withered under her glare until Rainbow Dash intervened,

"Come on, Fizzy, lighten up. They're not your Storm Guards, they're civilian volunteers."

Sighing exasperatedly, Fizzlepop gave in,

"Fine, we'll hold here until after dinner, then it's back to work. And we are going to talk about that nickname you've given me, Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow grinned.

Twilight was in high spirits as she exited the guest bedroom into the hallway. It was nearly sunset, and thanks to everypony's cooperation and hospitality, over eighty percent of the town had somewhere to stay that night that wasn't a small tent. Ponies whose homes had survived opened their doors to their friends and family, and the few hotels were waving their rates thanks to the promise of an eventual tax credit. Town Hall was full, and even Twilight's castle was to play host. She had promised the many guest bedrooms to as many as she could make room for, and she, Spike, Starlight, Fizzlepop, and Rainbow Dash would have to bunk in the Master Bedroom. Oh, it'll be just like a sleepover!

She had spent the last forty minutes working dutifully to prepare the rooms for her guests. It was no mean feat to carry all the displaced furniture from the foyer up the spiral staircase, even with her telekinesis. Only one guest room remained. Through the door from the stairs, Twilight slowly walked into the circular hallway, angling the bed just so to fit through the doorway. Around the hall she went, nearing the furthest room. As she got close, a sound caught her ear.

Suddenly, a deafening growl emanated from the guestroom. Twilight jumped straight up and dropped the bed with a loud thunk.

"What in the hay is that? It sounds like a manticore! Or, maybe a Storm Guard is in there." Bolstering herself, she quietly and carefully walked toward the door, and slowly opened it just enough to peak inside. Nothing appeared out of sorts, so she slowly opened the door, all the while the 'growling' continued.

She peered at the bed, noticing a pony sized lump under the bed sheets.

"Hello, is somepony there?" She neared the bed, slowly. She placed a hoof on the lump and gently shook.

"Ah!" There was a yell, and the bed sheets exploded up, encompassing Twilight and tripping her as she tried to back away.

"Who goes there? Show yourselves, fiends!" said a stallion.

"Wah, who's there?" Twilight flailed around, unable to escape the sheets.

"Princess Twilight, is that you?" The unknown voiced ripped the sheets off Twilight, and she looked up.

"Flash Magnus? What are you doing here?"

Flash donned his armor as he spoke.

"Good morrow, Princess. I apologize for staying in your castle uninvited, but I was exhausted after the siege the other day, and because I sought your audience."

I am definitely going to install some locks in this place.

"Oh, that's fine, Flash. I'm surprised to see you here, though. I thought you were in Cloudsdale?"

Flash looked sullen for a moment. "Indeed I was, your Highness. In fact, that is partially what I wanted to talk to you about."

Twilight had just finished remaking the bed.

"Of course. Let me go brew some tea, and we'll talk in the throne room."

Twilight opened the double door to the throne room, carefully floating the tea set behind her. Flash was, arguably, the Pillar of Equestria she had spent the least amount of time with, and knew the least about. Before he had joined Stygian and the rest to defeat the Sirens, he had been a staple member and leader in Cloudsdale's Royal Legion, keeping the newly founded Equestria safe from Griffon invaders and Dragon looters.

Flash was standing at attention in front of the large table in the center of the throne room, and turned when Twilight entered.

"Oh, um... go ahead and take Applejack's seat there." She pointed at the throne next to hers. Flash nodded and, flapping his wings, carefully touched down in the seat. Twilight set the table, unloading the tray of its contents, and sat down.

"So, how can I help you, Flash?"

"Well, I think it would be wise to start after the Knighting Ceremony." Flash sipped his tea, then stared at it as he recalled the past few weeks.

"As you know, we were very grateful for the awards and title Princess Celestia granted us as knights in her name, both for our actions in the past and for saving Stygian. Although to be honest, that was mostly you and Starlight's doing."

Twilight blushed at the compliment.

"After you and your friends returned to Ponyville, we said our goodbyes too. It seemed everypony was quick to return to their homes to see what has become of them over time, but Rockhoof was hesitant. The day after the ceremony, he and I remained in Canterlot. We had the opportunity to watch the guards train at the Castle barracks. I hate to admit this, but I was not impressed."

Twilight gave him a quizzical look, so he elaborated,

"As we watched, a castle servant taught me the history of the Royal Guard. Even after unification, Equestria had no formal military. Many large towns had militias, but the Royal Legion of Cloudsdale was by far the largest, most organized force. When the E.U.P. was founded, Cloudsdale gave up its military independence, but founded the Wonderbolts. I have seen them perform recently, they are truly skilled in acrobatics.

"Over time, as it was explained to me, the E.U.P. slowly fell to the wayside, as Canterlot's Royal Guard, under the leadership of Princess Celestia, took control.

"They have the zealousness and fervor, but, to be honest, they are completely lacking in might and skill. The Pegasus guards are not swift, and the unicorns do not use their magic as far as I have seen. Rockhoof even sparred a few willing, and defeated them utterly.

"My visit to Cloudsdale was similar. Don't misunderstand, I was welcomed as a hero. They threw a great celebration that first night in my honor. And the improvements they have made to the weather factory are truly something to behold! But as I wandered about the city over the next few days I saw first-hoof how much it has changed. Not a single street remains the same as it did in my time, it is a totally alien city. The great headquarters of the Royal Legion is totally gone, and even the Colosseum is vastly different."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Twilight offered him more tea. "I can't even imagine what it must be like to be displaced in time like that, and I'm sure all of the Pillars are struggling. I don't even know if Rockhoof knows his ancestral city is an archeological site now."

"He will find out soon, if he does not. He is traveling there as we speak."

"Oh dear. Does he have anyone with him?"

"I do no believe so. Do not worry, he is a mighty stallion, both in strength and in wisdom. He will mourn, as I am, and dedicate himself to the protection of Equestria."

Twilight's eyes widened in concern, "...Mourn?"

"Yes. I visited Cloudsdale's Mausoleum during my visit. Pegasi have always been cremated, and our names are interred there on plaques. I... missed out. My two children were young when we entered limbo, and for Equestria's sake I lost the opportunity to raise them. My son followed in my hoofsteps, joining the Royal Legion and becoming an accomplished warrior in his own right. My daughter was a medic, tending to those injured in the line of battle protecting Equestria. I could not be more proud.

"My lineage now spans Equestria, over nearly fifty generations. There are thousands living with me in their ancestry, and even Rainbow Dash is a part of my lineage. The chronicler showed me that from my son I have an unbroken line of first-born males that have all dedicated themselves to Equestria's defense in some form, culminating in a young colt named Flash Sentry. He shares my colors, my namesake, and military heritage. I think... I would like to meet him, and maybe even some others that share my family tree. But there are so many, I wouldn't even know where to begin." He chuckled mirthlessly.

"Oh wow, that's amazing! You have to tell Rainbow Dash, she'll be beside herself. And meeting your existing family will be a challenge, but I know where you can start. I've actually met Flash Sentry, he's currently stationed as a palace guard in the Crystal Empire. He, uh, seems nice..." She trailed off, blushing slightly.

"Indeed?" He laughed heartily. "Then I believe I will fret over this no longer. But that leaves... another problem."

Twilight tilted her head inquisitively.

"I am unsure of what to do with myself now that I am back. The Royal Guard does not seem to have a place for me, and I certainly cannot return to the Legion. My only desire is to dedicate my efforts to protecting Equestria, as I have done in the past. So, I turn to you. I have studied your accomplishments, Princess, and you are currently the penultimate defender of Equestria, having saved it from so many enemies. Please-"

He stood up from the chair and, facing Twilight, bowed.

"Give me a place. Grant me another opportunity to put my skills to work for Equestria's defense."

Twilight stood up.

"Rise, Flash Magnus. I'm very glad you came to me; Equestria does require your service. I can't get into all the details right now, but there is a threat to Equestria that I am working to deal with. I am preparing an army, and I will need all the experienced ponies I can get. I invite you to stay in the castle for the time being, and tomorrow I will get you up to speed on what's been going on."

Flash saluted. "Thank you, Princess, I will not let you down."

Thunder sounded in the distance.

The sun was nearly past the horizon as the last crate was shoved up the gangplank. Fizzlepop supervised impatiently as the team pushed and pulled the heavy hardware into place with the rest. Flying an airship at night was difficult enough, she did not want to takeoff in the dark as well. Rainbow Dash touched down next to her, facing the airship.

"Well, the wind's picked up a bit, shouldn't affect takeoff. It'll give us a nice tailwind, though."

Fizzlepop had already made adjustments to the airship's ballast to compensate for the cargo's immense weight, and was mentally going through her pre-flight checklist. Spanner had prepped the engines, the crew was double-checking the security of the cargo, and they had just finished taking on water to fuel the boiler. Traffic wouldn't be an issue, even in busy Manehatten, and the Royal Guard was taking care of everything else. Touching down near the Ponyville Station at night would probably be the hardest part, she thought.

On deck, Fizzlepop mustered the crew,

"All hooves!"

There was a thundering of hooves, and then the quiet clacking of Spike's claws as he tried to catch up.

With a quick order, the line of ponies dispersed to their stations, and Fizzlepop returned to the helm. Spike grumbled as he returned to the warmth of the boiler, wondering why he needed to be present.

Rainbow Dash fluttered alongside the slowly rising airship, zipping back and forth as she gathered the loose mooring ropes. Soon the craft was up, up, and away, soaring high above the Manehatten industrial sector in the waning sunlight. With a great chuff and a plume of white steam, the airship sped back to Ponyville.

Twilight exited the shower, finally clean after a hard days work. The dust and detritus from the demolitions had left her grimy, and she was prepared for a good nights rest before work picked up again tomorrow. Her bedroom was ready for her 'sleepover', and all she needed to do was prepare for the incoming shipments and guide in Fizzlepop. Everything seemed to be going according to plan.

The ponies of Ponyville had surpassed her expectations. All of the demolition work was done, and the new woodsheds and warehouse had been completed across from the railroad station. Every filly and mare had found lodging, treating this horrible situation as a big sleepover, celebrating the opportunity instead of giving into despair. Everyone capable had worked so hard, and were prepared to work just as hard the following day. The Ponyville restoration project, which would have taken months via conventional means, in her estimation, would be completed in a couple of weeks. And Ponyville would be stronger for it.

Twilight meandered into her bedroom, grabbing a book in her magic as she laid down on the bed. Fizzlepop would arrive in less than two hours, and the first train would show up at least a couple hours after that. All she could do now was wait, so she dove into her literature.

"Ahhh," she sighed, "Nothing is better than reading in bed with a cup of coffee while listening to the rain. Wait, rain?"

She leapt out of bed and pressed her face against the window. Sure enough, the sky had gone dark, and rain was steadily coming down. She raced out of her bedroom, down the hall, flew down the spiral staircase, and vaulted into the foyer.

"What is going on? You-" she pointed at the nearest Pegasus guard, "find out why the weather plan was changed. Hurry."

With a quick Yes Ma'am he sprung into action and swung open the front door, only to collide head first into another pony. Twilight, hearing their helmets collide, turned around and galloped to the door to survey the damage. Outside was a soaking wet pegasus mare in a lab coat and hardhat, nursing a darkening bruise on her forehead. Twilight held out a hoof and helped the pony up.

"Oh dear, are you alright? Come inside, out of the weather." Twilight closed the door, teleported, and returned back with two cups of coffee.

"Thank you, Princess Twilight," the mare said, "I'm a representative from Cloudsdale's Weather Factory. Well, what do you think?" She grinned and pointed a hoof as if presenting something.

CRACKOW

Twilight was confused, "What do I think about what?"

"Why, the storm, of course. The other day, we received a request from Ponyville for the 'King of all Storms'. Can't imagine why, though. But you asked, and we delivered. Took a full day 'round the clock to make, too."

Twilight scowled, "I never requested any storm! Ponyville and Canterlot came under attack by the forces of the Storm King, and they laid waste to half the town. I have nearly a hundred ponies sleeping in tents tonight. I can't even begin to imagine how many things must have gone wrong to lead to this. Why wasn't I told ahead of time?"

The mare withered under her stare, "I-I don't know, your Highness, I wasn't in charge. Uh, but don't worry, the storm will expand naturally and end in about seven hours. Anywaythanksforthecoffeegottagobye!" She panicked and flew out the door.

Twilight could only stand there, dumbfounded.

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Twilight paced back and forth across the foyer, her hoofsteps wearing a groove in the crystal floor.

"This is bad. Really bad! This storm is awful, and so many ponies are still out there working, and the camp is going to be flooded, and Fizzlepop has to fly through this. Not to mention this will set our construction efforts back until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest. The ponies might not continue working in the rain, and the trains will show up soon, and there won't be anypony to unload them. Ugh..."

Twilight, exhausted from the day and from the mounting problems, gracelessly flopped down on her side and buried her face in her hooves.

"Princess, what's wrong?" Twilight looked up to see Flash Magnus adopting a defensive stance next to her. "Are we under attack?"

Twilight sighed, "No, Flash, nothing's wrong. Except that my entire operation is falling apart at the seams thanks to a miscommunication with Cloudsdale."

Flash chuckled, "The best laid plans always fall to the heat of battle. What separates the great strategists from the rest is their ability to adapt." He held out a hoof to help Twilight up from the floor.

"Now, what is priority number one, your Highness?"

Twilight sniffled, "Well, the trains are going to be here soon, but I doubt the ponies I've assigned to unloading them are going to work in this weather. If the trains don't get unloaded, it'll wreak havoc on the whole network."

"I see. Can something be done about the weather?"

"I don't think so. There aren't even close to enough pegasi in Ponyville, and this storm is massive and violent. Maybe I could put a dent in it, but I haven't even begun to study weather magic."

