The Way Of The Warrior

It was early in the morning as the sun rose over the horizon, casting long shadows across Ponyville as its inhabitants remained deep in their slumber. There was a peaceful aura to the town, as the only sounds came from the birds who sat atop their perches, basking in the light of a new summers day as they sung their morning song.

There was a gentle breeze in the air, carrying whatever dead leaves and petals it came across the streets below. Despite the lacklustre show, the light breeze provided more of a relief from the steadily climbing humidity of the new day, gently tickling the skin of whomever was out and about at this early hour.

With most of Ponyville still trapped in the embrace of their dreams, there was only one being who could truly appreciate the beauty of this sunrise; Konishi. The Samurai sat atop the library’s balcony, enjoying the peacefulness before him, a warm cup of tea in his hand.

‘Nice tea. A little different than what I’m used to, but I’m certainly not going to complain’, he thought, taking another sip out of his tea. He sighed gratefully as the warm liquid helped wake up his tired body. Konishi outstretched his arms, leaning back as the sun crested over Ponyville’s many buildings. ‘I must thank Twilight for making this.’

Twilight herself was still working away in the library. An early riser like Konishi, the young Alicorn had preferred to stay inside and finish her paperwork-- much to Konishi’s great disappointment. It was far too early for royal duties, and he knew she would have benefitted from half an hour or so of relaxing as the sun rose.

Konishi smirked, sipping at his tea once more. ‘One day in and I can already tell that Twilight works too much for her own good.’

Still, at least these few minutes of peace and quiet gave him some time to be alone with his thoughts. He had no doubts that Twilight would try to strike up another conversation and learn more about him. That wasn’t to say Konishi thought of it as a bad thing-- her eagerness to learn was something to be encouraged-- but even he needed to have a few minutes alone every once in a while.

‘I wonder how my familyiscoping after so long. I haven’t seen them in months’, he thought, staring up at the clear blue sky. It had been the better part of a year since he had been called up to war against the Takeda, and since then he had neither seen nor heard from his family.

It wasn’t a surprise, there was very little in the way of long distance communication back in Japan. Though he wrote to them on a weekly basis, he knew there was little chance of a message ever reaching them, or vice-versa. Especially during the last couple of weeks, when the Oda army had been marching through Takeda territory.

‘A shame really, I have much to tell them, and I’m sure they do too’, Konishi mused, taping idly away at the side of his cup with his fingers, a nostalgic smile slowly creeping onto his face.

In an ideal world he’d receive letters from them every week. His mother would no doubt complain about Kojima’s antics and remind him about how much she missed him, while his younger brother would almost certainly be bragging about his latest successes in training and how he would beat Konishi the next time they dueled.

‘The day my brother beats me in a duel will be the day I have to admithe’s a decent warrior. Hehe, not likely to happen for a long time then’, he thought, sitting back confidently on the balcony. Of course these duels were not the life and death duels that many rival Samurai fought to defend their honour, but a simple contest between two brothers to liven up training.

‘Or as Kojima would put it, “My life goal and destiny is to defeat you in battle brother, so that I may prove once and for all that I am the greatest warrior”’, he mused.

Konishi’s nostalgic smile dropped, and he looked down at his tea, the steam slowly wafting into his face. ‘Eight months, and only now do I truly realise how much I miss them’, he thought.

“So, what are you thinking about?” Twilight asked all of a sudden, drawing Konishi’s towards the doorway. He saw the young princess standing there, a cheeky grin on her face. “I’ve been here for almost a minute now and you didn’t notice me. You must have something important on your mind.”

Konishi nodded, before turning back to watch the sunrise, exhaling deeply. “I was just thinking about my family. It’s amazing how well things can be put into perspective when something unexpected happens.”

“Do you miss them?” Twilight asked, though the answer was pretty obvious to both of them.

“More than anything.”

Twilight paced over to Konishi’s side, giving the lone Samurai an understanding smile. “Don’t worry, Princess Celestia has a vast knowledge of magic at her disposal. I’m sure she’ll find a way to get you back home soon enough”, she reassured him.

“Thank you for you assurances Twilight, but I’ve waited almost an entire year to see my family. I’m sure I will last a couple more days without having any problems”, Konishi replied, smiling gratefully back at the lavender Alicorn.

