Chapter thirty three

When you have a friend leave for a few days out on ‘royal duties’, as she put it, it doesn’t take long for your friends to find out that you have finally returned from what seems like a life time. Though the fact that Twi went to each of her friend’ houses to tell them to meet at her home later that day only sped up that process. They were all glad to see that she made it back safe and sound. Though they were a little confused as why Flash wasn’t there with her, or for that matter why they were being asked to meet her that evening at her house to say the night so suddenly.

Rainbow Dash writes down a small list of things that Twilight has shot off that would be advisable to bring with her, “Also more than likely a blanket for the night…may get cold,” the lavender mare waits for RD to catch up.

“Check…” she finishes the word, “anything else?”

“A meal for the road also, or a light snack.”

“…got it.”

“That’s what I’ve been telling the others to bring along with them,” Twilight tries to remember if there was anything that she was forgetting, though her thought process gets interrupted as Rainbow calls out to her.

“What exactly is this all for anyway?” the light blue Pegasus questions her friend as Twi starts to flap her wings.

“I will fill you and the girls in when you all come over tonight, I have to get ready myself as well…” she informs Dash as she starts to part ways from her friend, “for now I’ll say this, Celestia is calling on us.”

Her cobalt friend leaps off the ground and renders a salute to her regal pal, “And you know more than well that I’ll be ready to answer that call, you can count on it.”

Twi giggles at the playfulness from RD as she thanks her for her help in the matter and that she will see her later. Having Rainbow now filled in, and the rest of the gang informed to meet her at her house at about seven thirty. Spike is brought up to speed after she meets up with him at Rarity’s and asked if he would come along. But when you consider that Twilight has been running around for the better part of the day, she judges that by the position of the sun in the sky it has to be around four or five in the afternoon at this point.

A fact that is only confirmed when she eyes the clock tower in town, while she flies by and it reads exactly four thirty. ‘Plenty of time…’ she thinks as she touches down on her balcony and unlocks the door with her magic to her room, making sure to secure it behind her, seeing as there isn’t really another pony in the same house to keep her safe at the moment. She’ll just have to do it on her own for the moment while Flash stays back and recovers from his previous bout.

Setting her crown on the nightstand next to her bed, the youthful princess breaks out a back pack to get a few things for the trip the next day. Leaving the bag open on the bed she quickly runs down to the kitchen to throw together a lettuce, tomato, and onion sandwich with sliced cucumber in between. Putting it in the fridge to keep if fresh till the next day, filling up her own canteen to do the same. Although the route to the Tree of Harmony isn’t really a long one, it is one that none of her friends, herself, or even the regal sisters in Canterlot fully remember, after having not made that trip in literally several years by this time. Seeing as it really isn’t one that they had to make all that often either.

She’s just glad to have a few extra guards around for some protection for the moment as they venture in to the woods. First time they went that far in to the forest, it was to find the Elements of harmony when Nightmare Moon returned. Where she first made the friends she still has to this day, and where Celestia had her stay in Ponyville to continue her studies on the magic of friendship.

The next time she would have to do that though, she went in there as a princess and helped to save both Princess Luna, and Celestia as the Ever Free Forest started to invade. Where she and her friends had to give up their elements in the end. Those trips were all made in the same day, and in those trips they dealt with rockslides, supersized crocodiles, a Manticore, and even the forest itself that was working against them. So although they may have been short, they are just as dangerous as running in to Queen Chrysalis in the middle of a cave.

Twilight walks back up to her room and opens the closet, looking through the dresses that she has collected over time from ones that she picked out, and ones that were given/made for her by Rarity. Though she isn’t looking for a dress right now, far from it. Pushing them to the side, she eyes a wrapped cloth laying in the corner, propped up on the wall.

‘I never thought I would need to bring this out…’ Twilight thinks to herself, as she uses her magic to levitate the wrap and places it delicately on the bed.

There were many lessons that Twilight had in her days with Celestia, and even some with Luna from time to time. Tia always took care of the more academic side of things, sure to keep Twilight’s thirst for knowledge in mind as she taught her all about history, what to expect as a leader, and of course many, many, many, many spells to hold close to your horn and be ready to use in a moment’s notice.