"Well, then you must lead by example. If those ponies cannot handle a little rain, then you must use your abilities to unload the trains yourself. Surely those ponies would not be so cowardly to let their Princess do all the work."

A steam whistle sounded in the distance.

"You know, you're right, Flash. Time is of the essence! Even if I have to do it by myself, this job is going to get done." She took a long sip of her coffee, and threw a magic shield around herself.

"You won't be alone, Princess. I may not have your magic, but I will help any way I can."

"Thank you Flash. Now, let's do this." She and Flash vaulted out the door, leaving the guards in their wake.

Nearly halfway to Ponyville. Fizzlepop shivered as the wind blew across the deck. I should ask Twilight if she can enchant this armor to keep me warm. Night had long ago descended, and all was going well so far. Most of the crew had gone below deck to get out of the cold, and only the heavy chuffs of the engines could be heard.

Fizzlepop turned as she heard the hatch to the hull creak open. Rainbow's head popped up over the floor, flashing a grin.

As she approached, she shouted, "Hey, I got you some cider," and handed her the mug.

Fizzlepop thanked her and sipped the warm drink, sighing contentedly. Rainbow Dash remained at Fizzlepop's side in silence, enjoying the evening air.

Suddenly, Rainbow Dash gasped. She crouched down, and her mane stood on end.

"What, what's going on?"

"I don't know, but I think we're in for a heck of a storm. There aren't any thunderstorms scheduled for tonight, though." She galloped towards the bow and perched on the bowsprit, bringing up her binoculars. In the far distance, roiling black clouds stood like a great wall in their path, spreading out in all directions. She returned to the helm and reported to Fizzlepop.

"I don't know why there's a storm over Ponyville, but it's definitely pegasus-made. Even from here I can feel how crazy powerful it is; I'm not sure we should fly through it."

Fizzlepop thought for a moment, weighing her options. "Well, I've flown through storms before, and even if you didn't know about it surely the Princess did, and she wouldn't have sent us out here if she thought a little weather was going to cause us problems. Besides, this is the first responsibility I've been given as Princess Twilight's Captain. I'm not going to fail."

Rainbow Dash wasn't convinced, "If you say so, but it wouldn't be failure to land somewhere and wait out the storm. And I'm sure Twilight would prioritize everypony's safety first."

"That may be, but we don't know whats happening down there. If you say a storm wasn't scheduled, Ponyville may be in trouble. They could need our help."

"Hey, ya, you're right! Quick, make this tub go faster." Rainbow began shadow boxing, pumping herself up for the possible fight ahead.

"Well, I'm not just going to charge in there," she turned to the communication tubes, "All Hooves on deck!"

Once the crew was present, she brought them up to speed, "Listen up! A large storm has shown up over Ponyville, so I'm going to need everypony in top form if we're going to get through this. We're just over an hour away from our destination, and about twenty minutes from the storm. If we fly low and take it steady, it'll be no problem. Now," she divided the ponies up: two to check the cargo, two to help Silver Spanner in the engine room, and the rest to man the trimming.

Fizzlepop, once again at the helm, adjusted the ballast and angled the rudders, bringing the airship into a shallow, sloping descent.

The rain pattered against the envelope of the airship as they edged into the storm. Lightning flashed in the distance, casting bizarre shadows against the thick clouds. In mere minutes visibility dropped to nothing.

"Watch your altitude, Fizzy! The downdraft will force us closer to the ground." Rainbow Dash could barely shout over the din of thunder and the increasing ferocity of the rain.

Fizzlepop eyed her compass and altimeter. In the low visibility, it would be easy to lose their way.

The winds howled around them, the summer thunderstorm seemingly attempting to eject the ship from its presence. Fizzlepop struggled at the helm, keeping the wheel firmly in the crook of her hooves. Forcing the wheel left, it was all she could do to keep the ship pointing in the right direction.

"Incoming gust from port, hold on!" Rainbow yelled as she grabbed the railing. Mere moments later the whole airship bucked right, throwing ponies against the starboard railing and tossing Fizzlepop like a rag-doll off the helm. The wheel spun freely, and the whole ship lurched.

"Oh no you don't!" Fizzlepop leapt up, grabbing the helm once more and forced it counterclockwise. She silently cursed herself for underestimating Equestrian weather.

"Listen up," she shouted into the communication tubes, "I want everypony on deck tethered, now!" She yanked a lever, and ropes descended from the overhead framework, all knotted to a guide-rail. The unicorns on deck grabbed the ropes and quickly tied them to the other ponies' barrels.

Down in the hold, two earth ponies slowly made their way toward the bow, meticulously checking each of the ropes holding the large crates in place.

Unable to brace themselves from the incoming wind, they slammed against the port wall as the ship lurched. For moments they laid on the floor, dazed and confused. One of the crates near the bow came loose of its mooring, sliding forward slowly across the steel floor.

The rain came down in torrents as the airship plunged further into the storm. Lightning flashed all around, blinding the ponies on deck and leaving their manes standing on end. Fizzlepop stood steady at the helm, concentrating hard on keeping control of the ship. She was lost in focus, ignoring the cold and the soreness in her hooves. She didn't hear Rainbow Dash call out an incoming downdraft.

CRACKOW

As lightning struck, the blast of wind slammed into the airship, violently tipping it forward and forcing it down. Ponies scattered across the deck, sliding on the wet woodwork. Only their tethers kept them on deck. Fizzlepop was catapulted by the wrenching force over the helm and somersaulted, slamming head first onto deck floor. Dazed by the impact, she flailed about on her side, desperately attempting to gain a hoof-hold. Her heavy armor compounded with her exhaustion and kept her from righting herself. She saw the helm spin wildly, and the ship turned about, losing its heading and knocking Fizzlepop further off balance.

Bic Mac galloped toward her, managing his balance despite the random movements of the airship beneath him. Skidding over, he grabbed Fizzlepop in his forelegs and lifted her up. Back on her hooves, Fizzlepop sprinted back to the helm, grasping it tightly.

"I am not losing control again!" she growled. She eyed the altimeter and the compass.

We must be getting close. Time to drop below the storm. Angling the rudders, she sent the airship back into its descent in a desperate attempt to fly below the storm.

"Rainbow Dash, over here!" she called out. Rainbow Dash galloped from her perch on the bow, but only made it half way to the helm before she started slipping. Pushing herself, she ran in place on the wet deck before sliding back towards the bow.

"Something's wrong!" Fizzlepop was losing her balance, but had no visual in the inky blacks and grays of the nighttime storm. Bracing herself against the wheel, the realization struck her: The whole ship was tipping dangerously forward.

"You two," pointing at the two unicorns, she shouted, "Somethings wrong with the cargo. Get down below and fix it!"

Seeing the struggling unicorns attempting to obey, Rainbow Dash vaulted and grabbed their tethers. With a mighty heave, she swung them across the angled deck and they slid into the hatch.

"Engine room, report!"

"Captain?" Silver Spanner's voice betrayed her nervousness, "Whats going on? Why are we tilted?"

"Cargo must be loose. Be prepared, I'm putting us in full reverse!"

"Aye, Captain!"

Adjusting the controls, Fizzlepop set the props in reverse in an attempt to level the airship.

The hold was in chaos. Several of the containers, loosened from their ropes by the original crate, gave way and tumbled into the bow of the ship. The earth ponies had been powerless to stop them, and were giving their all to keep any more crates from falling forward. Dealing with the increase slope, only their sheer strength kept the heavy crates at bay.

The unicorns descended the stairs into the hull. They quickly planned ahead and leapt into action. The first grabbed the two crates that had remained in place, forcing them into stasis. The earth ponies jumped clear as the second unicorn began telekinetically lifting the fallen crates back into their original positions. Seeing an opportunity, the earth ponies tossed the holding ropes back across the crates and secured them as the magical stasis held them still. Levitation, stasis, ropes, levitation, stasis, ropes; the process continued until the final crate was set back in place.

"Cargo secure, Captain!" came the call from down below.

The flight to the Ponyville Railway Station was quick for Twilight and Magnus. As she had predicted, the first freight train had already arrived, and was idling noisily with an impatient hiss from its safety valve. She eschewed the main door of the small depot, instead quietly landing on the ground next to the train. Trotting up the steps to the platform, she spied a railroad employee and the stationmaster arguing,

"Now look here, pal, we're under direct orders from the Princess, and I need this train unloaded so I can get out of the way for the next train."

The stationmaster scowled, "And I keep telling you, I don't have any ponies to unload the train. Nopony is stepping hoof out in this weather!"

"That's your problem, pal, not mine. Now, I'm going to tell you what to do about this train-"

"I'll tell you what you can do with that train! You can take that train and-"

Twilight lit up her horn, and began lifting the timbers off their flatcar. As soon as her magic touched the lumber, both arguing ponies turned on her in unison,

"Hey, don't touch that- Oh, Princess!"

Twilight rolled her eyes and smiled, redoubling her efforts unloading the heavy timber. Widening her stance, she lifted the load off its flatcar, into the air, and gently laid the large planks in a neat, organized stack under the woodshed on the other side of the tracks.

The worker was impressed at the telekinetic display, "Wow, I bet every warehouse in Equestria wishes they had one of you!"

Twilight continued working, her shield protecting her from the onslaught of rain as it pattered audibly against the magic barrier. Flash, the stationmaster, and the railroad employee watched from the platform, protected from the storm by the station's overhanging roof.

Looking down the tracks, Twilight counted the lumber laden flatcars that still needed to be unloaded. At least fifteen cars were coupled to the idling locomotive, patiently waiting their turn. This is going to take a while.

The stationmaster looked disapprovingly at the railroad employee, "Don't you have a job to do?"

"Ya, ya, I'll get to it. Princess, I'm gonna start moving the train up slowly, just keep doin' what you're doin'."

With two short blasts of the whistle, and a hiss from the cylinders, the locomotive's six driving wheels turned in sync, and the whole train crept forward. Car after car was unloaded, and the monotony caused Twilight to almost pick up the caboose in reflex. In all, it had taken her a mere half hour to unload a whole train, and it left the station just for the next train to arrive.

As the train pulled into the depot, Twilight eyed the station clock. It was late into the evening, and Fizzlepop still hadn't arrived with the airship.

"Cargo secure, Captain!" Fizzlepop heard through the communication tube. Her relief was palpable as the ship gradually leveled out. Though the disaster had only gone on a matter of minutes, it had felt like hours as Fizzlepop had clung to the helm in a desperate bid to keep from sliding off the deck. With the ship righted, she could get back to work.

"Excellent work, ponies," she cried to the tube bank, "now lets get this tub back to Ponyville!"

Cheers sounded out throughout the ship as Fizzlepop threw the throttle, and the ship roared to life with a symphony of heavy chuffs and hisses. Rainbow sidled up,

"You wanted to see me, Fizzy?"

Fizzlepop rolled her eyes at the nickname, "The truth is, I've lost track of our position. We'll be below the clouds soon, and I'll need your help figuring out how far off track we are."

"Sure, no problem. I've seen Ponyville from the sky hundreds of times, it'll be a snap."

The airship descended in the black, and the rain hit hard against the envelope. Fizzlepop let out a breath as they broke the cloud cover, finally gaining visibility. Peering over the starboard side, then port, she attempted to establish landmarks, but to no avail. Rain surrounding them on all sides, and not even the Canterhorn could be seen. Forests stretched out below the airship, but no signs of civilization were apparent.

Rainbow returned to the now slowing airship, and after shaking her coat dry, reported to the helm,

"Alright, I told you it would be no biggie, we're right here," and she planted a hoof on the navigation chart next to the helm. Fizzlepop stared at first, then squinted,

"Where?"

Rainbow Dash was too tired to play games, "What do mean? We're right here, where I'm pointing."

"What, in front of your hoof, or under it? It covers nearly an eighth of the chart!"

"Fizzlepop, how are you not getting this?"

Fizzlepop sat back, and threw her hooves up in exasperation, armor clinking through the motion, "I don't know where you mean? Every creature I have worked with has had claws, fingers, some sort of appendage to accurately point at things. I'm so sorry I don't understand the subtle nuances of hooves!"

Rainbow facehoofed with frustration, "Well how do you point to things?"

"What? I don't, I just use the...grid..." Fizzlepop groaned audibly, more at her own absentmindedness, and her apparent hoof illiteracy, than anything else.

The storm had knocked them off course, nearly an hour directly north as the crow flies. Luckily, they, too, were flying, and were much faster. As they picked up speed, the forest shifted beneath them, and exhausted ponies retreated to the warm and dry of the hull. Though the storm continued, even Fizzlepop could tell its intensity had decreased. She, more than anypony else, appreciated how well the craft had performed that evening, despite their trial. It's nice to be using it for something constructive, for once, she mused.

"Gotta say, Fizzy, I may not know a lot about airships, but I know a lot about flying. And you are good at flying. Tonight's been big fun, we should do it again sometime."

Fizzlepop raised an eyebrow, "You found this fun? We ran a glorified errand, and nearly capsized in a thunderstorm. What part of this was fun?" Rainbow gently placed a hoof on her shoulder.

"The part where I got to see first-hoof how right Twilight was in hiring you. I'll admit, when I first heard about it I had my doubts. But despite how unimportant this job was, you did it without question. Even when you didn't know a single Ponyvillian, you still went halfway across the country to help Twilight provide for them. And when the going got tough, you stuck it out showed that storm who was boss."

Fizzlepop was expressionless as she mulled Rainbow Dash's words. "Thank you, Rainbow Dash. That means a lot."

"Heh, no problem. Now let's get back to town and figure out why we had to fight this dumb storm in the first place."

"Hear hear," Fizzlepop said with a grin.

Twilight was getting tired. It was late into the evening, and the moon had risen long ago. The "King of Storms", however, was doing everything it could to keep Twilight from seeing it. The thick cloud cover and pouring rain were also keeping her from seeing any sign of Fizzlepop and the others as she stole another glance at the eastern horizon.