“That’s great to hear, the last thing I want is for you to be not enjoying your time here. Besides, there’s still so many questions I want to ask you”, Twilight told him, receiving rolled eyes from Konishi. “Hey, can you really blame me? Anyway, I came up here to tell you I’m making some breakfast, so if you’re hungry feel free to come downstairs at any time.”

“Thank you Twilight, I think I’ll take you up on that offer”, Konishi declared, bowing at the young Alicorn as she turned to make her way back inside the library. Twilight gave him a gleeful smile in response.

“Good to hear. Just make sure you’ve eaten something before we go, we have a very busy day ahead of us and you’re going to need all the energy you can get”, Twilight warned him, before trotting off downstairs. ‘Especially if we meet Pinkie Pie’, she thought as she left, allowing Konishi to enjoy the last few seconds of sunrise.

‘A lord whom would rather help me than let me help her? This is a strange world indeed’, Konishi thought, regarding what remained of his tea with a quick glance. It was still hot, so he decided to finish it off what was left, before putting the now empty cup to the side, out of his way.

‘So if I’m remembering correctly we have to visit Rarity and Fluttershy today, with the added chance of meeting the other Elements of Harmony while we’re there. Twilight’s right; today’s going to be one very busy day for all of us.’

It was now late in the morning, and the sun had now taken its place high above Ponyville, bringing its hot rays down upon Konishi, Twilight and Spike as they made their way through the small town, attracting attention at every turn. They had known of Konishi’s existence for several days now-- Twilight having told them in an attempt to prevent them from panicking-- but unsurprisingly they were still taken aback by the Samurai as he walked past them, more so than the few ponies who had seen him last night.

Much to both Twilight and Konishi’s relief though they didn’t panic like when Zecora had arrived. Instead they just stopped what they were doing, staring at Konishi as he smiled politely at them. Fortunately their stares were more out of general curiosity rather than fear or disgust.

“Are you sure there was need to worry Twilight? Everyone here just seems curious, as they should be entitled to when meeting someone as different as I”, Konishi told Twilight, bowing slightly at few ponies as he passed, surprised expressions on their faces.

Twilight on the other hand, was a bit more embarrassed. “Perhaps I was a little bit more worried than I needed to be, but can you really blame me? The Princess put you under my supervision, and as such it’s my duty to keep you safe from harm and make sure you’re comfortable with your surroundings. Anything less and I would be failing both you and the Princess.”

“That’s funny, usually it’s the Samurai who protects the lord, not the other way around”, Konishi quipped, grinning cheekily at the young Alicorn next to him. The sweet taste of strawberries-- which had been served at breakfast alongside a plate of pancakes-- lingered in his mouth, having left a lasting impression on his taste buds. ‘Definitely my favourite food from this world thus far.’

Spike skipped merrily in between Twilight and Konishi, unable to contain his joy at the prospect of seeing Rarity. “Oh you don’t need to protect her, Twilight’s more than capable of defending herself. She’s fought against the likes of Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra, Chrysalis, Sunset Shimmer, and even the Everfree forest itself. And, she’s beaten them all”, he boasted for the young Alicorn, who shook her head as she chuckled.

“Thanks Spike, but you know I wouldn’t have been able to defeat any of them without you and the girls. I certainly don’t deserve all the credit for it”, Twilight replied humbly, casting her gaze up to Konishi. “Spike’s right in some ways though. I really don’t need protecting. Ponyville is one of the safest places in all of Equestria, and Equestria itself is well renowned for its peacefulness.”

An admiring expression crossed Konishi’s face as he watched Twilight walk. Credit where credit was due, she certainly seemed to do a lot more to protect her people than most lords he knew of. “That’s good to hear. From what I’ve seen so far this is a beautiful place, and I’d hate for it to be tainted by death or war”, he affirmed, motioning to Ponyville for emphasis. It’s tall thatched houses, thriving wildlife, and bustling population of colourful ponies gave it a certain beauty, which would undoubtedly be destroyed in the fires and bloodshed of war.

‘Thank the ancestors that Twilight and her friends live here then, they seem to have everythingunder their control’, he mused, throwing Twilight a quizzical look when she suddenly stopped.