All that said though, there was one thing that Lulu had up her hooves to teach the young princess. Something that she practiced and practice in years past, and still had the ability to best her own sister from time to time. Although Celestia may win when it comes to magic (and chess), Luna is more than skilled when there is sword play involved.

Slowly opening the wrap, Twilight brings out a sheath and carefully draws out the blade so as not to cut herself. Beautifully adorned with her own cutie mark on the handle, and having a lavender amethyst carved in to the pommel as ballast, on top of this even having a trick up it’s own sleeve for the would be magic attacker. The straight edged sword still has a razors edge to it, considering the princess has never had to use it, she still takes care of it none the less. A gift to her upon her coronation as a princess from the princess of the night. Luna from time to time while her sister was busy, would take Twi aside and out in to the training courtyard to give her a few lessons here and there.

Twilight has always had her magic when it came to defending herself, though as Luna said, ‘…the day may come where you are too weak to have your horn to defend yourself. Where you will lose your strength. It’s far easier to swing a good stout blade, than it ever will be to cast even the simplest enchantment…’ those words resonated with her many times sense that day.

Recalling those times in the past where magic had almost failed her, she decided that having some skill with the sword would be useful. Eventually after some time of getting used to holding the blade with both a simple telekinesis spell, and her own hooves. Luna even had Twi demonstrate what she could do to Celestia herself, in private of course. Impressing the eldest sister, as she encouraged the lessons to continue. Though only the two sisters know that Twilight can hold her own to some extent with a blade, not even her own brother knows this little detail about her.

Holding the strong headed blade in her hoof, she gracefully brings it over the top of her head in a slow sweeping motion, remembering all those under the table lessons that the night princess had given her. “It really has been quite a while sense I’ve brought this out…” Twi talks to herself out loud as she starts to swipe and sway the blade like she was taught, “…and this just might be the prime time to do so,” she finishes up, holstering the blade in its sheath as she brings the buckle up and over her waist.

Looking at herself in the mirror, the blade sits perfectly on her curves, hugging her form and not giving out to much to get caught on anything in a battle. Held right under her wing, even to give it an almost concealed look to it like Flash had done as well. “Thank you, Luna…” She quietly says to herself, giving thanks for the wonderful gift that her mentor had crafted especially for her.

One that she can only hope that she would never have to use…

After making a checklist of things that she brought with her, then a checklist to go with that checklist. Twilight packs the final details up and leaves her bag by the door, taking a load off in the kitchen as she sits there for a moment in her empty home at the time and sips on a cup of mint leaf tea to level her head out, though a glass of that scotch she had before would probably do better to calm her nerves.

‘Not a good idea to have at the moment…’ she lightly taps the blade still strapped on her side, ‘seeing as I may need this later, so I have to keep a level head here,’ finishing off the mug in record time as she still feels the burn run down her throat from the hot beverage.

Even then, she has enough on her mind to ignore the heat as she ponders what in Equestria is going on, with tomorrow and the several odd days that have passed by here recently. It’s almost as if her own life is flashing before her eyes now in this simple moment of drinking her beverage. She was getting taught by Celestia like any old day when the topic of her having a guard came up, then Cadance shows up in the mix and suggests Flash for that task.

While he’s here, they run in to a changeling sneaking around in her own home, go to the Crystal Empire and another one is found there by him and her brother. Twilight gets sent out to investigate an area for more of them, where while they are on their way, an assassin comes out in the night and tries to attack her. Soon afterwards they find the Queen of the changelings herself, yet again in their area as they stumble on what could have been their camp for all she knows.

On top of that she has gotten closer and closer to the one colt who she holds an affinity towards, to the point where they are finally together, and she couldn’t be happier… if he wasn’t in the hospital right now. And up next, she is to be on her way in the morning with her best friends back through the Ever Free Forest and to the Tree of Harmony to ensure its safety.

“It has been a very interesting past few months here…between my normal day to day studies, and the more… curious encounters,” she starts to rub her temples as the memories flood back to her, some pleasant, some hurtful. Though all of them she will remember for now and forever.