Flash Magnus had a crease in his brow as he offered Twilight another cup of coffee. As Twilight had worked, he has spent the time attempting to find other ponies to aid the Princess in unloading the trains. Surprisingly, only two had volunteered: both were unicorns, and they had found their abilities, and their patience with the weather, taxed after a mere hour of work.

"I just cannot fathom it," he said, exasperatedly, "how can these ponies shirk a request from a Princess? Especially when the request is so straightforward. With enough hooves this task would have been completed effortlessly."

Twilight did not respond, instead focusing on maneuvering the heavy steam crane into place next to its fellow construction vehicles. Its smokestack and boom arm gleamed in the artificial spotlight, and its treads sank slightly into the soft grass. As she worked, the stationmaster answered for her,

"Well, to be honest, this is a fairly unique situation. Ponyville's never seen so much rail traffic in a month, let alone a day. And trying to get ponies out in weather like this is near impossible."

Magnus flew up from under the awning, becoming drenched again but not caring.

"Have ponies gone soft in my absence? It is just a little rain."

CRACKOW

He coughed and wheezed as char fell from his burnt coat. "Fair point, he whispered and fell toward the ground.

"Flash, are you alright?" she caught him, and placed him gently on the platform.

Flash hacked, "Just fine, it would take a lot more than that to stop Flash Magnus."

The thunder rumbled in response to his challenge, and Magnus pulled a foreleg over his chest, eyes widening.

"Let's not tempt fate," giggled Twilight, and the two stallions laughed in agreement.

As the thunder quieted, Twilight let an ear swivel, "Do you two hear that?"

The pair focused, straining to hear.

"Sounds like another train," Flash responded quietly, "but its coming from the wrong direction."

As the chuffing grew louder, Twilight looked northward, toward the sound. Squinting, she could barely make out a shape against the clouds. Then, two spotlights appeared in the sky, and a deep foghorn blared.

"Oh thank goodness," Twilight breathed a sigh of relief, "It's Fizzlepop. Be right back." She took off, and landed on the other side of the woodshed looking over the open field. With a burst of magic, she lit up the field with a giant lavender circle. The airship responded with two blasts of its whistle, and slowly glided down toward the target.

The airship hissed steam as it completed its descent, and its anchor dropped onto the wet ground with an unceremonious thud. Twilight knew she could fly up to the deck, but checked her patience. She knew how important it was to thank everypony for their hard work as they exited the ship.

With a rattle of chains, the gangplank fell to the ground, squishing into the wet grass. Fizzlepop descended first, with the crew of ponies lined up behind her. They looked exhausted and haggard.

Twilight started to speak, but Fizzlepop shouted first, "Ponies, present yourselves to your Princess, her Highness Twilight Sparkle. Thank her for the opportunity she has given you!"

At first they just looked at each other, confused. Twilight spoke up,

"Oh, that's not necessary. I wanted to thank you all so much for your service today. I can't imagine how difficult it was to pull off, but rest assured that your efforts do not go unnoticed. I thank you, and Ponyville thanks you, and you will all be compensated for this as soon as possible."

In response, there was a quiet shuffling of hooves before one of the unicorns spoke up, "Thank you, Princess. Can we go home now?"

"Oh, of course. Uh, dismissed?" And the crew galloped away toward town. Soon only Fizzlepop, Rainbow Dash, and Big Mac remained with Twilight.

With a quick bit of magic, Twilight expanded her shield to cover the three, and dried them off.

"So, how'd it go?"

Fizzlepop responded with a quick bow, "Mission accomplished successfully, your Highness. All crew and cargo accounted for."

"Speaking of, where are Spike and Silver Spanner?"

Big Mac drawled, "You should see for yourself."

As they made their way toward the engine room, Rainbow Dash asked,

"Hey Twilight, whats with this crazy storm? As far as I know it wasn't scheduled. Is the Storm King back?"

She sighed, "No, nothing like that. Cloudsdale heard about the Storm King and misinterpreted it as an order for what they are calling "The King of Storms". I can't even imagine how this could have happened, and its been reeking havoc in town. I just spent the last few hours unloading trains."

Rainbow laughed, "Oh I can imagine. Twilight Sparkle, protege of Princess Celestia, Element of Harmony, Princess of Equestria, and living dock crane. Bahahaha."

Twilight wanted to retort, but Fizzlepop shushed them as they neared the engine room door.

Twilight peered nervously through the door. She saw Spanner on the far side, and the group quietly trotted up to her. Spanner pointed with a hoof into the firebox.

"As soon as he had the chance, Spike climbed back into the firebox. Isn't he cute?"

Spike was once again curled up in the hot coals, and flames licked around him.

Twilight smiled, "That is adorable. Has he been in there the whole time?"

"No, we had to kick him out for the trip to operate the engine, he spent most of the trip lounging on top of the boiler."

Twilight giggled, then called out to Spike to wake him.

He groaned, "Five more minutes."

"Spike, its time to go home."

He slowly crawled out of the firebox, and Twilight set him on her back.

"Welcome back, Spike. Did you have fun?"

Spike rubbed his eyes groggily, "Ya, it was yaaaaaaaaaaaawn great. We should do it again sometime."

"Eenope."

"What's the matter, Big Mac," Rainbow jeered, "Afraid of heights?" She prodded his side with a hoof.

"Eenope, afraid of sliding off the darn thing."

Eyes narrowing, Twilight asked, "What does he mean, did everything go okay?"

"I promise you a full report tomorrow, your Highness."

"Ya, but you might want to have Pinkie bake some 'Sorry we almost capsized and dumped you off an airship in the middle of a storm' apology cakes for the crew."

If there had ever been a more hateful and rage-filled glare directed at Rainbow Dash than the one Fizzlepop was giving her, she wasn't aware of it.

"You what? Capsized? Fizzlepop, what happened?"

Fizzlepop sighed, "Sorry, Princess. The cargo got loose in the storm, and the ship tilted forward. Everypony was tethered or below deck, and the situation was under control within minutes. I had everything in-hoof."

"Fizzlepop, I expect a full report by tomorrow afternoon. Any other surprises?"

As they approached the railroad station, the last train of the evening pulled away, revealing a crowd of construction ponies and one irate CEO, who was busying himself yelling at the stationmaster.

Rainbow Dash, Fizzlepop, and Spike spoke in unison, "Uh oh."

"Is this another surprise, Fizzlepop?" Twilight said flatly.

"Fizzlepop may have gotten a little hooves-on with Jack Hammer. He didn't feel like sending his construction ponies out to the middle of nowhere for a housing project."

"He refused to follow your orders, your Highness," Fizzlepop interjected, "Nothing we said convinced him. I did what I had to to make him comply."

With an tired sigh, Twilight waved a hoof. "I think I understand, Fizzlepop. I'll fix it. You three head for the castle, and I'll take care of Jack Hammer. But let me make this clear, Captain," she pointed a hoof at herself as she looked at Fizzlepop, "I am not a tyrant. I don't force ponies to do my bidding, and I avoid using my title to strong arm ponies as much as I can. Please consider that when carrying out your duties." She turned to Big Mac, "Big Mac, thanks again for your help, but you better get home. I'm sure your family is worried about you."

"Eeyup." And Big Mac galloped toward Sweet Apple Acres.

Crossing the tracks, Twilight softly made her way towards the platform, overhearing Jack Hammer's ranting. Flash Magnus had stepped in to defend the stationmaster,

"Please back off, Mr. Hammer. There is no reason to get physical."

"And who the hay are you, anyway? And what's with the getup? Nightmare night was months ago. I-"

He was cut off as Twilight cleared her throat, "Good Evening, Jack Hammer. I wanted to thank you and your crew for aiding in Ponyville's reconstruction efforts. I've made arrangements for you all at the Lucky Horseshoe Inn just across the street. They're ready if you'd like to head over there."

The score of ponies walked off the platform, leaving Twilight, Jack, and Magnus.

"Now, Jack, I know it was a tall order to call so many ponies off their jobs and send them up here on such short notice."

He huffed, "You ain't kiddin', Princess. Now I'd like some answers, quick like."

"Of course," Twilight obliged as she rebuilt her weather shield, "Let's take a walk, please. I'd like to show you something."

He squinted suspiciously, but fell into step with Twilight and Magnus as they walked towards town."

"So whats the big idea, anyway," he said as he looked around, "town seems fine to me. Those ponies were working on projects, you know. Quite the lucrative contract from Big Iron building a new steel mill. I'm sure you realize I'll be dealing with the flack from them soon."

"I understand, Mr. Hammer." As they walked, the houses began to thin out, but Jack didn't notice. "Please understand that Ponyville has dealt with property damage before, but never like this. We simply do not have the resources locally to rebuild. We are dealing with the aftermath of an attack from a foreign power, and I have over a hundred displaced ponies."

The group rounded around City Hall, and the incredulous look on Jack Hammer's face was displaced with confusion.

"Wow, that's a lot of prime real estate. Uh, Princess, why is your castle so far away from everything? Seems like ponies would want to build real close to royalty, not away from it."

"Does the Princess have to spell it out for you, Jack?" Magnus was running out of patience.

"What? You mean..." He flipped around, then back again, "But that would mean nearly half the town got razed. That's crazy!" But as he looked, he noticed remaining street signs and foundations creeping out of the mud. Squinting helped him pick out the details of what hadn't been removed during the cleanup.

"This is what we're dealing with, Jack. And don't think I didn't take your companies contractual obligations into account. Every contractor in Canterlot is dealing with reconstruction efforts there, and the other major cities were too far to pull from on such a short notice. Manehatten is by far the closest, and you were the top contractor not working on a public works project."

Jack humphed, "Alright, I get the picture. But that doesn't excuse your soldier's behavior today."

"I understand, please accept my apology for her methods. She has already been reprimanded. Despite the gravity of the situation, I never intended any disrespect."

"Well then, I accept your apology. I don't know about you, but I'm beat. Why don't we chat more in the morning?"

Twilight held out a hoof, "Agreed." And they shook amicably.

Jack Hammer returned to the hotel, and Twilight and Magnus squished their way through the muddy streets back towards the castle. As they neared, it became clear through the downpour that the castle was besieged by Nocturne Guard.

"Do you think perhaps Princess Luna is nervous?" Magnus laughed.

"Wow, I don't think I've ever seen so many nocturne in one place." They trudged up toward the giant door of the Friendship castle, where two soldier's stood watch. They saluted.

"Good evening, your Highness, Sir Flash Magnus. All's quiet. Princess Luna sends her regards."

"Thank you, sirs," she said as they entered the foyer. Closing the door, she magicked the mud off of herself and Magnus and said,

"That was the longest day I have ever had. Ever. Magnus, do you know how to get to your room?"

"Of course, Princess."

"Good, then I will see you tomorrow." And with a flash of light and a pop, she disappeared upstairs.

Magnus laughed heartily, "Good night to you too, Princess," he said to nopony in particular.

Twilight reappeared in the hallway in front of her suite, the most private sanctum of the castle. Surprisingly, a guard was stationed outside her door. She was not in the mood to talk to anypony else today. She laughed inwardly at the thought of herself from two years ago dealing with all this.

"Evening, your Highness," the guard said as he opened the door.

"Evening," Twilight mumbled as she walked past. Finally, her suite, her sanctuary, the port in the storm, respite from all this work and sociali- Why are Fizzlepop and Rainbow Dash standing outside my bathroom? The two mares were arguing quietly in front of the bathroom, and Fizzlepop was still wearing her armor. Worst yet, they had tracked mud into the suite.

"What are you two doing?" Twilight whispered accusingly, "It's late, go to bed."

"We can't. Trixie's in the bathroom and wont let us have a turn. And Fizzy here is a dirty cheater."

"I am not. We flipped a coin, and I called heads, she called tails, and heads decided I got the bathroom next."

Rainbow Dash pointed a hoof accusingly, "And I keep telling you that's wrong! I called heads, and you didn't say anything. I get the bathroom first."

"Ugh, both of you, be quiet," Twilight said a little too loudly, "Rainbow, head down the stairs a floor and turn to your right. There is a spare full bath you can use. And don't take to long, please." Rainbow darted out of the room. "Fizzlepop, you can take your turn after her, but first let's get you out of that armor."

Fizzlepop looked disgusted, "Princess, to be frank, I'm not a cripple. I am more than capable of removing my own armor."

"I didn't mean to insinuate that, but when you returned I noticed some of the spellwork had deteriorated, I need to know yaaaaaaaawn why. Or, maybe it can wait til morning. Either way-"

Before Fizzlepop could protest, Twilight disassembled the suit of armor and placed it in a neat pile near the door to the hallway.

"Now then, to get on to important matters," Twilight moved past Fizzlepop and rapped on the bathroom door.

"Trixie? Are you in there? I'd like my bathroom back please." But no response came. "Are you sure she's in there?"

"Yes, she was walking in as soon as we arrived."

I just want to go to bed. "Trixie, you better say something now, because if you don't I'm going to unlock the door." Silence. "Alright, I hope your not in a compromising position."

Twilight slowly magicked the door open, but closed her eye and turned her head away as she entered.

"Trixie?" She and Fizzlepop entered the bathroom fully, and burst into laughter.

"Well," Fizzlepop said between giggles, "I'd say that is a compromising position."

Trixie had fallen asleep while brushing her teeth, and her head lay on the edge of the sink, with the rest of her body slumped down on the ground. Groggily, the sound of laughter brought her back to the waking world.

"Huh, what grkk-" she nearly choked on her toothbrush, and fell backward onto the tile. Twilight and Fizzlepop laughed even harder at the display as Trixie spat out toothpaste.