A long shadow was now over them, prompting Konishi to look up in an effort to see what may of caused it. In front of them stood a tall, light blue building, with purple roofs and a thick gold strip marking the divide between the ground floor and the first floor. The entrance to this fascinating building was a simple violet door, a pair of large oval windows flanking it and a drawing of what appeared to be a wooden pony in clothing hanging directly above it, swinging lazily in the breeze.

“Twilight, what building is this?” Konishi asked, raising an eyebrow as Spike raced to the door, rapping his knuckles against as quickly as his stubby arms could muster.

“This is the Carousel Boutique, home and business of Lady Rarity, Element of Generosity”, Twilight told the Samurai, making her way over to the door. Spike continued to jump around enthusiastically as Konishi followed the young Alicorn, his eyes widening when he heard the word ‘lady’.

“She’s a lord too?” he asked in surprise.

Twilight giggled behind her hoof, promptly shaking her head. “No, but you’ll definitely get in her good books if you refer to her as such.”

“Coming~”, a female replied from inside the house, her accent similar to that of the British traders Konishi had seen during one of his many visits to Nagoya. It was an accent Konishi rather liked; sophisticated, but not necessarily condescending.

There was an audible click as the door opened, before an alabaster unicorn poked her head out, her curled indigo mane cascading to one side as she studied her visitors with wide azure eyes. Much to Konishi’s surprise she wore eyeshadow, a cornflower blue colour that seemed to complement her eyes and mane perfectly.

‘How can she even put eyeshadow on though? She has fur. How can every single pony here have those strange tattoos for that matter?’, Konishi internally questioned, scratching the back of his head in confusion. He was aware ponies had skin, but as far as he knew their coat would simply cover up any birthmarks, or in this case, tattoos and eyeshadow. ‘Perhaps I should just put everything down to magic from now on.’

Eventually the unicorn’s gaze fell upon Konishi waist-- having grossly misjudged the Samurai's height-- slowly travelling up his body, eventually stopping at Konishi’s face. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she seemed to wobble slightly on her hooves.

“Oh my… you’re a lot taller than you looked when I saw you in the hospital bed. It’s like talking to a minotaur, just with more clothes and a whole lot less hair”, she stammered in awe, her gaze travelling back down to Konishi’s clothes. Almost instantly she noticed the dried blood on his gown, which he had been attempting to cover up with his hand. “By the gods Twilight, what have you been making this poor being wear? It looks so… so… tacky! And by Celestia, it smells truly awful!”

“I didn’t really have a choice Rarity, you have all of his clothes”, Twilight responded defensively, though judging by Rarity’s expression she was having none of it.

“Then you should’ve come here posthaste once he’d recovered from his wounds and collected his clothing. Allowing him to walk around Ponyville in a bloody hospital gown simply won’t do”, she told Twilight, who looked at Konishi, rolling her eyes. He looked back with a raised eyebrow.

“I told you she’d react like this”, Twilight whispered, barely able to hide a giggle behind her hoof.

“And I have good reason to do so too Twilight Sparkle! Our new friend is a civilised being-- I can tell by his clothing and armour alone-- and the last thing he’ll want to do is present himself as a brutal savage”, Rarity continued, before returning her gaze to Konishi. A small grin crossed the alabaster unicorn’s face as she extended a hoof towards him. “I’m sorry, I haven’t properly introduced myself. I’m Rarity, Element of Generosity and owner of the Carousel Boutique. Pleasure to meet you.”

Konishi bowed, extending his hand to meet her hoof, shaking the soft, firm appendage gently. It felt different from Twilight’s; softer and more delicate in design, voluptuous even. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too lady Rarity. My name is Konishi Ryutaro, but for you Konishi is fine”, he introduced himself to Rarity, whose cheeks turned a faint red. Twilight on the other hand facehoofed, whereas Spike-- who had been waiting patiently despite his excitement-- glared jealously at the Samurai.

“First you arrive in some of the most exotic armour and clothing I’ve ever seen, and now I learn that you have extremely good manners as well? Konishi, I think you and I are going to be getting along just fine”, Rarity told him gleefully, before finally turning her attention to Spike. She gave the young dragon a sorry smile as he looked up at her. “Hello Spike, how’s my favourite dragon doing? I’m sorry for not greeting you sooner, but it’s not everyday that I get to meet the member of a new species.”

