As the express train hurtled towards Equestria’s northern border, a troubled Twilight Sparkle looked out to the darkened countryside. The others in the train car were stretched out on the beds that the bench seats folded into, but Twilight found that sleep just would not come to her. So she sat, propped up in a corner, watching the blackness go by.

“Hello, Twilight Sparkle,” a rich bass voice said from beside her. Twilight turned toward the speaker and froze as she recognized the powerful form of King Sombra, mere inches away from her.

“You!” Twilight exclaimed, leaping out of her seat before a powerful hoof grabbed her and shoved her back down.

“I thought we should have a talk, you and I,” Sombra said, leaning forward and Twilight could see the shadows leap up behind him, creating an opaque curtain that blocked the rest of the car from view.

“W-what about?” Twilight said, fear and a cold feeling climbing up her body making her stutter.

“About you… being mine,” Sombra said, licking his lips. “About how you want me, about how you want what I can do to you as my own little pet. But mostly about how you haven’t even tried to escape my grasp.” Sombra looked down Twilight’s body and she unwillingly followed his gaze. To her horror, she saw that his magic had recreated the living suit that had been her prison all too recently, and that it was flowing up her body.

“Nooo,” Twilight moaned, as the slick suit enveloped her now winking marehood. “You can’t… make me submit.”

“I don’t have to, Pet,” Sombra said, his words a warm, silky whisper in her ear. “Your need to be owned will do all the work for me.” Twilight squirmed and shifted, feeling the suit begin to press against her intimate openings as it enveloped her teats in a tight, pinching grip.

“NO!” Twilight shouted, bolting upright. She blinked and everything was gone. There was no Sombra, no dark magic, and most of all no suit wrapping her in it’s implacable grasp again.

“Just a bad dream,” Twilight said to herself, feeling her breathing and heart rate begin to return to normal.

“No, it wasn’t,” a quiet voice said, startling Twilight.

“Gyah!” Twilight exclaimed, until a blue hoof was pressed into her mouth, closing off further sound.

“Keep it down,” Rainbow Dash said, her metallic wing gleaming just a bit in the dim night-time lights of the train car. “You don’t want to wake everypony up.”

“Sorry, you startled me,” Twilight said, trying to calm herself down again. “Why are you awake?”

“Heard something familiar,” Dash said, taking a seat just outside of Twilight’s reach. “That wasn’t just a bad dream you had, was it?”

“It was just a dream,” Twilight said, then she frowned as she thought a bit. “Wait, why didn’t your Princess Luna intervene in my dream?”

“Two points,” Rainbow Dash said, running a hoof over her artificial wing, making sure it was furled. “First, what you had wasn’t just a dream. It was a flashback or two blurred together, wasn’t it?”

“Yes it was,” Twilight said, puzzled. “How did you know?”

“When you’ve seen as much fighting as I’ve had, you recognize the effects of combat fatigue in somepony else,” Dash said, leaning slowly against the wall of the train car. “Second point, Princess Luna was captured a month ago while on a raid, which is why she wasn’t around to fix your dream.”

“What?” Twilight asked, gasping in surprise. “Has Sombra broken her yet?”

“Not yet, but he broke Princess Cadance in days, so it’s only a matter of time before he breaks Luna,” Dash said, pulling out a hip flask and taking a swallow. “When Sombra does break her will though, that’s it for Equestria.”

“Why? How?” Twilight asked trying to piece things together, shaking her head in refusal when Rainbow Dash offered the flask to her.

“Princess Luna can dreamwalk,” Dash said, screwing the cap back onto the flask. “How long do you think Equestria is going to hold out when she starts visiting everypony in their dreams and starts trying to convince them that Sombra’s a good guy?”

“She wouldn’t even have to do that,” Twilight said, understanding the problem now. “All she would have to do is make sure ponies in key positions don’t get any restful sleep. After a few days they would be useless, asleep on their hooves.”

“I could tell you were an egg-head the moment I saw you,” Dash said, nodding in satisfaction. “So, anyway, Princess Celestia has to get her sister back, no matter what.”

“That’s why… the Inquisitor,” Twilight said, still trying to wrap her head around the warped caricature of herself that the Inquisitor was, “thinks that Celestia is going to surrender, just to end the war.”

“Better to negotiate terms than get forced into those helmets of his,” Dash said, nodding. “You gonna be good on your own, or you need me to stay up with you a bit?”

“Stay up with me?” Twilight asked, before remembering what Captain Dash had said about combat fatigue. “You think you need to stay up with me, because I have this ‘combat fatigue?’”

“Only if you want me to,” Dash said, and Twilight could see the soldier mare tense slightly. “I haven’t been through whatever it is you have, but I’ve been through some things that left their mark too. You want me to go away, say so. I won’t get mad. You want to sit and talk, I’m good for that, too. You just want to sit and watch the world go by? Well, I’ve done my share of that.”

“How do you know so much about this?” Twilight asked, feeling something of a kinship for this scarred but undefeated warrior.

“Like I said, I’ve been through a few things,” Dash said, inhaling sharply. “I’d be a lot more messed up than I am if it wasn’t for Pinkie and her sister.”