"What's going on, where am I?" she asked accusingly of the two. It took a moment to settle down before Twilight could answer,

"You're in my bathroom, Trixie. I was going to ask you why you were here?"

"The Great and Powerful Trixie," she said, remembering her persona, "was invited to stay here by Starlight because somepony forgot Trixie's wagon back in Canterlot."

Twilight facehoofed. How was she supposed to know Trixie had traveled there with her wagon, only to be carted back to Ponyville unconscious?

"I'll make arrangements for its return, Trixie. But yes, you are welcome to stay in the meantime. Just try not to fall asleep in the bathroom anymore, please." Fizzlepop grinned, and Trixie scowled.

"Now, if you'll excuse yourselves, I'd like to use my bathroom," and Twilight threw them out and locked the door.

"Hmph, touchy," Trixie remarked as she sluffed towards the bedroom.

Fizzlepop stood alone in the suite's antechamber. She glanced around, taking in some of the personal affects decorating the room: A couch rested against the outer wall next to a small bookshelf, and above the shelf was a mirror. She walked up to it, noticing the photos of Twilight's friends. She compared her messy, scarred face to the smiling faces in the pictures.

Is friendship something I desire? she thought to herself. Her musings were interrupted by Rainbow Dash returning from her shower.

"Night, Fizzy," she called and darted into the bedroom.

Heh, I might have it whether I want it or not. Grinning, she left to get ready for bed.

When she entered the bedroom, Twilight waved her over. The room was a crystalline cylinder with high vaulted ceilings and tall windows, covered with lavender drapes. Twilight's bed sat off to one side, while the temporary beds semi-circled around it, taking up the rest of the room. Spike, Trixie, Rainbow Dash, and Starlight were already fast asleep. Twilight was sitting up in her bed as Fizzlepop quietly approached.

"I know the single bed's not much, but make yourself at home. After we sort through this mess with Ponyville, we'll see about getting you a room," she whispered.

"Thanks, Princess. It's more than I deserve." She nestled in between the sheets, and went to sleep. Soon the only sounds were light snoring and the pitter-patter of the death-throws of the "King of Storms".

The airship swayed under her steel-clad hooves as lightning crashed all around. She was adorned in heavy, black armor with electric blue inlays. Her grip on the helm was tight, and the blistering winds posed no threat. Thick, black smoke surrounded her airship, but Fizzlepop was not deterred. Her goal, a shining beacon in the dark, was straight ahead.

The beam of light flickered as she neared, but never faltered. Closer and closer her airship flew, beating against the hot air. Hot air? Peering deeper, she could see now, her goal, her destination: Canterlot. The city on the edge of a mountain. But it was wrong, somehow. The heat was intense. It ebbed and flowed in the air and dried her lips. But she pressed on; there was no turning back! She dropped the airship, down and down, and looked upon the honeypot of magic and wealth... on fire. The whole city was aflame. The spires, those that still stood, were like massive candles atop the worlds largest candelabra.

No, this isn't right. This wasn't the plan! But there were Storm King airships swarming everywhere. She looked port, then starboard, her airship flanked by other Storm King airships, manned by massive Storm Guards. With a force like this she had taken Canterlot, she could take the world. She sped ahead toward victory, leaving the other airships behind. It was hers! Closer now, close enough to land. Time to slow down, but the airship wouldn't respond. She yanked back on the throttle, closed the reverser, wrenched the helm, nothing! The ground was quickly approaching. What had gone wrong? The control, the power, was gone.

"Help, help!" she cried, but there was no one. The Storm Guards were gone, the airships were gone, there was only her. And the ground. She braced and-

Black.

The airship beneath her had disappeared. Canterlot no longer burned, and her armor was gone. Instead, she stood in the inky black, seeing nothing.

"Hello, is anyone there?"

Suddenly, light! Above her, light shown down, illuminating her. But nothing else. Then, ahead of her, another light. The Princess!

"Princess Twilight? What's going on, where are we?"

"Be quiet!" she snarled. Fizzlepop reared back in shock.

"This is your fault! All of this. You brought them here, and for what? So you could have your precious little horn back? Huh? Stalked my friends, captured the Princesses, and now my family is in danger from some Gorgon freak! Now I have to put my life on hold to fix your mistakes.

"You think you deserve answers, huh?" The Princess stomped forward, scowling accusingly at Fizzlepop. "You think you deserve your bed? You think you deserve redemption? You think you deserve Friendship!" Fizzlepop tripped, and Twilight was on top of her. She lit her horn and-

Gone.

Fizzlepop was alone again, and the darkness was gone. She circled on the empty deck of the airship. The ship was still, the night was clear, and calm prevailed. She faced the bow, and saw a shape in the mist. A mere shadow, but the fog separated in front of her, and in the pale-blue moonlight Princess Luna appeared, touching down gracefully on the bowsprit.

"Princess Luna," Fizzlepop gasped, "What's going on?"

"Good morning, Captain Berrytwist. Please calm yourself," she cooed as she approached across the deck, "'Twas merely a nightmare."

Fizzlepop sat down, "I-I'm dreaming?"

"Indeed. Your true form lies still in Twilight Sparkle's bedroom." She sat down in front of Fizzlepop.

Fizzlepop sighed, "Well that's good. But why are you here?"

"'Twas I who stilled your nightmare, Captain Berrytwist. In the waking world, my duties are to command the path of the Moon in the night sky, aid in ruling Equestria as part of the Triarchy, and to protect my little ponies from monsters that hide in the shadows. The land of dreams are also my domain, and with my magic I command nightmares to cease, and for the subconscious to be still. 'Tis the least I can do as recompense for my past behavior. But surely you knew these things." She wave a hoof dismissively.

"Why would I know that? I mean, I get you're a Princess, but..."

Luna gave her a flat look, "Were these facts not among the knowledge you armed yourself with before carrying out your attack? Was it not common knowledge that my sister commands the sun, or that Princess Cadance rules with her husband in the Crystal Empire, while raising a newborn foal, no less?" She was standing now, pacing back and forth in front of Fizzlepop as she talked, "And the Princess Twilight, barely a mare in her own right, newly ascended, and currently the Defender of Equestria, friend to hundreds, and a beacon of hope to millions."

Fizzlepop sat facing forward, stoically staring at Princess Luna. But inside, each new fact was adding weight to her guilt.

"These facts I present to you are common knowledge in Equestria, and in many parts of the world. Can you truly claim ignorance, Captain? Or would apathy be a better term?"

Fizzlepop said nothing.

"My purpose here tonight is not so shallow as to berate you, Captain Fizzlepop. Allow me to make myself clear: In you I see a mare of great potential. You are competent in many skills, you have unique world experiences to share, and I trust Princess Twilight Sparkle's decision to allow you a second chance. But what I have seen so far from your behavior is that akin to a bully. A malcontent who seeks power and position.

"You saw us as nothing but a treasure trove of magic, and sought to use it for your own devices, indirectly but all the same. And I doubt that even you are convinced that your injury justifies your actions. Had it occurred to you at any point to return and seek medical advice? Equestrian medical sciences have improved immensely during my exile."

The mask broke, "I-I didn't know what to do. I was just a filly when it happened, and the ponies in my village shunned me. I was so alone."

Luna placed a hoof on Fizzlepop's shoulder, "I understand your pain, Captain Berrytwist. I, too, for so many years thought I was being shunned and unappreciated. But as I recall those years of my past as the Nightmare slowly took charge of me, I realize that, in anger and jealousy, I pushed away the very ponies that were attempting to aid me. I mistook their efforts to comfort as mockery, and my sister, I was convinced, was doing everything in her power to undermine and belittle me. Can you truly say that you never pushed away a friend out of frustration or rage?"

Fizzlepop thought for a moment. Memories of her foalhood were drudged up, and from those flooded more from her travels. Not just ponies, but all sorts of creatures, at one time or another, had attempted to help her, and she ignored, or used them. The realization that her own behavior, perhaps more than anything else, had made the world seem like a hateful, uncaring place.

"So you understand?" Luna said softly.

"I didn't even realize what I was doing. I just assumed everyone was out to take advantage of me, so I... took advantage of them. I was even trying to take advantage of the Storm King for my own benefit. That sure backfired."

They shared a laugh, and Luna said, "You are a strong pony, Captain Fizzlepop. Someday you will learn to forgive yourself, as I did. And I hope that 'I'm sorry' becomes a part of your vocabulary. It helps." She winked.

"Well then, I think I've found a good place to start." Fizzlepop stood up, then bowed, "Princess Luna, I am truly sorry I invaded Equestria, turned you and the other Princesses to stone, stole all of your magic, and nearly doomed the world for my own selfish desires. I can only hope that you all can forgive and trust me someday."

Luna smiled, "An excellent apology, Captain, and I accept. Now, if you will excuse me, it is nearly sunrise, and I have duties to attend to. Good morrow, Captain Berrytwist."

She smiled back, "Good morning, Princess Luna. And thank you."

The dream broke.

Secret Door, Secret Door, Secret Door

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In the early hours that morning, arriving just before the sun, a train steamed quietly into Ponyville. Neglecting its whistle, the locomotive was instead satisfied with muted hisses and pops as it idled. The doors to its passenger cars opened wide, allowing the herd inside freedom after their long trip. Unknown to the sleeping town, the ponies quickly set to work, unloading the freight cars at the front of the train of their mysterious cargo. At the rear of the train, two covered wagons were ramped down from their flatcars. As the sunlight barely peeked over the horizon, the trainload of shadows split into two teams: One marched softly down the damp streets toward the Royal Guard's camp, and the other towards the Friendship Castle.

Nocturne Guards barred the large door as they approached. These ponies were unexpected, and with the Princess and so many townsfolk asleep inside, they were not going to take any chances.

Quiet whispers passed between the guards and the lead pony, and soon they were in. The guards parted, and pony after pony quietly walked into the castle.

As the sun rose, its light shown brilliantly against the sparse cloud cover left over from the previous evening's storm. It reflected off the damp ground, and everything shimmered in the morning light. God rays bled through the small crack between the lavender curtains of the master bedroom, and landed square on Twilight Sparkle's face. She groaned softly, the piercing light threatening to interrupt her slumber. She rolled over in an attempt to escape, but the sun's path was set. Soon the whole bed was illuminated by the sunrise, and she roused slowly. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she took stock of the room. Everypony, and dragon, remained asleep in their guest beds, but Fizzlepop's was empty. She quietly left her bed, and exited the room to the suite's antechamber.

Twilight found Fizzlepop standing next to the door to the hallway at attention, already dressed in her armor. By the way it gleamed in the soft light of the room, it was obvious she had spent time this morning cleaning it.

"Good morning, Captain," Twilight whispered as she crossed the antechamber, "Sleep well?"

Fizzlepop nodded, "More or less, your Highness." Her stoicism was practiced, and Twilight could glean nothing more than what was spoken.

"Alright, well, I'm going to get ready, then we'll head out. We have a lot of work to do today." She disappeared into the bathroom.

Some time later, Twilight reentered and asked,

"So, Captain, any news this morning?" Twilight really wasn't sure what responsibilities she expected Fizzlepop to have. Though she had had guardians in the past, their presence were always temporary affairs. Now she had taken another step, or maybe a leap, into her princessdom, by appointing a permanent guardian.

"Yes, your Highness," Fizzlepop clicked her heels as she responded, "A nocturne guard updated me as I made my rounds. First, there have been no sightings of Xanthantos in the Crystal Empire. Second, you are expected to host an emergency war meeting with General Sure Arc and General Kuiper at noon today."

Twilight raised an eyebrow, "Did they say what for?"

"No, Princess."

"Hmm, alright. Well let's get going." She moved toward the door, but Fizzlepop held up a hoof,

"Wait, Princess. I, well, while we have a moment. I..." She had been fighting with the words all morning, but remembering Luna's advice, she sighed and said, "I- I wanted to apologize, Princess. For so long, I committed terrible acts for incredibly selfish reasons, and that selfishness led me to target you and the other princesses. I have no excuses, and despite everything I've done you have shown, and are showing me, incredible grace. I couldn't be more thankful. I had so many opportunities over the past couple of days to ask for forgiveness, but I thought throwing myself into my work would be good enough. But last night I received some advice, and I feel like I should say I'm sorry."

Twilight smiled, then opened her mouth as if to respond, but stopped. The smile waned, and she looked away from Fizzlepop as if searching for the right thing to say. She frowned, and her head and ears drooped as she returned her gaze to her Captain.

"I -I'm sorry, Fizzlepop. I want to say I forgive you; no, I need to forgive you. But after everything my friends and I went through to try and stop you while you chased us, seeing the other princesses turned to stone, having my magic stolen again, I... I just don't know if I can right now.

"The past few nights I've had nightmares, Fizzlepop. Terrible dreams where I am stuck in stone, or in that cage, powerless as Equestria burns, and my family and friends are captured. You are in those dreams looming over me while I sit powerless.

"I know it isn't right, but your invasion has set Equestria, and my immediate family, in the sights of powerful enemies. If-if something happened to Shining Armor, Cadence, and Flurry Heart, I don't know what I'd do," Tears fell as she spoke, and her voice cracked slightly, "So I'm sorry, Fizzlepop. But I can't forgive you right now. Don't misunderstand, I'm not stipulating it, that would be manipulative and wrong. I-I just need some time..." She hung her head in shame.

Fizzlepop frowned. "I understand, Princess."

Twilight wiped her eyes and looked back up, "Thank you," she said softly, "Let's head downstairs. I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

Seeing Twilight back in sorts made Fizzlepop smile, and she fell in step beside the Princess as they walked down the hall.

"Oh, by the way, we have some guests this morning."

Twilight knew they were hosting Ponyville citizens in the castle, but she didn't think that was what Fizzlepop had meant.

"Really? Who?"

"You'll have to wait and see," Fizzlepop grinned mischievously, "If I told you, that would ruin the surprise."