Spike instantly brightened up. “It’s okay, I’m just glad to be here”, he replied, his face the epitome of joy.

Rarity chewed on the inside of her cheek for a second, before returning her gaze to Konishi, motioning to the Carousel Boutique behind her as she did so. “I think you’ve spent enough time in those rags Konishi. If you all come in now, I can fetch your proper clothes for you. I’ve taken the liberty of washing them thoroughly, as well as stitching up any damage I found.”

Konishi bowed respectively as the group followed Rarity into the boutique. “Thank you. You’ve certainly gone to a lot more effort than I was expecting. If there’s anyway I can repay you please tell me, it’s the least I could do”, he offered, studying his new environment as he went.

The room they were currently in had a similar size and shape to that of the main library in Twilight’s house, forming a circle that made up two thirds of the bottom floor. The lightly coloured carpet below tickled at Konishi’s exposed feet, feeling soft and forgiving as the bottom of his toes sank in. Dotted across the room were several podiums, upon which stood wooden ponies; each dressed in a multitude of different outfits. Each podium had a pair of royal purple curtains around them-- similar in theme to that of the wallpaper-- allowing Rarity to cover her work if she so pleased.

There were a myriad of mirrors, materials, and tools scattered across the room, primarily around the podiums and near a few tables off to the left. It was organised chaos in every sense of the word.

“Nonsense Konishi, there’s no need to repay me. I only did what any self-respecting pony would do. Consider your fixed clothes as a welcome to Equestria present from me”, Rarity reassured Konishi, who returned his gaze to the alabaster unicorn. She trotted over to the stairs, craning her neck to look back at the group as she did so. “If you’ll excuse me for a second, your clothes, armour and weaponry are upstairs. Spike, could you be a dear and help me carry it downstairs?”

“Of course!” Spike replied almost instantly, dashing upstairs alongside a giggling Rarity, who winked back at Twilight and Konishi just before she disappeared from view, the last strand of her indigo mane peeking out around the spiral staircase for only a second longer.

Twilight smiled in amusement, strolling past Konishi as she looked around, careful not to tread on any scissors or expensive looking material. “So, what’s your first impression of Rarity then?” she asked him without looking, instead focused on some of Rarity’s new designs. Light from outside glistened off the many sequins that decorated them, forcing Twilight to squint. ‘Too sparkly for my tastes.’

“Well we haven’t really been acquainted for long, but she seems well-mannered and rather generous. All valuable traits in my opinion. As she said, I think we’ll get along just fine”, Konishi replied, tilting his head as he studied a strange red machine on top of one of the tables. It was stood up like a lamp, but had a large bulbous section extending from one side, with a small needle at the end, pointing downwards. “Though I must admit, I am surprised as to how well-mannered and generous she has been so far. She doesn’t even know me much beyond my name, and certainly hasn’t seen a being like me before. I was expecting her to be a little more…”

“Frightened? Wary?” Twilight asked, glancing over at the Samurai, who nodded silently in reply. Twilight shook her head, an amused expression once again across her face. “You may be an alien here, but you’re not scary. As Rarity said, you’re like a minotaur who’s had a rather extensive haircut. Besides, this is Rarity we’re talking about, she’s generous and well-mannered to almost everypony.”

Konishi raised his eyebrow, looking back the young Alicorn. “And when she’s not generous and well-mannered?”

“Well... let’s just say that Prince Blueblood is going to be thinking twice before he’s rude to another mare. I doubt he’s gotten over Rarity’s outburst yet”, Twilight replied, a frown upon her face as the memories of that night came to the forefront of her mind. “It was one of few enjoyable moments in an otherwise disappointing night at the Gala.”

Konishi tilted his head, walking over to Twilight as he asked, “The Gala? What’s that, and why did you find it to be disappointing?”

Twilight sighed, sitting down on her haunches. “The Grand Galloping Gala is an annual royal ball attended primarily by the royalty of Equestria. About two years ago my friends and I received golden tickets to go to said ball, and we all arrived with expectations as to how it would be. Unfortunately though our expectations were far too high, and the whole thing didn’t turn out quite the way we had hoped”, she admitted, rubbing the back of her head with a more embarrassed expression now adorning her features. “I for example had expected to be able to talk to Princess Celestia about my adventures in Ponyville, but she was so busy greeting the nobility that I could hardly get a word in.”

