Cloudfall Paintball Tournament

Date: 5th of October

Time: 2:30 P.M. Canterlot Standard Time

Location: Canterlot Castle courtyard

Celestia always dreaded this part of the tournament... Making the opening speech which was different every year... Always revolving around the stopping of eternal night once more.

She inhaled sharply in preparation to speak in the Royal Canterlot Voice for the coming speech, "MY LOYAL SUBJECTS! THE TIME HAS COME TO YET AGAIN FACE THE THREAT OF ETERNAL NIGHT!" She paused for a moment to let the words sink in, of course the media and propaganda workers loved this time of year. More excitement occurred than normal.

"What of the Elements of Harmony?" One of the journalists asked loudly, Pen Stroke if Celestia remember correctly. He went through this motion every year, asking about the elements, when every year they'd already separated and chosen sides, rendering the elements all but useless.

"Yes... The Elements of Harmony..." Celestia began, dropping the Royal Canterlot Voice for the next few sentences, "The forces of the night, and our allies have fragmented their friendship.... The Element of Loyalty herself has fallen to the corruption of my sister and now serves the Night Strikers..." She added a bit more sad emphasis than was really necessary but it was all a part of the act.

Pen Stroke and the other journalists gave feigned gasps of shock at this 'revelation' and even the guards seemed to visibly flinch at the statement.

"What of the others?" Pen Stroke called out solemnly.

"My student the Element of Magic and the Element of Honest are both still faithful to the Solar Shield, while the Elements of Laughter, Kindness, and Generosity are loyal to our ally the Crystal Keepers." While Celestia hated these speeches it was in its own annoying way fun, "It is time for me to take my leave My Little Ponies... May the sun guide your footsteps and words." With these last words Princess Celestia left the courtyard.

Time: 2:43 P.M. Canterlot Standard Time

Location: 23,000 feet above the Everfree

High above the Everfree, the massive Cloud Fortress Night Star was concealed by the Everfree's unnatural weather patterns, it was an impressive feat of both Pegasi and Unicorn engineering, the clouds being solid and able to support weight and stop strong impacts, both physical and magical. The entire Superstructure was centered around a Magic Energy Coil that sustained the spells used in its original construction to make it solid.

This would be its first year of service in the tournament, and it was where Princess Luna, fully decked out in her midnight blue armor  and flanked on either side by her Night Bringer squadron was addressing her troops. "MY CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT IT IS TIME TO MARCH FORTH ONCE MORE AND SPREAD THE GLORIOUS NIGHT FOR THE NEXT THOUSAND YEARS!!"

This time of year she always took a form similar to Nightmare Moon for the coming tournament though she only kept the form until after the speech and during the one day break in fighting during that occured on Nightmare Night.

"WE SHALL SHOW NO MERCY TO OUR ENEMIES, FOR THEY WOULD DEFILE OUR NIGHT WITH THE LIGHT OF CELESTIA'S SUN! WE MUST STRIKE DOWN THE SOLAR TYRANT!"

With these last words the assembled regiments of the Night Strikers burst into loud cheers and a few even fired their weapons into the air, sending magically accelerated paint into the ceiling of the supply dock of the Night Star, the only area of the cloud fortress able to house several regiments worth of troops at the same time.

Luna stopped speaking in the Royal Canterlot voice for the closing words of her speech, "Now.... Prepare for the coming battles, for our enemies are powerful. Let it not deter you, for you all go with my blessings."

Luna turned on her heel and walked out of the supply dock with her Night Bringers following behind her.