Suddenly, the wafting aroma of breakfast hit them.

They descended the spiral steps, then turned the corner to the final staircase overlooking the castle foyer. Ponies were milling about, but Twilight was surprised to see long bench tables stretching the length of the foyer. Ponies in bonnets and stetsons ran around, serving the breakfast bounty. Mountains of pancakes and hash-browns were already being enjoyed by guests of the castle.

As soon as Twilight and Fizzlepop reached the last step, they were quickly accosted by a familiar yellow stallion in a brown cowpony hat,

"Well howdy there, Princess," he exclaimed while vigorously shaking Twilight's hoof, "Please accept these humble vittles courtesy of-" He reared up on his hind hooves, "AaaaAppleloosa!"

Twilight's hoof was still shaking until Fizzlepop stopped it, "Braeburn? What is all this?"

"Well," he explained as he led the two to their seats, "We heard about y'all's troubles and all, couldn't believe it when we got here. 'T'ain't fair these monsters runnin' around all over and hurtin' good ponyfolk. Good thing you always stop 'em. Anyway, weren't no way we weren't gonna help out. We figured y'all might be hurtin' on food, so we armed up the chuck wagons and hustled on out here."

"Well thank you, Braeburn. You have no idea how much this helps," Twilight said as she sat down, "I hope sharing food won't hurt Appleloosa."

"Think nothin' of it, Princess. We know once Ponyville's back on its hooves, y'all'll help us in kind if'n we need it. Now, as fer breakfast, we got pancakes and hash-browns. How do y'all take 'em?"

"I'd like a stack with everything on it, and my hash-browns crispy, please. And as much coffee as you can spare."

"And you, ma'am?"

"I'll have the same, I guess."

As Braeburn trotted off, Twilight looked up and down the table. Ponies of all kinds were enjoying their meal, and she ruminated that though she knew all their names, and many of them she knew personally, it was a rare opportunity to take breakfast with them. But it was sad, in a way, because the only reason they were here was because their homes had been destroyed. Maybe I should make this a regular thing. She noted that most of them looked happy, despite the circumstances.

"Sooo, Fizzlepop," Twilight started, attempting to make small talk, "When did you wake up this morning?"

Fizzlepop was already feeling out of sorts, sitting at the bench in her armor, surrounded by strange ponies. She would much rather be standing at attention, in the backdrop, than chatting with her charge over breakfast. Casual conversation was not something she was heavily experienced with. Monologuing was more her style, anyway. Perhaps, she reasoned, this was some sort of test. The Princess was making sure her captain had not been lackadaisical.

"I awoke at oh-five thirty, your Highness," she reported, "I spent the first hour cleaning and maintaining my armor, then I made my rounds. I witnessed the change of the guard at oh-seven hundred, and returned to stand watch in your suite."

Twilight gave her a flat look, "Fizzlepop, I'd like you to do something for me."

"Of course, your Highness."

"When it's just you and me, in a casual environment, please relax. I won't ask you to call me by name instead of title, but I have a feeling these moments where we can just be friends will be rare. I don't want to know my Captain only as a villain in the past and as a soldier now. Does- does that make sense?"

"Is that appropriate, Princess?"

"I don't know, which is why I'm asking now before I find out if it is or not."

"I think I can do that."

Twilight smiled, "Thank you."

They conversated idly as they waited for their food. Twilight's attention was pulled this way and that by other ponies at the table. Some thanked her for her efforts stopping the Storm King, while many others had questions about their assigned roles for the reconstruction effort. Twilight was more than happy to help, but for the sake of expediency she told many of them to wait until the town hall meeting scheduled for later that morning.

Fizzlepop, relinquished of the small talk, found herself with not much to do. She glanced around slowly, spotting the Royal Guards at attention far away on the other side of the foyer. She took note of the crystal vaulted ceilings, and the many lavender banners claiming the castle's ownership. And every once and a while, she stared at the other ponies seated at the bench, sometimes a little too long to be socially acceptable. Most of the ponies ignored her, but every once and a while she would catch a grimace or a hateful look thrown her way. Each dirty look was a sting to her pride, and it drudged up emotions and memories that she had held onto for so long: nasty feelings of loneliness and desperation, feeling outcast. But she knew now that so much of that had been self inflicted, so she pushed down her ire and replaced it with patience.

"Oh look, I think this is ours." Twilight jabbed Fizzlepop gently with her wing to get her attention, and pointed towards Braeburn, who was carrying the plates on his back.

"Here ya go, Princess," he said as he set them on the table, "and I'll have yours out right quick." Moments later before the two mares sat a tantalizing bounty of pancakes and hash-browns. Twilight wasted no time digging into her meal, but Fizzlepop hesitated. She recalled vague memories of pancakes she had as a filly, but they were plain, only adorned with maple syrup. The pancakes before her were covered with various fruits, and the whole stack was topped off with whipped cream.

"Something wrong?" Twilight asked in between bites.

Fizzlepop shook her head, and with a quick cleave of her fork she took her first bite. Just like the donuts the day before, she was blown away by the sheer sweetness of the meal. Bananas, strawberries, blueberries, and syrup coalesced into a formula for breakfast bliss. And the hash-browns weren't half bad, either.

"Good morning, Princess. Is there some sort of event going on?" Fizzlepop looked up from her meal to see an armored, orange pegasus addressing Twilight.

"Oh, good morning, Flash. The nearby town of Appleloosa is treating Ponyville to breakfast this morning. Have a seat." Using her magic, she scooted herself, Fizzlepop, and their meals down a space along the bench, much to Fizzlepop's surprise and chagrin. The Princess could stand to learn something about personal boundaries.

"I would be glad to. Am I to take it that this is Ms. Fizzlepop you mentioned yesterday?"

"Oh, right. Flash, this is Captain Fizzlepop Berrytwist. Fizzlepop, this is Sir Flash Magnus, Pillar of Equestria."

"Nice to meet you, Captain," they shook hooves before Flash sat down. An Appleloosan mare wearing a bonnet came to take his order.

"My, that's quite the getup y'all have there. Anyway, what'll ya take? We got pancakes and hash-browns."

"That sounds delicious. But, if it is not too much trouble, could you replace the syrup with honey?" Flash turned to Twilight, "That was how we prepared them in my day."

"Sure thing, sug'," and the mare trotted off.

"Now that I have you both here," Twilight began, between bites of pancake, "we can get organized." She summoned a planner from somewhere, and flipped through its pages magically.

"We have a town hall scheduled at ten, a meeting with General Kuiper and General Sure Arc at noon, and the rest of the day will be busy work. Oh, and Flash, we'll be having a small ceremony at the Town Hall today to honor you for your efforts saving Ponyville. As bad off as the town is, I can't even imagine how much worse it would have been if you hadn't been here."

Flash Magnus beamed, "Thank you, Princess. Having an opportunity to serve Equestria was more reward than I could have asked for, but I will graciously accept any honor the town chooses to bestow upon me."

Fizzlepop nearly bit her tongue in surprise, "Wait, you defeated my Storm Guards?" she asked incredulously.

"Your Storm Guards?" Flash repeated, "You mean you are the Tempest Shadow that led the attack on Equestria?" He slammed his hoof on the table, "Princess, what is she doing here, and in your service no less? I demand answers."

The two stared daggers at each other as Twilight attempted to intervene, "Relax, Flash. Fizzlepop is serving me as the Captain of my honor guard in recompense for her actions. If we are going to defeat the Storm King's other Commanders, we need her help."

Flash squinted, "Normally, Princess, I would be wary of a twice turn-coat, but in light of recent events I will not doubt your judgement."

Twilight thanked him and, assuming the situation was defused, returned to her breakfast. But Fizzlepop wasn't ready to drop the conversation.

"How did you defeat my Storm Guards, Flash?" She had sent her best guards to besiege the castle, and the idea of a single pegasus defeating them seemed impossible.

Flash Magnus was about to answer when his breakfast arrived, "I will tell you about it sometime, Captain. It was no mean feat, I assure you. Your Storm Guards put up the best fight I have had in a while, relatively speaking. Suffice to say they don't like lightning very much."

Fizzlepop was losing her patience, mistaking Flash's antiquated speech for arrogance, "Well I can assure you, Flash," she said in a mocking tone, "If I had been here things would have gone differently."

"Is that a challenge?" Flash chuckled, "Will you call them back so I can have another go? Maybe then it will be a fair fight!"

Fizzlepop stabbed her fork into her pancakes, "I don't need them to beat you. I know I am more than a match for one oddly armored pegasus."

"This armor denotes a Commander in Cloudsdale's Royal Legion, and I have earned its plume and sabaton. What have you done to deserve yours?"

"Enough, both of you!" Twilight shouted, "I have barely started this whole military thing, and already the two ponies I've placed in charge are at each others throats! I will not have you two bickering like foals in front of everypony."

Fizzlepop and Flash replied in unison, "But Princess-"

"No buts. I need you two to get along and work together if we're going to have any chance at making this plan work." Suddenly, an idea clicked in her mind, "Tell you what. If you two really want to prove who is the better, then you can spar. I don't want you doing it in front of everypony, since that might give them the wrong impression. However, I have a project at the Castle of the Two Sisters in the Everfree Forest that I need to complete. I'll make you a deal: after our lunch meeting, we'll head out and take care of it, and you two can spar without anypony watching. But," she summoned a pair of pamphlets from somewhere in the castle, "you will do it by these rules."

Flash and Fizzlepop read the title together, "Equestrian Martial Arts: A Guide to Hoof to Hoof Combat?"

"Mhmm," Twilight replied, "These guidelines have been maintained for generations, and promote fairness, safety, and sportsponyship between athletes. Even the Royal Guard trains under these rules."

The two ponies read through the pamphlet. Magic, flight, and tools were banned, and it seemed there were more places on a pony couldn't be attacked than could. Fizzlepop was about to voice her concerns, but she saw Flash smile and wink at her.

"This seems like a fair agreement, Princess. If the Captain agrees, then we will gladly abide by these rules."

Twilight looked to Fizzlepop, who slowly nodded her affirmation.

"Excellent," said Twilight as she finished her pancakes, "Now, I don't mean to rush you two, but we need to hurry if we're going to make the town hall."

The two ponies glanced at a nearby clock. They quickly finished their meals, and the trio left the castle.

The Industrial Era that so much of Equestria enjoyed had noisily descended upon the sleepy country town of Ponyville. Steam billowed in the air from so many pieces of construction equipment working around town. A traction engine was powering an impromptu sawmill near the railway station, its flywheel spinning rapidly to supply power to a circular saw. Outside of the castle, a traction engine and steamroller were working in tandem to repair the muddy dirt roads, and the foundations of destroyed homes were already being relaid in stonework. Foals meandered about town watching the machines doing work, fascinated by the whirring governors and chuffing pistons.

Twilight and her entourage had barely made it to Town Hall in time. As the clock tower bell rang out, ponies from all across town gathered in the open square outside. Twilight shuffled her note cards one last time, and stepped out onto the platform.

In Twilight's opinion, her speech had been successful. She was a couple of years removed from that first fateful Winter Wrap-Up, and nowadays Ponyvillians had an almost implicit trust in her judgement and organizational prowess. Already they had set to work, aiding the construction ponies in the various tasks Ponyville desperately needed to make a full recovery. Flash had been rewarded a Purple Heart of Courage for his efforts saving the town, and Pinkie Pie had promised him and Fizzlepop a long overdue 'Welcome-to-Ponyville-Hope-You-Stick-Around-Awhile-Thanks-For-Saving-Us-From-The-Storm-King-Also-I-Need-To-Know-When-Your-Birthdays-Are' Party once things had settled down.

Mayor Mare smiled as she peered through her upper story office window, "I just don't know how you do it, Twilight. How did you get these materials here in an evening? And a full construction crew? It should have taken weeks just to get the gears of government turning."

Smiling bashfully, Twilight answered, "Well, I hate to admit it, but I have a filing cabinet dedicated to contingency plans for all sorts of emergencies, and I keep track of hundreds of major industrial suppliers' inventories so I know who to contact. I'd really hoped I'd never have to access the Conflagration folder, though."

The mayor returned to her desk, "And aren't we thankful for that. It's no good to fret about the future, but having a plan in case of emergencies is, in part, what separates the leaders from the rulers. Of course," she chuckled, "not many towns in Equestria deal with the same sorts of problems we have here in Ponyville, but since Nightmare Moon appeared that morning I have only had to report timber-wolves once. Don't tell anypony, but I'd take a thousand Discords over those monsters any day."

Twilight could understand that. Ponyville had a reputation for the powerful creatures that skirted the edges of town looking for an equine snack. She had long since learned how to dispel the wild, arcane magics that animated timber-wolves, partially thanks to an alternate timeline Nightmare Moon, but that simply wasn't an option for most ponies. Now they seemed like a distant memory for the town. Perhaps it was time to-

"Princess," Flash Magnus called as he opened the office door, "We need to leave if we are to prepare the castle in time for our luncheon."

Another time then. "I'm sorry, Mayor. I hate to cut our teatime short. Same time next week?"

"Of course, Princess Twilight. "

Twilight, Flash Magnus, and Fizzlepop exited the town hall. Experience and intuition warned Twilight that Rainbow Dash's sudden arrival was imminent, but that did nothing to stop the inevitable. She crashed into Twilight, bowling her over and slamming them both against the now closed doors. Hopping up, Rainbow Dash pointed an accusing hoof at Twilight.

"Twilight, I've been waiting forever for you. Why didn't you tell me Flash Magnus was in town?" Before Twilight could respond, Rainbow Dash noticed him.

"Omigosh, Flash! Thank you so much for saving Ponyville while we were in Canterlot. Normally, that'd be our job, but we were, uh, busy, you know?"

