Prologue:

Cloud Skipper

It was bad, definitely bad news. I had done something wrong, very, very wrong to be called to the Princess directly. I hit my hoof against my head repeatedly, I couldn’t remember anything I had done lately to set anypony off. Sure I argued with some of Luna’s Night Guard a few times, but all of the guards did that! Each and every Night Guard was a rival with a Royal Guard, we would argue constantly if we could.

I felt sweat begin to bead on my forehead, I was in trouble for something, no doubt, but for what exactly?!

I clicked my hooves nervously against the stone walkway as I slowly inched toward the castle’s excessively large doors. I looked up at their massive height, trying to contemplate what could all fit in there. Most Royal Guards knew that Canterlot Castle was once used to house dragon’s, but hadn’t been used for such a purpose for hundreds, if not thousands of years.

I bumped my head into the door, not knowing that I had gotten so close to them.

I looked around, trying to see if somepony had seen my foalish mistake.

One guard stood on either side of the door, not moving a muscle, but I knew that deep down, they were laughing their asses off.

I frowned, and slowly creaked the door open.

“Excuse me?!” I heard a mare say.

I looked in the building, Celestia was up on her throne, looking down at two others, on the left, a large, brown, white and black Griffon that was clearly angered, on the right, a smaller, pink mare in a light suit of leather armor with a steel neck cuff that elongated from the end down to her wings were glaring daggers at one another. I had never seen either of the two before.

“Ricco, I will advise you not to speak to my subjects in such an impolite manner.” Celestia said, motioning to the Griffon. “If you need some time for the teleportation spell to wear off, you may find your quarters at the end of the hall that way.” She said, pointing to left.

The Griffon stomped past the mare, snapping his tail like a whip as he strode past her.

“Such immaturity...” Celestia mumbled, looking my direction.

I had forgotten that I had been walking towards the scene the entire time, and I was now just a few yards away from Celestia herself.

She inhaled, “Cloud Skipper, it is nice to see you again.”

“N-nice to see you again as well, P-princess.” I stuttered, bowing quickly. The pink mare gave me a quizzical look which I picked up on from the corner of my eye.

“Do you know why I brought you here today?”

My mind banked, I couldn’t focus on a single thought in the millions that swirled through my mind.

“N-no Princess.”

Even her blinking seemed to carve into my very soul, I wasn’t ready for any form of punishment.  I didn’t even know what I had done to make her angry.

“Sit down, I wanted to speak to all three of you together, but from what I have heard, Ricco has already gotten the memo.” She explained, looking over to the direction the Griffon, who I assumed was Ricco, had gone.

The pegasus mare beside me sat down, she was a light, but not quite bubblegum pink with a bluish-purple mane and tail. She had a slight frown on her face.

“Cloud Skipper, this is Firefly, she is from Haywaii.” Celestia said, gesturing to the mare. “She has come a long way in order to help us.”

“No disrespect princess, but what exactly am I helping you with?” Firefly asked, tapping her hoof against the ground.                      

Celestia looked calmly down towards her, “Six of Equestria’s most beloved heroes and six of the most sacred artifacts have been taken from Equestria.”

I heard myself gasp. “Princess, are you talking about-”

“The Elements of Harmony.” She said. “As well as their bearers.”

The mare stood up, “But how are two random, regular ponies and a griffon supposed to stop something that was powerful enough to take the Elements?” She asked.

Celestia sighed. “I asked myself the same question when I thought of this idea...” She said softly, looking down. “But I visioned you three, and you three only, each one of you have a gift, even if you don’t see it.” She explained. “I am willing to put Equestria on the line for this.”

“For this? For a hunch?!” Firefly raised her voice.

“I would bet my life on it.” She said.

Firefly sat down and looked down at her hooves. “This is so crazy...” She mumbled.

Celestia’s voice cracked. “I understand if you do not feel the same way, I will schedule for your return, Firefly.”

I looked over to Firefly, then spoke. “Firefly, I don’t know you, I don’t know what you have been through, but I know one thing for certain...” I began. “When the Princess asks for something so great, she is not wrong.” I bowed before Celestia. “I will do it, for you and the ponies I swore to protect.”

Firefly looked over at me, her eyes sparkled with an unseen emotion.

“Fine... If you think this is best for Equestria, who am I to argue?” Firefly asked, bowing as well. “I will do it.”

A few stomps came from the left hallway, directing my attention to a visibly vexed Griffon.

“I’m not bowing, and I’m not doing it for you babies, and, just so you know I don’t take orders unless they’re fair...” Ricco said,. “But yeah, I’m in.”

Firefly put her hoof in front of her, I put my hoof on hers, noticing the motion. Ricco calmly slid over and put his claws on my hoof.

“Then it is settled then.” Celestia said, stepping down from her throne and leading us down the right hallway. “Come.”

We followed, an intense glow flashed from her horn. “You three will be training as much as you can until Monday morning, which is when you will be off to Equestius to find them, my sources tell me that they are located somewhere in the Cheval Desert.”

“Equestius is quite far from home, Celestia.” Firefly said, “How would we know where to find anything?”

Ricco piped up, “Moving around will be a piece of cake, I know the layout of all the countries, Griffonia doesn’t exactly want to not know what we’re up against.”

I turned my head and glared at him, “What do you mean, against?” I asked.

Ricco kept silent, which seemed to bug Firefly.

“Now, now, I did not bring you three here to fight amongst yourselves, I brought you to fight against your enemy.” Celestia said, trying to divide us.

“And who might that be?” Firefly asked.

Somepony blocked our path up ahead, an orange pony in a military grade jacket and a pair of aviators stood strong.  As we came up next to her I noticed her as Spitfire, the Wonderbolt Captain.

Spitfire had received military training just as much as any other pony would if they were to join the Royal-Guard or what-not. As far as I was concerned, The Wonderbolts were just as much of guards as we were.

“I see you’ve brought along some newbies for me, Princess.” She said, her raspy voice kind of echoed through the halls.

“Not exactly, Spitfire.” Celestia said, “They are trained in their own ways, this one especially.” She said, pointing a hoof towards me.

I released the strap of my helmet and pulled it from my head.  It felt like my mane could breathe now, the cool, yet calm air flowed through it.

“Ah, Cloud Skipper.” Spitfire said. “Looks like I only have two newbies.”

“One.” Ricco said, pointing an accusing claw at Firefly.

“Oh, dammit.” Firefly said.

“Excellent.” Spitfire said with a menacing smirk. “Let’s get started.”

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