“And I thought I would meet a noble prince and fall in love”, Rarity added as she walked down the stairs, Konishi’s armour and weapons held in her magic. Spike soon followed suit, holding Konishi’s neatly folded clothes in his arms, a pair of geta sitting on top. She gently placed Konishi’s armour down on the floor, before relinquishing his clothes from Spike’s grasp, laying it down alongside the armour. “I met a prince alright, but he certainly wasn’t noble. To be honest he was more of a bastard than anything else, if you’ll excuse my language. Thank you by the way Spike, I really appreciate your help. I’m sure I can spare a few gems for you as a treat.”

“Oh boy, thanks Rarity!” Spike replied ecstatically, already salivating at the meal to come. Thanks to Rarity’s special talent she always had the tastiest gems around, ones that were also extremely hard to come across.

Rarity smiled thankfully at the young dragon, before turning back to Konishi, carefully lifting his clothes over to him with her magic. “Anyway, here are your clothes Konishi, washed and repaired to the best of my abilities. I must admit I’ve never seen seen such an elegant piece of clothing like yours, but I tried to restore it in way which seemed correct.”

Konishi nodded, putting most of his clothes on the floor, before carefully unfolding his kimono. It felt soft in his hands, and had a flowery scent to it, akin to that of Twilight’s shampoo. Much to his surprise the obsidian black clothing showed no signs of damage, except for a thin line of thread where the hole had been stitched back together. “I… Rarity, how did you do this so well? It’s almost as good as new.”

“I work in fashion darling, I know my way around a sewing machine. I did have to cut off a few torn strands here and there, but honestly it was just a simple stitch up. The same goes for your armour, that required no more than a good cleaning and a polish. Whatever injured you out there must have hit you between the gaps in your armour”, Rarity theorised, motioning to the yellow armour, which shone dully in the morning light.

Konishi’s jaw dropped when he saw his armour; the last time it had looked that good he was setting off for war. Even with daily cleaning he could never make it shine like it was now. “There must be someway for me to repay you. Ancestors knows you deserve something for all your troubles.”

Rarity paused, stroking her chin for a moment or two. “Well… there is one thing. While I was looking after your clothes I took the liberty of sketching a few alternative designs for them. I think they’re wonderfully made, and with your permission I’d like to make some of my own for selling purposes”, she proposed, her eyes twinkling with gleeful anticipation. “Who knows, this could be the next big thing in the fashion world!”

Konishi bowed politely. “Of course, you’re more than welcome to try”, he assured, bending down to collect the rest of his clothes. Just like his kimono they were soft, and had the same lavender smell to them. ‘It’s really not all that bad.’

“So aren’t you going to put your clothes back on now? I’m sure you’re desperate to get out of that dirty hospital gown and into something more comfortable”, Rarity inquired, her eyebrow raised as Konishi remained still in his spot, despite having all his clothes back.

Before Konishi could reply Twilight raised her hoof, stepping in front of the Samurai. “Don’t worry, I’ve got this”, she reassured him, before trotting over to Rarity. The young alicorn leaned in, whispering something into her friend’s ear, much to the confusion of Spike and Konishi.

Rarity nodded several times in understanding, before her eyes widened, and she stared at Twilight with an incredulous look. “Really? So it just hangs out in the open?" she asked, a slight blush creeping onto her face. The faces of Twilight and Konishi on the other hand were ablaze, unable to contain their embarrassment at the memories. And just like last time, Spike looked on with a confused expression.

"If you want to be blunt about it... then yes", Twilight replied in a hushed tone.

Rarity nodded slowly in understanding, before a wicked grin worked its way onto her face. "So... you saw him nak-"

"I was just healing him I swear!" Twilight blurted out loudly as she interrupted Rarity, causing everyone in the room to jump slightly. Twilight quickly looked down at the floor, pawing at the purple carpet nervously. "... What I mean is, Konishi was in pain, and I had to see the wound in order to dull it. Thus why his clothes were off and thus why I saw his... parts."