Flash laughed, "It is good to see you again, Rainbow Dash. I appreciate your thanks, but I wish I could have done more. I'm sorry I could not stop that airship from running through your home," he looked at the remains, still floating above the outskirts of town, "A pity, that. It was a very nice cloud structure."

Beside herself, Rainbow Dash grabbed Twilight by the shoulders and whispered, "Did you hear that Twilight? Flash liked my cloudominium!" Throwing her aside, she remembered herself and readopted a cool attitude, "It's cool, I was thinking about remodeling it again anyway. Oh, hey Fizzy."

Fizzlepop nodded silently.

"So anyway, what're you three up to? Oh, I bet it's some super secret military stuff, right? Can I join?"

Twilight giggled, "Well, you're not far off, actually. We're meeting the Western Generals for lunch today. I'm not sure what they want, though." She thought for a moment, "Say, Rainbow Dash, what's your formal Rank in the Wonderbolts?"

Rainbow Dash suddenly straightened, clicking her hooves together, showing uncharacteristic discipline, "Ma'am, Private Rainbow Dash, Ma'am!" She relaxed and grinned, "Twice a month they run us through military drills in case we are mustered. Otherwise we respect the hierarchy, but we're pretty casual. They don't promote anypony during peacetime though. Say, Twilight, think you could put in a good word for me?"

"Sure, Rainbow, I think that's within my authority. But not if you make me late for this meeting," She continued explaining as they walked toward the Castle, "For now, I'm bringing Flash and Fizzlepop along as advisors, but I'll keep you posted. Oh, actually, I could use your help. We're heading out to the Castle of the Two Sisters this afternoon for one of my projects, and these two could use a referee."

Rainbow Dash was confused, "A referee? For what?" She gasped as she realized, "Are they going to spar? Oh wow, I was going to work on my house, but there's no way I'm missing this!"

"Excellent," Twilight said, "just make sure to keep quiet about it. I don't want to worry about an audience while I'm trying to work in the Everfree."

"Sure Twi," Rainbow rolled her eyes, "I know better than to drag a bunch of ponies in there. Plus, I'll finally get to see what you've been working on."

It was Twilight's turn to roll her eyes, "I've told all of you before, it's not that interesting. It's just-"

"A rudimentary analysis of the natural thaumic energies of the forest," Rainbow Dash quoted, "We know. That doesn't mean we're not curious."

Twilight smiled, "And I appreciate your enthusiasm. Anyway, we'll meet you in a few hours at the northeast entrance to the forest."

"No problem. See you guys later," And she took off in a cyan blur.

Approaching the Castle, Twilight noticed Braeburn and some other Appleloosans meandering around one of the chuck wagons.

"Braeburn, I'm glad your still here," she said as she walked up, "I didn't have the opportunity to thank you earlier for breakfast."

He beamed, "No sweat, Princess. It's the least we could do for y'all. And we got the Castle all cleaned up, too. We're on our way now to serve up some lunch to the Royal Guard out at their camp before the real lunch rush starts up."

"Thank you, Braeburn. And speaking of the Royal Guard, I have a some guests coming in an hour. I was hoping I could ask you a favor?"

"Well, sure, Princess, whatcha need?"

"How good are you at barbecue?"

The wind rushed passed as the two chariots tore through the open sky. Attempting to catch a tailwind, the pegasus guards dropped suddenly, causing General Sure Arc to nearly lose his peaked cap. Grabbing it, he held it against his head and shouted gruffly,

"Dag blast it, you bird brains, slow down!"

"That's a negative, Sir," one of the pegasi called out, "We can't let those night-stalkers beat us to the LZ." With a fresh flurry of wing-beats, the golden Royal Guard chariot put on more speed, inching away from the blue and black Nocturne Guard chariot paralleling them.

"Nonsense, we're supposed to show up at the same time. A sign of 'unity' and all that dung."

"Do you hear that, Lieutenant?" General Kuiper's atypical Trottingham Accent was barely audible over the rushing air, "Our golden colt counterparts are opting us to land first. Put on the speed, lads, we shan't disappoint them."

Soon the Nocturne Guards forged ahead. Scowling, General Sure Arc shifted the corn cob pipe in his mouth and shouted,

"Boys, if those web-wings land in Ponyville before us, the only thing you two will have to look forward to is a court martial!"

The race was on.

The Castle was immaculate. Starlight, Spike, and many of the mares staying at the Castle had made quick work of the various chores in preparation for the Generals' arrival. The crystal floors sheened, and everypony was preened and prepped to make a good impression. Fizzlepop and Flash Magnus had spent the hour cleaning their armor, despite neither set being Equestrian standard issue. Twilight had donned another tiara, due to her last one being trod underhoof by a certain unicorn. For expediencies sake, she opted to wait for the Generals in the foyer, flanked by her two advisors, and with Royal Guards lining the walls at attention.

They had not waited long when they heard voices on the other side of the door,

"And I'm telling you," said the gruff voice, "that it was obvious to anypony around that our chariot landed first."

"Pfft, if you could call that a landing," said the accented voice, "your ponies practically nosedived into the ground. Admit that you crashed."

"As Colonel Purple Dart once said, 'Any landing you trot away from is a good one.' Now shut your fruit-sucking trap and let's make a good first impression."

"Hmmph, I don't have to worry about that, dirt-kicker."

The doors opened.

As soon as the two generals stepped hoof through the door, every guard, Fizzlepop, and Flash Magnus snapped a salute. Flanking the generals were their respective Lieutenants, who simultaneously stepped forward and started in sync,

"Announcing the arrival of General-"

They wheeled on each other, angrily shouting at the other to wait their turn.

"Atten-tion!"

Every pony except Twilight snapped to in response to General Sure Arc's command, their heels clicking audibly in the echoing foyer. The two Lieutenants fell in step behind their Generals as they approached.

Twilight quickly mentally reviewed what she new about the two Generals. Both were stallions of educated upbringing and military heritage, and were held in high esteem for their quick thinking and strategic competency. They were the Western Generals, who controlled military logistics in the geographical western half of Equestria, as opposed to their Eastern counterparts. Both had a reputation for stubbornness. And that was where the similarities ended.

General Sure Arc was a short, elderly earth pony whose coat had turned white with age. His jaw was set from a lack of teeth, and he squinted one eye from an old injury. He never left home without his traditional peaked cap, and his corn cob pipe, which he smoked liberally, despite protests from restaurant goers who didn't know who he was.

His cutie mark was a magically perfect depiction of a Whinniesburg Grasshopper Field Cannon, named after his grandfather. Grasshopper Henry's militia was instrumental in defeating the ruling aristocracy, whose tariffs with Equestria had become economically insurmountable, and ended Whinniesburg as the last continental colony to cede power to Equestria.

General Sure Arc was known as a true wizard with cannons. He had established field artillery as the first technological innovation to the Equestrian military in nearly a thousand years, and it was rumored he could hit a target a mile away with a cannon with half that effective range, using nothing but his pipe and the sun to measure.

His counterpart, General Kuiper, was a tall nocturne pony with a midnight-blue coat and a slightly lighter mane, which he kept cropped short. His cutie mark depicted a constellation only Luna herself could name, and he excelled in astronavigation. Despite bat-ponies traditionally heralding from the Hollow Shades, General Kuiper came from a line of wealthy Trottingham merchants. Why he had eschewed his aristocratic roots for military service nopony is really sure, but Twilight knew he was the youngest to hold that title by promotion. His armor never made a sound.

They snapped a smart salute at Twilight,

"Generals Kuiper and Sure Arc, reporting for duty," shouted the elder general.

Twilight never missed a beat, her etiquette practiced, "At ease, sirs. Please follow me to the dining room."

The Castle's dining room had been thoughtfully prepared for their visit. The massive room's walls were decorated with Royal Guard and Nocturne Guard banners on either side of the room from each other, with Twilight's banner by itself on the thin wall across from the entryway. The banners were framed by Rarity's generously gifted ionic marble columns, whose planters had been filled with sunflowers and lavender, the traditional flowers of their respective guard.

The large dining table in the center of the room had been laid out fairly spartan, eschewing decoration for a massive bounty of delicious barbecue. Grilled corn on the cob drowned in barbecue garlic butter made the main course, flanked by grilled, skewered vegetable kebabs and mashed potatoes. The center of the table held a large tray of buttered biscuits, stacked three levels high, covered in a thin towel to retain heat.

As soon as the doors opened, General Sure Arc's jaw dropped as he looked over the spread, nearly losing his pipe in the process. Twilight grinned at his reaction as she took her place at the head of the table, flanked on either side by Fizzlepop and Flash Magnus. The generals seated themselves across from each other, with their Lieutenants next to them at the far end of the table.

Once General Sure Arc was seated, he spoke,

"Permission to speak freely, your Highness?"

"Granted," Twilight said, regally turning her hoof.

With the procedural etiquette completed, Starlight began serving the food.

"Thank you so much for hosting this meeting on such short notice, your Highness," General Kuiper said as he placed a napkin in his lap, "I can tell already that this meeting will be a productive one."

General Sure Arc was already noisily chomping on a corn cob,

"Princess, this is, frankly, the best formal meal I've had in years. You have no idea how sick I am of those snobby unicorn dinners up in Canterlot, with their foreign sauces and tiny portions. Oh, uh, no offense."

"No offense taken, General," Twilight giggled. There was a reason Pony Joe's was her favorite diner.

"And I must say," followed General Kuiper, "what an honor it is to dine with Sir Flash Magnus himself. On behalf of the Royal Guard, we thank you for your efforts both in the past, and more recently here in Ponyville against the Storm King's forces. You have done us a great service."

"The honor is mine, Sir," Flash replied, "any opportunity to serve Equestria is a gift."

"Speaking of which," said General Sure Arc, "I see we have the honor of eating with Captain Fizzlepop, the Canterlot Conqueror herself. You really showed us a thing or two the other day. Say, filly, how would you like a position up in High Command? We could use a pony with leadership chops like yours. Maybe put you in charge of this shiny new airship fleet the Storm King so generously gifted us," and he laughed heartily.

She glanced at Twilight, then shook her head,

"You know I can't do that, Sir. I owe the Princess my life."

"Fair enough," the General replied, taking a long drag from his pipe. "Still, it's obvious you have strategic talent. Under Princess Twilight's leadership, you'll do well, I'm sure."

Twilight sipped her cider before replying, "Thank you for your vote of confidence, General Sure Arc."

General Kuiper spoke, "Well, your Highness, our confidence is well deserved. Suffice to say you've breathed new life into the Royal Guard, although... we do have a few questions."

"Not now, Kuiper!" Sure Arc snapped, "Ahem, what I mean is, we'll wait until after the meal. Princess, I'm sure you're curious why were here, so let's make quick work of this delicious lunch and get to business."

Starlight gave the table one last wipe down before carrying the used dishes to the kitchen. With the table clear, they could get to work.

General Sure Arc and General Kuiper nodded at their respective Lieutenants, who set briefcases on the table.

"I'm sure you are aware, Princess Twilight," said Sure Arc, "that the following will be a confidential discussion. I'm assuming these two are acting as your advisors?"

Twilight nodded, "That is correct, General. I trust Captain Berrytwist and Sir Flash Magnus with the information we discuss here."

"Excellent. Now, if you would do the honors of sealing the room, we can begin."

With a flick of her horn, a lavender sphere appeared above the table, quickly expanding to fill the shape of the room. A Seal was a particular form of defensive magic, capable of stopping physical breach as well as eliminating auditory wavelengths, similar to a Bubble of Silence. Nopony except those currently in the room would be privy to their conversation.

"Alright, let's start with the good news," Sure Arc began flipping through various documents, squinting his good eye, "as per the rights of your title, your honor guard has been approved by default. In fact, we were hoping you'd establish one sooner, but that's neither here nor there. You can have up to ten individuals acting as your guardians, and of course you have the final say as to who gets the cut.

"We're proud to report the pending success of your Dot-Dash project far ahead of schedule. The creator and patent holder, a mister Samuel Horse, odd name, was contacted and has been working with the Royal Guard and a number of private contractors. As of this morning, we have successfully integrated telegraph through the Castle complex in Canterlot. We believe that within the month, we will have a communication hub in every major city, and in the towns and provinces in between.

"We have also sent out guard contingents to establish lookout forts as first lines of defense and warning along our coastlines. We have no doubt that those will be completed within the month; however, getting telegraph out into the wilderness will take much longer. Oh, and the various railroads across Equestria have already sent requests for telegraph technology, as they believe the instant communication will increase efficiency and safety. Do they have your approval on that?"

"Granted," Twilight said as she telekinetically signed the document, "I'm glad to hear it's been successful so far, and I know ponies across Equestria are going to want access. Let's work on a route to privatization as quickly as possible so everypony can take advantage of it."

"Of course, Princess," General Sure Arc took a drag from his pipe, "Let's see... Ah, Specialist Flash Sentry has completed his advisory work in the Crystal Empire. We are reassigning him to your detail as a strategist and liaison between you and the Royal Guard. He has our full confidence, and can aid you with any protocol or other questions you may have."

"His help will be greatly appreciated," said Twilight.

"Now," General Kuiper continued, "I know you've been asked this before, but on behalf of the other princesses and the Equestrian government I'm afraid I must insist that you change your mind on staffing the castle."

Twilight sighed, but was quick to reply, "I agree, I'll-"

General Sure Arc interrupted, "Now Princess, I know you have your reasons, but we really must insist. Beyond the basic security issues, having an unstaffed castle leads to logistical headaches and- Did you say yes?"

She nodded.

General Kuiper smiled, "Well, that's wonderful to hear, Princess. We shall aid in any way we can. Now in regards to your proposed retaliation against the forces of the Storm King, we have some news. Firstly, a parliamentary ethics board has reviewed your proposals, and though you have their support there are some... stipulations."

