My little pony is copyright to Hasbro and Lauren Faust. So be sure to support the show. It’s because of them that this community is so great.

Author’s note: If you see something wrong (“there” when it should be “their”) please point it out. I am always open to constructive criticism. Enjoy.

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Chapter 1: From the within rain

The halls of Canterlot palace seemed to be void of life to princess Celestia as she traversed the extensive, marble hallways that made up the castle. The soft sound of rain perforated the walls on her left side, small water droplets splashing against the many stained-glass windows. As the white mare with an ever-flowing rainbow mane and tail walked the seemingly deserted halls she cast a wishing glance at one of the brightly colored windows that showed the distant valley nestling the quant town of Ponyville, slowly becoming more blurred around the edges from the light rain. The princess would love nothing more than to forgo the meeting about some new bill that she was currently heading to in order to go outside and enjoy the warmth of her sun. However, the Pegasus ponies had scheduled a heavy rain for today to make up for a minor drop in rainfall in the past few months. Several farmer Earth ponies had complained that their crops weren’t getting enough water to grow properly and the weather teams wanted to make up for lost time.

If only the rain would stop. The princess thought to herself as she paused at one of the windows to fix the golden chest piece that was part of her ensemble; consisting of hoof coverings, a crown, and the currently askew chest piece all made out of the finest gold to complement her shining sun. It would have been wonderful to at least be outside if I had to deal with all these meetings. After getting the traitorous garment back where she wanted it, the princess continued along the corridor, eventually turning right into another hall lined with large wooden doors, each with torches adorning their sides.

As the sun goddess reached the end of the hallway to come to a stop outside of a impressively august set of double doors. Each door was made of a different material and was emblazoned with a different symbol. The one on the left was crafted out of solid gold and had Celestia’s cutie mark inlaid with one giant ruby for the center with smaller rubies circling around for the rays of the sun. The other was made out of obsidian with small veins of Safire that created a wavy look in the door. The Door on the right also had diamonds inlaid to imitate a sky full of stars and shape Celestia’s beloved sister Luna’s cutie mark, a crescent moon.

Celestia paused outside the massive doors in order to gather her thoughts, and in all truthfulness, waist some time before she had to go inside to deal with the pompous big wigs that had called the meeting. Even now Celestia could hear raised voices coming from within the room beyond. Sighing to herself and resining to just get it over with, Celestia placed a hoof on the door and started to push just as a loud voice from behind stopped her.

“Princess Celestia!” A voice yelled, the sound of running hooves growing lower with every second. “Princess Celestia!” The voice repeated. A light blue Earth pony with a white, close cropped mane and tail busted out from behind the corner. After the now panting Earth pony finally came to a stop in front of the princess she was able to get a better look at her guest. Upon closer inspection the princess noticed that the pony in front of her had a coat that was a light powder blue and a short mane and tail that started as a pure shining white at the roots but slowly turned into an electric blue at the tips. The pony  was a mare that looked like she had just gotten out of boot camp, judging by her young look, and the fact that the mare was now standing at attention waiting for the princess to speak, hoof raised in a perfect salute.

“At ease, Post-Haste” The princess said, a soft smile alighting her face at the eagerness of the pony in front of her. The mare gave a small start at the realization that such an important pony knew her name, but quickly covered the movement by shuffling her hooves. The princess gave another chuckle as she noticed the poorly concealed surprise. Celestia had long since made a point to learn every ponies’ name in order to look more omniscient and caring, a job made easy by the many millennia of experience already behind her. As she easily recognized the royal guard’s newest “runner” the princess asked softly “Is there something you need?” Kind smile still alit on her face.

“Y-yes milady”. The messenger stuttered, alerting Celestia that something may actually be very wrong. The princess maintained her smile but perked her ears forward so that she could clearly hear what had obviously put strain onto the novice. “It’s the captain, mam. He said that somepony just appeared at the palace gates and is badly wounded. He requested that you come immediately because he wanted you to have a chance to talk before Nurse Tendercare got there”

“Oh no…” the princess whispered in shock, a feeling of dread falling over her and smile now forgotten. Her mind started racing with horrible thoughts of riots, fires, floods, earthquakes, and more awful things, each far worse and less likely than the last, which could cause somepony to come to the palace in such a state of pain. “Post-Haste, continue into the conference hall and tell those inside that I will not be able to make it to the meeting today,” The princess dictated, adopting a serious tone and gesturing at the large double doors, now behind her. “I will continue to the captain to see what I can do to alleviate the pony’s pain and see what they have to say. Now go!” Before the final word had even left her mouth, princess Celestia had taken flight back the way she had come just minutes ago.

After reaching the first window that she could, the princess opened it with a small amount of magic, exposing the inside of the castle to the now raging storm outside that had picked up in overall downpour, but dropped in wind speed. Giving a silent thanks to her luck for the wind to be so minimal, Celestia burst out of the window and steadied herself outside to try and find the fastest way to the main gate. The rain immediately started to sink into the princess’s white fur, causing a steady chill to creep into her bones. After a split second to gain her barring’s and orient herself in the direction that she needed to head, she dove towards the main gates, now a gray blur in the downpour. In the few seconds that it took her to reach the gates and alight on the ground, she already felt completely waterlogged, a deep set cold passing through her spine every few seconds as rivulets of water arced in different paths on her back. Her once vibrant, rainbow mane now hung dull and limp from the thorough soaking.  