"It was a joke sweetie, no need to get so worked up about it. Besides, I know you can sometimes have trouble controlling your scientific curiosity", Rarity teased Twilight. She turned to Konishi, who certainly wasn't faring any better. "Don't worry Konishi, I won't tease you just yet. That would be rather inconsiderate. If you wish to get dressed in privacy you can just go onto one of the podiums over there and I'll close the curtains."

"T-thank you", Konishi quietly uttered in reply, making his way over to the nearest empty podium.

"Please avoid damaging my designs if you can darling, I've put a lot of time and effort into them", Rarity told the Samurai, before closing the curtains behind him with a small application of magic. She turned back to Twilight. "He seems nice, how long have you two been dating?"

"Rarity, I'm not dating Konishi. I only saw his private parts once and it was by accident. Not on purpose", Twilight insisted, gritting her teeth in frustration.

Rarity giggled softly, wrapping a foreleg around her friend's shoulders. "Of course Twilight dear, I believe you. On a completely unrelated note would you like some tips on how to please your-"

"No!" Twilight practically shouted, drawing a raised eyebrow from Rarity and a worried expression from Spike. The young Alicorn laughed nervously. "What I meant to say is... aren't we forgetting something? I didn’t just come here to collect Konishi’s belongings."

Rarity stroked her chin, pondering what Twilight meant. After a minute of near silence her eyes light up in understanding. "Of course, how silly of me to forget. You’re here to check up on my newest design for your Grand Galloping Gala dress. I only hope it goes better than the last time we were there.”

“I’m sure it will, we know what to expect this time around. Pretentious nobles, rude prince’s, and whole lot of talking and hoof shaking”, Twilight joked, gaining a small giggle from Rarity. Twilight turned her attention to the dress she had spotted earlier, a contemplative look adorning her features. “Besides, I’m a princess now. The nobility expect me to turn up, no doubt so they can attempt to influence me. Faust, if you girls weren't coming along as well I'd almost certainly be bored out of my mind all night long."

"And that's why we're coming dear, to support you", Rarity reassured Twilight, gently patting the young Alicorn on the back. Using her magic the alabaster unicorn floated over several pieces of paper, moving them into Twilight’s view. “Now then, what’s your opinion in these designs? I thought something a bit more regal to complement your newly found princesshood would be best.”

“Can’t I just wear the same dress I wore last time? I liked that one”, Twilight told Rarity, who shook her head in disapproval.

“Darling, you’re a princess now, you can’t just wear the same dress again. Ponies will look to you for inspiration, and if you turn up wearing the same dress as before what are they going to think?” she asked rhetorically, moving her designs closer to Twilight’s face. “No, you’re going to wear a new dress to the Gala, for your benefit as much as mine and the fashion world’s.”

Twilight sighed in defeat, rolling her eyes as she replied, “Fine then, but please Rarity, nothing too fancy or over the top. I'll already have enough attention as it is. Just something simple that goes with my crown and is comfortable for my wings."

"As you wish Twilight, though I can't promise I'll hold back. You can't cage artistic genius", Rarity reminded her friend, adding a cheeky wink at the end for emphasis. In flash the Element of Generosity turned around, now smiling gleefully at Spike. "And don't think I've forgotten about you either Spike, I'll be sure to make a dashing little suit for my favourite little dragon."

Spike growled, his arms folded in annoyance. 'I always get dragged along to these girly parties', he thought, though didn't voice his opinions, lest he upset Rarity. ‘At least she’ll be there as well, otherwise I really wouldn’t be looking forward to it.’

Before anyone could strike up another conversation, Konishi opened the podium curtains, finally changed. His clean black kimono had replaced the dirty hospital gown, the deep blue Hakama covering the very bottom and travelling down to the end of his shin. His feet were now covered behind the warm wool of his tabi, a pair of geta slipped over each one.

“Better?” he asked, stepping down from the podium and making his way towards the others, the hospital gown tucked under his armpit.

Twilight smiled, nodding her head happily. “Much better. I was a little pessimistic at first, but those clothes really suit you”, she told Konishi. Unsurprisingly, Rarity poked the young Alicorn in the side, bouncing her eyebrows up and down in a suggestive manner. “... No Rarity, just no.”