General Sure Arc nodded, "Apparently Princess Celestia, in her infinite wisdom, " There was a hint of sarcasm that Twilight didn't appreciate, "enacted a decree that, should an Equestrian Princess take direct military action, the number of individuals in her command shall exceed no more than one hundred. Obviously this was a knee-jerk reaction to Princess Luna's betrayal, and the law is archaic and obscure, but parliament wants it enforced anyway. That includes all staff under your command, not just soldiers. With four airship crews, that would pose a problem. However, General Kuiper and I may have found a solution."

"As per your request," General Kuiper explained, "we exchanged two captured airships with Equestrian Standard Air and Aerostat. They, unknown to us, have been working on a joint venture to produce a new kind of airship. I recommend you see them for yourself, but even I can tell it is a huge technological leap that could give Equestria an edge. The Storm King, no doubt, outnumbers us easily, and going against them in their own airships would put us at a significant disadvantage."

General Sure Arc interrupted, "That's right, Princess. If we try to take them head on, given these restraints, I'm worried we'll fail. We can hammer out the details later, but if we exchange the engines from the current airships into these new ones, I have no doubt their all-aluminum construction, cannon bays, and many other features will make the difference. Princess, we cannot allow an airship gap!"

Twilight and Fizzlepop looked over the documentation and photographs. The three airships were massive, their full length longer than three Storm King airships lined up from bow to stern. The envelopes were built on a completely rigid frame, intertwining like ribs throughout the length of the ship. Compared to the standard Equestrian non-rigid airships, these housed multiple separate gas cells to lessen the risk of rupture. Their bi-level gondolas were directly attached to the underside of the envelope, lacking the typical ship's hull design and open deck of other airships, giving it an sleeker look.

Fizzlepop, though impressed, was slightly confused,

"Why do they need the engines from the Storm King airships?"

"Thus far," explained General Kuiper, "Equestria has been unable to produce a steam engine light enough to power airships. Instead, we utilize thaumic engines which, though efficient, produce an excessive amount of heat, requiring ambient air to keep them cool. However, this proved to be structurally unsound on their design, and has stalled the project. They have assured us that by exchanging the engines from the captured airships, the retrofits will be completed within a month's time. Much shorter than the research and development time needed to reverse engineer the metallurgy behind the Storm King's engines."

"I'm not sure about this," Twilight said tentatively, looking up from the documents, "On paper it makes sense, but this represents a drastic change in our initiative. I'm worried this will send the wrong message to our allies; it will look as though Equestria is preparing for total war. The plan is to stop Xanthantos when he appears in the Crystal Empire, and then make a decisive strike against the Storm King's island fortress, avoiding bloodshed as much as possible. I'm worried weaponizing a giant airship will eliminate any route to a diplomatic end to this war. I've already amended our rules of engagement to include magic to combat the relics and magi they may have, ending a policy that has lasted a millennia. Isn't that enough?"

General Sure Arc puffed his pipe, "With all due respect, your Highness, a slight escalation is exactly what we need. This peacetime and military stagnation has weakened Equestria's place in the world, and our enemies see us as a honeypot. And look at our neighbors, the Griffon Baronies! They threw away the Classical rules of engagement as soon as they built their airship and ironclad fleets. Now, it's true that their airships aren't on the same tier as the Storm King's, but up until this week we didn't even have an airship fleet!"

"May I remind you, General," scowled Twilight, "that we are not at war with the Griffons."

General Kuiper interjected, "Unfortunately, your Highness, the comparison is apt. Much like the Storm King's forces weaponized magic-nullifying metals, it seems only Equestria has remained stalwart in its dedication to the Classical treaties. Regardless, there is a more Ahem delicate factor to consider." He turned to Fizzlepop, "If you don't mind me inquiring, how is it that you and your crew... maintain yourselves aboard these airships, especially during extended voyages?"

At first, Fizzlepop didn't react. She maintained her flat look, before quickly turning to Twilight,

"Princess, please accept their offer," she pleaded.

Twilight nearly fell out of her chair in surprise, "What, why?"

"You don't want to know, please accept their offer."

"Captain, relax. What I am getting at, Princess, is that the Storm King airships do not meet any maritime hygienic standards required of Equestrian ships, both merchant and military. They are completely unsuitable for long distance travel. As such, we believe it not only wise, but necessary that you accept this opportunity."

"Oh," Twilight muttered quietly as she signed the papers. Nopony could deny the sudden air of awkwardness at the oversight.

"Sir Flash Magnus, you've been awfully quiet," General Sure Arc said as he packed his briefcase, "something on your mind, son?"

"Hmm?" he responded absentmindedly, "Oh, I apologize for not taking part in the discussion. Though much has changed, I felt a little nostalgia for my days in the Royal Legion, when we would meet in the grand hall and plan quests. And I am very much looking forward to completing this one," he grinned.

"Hear, hear!" shouted Sure Arc, "And remember, Princess, we have your back. Those Storm King Commander freaks won't know what hit 'em," He and General Kuiper stood from the table and saluted, "With your permission?"

"Of course," Twilight stood, resuming her etiquette, "Thank you all so much for your help. You are dismissed."

The Generals and their lieutenants finished their salute, turned smartly, and marched out of the dining room.

Twilight sighed as she released the tension she hadn't realized she was holding. She wasn't sure she would ever get used to dealing with the military leadership, even with the authority she carried. Just as she was about to relax, General Sure Arc suddenly popped his head through the door,

"Oh, Princess! I almost forgot. Must be getting senile in my old age. News from the Crystal Empire: some sort of magical discovery," he hoofed over a manila folder, "I'm sure you'll find it interesting," he winked his good eye, "Anyway, back to the front!" and walked out the door.

"So, Princess," Fizzlepop grinned, "seems you are now the proud owner of three brand new airships." But Twilight didn't respond, and stood there looking forlorn.

"Is something wrong, Princess?" Flash Magnus asked.

She turned to face them, "I- Am I doing the right thing?"

"You seek to rid the world of a violent power that desires world domination," Flash summarized, "How could that not be a good thing?"

Twilight giggled, "Well when you put it that way. I just wonder if the way I'm going about it is right. I've never done anything like this before. There are so many factors; so many things that can go wrong. And if I make mistakes, I could put ponies in danger."

"I'm not going to sugarcoat it, Princess," Fizzlepop said sardonically as she stood up from the table, "leading an army into battle is hard. Those under your command could get hurt, or worse. And what about you? You're just as mortal as the rest of us; aren't you worried that you might not make it back from this little adventure? It's not too late to back out."

Twilight was quick to rebuke, "I would never sacrifice Equestria's security for my own safety."

Fizzlepop playfully jabbed Twilight's side, "That's the confidence I expect from the Princess who defeated me."

"Besides, Princess," Flash Magnus added, "Hasn't that always been a possibility when you and your friends run off to save Equestria? I think it is self explanatory that those you recruit for this effort know what they are getting into and feel the same way about their country as you do."

She paused for a moment, "I guess I never really thought about it before. I've always been meticulous when planning, but I've never factored mortality. Maybe I assumed if I was thorough enough, nopony could get hurt. Oh dear..."

"No need to fret, Princess," Flash Magnus consoled, "That is hardly a failure on your part as it is the confidence and assumed invincibility of youth. The possibility of danger must be considered as a factor, but you cannot let fear of injury keep you from doing what needs to be done."

"Thank you both for your advice, and for putting this into perspective. Let's go find Starlight and Spike, and head out to the Everfree forest. In the meantime, I'll start looking through this package the General gave me."

Night of the Friendship Festival, Three days prior

The Crystal Empire Builder thundered along the rails through the snowy wastes of Northern Equestria. The blizzard raged outside the window, the flurry of snowflakes visible only from the interior lights of the passenger cars. Princess Cadance lounged on her chaise, safe from the elements in her private rail car. The long train trips between the Crystal Empire and Canterlot were the only time she had to read these days, but between her exhaustion and frustration at the Storm King's incursion, and her subsequent imprisonment, she just wasn't interested.

She stretched inelegantly, enjoying the temporary solitude. She knew a nap would be nice, but her honor guard were paranoidly checking in on her every so often to make sure she hadn't been kidnapped, replaced, turned to stone, or worse. She wanted to fault them, but more and more often it seemed the nervous imaginations of her guards, and her husband, were becoming reality. Poor Shining Armor, Cadance thought to herself. At least Queen Chrysalis hadn't separated them. She laughed at the idea of Queen Chrysalis having more decency than the Storm King and his unicorn lackey.

Thanks to her sister-in-law everything had worked out in the end, but she couldn't fight the what-ifs that roiled in her mind. She had only found out a few hours ago that she had her magic stolen, along with the other princesses. Even if Twilight and her friends had failed, she knew Shining Armor would have come to their aid with an army, but did her husband and their subjects stand a chance against such a powerful enemy? And what about Flurry Heart? If the worst had passed, she would have been left behind without... Cadance couldn't bear the thought as a tear rolled down her cheek.

This had been the last straw. For the first time in years, Cadance had yelled at her adopted aunt, criticizing Celestia for being too laissez faire. In the end, though, she couldn't blame her; except for Twilight, all the princesses had failed to protect their subjects. Either way, the invasion had been a wake up call for Cadance, and she would not argue against Shining Armor's overprotective attitude any more.

It was bad enough the Crystal Empire had been fighting Windigos the past week. They had appeared suddenly in various areas along the Empire's border, and combating them was proving difficult. Thankfully, they didn't seem to be openly hostile, but it was obvious they were trying to cross the Crystal Heart's protective barrier. Knowing Shining Armor had his hooves full with the Windigos and Flurry Heart made her own recent helplessness all the more infuriating. At least they would all be together again soon.

The locomotive's whistle blew long and loud, signalling their crossing the viaduct over Icefell Gorge. Cadance wondered how many landmarks still carried their names from Sombra's era. As many times as she had taken the trip, she knew that home was a mere hour away.

The train's brakes squealed as it halted in front of the station platform. Cadance gathered up her belongings and peered out the window. The snow had disappeared, replaced with a clear summers night thanks to the magic of the Crystal Heart. That is a lot of guards, she thought to herself. Though the Empire only numbered a few million souls, she knew Shining Armor had been ramping up recruiting efforts to reestablish some semblance of a military. Now they were out in full force, all to escort their Highness back to her Castle less than a mile away.

She stepped through the portal onto the platform and saw Shining Armor standing there waiting for her. He looked haggard, still wearing his winterized armor, his limbs and neck wrapped in heavy cloth.

His eyes lit up when he spotted her, "Sweetie!"

"Oh, Shining!"

They embraced, wrapping a fore-hoof around each other's neck and nuzzling. With a quick kiss, they left the platform and loaded their carriage for the quick trip back home.

"Cadance," Shining Armor began, "I'm so sorry for everything that happened. We barely had time to mobilize... We didn't even know something was wrong until the sun and moon went haywire. I'm so sorry..."

She put a hoof on his shoulder, "It's okay, sweetie. You couldn't have known. I'm just so glad you were here with Flurry Heart. And I'm sorry I haven't been taking your concerns as seriously as I should have. I know it would've made a difference if I had brought my honor guard with me," she started to get upset again, so decided to change the subject, "Is Flurry asleep?"

Shining Armor nodded, "At least she was when I left the castle. I know she can be a hooffull for the maids and Sunburst, but those Windigos are wreaking havoc along the barrier, and the Crystal Ponies just can't combat them. It's not their fault they don't have unicorn magic, but with only me and a few Royal Guard, its been an uphill battle. And I hate to drop this on you after everything, but..." he paused, concern growing on his face.

"What is it sweetie? You can tell me," Cadance assured.

"Well, we're not sure, but we think they've foalnapped somepony."

"What?"

"Mhmm. She was last seen wandering around the northern fields, but didn't return home the other night."

"Do you think it was another case of displacement syndrome?" Cadance asked.

"Possibly. The Crystal Empire has been back for over two years now, I had hoped the Crystal Ponies would get used to their new surroundings, but couple that with the effects of Sombra's selective amnesia and they keep trying to return to their old habits."

"Don't worry, Shining. I'm sure we'll solve that problem eventually. Let's focus on the Windigos for now, then move on to the bigger problems. Just one thing at a time. Besides, now that I'm back I can hel-"

"No," Shining Armor interrupted, "You are not going out there to face those things. If they did foalnap that mare, you could be next. I can't bear the thought of something happening to you again."

"Shining, I can-" she thought of Flurry Heart, "No, you're right. I know you can stop them, sweetie."

They continued chatting as they exited the carriage and entered the castle. The halls were dim and quiet, only populated by sparse guards making their rounds. The two young rulers went straight to their suite, where Flurry Heart was soundly sleeping in her crib. The maid, a Crystal Pony mare, had fallen asleep upright in the rocking chair, a bedtime storybook still resting in her lap. Cadance used her magic to cover her with a nearby blanket, and nuzzled Flurry Heart before retiring.

Cadance awoke suddenly the next morning, startled by Flurry Heart teleporting onto the bed. She cooed as she wrapped her four tiny legs around Cadance's barrel.

"Good morning, Flurry," Cadance said softly, "Mommy's home. Did you miss me?"

Flurry Heart babbled excitedly, hugging her mom tighter.

Wrapping a foreleg around Flurry, Cadance said, "I missed you, too. Why don't we go downstairs and get some breakfast."

"Mhmm," Flurry mumbled, smiling.

As they exited the suite, Cadance couldn't help overhear Shining Armor and Sunburst talking in another room. It sounded like they were arguing,

"I know the Windigos are a threat," Sunburst said, "but I'm worried this might be more of Sombra's magic in the castle."

Shining Armor rebutted as he finished dressing in his armor, "I understand, Sunburst. But I have to prioritize the Windigos right now. I'll help you investigate it as soon as I can, but it'll have to wait."