“Princess Celestia!” A gruff voice called as soon as the sun goddess landed. Turning towards the voice, the princess watched as a large Pegasus pony stepped up from what she assumed was a sitting position he had adopted while he waited for her to arrive. The Pegasus in front of her had a solid white coat and was garbed in golden armor and a helmet. The guard’s mane and tail where woven through his armor and helmet acting as a plumes and rank signifier. Both his tail and mane were a dark red, showing that he was the current captain on the grounds patrol. The royal guards armor was always enchanted to change the wearer’s coat color to the standard color of their division, Pegasus: White Earth: grey and when a unicorn decides to branch out from academics and move into the guards, their coat becomes a deep blue. The armor also automatically changes the wearer’s mane and tail to represent their current rank or in some cases, squad colors. Knowing this, Princess Celestia was quickly able to tell who it was she was talking to, judging by the current guards that should be on shift and who the current grounds security captain was.  

“Where is the stranger, Captain Stone Wall?” Celestia asked in no mood for formalities while a pony was in pain and she could help them.

“This way your majesty.” The captain answered without skipping a beat, turning abruptly towards a place just off to the left of the inside wall of the outer gate. As the captain started walking towards a group of ponies off in the distance, he started the overall synopsis of the situation, adopting a tone well known to Celestia from years of military reports. “A merchant was leaving to find a hotel for the night sense he apparently didn’t get the weekly message about the weather and wasn’t prepared for todays storm.” The captain said face perfectly blank as he rattled of the information. “He heard some moaning on the side of the road and went over to investigate.” The princess and the captain started across the cobblestone street, growing ever closer towards the group of ponies in front of them, their voices still muffled from the rain. “The merchant got the nearest guard to fetch me and Nurse Tendercare. I then proceeded to send Post-Haste to you.”

“Have there been any reports of natural disasters or accidents that may have caused this?” The princess asked the captain, mind still filled with worry for her precious subjects.

As the princess and captain finally got to the group of ponies that they had been heading towards, their voices were now discernible as worried comments for the welfare of the stranger. The captain replied, “I have asked all the messengers and unicorns that have a link set up to neighboring cities. So far, nothing. Whatever caused this wasn’t some disaster.” The captain then took on a grave tone. “I would like to think it was just some accident that we’ll learn about when we can actually have a non-pain or drug diluted conversation, but I have to also assume the worst, being that somepony did this intentionally.” The captain then turned to the princess and bowed before continuing to speak, voice slightly muffled. “I am sorry for usurping your command, your majesty, but I have taken the liberty to increase the guard patrols just incase there is somepony intending harm.”

“You did well Captain Stone Wall” The princess said allowing her smile to reappear in her face. She did not truly feel happy but she knew just how much going above her authority had been against the captain’s ingrained sense of the chain of command. The princess wished that more ponies would take the initiative like the captain before her-- especially when she may not be able to respond with commands soon enough to be of any help. Even the most powerful Alicorn can’t be everywhere at once.

“Thank you princess.” The guard said with an air of utter relief, sinking ever deeper into his bow.

“Now, go back to the barracks and get some well deserved rest.” The princess finished, as she started to wade through the ponies before her, knowing all to well that the captain should have been off duty several hours ago.

“Yes your majesty.” the captain replied, rising from his bow and trotting off towards Canterlot Castle.

The princess was able to make it through the crowd quickly as the ponies around her recognized just who had come up from behind and was making their way through. As she neared where she could actually see the stranger, the princess started to organize her thoughts.

Ok step one: see what I can do to alleviate the pain. The princess thought to herself, heartbeat rising. I’m not very good at extensive healing spells and I don’t want to cause further damage so I’ll leave the healing to Tendercare and her staff. Step two: see just what happened to this stranger, I need to know if this was an accident or a---Suddenly the thoughts came to a crashing halt within the princess’s mind. All of the questions that she had been readying, died in her throat as she finally saw the stranger lying on the ground, obviously unconscious and even then in excruciating pain.

The sun goddess looked down at the stranger and a deep feeling of pity and longing to help overwhelmed her. At the base of her front hoofs the princess saw a medium sized young unicorn stallion, breathing raggedly. The stranger was so splattered with mud that the princess couldn’t even tell what color his coat was, let alone his mane or tail that were in such disarray there could be no saying as to what stile that he had worn them in before. The colt’s back right leg was bent at an odd angle and his entire body was covered in long scratches that bled steadily. The princess instantly deduced that the colt had somehow broken his leg and had to drag himself across the cobblestones, ultimately collapsing just inside the main gates.  

How horrible… The princess thought to herself, the very thought of having to force yourself to push on even though you know that each new movement would bring on a fresh wave of agony. I will personally make sure that he gets the full attention required until he is fully recovered. The princess thought determinedly, frown once again falling on her face. He has gone through so much; he deserves no less.

“Everypony, please leave,” The princess said, addressing the crowd surrounding her, “I will stay here until medical attention arrives” Several murmured consents were the response to the dismissal as all the ponies around the strange colt and the goddess of the sun dispersed. She then got onto her knees next to the mysterious pony and quickly cast some pain reduction spells. As the glow in her horn faded away the princess cast a final spell that stopped the rain around her and the injured pony, a bubble free of the downpour as the surrounding land continued to be covered with the life giving water. A small, almost grim smile appeared on the princess’s face as she realized the irony of the situation-- surrounded by that which brings life while sitting next to somepony who was in danger of loosing that life. Grim amusement gone, the princess settled down to wait for Nurse Tendercare, the sound of rain hitting the magical barrier filling her ears.