“Think I’ll try to get some more sleep,” Twilight said, finding the blanket that she had thrown off when she had explosively awoken. “Thanks for the offer though.”

“No problem, like I said, this is something I know about,” Dash said, as she got up and moved past Twilight back into the aisle. “For what it’s worth, your Equestria sounds like a pretty awesome place. Wouldn’t mind seeing it one day.”

“I’d love to show it to you, and there’s a couple of ponies there you might like to meet,” Twilight said, settling herself and thinking of Shaushka and her Rainbow Dash. “Maybe when the Crystal War is over…”

“When the war is over there won’t be a place here for somepony like me,” Dash said, fading back into the shadow. “Not in an Equestria at peace. Goodnight, Ma’am.”

“Goodnight Captain,” Twilight said, and rolling over went back to sleep.

“We’re getting close,” Trixie said, a seeming moment later as she shook Twilight awake. “Time to wake up.”

“I’m awake,” Twilight said, stretching and pulling the blanket off. “How far out are we?”

“A couple of hours,” Derpy replied, carrying a loaded breakfast tray across her back and wings that was giving off all sorts of delicious smells.

“Trixie,” Twilight said, in complaint. “A couple of hours away is not ‘getting close’.”

“It is when you need to get ready for a performance,” Trixie said, with a smirk and taking the tray from Derpy and setting it in front of the three of them.

“Performance?” Twilight asked, puzzled. “We aren’t putting on a show.”

“Oh yes, we are,” Trixie said, shaking her head at Twilight. “You are about to put on one of the most important performances of your life.” Derpy and Twilight both exchanged puzzled looks.

“It is certainly a good thing you were at least smart enough to accept Trixie as your Knight,” Trixie said. “Twilight, you are going to be representing our Equestria to another Celestia. It’s a royal audience and you have to put your best hoof forward if you aren’t going to embarrass us.”

“Oh,” Twilight replied, realizing what Trixie had been driving at. “I guess we should try to look decent, at least.”

“‘Decent’ she says,” Trixie said, rolling her eyes. “You need to have your mane and tail brushed out, your fur needs a good currying, your hooves should be buffed and your regalia needs a good polish.”

“Oh, it’s not that important,” Twilight scoffed, not really feeling as confident as she sounded.

“Twilight,” Trixie said, her voice intent, and she tipped her head toward the three military mares that were their escorts. “Look at them.” Twilight craned her head up to look at the three captains. All of them were going over their uniforms and appearance with a fine tooth comb, even examining each other’s gear in case they had missed something themselves.

“You… may have a point,” Twilight said, scooping up some food and beginning to eat. “And Rarity would faint if she knew I appeared in front of a princess as anything less than fabulous.”

“Exactly, now let’s eat quickly because we have a lot of things to do and not a lot of time to do it,” Trixie said, setting to with a will. Over the next ninety minutes both trios of mares groomed themselves meticulously, with particular attention being paid to Twilight’s appearance. Even the three captains joined in on helping make Twilight look every inch a princess.

“It will look poorly on us as your escort if we let you go in front of our Princess looking like you’ve been through the grinder,” Maud Pie said, in her steady monotone. “I think you might be acceptable now.”

“Thanks for the help,” Derpy said, smiling at Maud. “Hey what’s that?” Derpy pointed to a pendant Maud was tucking under her shirt.

“Hey, leave that alone,” Captain Dash said, knocking away Derpy’s hoof with sudden anger. “Don’t touch her rock.”

“It’s okay, Captain RD,” Maud said, and Derpy’s eyes narrowed in thought as she saw Captain Dash immediately calm down. “They had no way of knowing it’s a family heirloom.”

“Yup,” Pinkie said, smiling and hugging her unresisting wife. “It’s Maud’s pet rock ‘Boulder.’ Dashie meditates with him sometimes,” Captain Dash blinked and shook herself at the nickname.

“Sorry about that,” Captain Dash said. “Sometimes I react without thinking.”

“Trixie assures you that you are forgiven, right Derpy?” Trixie said, nudging Derpy who seemed to be a little more absent minded than usual at that moment.

“What? Oh yes, not a problem,” Derpy said, focusing an eye on the group in front of her. “Princess, if you have a moment, I’ve got a couple of bobby pins that need a home.”

“Sure thing, Derpy,” Twilight said, letting Derpy continue her role in front of the others. “I can’t believe you had all these things tucked away in that outfit of yours.”

“Thank Rarity,” Derpy said, flashing a brief smile and leading Twilight toward the far end of the car where they had set up their impromptu grooming station. “She put so many pockets and pouches in this outfit that I think I’ve actually lost a few things.”

“Ha!” Twilight said, laughing. “You know, I think I’m already presentable. You don’t need to add more stuff.”

“I know,” Derpy said, sotto voce, “but I needed to ask you a question.”

“What did you need to know?” Twilight asked, keeping her voice low and her face turned away from the others.

“Back home,” Derpy said, whispering into Twilight’s ear as she fussed with a brush, “what kind of rock is Maud’s pet made out of?”