"I don't think we can," Sunburst was getting agitated, "The Crystal Ponies keep wandering into the wall like there's supposed to be a doorway, and I know I detected magic on the other side. If that wall goes down, who knows what might come out of it."

"Or it could be nothing, Sunburst. Your concerns are valid, but my Royal Guards are already out there fighting a known threat, and they need my help. Put some barriers around it to keep the ponies from walking into it."

"I did, and they trotted right through them. It's one of the worst cases of displacement syndrome I've seen. Please, just thirty min-"

"No, Sunburst. I need to go. We'll discuss this again later. "

Cadance watched as Shining left the tower, leaving a dejected looking Sunburst behind. Walking up to him, she asked,

"Good morning, Sunburst. Have you had breakfast yet?"

"Uh, no, Princess. Not yet."

"Let's go to the kitchen, and we'll talk about this problem you're having."

As they sat down at the table, Sunburst explained,

"We had a situation the other day while you were in Canterlot. As you know, I've spent the past couple of months investigating the Crystal Ponies' health. The only correlation I can find between the remaining amnesiacs and those suffering from displacement syndrome are the uninterpretable, crystalline geometric cutie marks they have. For months I've watched ponies accidentally walk into the west wall of the castle library, thinking they were just not paying attention. It was only recently I realized that only ponies with the geometric cutie marks were doing it, and they were increasing in number.

"Anyway, I was continuing my work, coincidentally near the wall, when two large stallions walked by. Before I knew it they were pounding away at the wall with their hooves like mad-ponies. I yelled at them, but they kept at it for minutes. Suddenly, they stopped, looked at each other in bewilderment, and galloped away. They made a sizeable fissure in the wall, too. And I know there is some sort of magic behind that wall, I can feel it."

Cadance was concerned, "Do you know what kind of magic?"

"It's really faint, but it sort of feels like an enchantment, but different. I need to investigate, but I can't do it by myself; I'm just not powerful enough."

She put a hoof on his shoulder, "Don't worry, Sunburst. After breakfast, we'll go take a look. Maybe we can't do anything about it today, but we can always get help. I'm sure Twilight would love a mystery to solve."

As they neared the library, they saw a sizeable crowd gathered outside the doors.

"What's going on?" Cadance asked the guards stationed outside.

"Prince Shining Armor has ordered the library temporarily closed until the west wall is repaired, but these ponies refuse to disperse."

"We need to get in," cried one of the mares. Sure enough, she had a vague, geometric cutie mark like Sunburst had said.

"Well, uh, do you know what for?" Sunburst asked.

The mare thought for a moment, "Huh. No, I don't know why I need in the library. I guess I wanted a book, but now I'm not sure."

"Either way," one of the guards interrupted, "the library is closed until further notice. Please disperse."

Realizing their confusion, the small crowd aimlessly wandered off in different directions, leaving only Princess Cadance and Sunburst.

"I'm sorry, your Highness," said the guard, "that includes you. Prince Shining Armor doesn't want you to get hurt by whatever's going on in there."

Seeing Sunburst's disappointment, Cadance said, "I'm sorry, Sunburst, we'll have to look into it another day. It's probably for the best. Alright, Flurry, I have a surprise for you I got in Canterlot." But as she turned, she suddenly realized Flurry Heart was no longer resting on her back.

"Where is Flurry? Did any of you see where she went?" The three shook their heads. Then, they heard giggling on the other side of the library doors.

"She must have teleported in when we were distracted. Hurry, we need to get her out of there!"

The guards parted as Cadance galloped through the large double doors to the library. Soon they and Sunburst were right behind her, rushing to find Flurry Heart before she got into trouble.

Meanwhile, Flurry Heart was enjoying herself thoroughly. The tall library ceilings were fun the fly in, and the many rows of shelves were great for hide and seek. She flew around a corner, and, unable to stop in time, came face to face with the west wall. With a great flap of her wings, and with an instinctual shield spell, she slammed into the wall, causing the whole thing to crumble. None the worse for wear, she giggled at her discovery of a new hiding place, and flew in.

Cadance and Sunburst skidded across the slick floor of the library attempting to round the corner. Their worst fears were realized as they saw the gaping maw of a new, unlit hallway reaching into the center of the castle where a wall once stood. They heard Flurry Heart's echoing giggles down the passage. Steeling herself, Cadance galloped toward the entry.

"Princess, wait!" Sunburst called, "Look at the walls."

She stopped, noticing the neatly aligned crystals evenly spaced along the walls and ceiling of the entryway.

Sunburst caught up to her and, eyeing the crystals, adjusted his glasses, "They look like enchantment crystals, but I've never seen any this fine before. I'll need time to decipher their function."

"Time is what we don't have, Sunburst. Flurry Heart is in there," She resumed her gallop.

"We don't know what's in there. It could be a trap!" Sunburst called.

But Cadance didn't stop, so reluctantly Sunburst charged in with her. As soon they crossed the threshold, the crystals activated, and solid beams of magic energy crisscrossed the portal like cell bars. They were trapped.

The guards quickly caught up to them, but could not pass into the hall.

"Go get help," Cadance ordered, "We'll find Flurry Heart." The guards ran off, and Cadance and Sunburst descended into the black.

The passage angled into a corner, destroying the ambient light from the library. Cadance and Sunburst lit their horns, and their soft blue and yellow glows lit the room. To their surprise, the hidden hallway did not go very far, dead-ending into a round room with high, vaulted ceilings. The interior exactly matched that of the rest of the library, with crystalline shelves lining the walls.

"Wow," Sunburst exclaimed, "this looks like any of the other ancillary chambers in the library. I wonder why it was sealed off."

Cadance had another mystery to solve, "Flurry Heart, sweetie, are you in here?"

A soft giggle emanated from somewhere in the room. Cadance brightened her glow, pointing it at various spots in the room. It didn't take long her her to spot Flurry's blue and orchid tail sticking out from under a reading table. Cadance gently lifted the tablecloth and said, "Boo."

Flurry Heart jumped in surprise and laughed, joyful that mommy had found her. Cadance wrapped her in a foreleg and kissed her on the cheek.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're safe, sweetheart, but you can't run off like that. You understand?" she scolded.

"Uh-huh," Flurry muttered sorrowfully, then rasberried.

"Sunburst, let's head back to the entrance until help arrives."

"Hmm?" Sunburst answered absentmindedly, already entranced by one of the many books, "Oh, I'll catch up in a minute. This is fascinating..."

High in a mountain cave miles north of the Crystal Empire, a gargantuan snake-like creature peered into his crystal ball. Xanthantos the Gorgon, easily as tall as three stallions stacked upon each other, bent over to get a better look. He laughed as he watched Shining Armor and his Royal Guards retreat,

"Those foolish ponies," he hissed, "it will take far more than five unicorns to defeat my Windigo summons." He palmed the crystal ball with his scaly claws, manipulating the field of view to get a larger picture of the Crystal Empire. He could faintly see the soft glow of the barrier projected by the Crystal Heart, blurring and obscuring the city inside.

"I almost have it," he monologued, "by tomorrow I will have found the weakest point in the barrier; I'm so close. And once I enslave the population, their magic will fuel me for generations. Noone will be able to stop me!"

"Not even the Princesses?" a voice hissed from the back of the cave. Xanthantos turned, and from the shadows of the volcanic lava's glow a globby, roiling shape appeared.

"Strife? How did you find me?"

The umbrum laughed wheezily, "I have my ways. And I come bearing news."

"Save it. I'm well aware of the Storm King's demise. I foresaw it."

Strife was surprised, "If you know this, then you know he was defeated by the same ponies you seek to conquer."

"Fool," Xanthantos snapped, swiping at the incorporeal form of the umbrum with a claw, "Do not compare me to him! The Storm King was weak, needing to steal magic and artifacts to assert his will. And he was foolish for trusting that unicorn. I am a great sorcerer, and I will defeat those ponies with my summons. Now begone, I have work to do."

"If you are so powerful," the umbrum asked sardonically, "why enslave the ponies for their magic?"

"You know nothing," the sorcerer retorted, "I am not here for something so shallow. I could sap the magic from just about any creature. Enslaving the ponies is just a bonus. No, my real goal is here," He manipulated the crystal ball to show a blurry image of the castle.

"This structure houses possibly the most valuable and powerful artifact on Equis: The Crystal Heart. These ponies do not know the power they possess."

Confused, Strife asked, "Does it not just keep the snow at bay? I cannot imagine what power you see in it."

"It is so much more than that. Under that barrier, the Crystal Heart manages everything; The weather, the temperature, humidity, even the very soil is nurtured by that artifact. In that dome it's eternal summer. Don't you see? Those ancient Crystal Ponies created the foundations of terraforming magics! With it in my control, I could bend the very planet to my will, and no longer would I have to wander, seeking barren volcanoes and dry deserts for warmth. Curse this cold blood of mine."

Strife laughed, "You seek to conquer and enslave a country of millions just so you can be comfortable year round? How wonderful. Why not return to Medusus, your homeland? Surely that would be simpler, though much less entertaining."

Xanthantos hissed, "Banished. My Gorgon brethren could not see the true power they could posses, nor did they have my aspirations. We are a race capable of powerful sorcery, but they wile away their lives clinging to warm rocks and basking in the sunlight. Such a waste. Nor can I inhabit the dragon lands; they despise us with a territorial fervor. No, this plan is much better."

"And the princesses?"

"Equestria is far enough away that they cannot possibly arrive in time. I will hold the whole nation hostage; that will cow them into keeping their distance. Even if I could, I have no desire to quarrel with those who move the very sun and moon."

The umbrum chuckled, "For your sake I hope you're right. May the stars bless you, Xanthantos. And don't worry, I'll be keeping an eye on you."

"Begone with you, fog." But Strife had already disappeared.

"Oh my gosh, Princess, "Sunburst exclaimed, "It all makes sense! The displacement syndrome, the amnesia, the cutie marks, all of it!"

"Oh?" Cadance was having trouble sharing his enthusiasm, having spent the last hour in vain trying to disarm the bars of their magical prison. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't force them to deactivate.

"This whole antechamber is dedicated to the crystallers. I had trouble making sense of the term etymologically from its Old Ponish roots, because its base word more directly translates to something like 'craftspony'. We thought a Crystaller specifically referred to those who performed a Crystalling Ceremony for the royal family, but crystaller can refer to any tradespony that works in crystal fabrication!"

"Uh-huh," Cadance responded as she tried to telekinetically rip a crystal from its mount in the wall.

"And that's not even the half of it. The Crystal Pony's enchantment crystals are on a totally different level technologically. I've never seen such precision. These interior matrices even match the strange geometric cutie marks. Sombra must have locked away this technology for fear they would use it against him."

Cadance sighed, "That's great, Sunburst. Did you find a way out of here?"

"Huh, oh yeah. Hold on." He lit up his horn and grabbed one of the crystals in his magic. Concentrating, he stuck his tongue out as he manipulated the crystal. Suddenly, there was a click, and the magic bars disappeared.

"Sunburst, how long have you been able to do that?"

"Oh, I read about those half an hour... ago." He withered under Cadance's stern gaze, "Eh heh, sorry."

Shining armor and his guards charged into the library as Cadance, Flurry Heart, and Sunburst exited the antechamber.

"Cadance, Flurry Heart! Are you okay?" He exclaimed, drawing them into a hug.

"We're fine, sweetie. Flurry just got a little curious."

Shining Armor was relieved, "How did you escape? Last time somepony got trapped in one of these sealed rooms it took us hours to get them out."

"Give me some time, Prince Shining Armor," Sunburst interjected, "I'll explain everything."

The next morning, Cadance looked over the town square from her balcony. Sunburst had spent nearly all night studying in the previously sealed library room, and from what she had heard he had made great progress. Now an impromptu job fair had been erected in front of the castle to reconnect the Crystal Ponies with their skills. It had taken a miracle to organize the event and get word out, but she could already see thousands of ponies gathering in the early morning sunlight.

Shining Armor, meanwhile, had gathered thousands of Crystal Legion soldiers in an attempt to do the same. From his platform, he looked down on them spread out across the Colosseum grounds. Using a guide created by Sunburst, and knowing of the imminent threat of Xanthantos, he got straight to the point,

"Today, we will release you from the last stranglehold Sombra placed on your culture. Using dark magics, he enslaved you and sealed away your memory to serve his own devices. And now we know that he sealed away your talents, the very talents that made the Crystal Empire a super power in days past. Captain, please demonstrate."

He moved out of the way, and the captain took his place. He described his actions to the army as he placed his right hoof over the crystal inlay centered on the chest of his barding. As the captain concentrated, slowly the gem began to glow. Suddenly, there was a gleam, and his armor shimmered as magical energy coursed through it. For demonstration, he sparred with two other legion stallions, and defeated them easily, as the armor enhanced his strength. Magical blasts from Shining Armor were deflected, and physical impacts were absorbed. And it clicked with everypony in the stadium, who became overwhelmed in remembrance and understanding.

A new day shined over the Crystal Empire, having had their true magic restored. With their enchantment crystals, they could compete with the raw strength of the Earth Ponies, control weather like the Pegasi, and display magical abilities on par with the Unicorns. That evening, as Shining Armor, Princess Cadance, and Sunburst looked over the reborn city, they came to the simultaneous realization,

"We need to tell Twilight!"

Far away from the Empire, Xanthantos stared angrily into his crystal ball.

"What is this? I turn my back for a day and suddenly those ponies jump leaps and bounds in magical prowess," he fumed, "No matter. By the end of the month I'll have discovered their secret, and built up more than enough magic to defeat them. Know this, ponies, the Crystal Heart will be mine!"

Princess Twilight's Aether-Corps

by joetraincool2

Redemption is My Business

Weather You Like it or Not

Hazard Pay

Secret Door, Secret Door, Secret Door