A swift pounding at the door breaks her train of thought as she gets up from her seat and goes to it. Already hearing the bouncing up and down of a pink pony through the thin glass window that adorns the outer side of the door.

“Yep… she’s here…”

Twi prepares herself for what is to come. Opening the door and quickly side stepping to the right as her prediction plays out. Pinkie Pie’s tackle that was intended for the princess, only succeeds in bringing her sliding over the ground and nearly in to the wall on the opposite side.

“Awe…” the pink mare’s face drips down, “that’s no fun now…”

“Pinkie… you really have to work on your greeting,” Twi goes over and helps her friend up with a snicker as she gives a warm embrace, “though I am glad to see you made it on, more or less, a short notice.”

“Of course I’d make it!” Pinkie beams, “we all did after all.”

She turns her lavender friend around so she can see the rest of the gang with bags ready fall in to the house as they each give their greetings to the mare. Spike nearly swoops Twilight up in his claws, and even covers her with his wings in his own hug, “It’s great to see you, Twi.”

“I wasn’t gone that long, but it’s wonderful to see you too, Spike,” she chuckles before they let go of one another as her scaly friend goes back to the side of the only pure white unicorn in the room.

Though Rarity always looking out at what her friends are sporting in the terms of attire, not to criticize, just a force of habit for a mare in her line of work. She is the first to pick up the rather weaponized fashion accessory that her friend is wearing at the moment.

“Oh dearie…” she gasps at the moment, “are we going to war any time soon?” the mare quickly does a mental check of what she has in her saddle bag, “I’m afraid I didn’t bring anything really for combat experience.”

“Oh… you mean this,” Twilight taps the side of the sheath so the others take note as they follow her in to the living room and take their seats, “well there is something I need to tell you all…”

“S-s-so we are going to war?” Fluttershy asks again, starting off a chain before Twilight can even finish.

“I never said-” the princess tries to interject, though with a subject like this. Some of her more energetic friends take it by storm.

“Oh I’m pumped!” Rainbow cracks her neck with a simple twist, cutting off her friend.

“Hold on-”

“Whose rump do we have to kick this time?” Applejack asks while rolling her shoulders.

“If you would-”

“Alrighty girls, to war!” Pinkie leaps up on the table and further in to the air. Somehow managing to hold herself up in suspended animation off the ground while she triumphantly points a hoof forward, almost ready to lead a charge in to the enemy ranks that are nowhere to be found. In that moment or two where her friends are wondering ‘how does she do that?’ the princess in the room has had it.

“That’s enough!” Twilight screams at the top of her lungs to get their attention as they all snap to her, Pinkie even falling down on to the couch. Recomposing herself after all eyes are on her, Twi tries her best to explain the situation that has been dealt to her now. “Celestia suspects that the Tree of Harmony is under threat. The map that she had kept to give direction to it in case the memory is lost over time, or others are needed to recover them. Is now missing from Canterlot and with all that has been going on with Changelings recently, the princess is worried that something may have happened to it and the elements themselves could possibly fall in to the wrong hooves.”

“Oh my,” Fluttershy mutters under her breath in one of her most sheepish voices. “Do you think that the changelings would really be willing to try and attack the tree itself?”

“Fluttershy makes a good point,” Spike addresses with a questioning claw to the end of his chin, “they were pretty badly beaten back in Canterlot. Do you think they can afford to try and take the elements themselves?”

“Normally I would agree with you in that case, Spike. Though with the help of their Queen…” Twilight pauses to let that sink in to their heads as she watches the slight click to each of them as they realize just what she said. A rather unnerving grinding in her teeth building up from the previous words, at even the mention of the monarch, “…I don’t think they will have a problem making that decision.”

“Wait, wait, wait here for just a second…” Rarity holds up a hoof to try and get Twilight to back up and elaborate for now on a rather small detail, “you mean to say that Queen Chrysalis is back here in Equestria?”

“Sadly…” she takes a breath, “yes.”