“I’m not entirely sure, but I’m pretty sure it’s a piece of basalt,” Twilight whispered back. “Why?”

“I got a look at the stone Captain Maud has,” Derpy said, giving Twilight’s mane a pat. “I don’t know if it’s important, but that’s a geode she has, not a piece of basalt.”

“There’s a lot of things different here than back home,” Twilight said, still keeping her voice soft. “But keep an eye on Maud, just in case. Paranoia seems to be something of a way of life here, we may as well emulate it.”

Fifteen minutes later the train slowed and came to a stop and the six ponies got off the train. With the three captains leading them Twilight, Trixie and Derpy made their way through the large armed camp. Several ponies looked at Twilight in surprise, making Twilight self-conscious.

“Stand up straight, walk proud,” Trixie hissed from her left side. “You’re representing all of us back home.”

“Why are they staring at me?” Twilight asked, trying to follow Trixie’s advice.

“You’re an unknown alicorn,” Derpy said, her voice pitched to carry only to Twilight’s ear. “They have to be wondering who you are, where you came from, and whose side you’re on.” Derpy was about to say more when a large group of ponies appeared in their path.

“Ah, if it isn’t the Three Amigos,” the leader of the group said to Captain Dash. “What brings Celestia’s personal goodwill squad to our neck of the woods.”

“Captain Dash with a party of three VIPs” the cyan soldier said, snapping off a precise salute. “The EIA was supposed to have sent word in advance that we were coming.”

“They did,” the leader pony said, taking off his helmet to reveal a blue maned pegasus stallion. “These them?”

“Yes, sir,” Captain Dash said, “Commander Flash Sentry, may I present Princess Twilight Sparkle, Dame Trixie Lulamoon and Lady Derpy Hooves.”

“Your Highness, Dame, Lady,” Commander Flash said, inclining his head to each in turn. “My name is Flash Sentry. I’m the head of Princess Celestia’s personal detail and we’ll be escorting you six to see the Princess.”

“Thank you, Commander,” Twilight said, remembering where she’d seen his face before. “I’m sure you serve your princess well.”

“I do my best, Your Highness,” Flash said, again with that same courteous nod. “Celestia has been made aware of your arrival and is waiting for you in her command tent. She has specifically insisted that none of you are to be searched or relieved of your weapons.” His eyes focused on the hilt of the sword in its scabbard on Trixie’s back.

“That is most kind of your princess,” Twilight said, finding her way into the polite give and take of formal speaking.

“She said that you and your companions had more than proven your goodwill,” Flash said, and then his manner hardened. “No offense, but if it was up to me you three wouldn’t get near the princess unless you were encased in stone from the neck down.”

“No offense taken, Commander,” Twilight said, with a wry smile. “We’ve discovered that paranoia is something of a national habit for you folks.”

“Out of necessity, Your Highness,” Flash said, sighing deeply. “If you will follow me then, I will take you to meet my princess.”

The ponies with Flash Sentry fell in around Twilight and her group and together they walked toward a large white tent at the peak of a small rise. As they walked Twilight noticed that the looks she had been getting were now focused on the three captains in front of them instead of her. Both of the Pies accepted the scrutiny in silence. Pinkie, for example, had barely spoken a word the entire trip but her eyes were never far from Rainbow Dash, who seemed to know Flash Sentry well and the two of them bantered back and forth as they walked.

“Flash Sentry with a party of six, to see the Princess,” the commander said, to a pair of sentries posted at the tent’s entrance.

“Quick baby,” said one sentry, in obvious challenge.

“Mighty jingle,” Flash said back, and it seemed to satisfy the sentry who drew aside the tent flap.

“Come in, please,” a voice that Twilight instantly recognized said, and Twilight immediately stepped through the tent flap, blinking her eyes to adjust to the reduction in light.

Twilight's eyes made the adjustment, and she looked on the Equestrian Princess of the Sun, whose majestic presence made her fight back an instinctive urge to kneel at the hooves of the white alicorn. To Twilight, Celestia had always been a source of wisdom, careful consideration and comfort. There had always been an aura of soft, enveloping care to Twilight’s mentor.

This Celestia was nothing like Twilight’s. From toned legs, through powerful hips, sleek barrel, and a deeply muscled chest, planes of hard muscle spoke volumes of an irresistible strength combined with the grace and skill to use it well. Intelligent magenta eyes fixed Twilight with a gaze that burned with vitality and determination, assessing the mare before her for strengths and weakness.

Before Twilight stood a warrior princess who had been forged in the heat of battles too numerous to count. Despite that however, the solar mare retained more than enough curves to remain feminine, even attractive and the combination of raw power, grace and beauty left Twilight speechless.

“Hello, Princess Twilight,” Celestia said, “I’ve been expecting you.”

No, the story isn't dead. I was just having to concentrate on other things for a couple of months. This story is going to be back into my regular rotation as of now, but this is only a short chapter while I pick the mental threads back up again.

The next couple of chapters should see the climax of this arc, followed by our heroine's return home where another quest awaits her.

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