Celestia’s feet pounded away as she darted over the ground, Twilight struggling to keep up with her. She’d volunteered to go on this mission of peace with Celestia when Luna was too busy to come, and the sisters had decided that it might be for the best if Twilight was exposed to the full extents of princess hood. Including, as it so happened, cross dimensional politics and how to make the best tea in the Expanse.

This world seemed to suggest that both those might be achieved from this trip, having shown that the various inhabitants seemed to love the hot drink as another world might love chocolate milk. Unfortunately, this was vastly overshadowed by the fact that they seemed dutifully bound to war, unlike any other world Celestia had ever seen. They never even advanced the arts, as soon as steel was discovered it had been nothing but bloodshed since.

Celestia had sought to bring peace to this world, maybe not all at once, but over time. An idea that was cast out as, upon arrival, they were immediately attacked by the town guard. Their human forms, originally to allow easy discussion, now served as the means of their powerful escape. Celestia had had several practice sessions with movement in this strange body, Twilight however, was finding it to be quite the handicap.

Luckily, as always, she was a fast learner. “Celestia!” Twilight called, her voice wavering at the needless expenditure of oxygen. “Where are we going?”

“We only need to find a moment of silence and I can send us back to Canterlot!” Celestia called back, turning down an alley way. Twilight followed hurriedly, the pounding of the guard’s growing closer. She heard the sound of bow strings going taut and she flinched in anticipation. However, the whiz of arrows was blocked out by an extremely loud clanging.

Celestia stopped to look back and Twilight did the same. A large form filled the alleyway with solid sheets of metal wrapped about it’s body. It lacked a traditional weapon, but bore a shield decorated with several spikes. Twilight, seeing the monster that had shown up, began to run away. However, as she turned, she ran into Celestia, who didn’t even flinch at the collision.

Twilight looked between Celestia and the monster curiously, wondering what had caused the princess to stop her retreat. Until it suddenly became obvious to Twilight in a burst of recognition. It was mind control, hypnotism, nothing else could explain it. She heard the war cry of the guards and glanced back to the monster, watching as several muscular warriors charged the form. “Celestia, we’ve got to get going before they get past it!”

“They won’t…”

“What?” Twilight turned to see the monster, with one single swing of it’s shield, send all the guards tumbling away, all the while standing its ground perfectly still in the alley way.

“Steel Wall… but…” The princess seemed both happy and sad at the same time as she spoke.

The massive creature turned to face them, it’s helmet slit so thinly that no inch of the face beneath could be seen. The guards looked at each other before deciding they would need a bit more help now. They left to get reinforcements and the armored form approached the princess. Twilight backed away as it closed the distance until it was only inches from Celestia.

“You died…”

The form reached an armored hand into it’s chest piece and pulled a shining medallion from inside. It held it out to Celestia and she smiled. “I guess your promises were stronger than I first assumed.”

The monster took it’s shield in both hands and slammed it into the hard packed dirt to free up its hands. Then it stooped into a bow in front of Celestia, every inch of it’s form clinking and clunking about in a very ungraceful manner.

A white orb formed on Celestia’s hand and she looked at Steel Wall with a reminiscent smile. “I guess we have a lot to catch up on.”