“And now you think that she may have something to do with the other changeling sightings in the area, and on top of that the map being gone?” Rainbow asks the obvious, only getting the rather ‘duh’ expression from her friend as she clops her hooves together, “well then, let’s get this party started.”

“Party!” Pinkie throws her hooves up in midair and even launches come confetti along with it. Much to the amusement of her friends, though never the less, they still just give her a dead pan glare and wonder how she is so happy about such a subject, “what too soon?”

“Save the party for when this is all said and done with, Pinkie Pie…” Twilight tells her so that she will calm down to some extent, “we leave in the morning, and Celestia has done us the privileges of giving an armed escort…”

“What about Flash?” Fluttershy asks, looking around the room and even trying to listen to any other pony in the house, “I haven’t seen him here at all?”

“Where is he anyway?” Applejack looks around just as her friend did, “usually he’d be attached to yur hip…” she snickers, getting all her friends to chuckle and laugh while they watch Twilight’s face grow not red, but stay absolutely normal. The only thing that she gives away is a calm, crisp smile on her face as she watches them take in the moment. “Is everythin’ alright with ‘im sugercube?” AJ asks after taking note of her friend’s expression, or lack there of.

“Oh he’s doing… well,” she says without giving anything away about his current condition, trying to put it off to the side and not think about it. Simply because the more she does, the more she worries.

“Is everything alright with you and him?” Rarity pry’s at her.

Though to the fashionista’s surprise, and pretty much everyone else’s in the room. Twilight all but just beams wide at them, as she gets up from the living room couch without so much as a snicker or a defense, and heads to the stair case.

“We… are doing just fine,” she leaves it off at as she starts to walk up the steps, calling back to them down in the living room as they look back and forth at one another from the rather peculiar answer they got in return, “though I do suggest that you all get to sleep now, seeing as we do have a journey ahead of us tomorrow…” she brings back to their attention.

Quickly making them snap back in to reality, as they get set for the day to come. Twilight steps in to her room and leans the blade next to her nightstand so she won’t forget it, momentarily remembering Flash doing the same thing with his own weapon when they slept together for the first time, after their night.

“And soon…” she takes a deep breath in, and slowly lets it out. A little trick she learned to deal with stress from her sister in law, “…he’ll be right back here, with me,” the mare reminds herself. Drifting off to sleep faster than normal as she anticipates the day to come.

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The morning sun rises at the crack of dawn to greet the new day as many of Ponyville’s residents remain hidden under their sheets to keep the rays at bay. Though the morning had not effected one Alicorn or her friends as they are up bright and early ready to start. All dressed out in the living room ready to leave, bags packed and ready to go out the door, though Twilight is one to double check that just in case.

“Water?” she asks out loud.

“Check!” quickly getting a unanimous answer.

“Blankets for a possible cold night?”

“Good to go,” several of her friends answer.

“Sword…” Twilight checks her own self to make sure it is there under her wing, “…check.”

“Lucky…” Rainbow admires the awesome blade from a far with a simple mutter under her breath. Making a mental note to look in to getting her hooves on one, and probably somepony to teach her.

“What about-” Twilight gets the list nearly taken out of her magical grasp as it’s ripped from her by Spike sporting his own back pack.

“I think we’re good, Twilight…” he tries to reassure her, resting a claw lightly on her shoulder, “I know you’re one that is a stickler for details, but trust me, we’re ready to go.”

“…I know, Spike,” she puts the quill away that she was using to check it off with.

Soon hearing a knock at the door, the princess puts a hoof on the hilt of her sword just to make sure it’s still there once again, as she opens and sees the half dozen guards standing there. Every single one of them bow at the princess and render a salute as they return to their original positions. The leading officer stands there in front of them, face to face with the princess.

“We are ready your highness, and at your disposal,” he addresses her, “are you ready to leave yet, princess?”

“Yes we are. Thank you, sir…” Twilight slightly bows her head out of respect for him and what he does, looking back at her friends with a rather nervous grin about her she motions them with a hoof, “Well… shall we?”

They start to head out the door as the guard holds it for them. Twi brings out another quill and parchment to send off to the princess and fill her in as she soon follows the others out, locking the door behind her.