“You can’t really blame me Twilight, you’re making it far too easy”, Rarity teased, sticking her tongue out slightly. Eventually she retracted her tongue, turning to the Samurai before her. “I have to admit though, those clothes do look better when they’re on somepony. If only they were a more vibrant colour, then they’d be perfect.”

“Lighter colours are more for the women and lords of my people, not Samurai. Besides, I don’t think vibrant colours would suit me all that well”, Konishi admitted, rubbing the back of his head and smiling sheepishly.

“You don’t know until you try dear. I think a nice light purple would complement you perfectly. Lavender-- if you want to be more specific”, Rarity spoke teasingly,  taking a little time to wink at the still deadpanning form that was Twilight Sparkle. She turned her attention to the rest of Konishi’s belongings, which still lay on the floor in a neat pile. “So then, what do you plan to do with your armour and weapons? I hardly think that walking around Ponyville in all that is going to give off the right message.”

“I agree. So far everyone here has reacted to me quite calmly, though I’m sure that would change if I started walking around in my armour. Plus it’s not exactly light, and I’d rather not wear it on such a humid day unless I have to”, Konishi agreed, making his way over to the small pile. Bending down, he rummaged through the pile, eventually extracting his katana and wakizashi.

Twilight’s eyes widened when she saw the swords. “Are you seriously taking them with you? How’s that any better than strutting around in armour?” she asked, stopping Konishi in his tracks.

“It’s tradition for a Samurai to wear his swords at all times of the day. They’re more than just weapons, they’re a part of me, a symbol of who I am and where I come from. Asking me to leave my swords is like asking me to leave a piece of myself behind. It hasn’t felt right ever since I woke up yesterday, and it still doesn’t feel right now”, he explained, looking down at the sheathed blades. The familiar shape of their hilt in his hands was a welcome feeling. “However, while my traditions are important to me, I understand that they may unnerve some of the ponies here, as you are no doubt worried about. So as my Equestrian lord, I believe it is only fitting if you decide what I should do.”

Slowly, and much to the surprise of everyone in the room, Konishi drew his katana, holding the hilt in his left hand and the blade itself in his right. The metal shone wonderfully in the light as Konishi got onto his knees, bowing his head and presenting the sword to Twilight.

“All I can do is promise on my honour that unless commanded to by yourself-- or our lives are at risk-- I shall not draw my sword on any living creature, regardless of my personal opinion of them”, he vowed in a hushed tone, his gaze planted on the ground as he awaited her reply.

All eyes-- bar Konishi’s-- turned to Twilight, who just stood there, left speechless by Konishi’s flattering promise. It had certainly brought back the heavy blush to her face. “Okay then, I trust you”, she eventually told Konishi, still taken aback by how far he had gone to prove himself. “Let’s just hope Ponyville doesn’t overreact when they see you walking around with swords.”

Konishi smiled, before rising up onto his feet, sheathing his katana in one slick motion. He quickly tied his sword belt around his waist, bowing to Twilight once he was finished. “Thank you Twilight, and I’m sure they won’t. Once they realise that I mean them no harm they probably won’t give my swords a second glance”, he reassured her.

Twilight nodded in agreement, before turning to face Rarity, who had been watching the whole scene in stunned silence. “Could you possibly look after the rest of Konishi’s things until we come back to collect Spike? It would make our lives a whole lot easier.”

“Of course Twilight, consider it my honour. I suppose that means you’ll be going now, correct?” Rarity asked, receiving a silent nod from the young Alicorn next to her. The fashionista nodded back before turning to the Samurai, extending her hoof to bid him adieu. “It was a pleasure to meet you Mr. Ryutaro, feel free to drop by anytime you need something, or maybe if you’re just in the mood for a chat. I serve a whole range of tea that is just to die for.”

Konishi chuckled, shaking her hoof firmly. “Rarity, you had me sold at ‘tea’. I am sure we will meet again while I am here”, he assured Rarity, releasing her hoof from his grasp.

“Have fun while we’re gone Spike, and try not to get in Rarity’s way too much”, Twilight called back in a teasing tone as both her and Konishi made their way to the front door.

“You bet!” Spike replied happily, unable to hide his enthusiasm at the prospect of several hours alone with the mare of dreams.

The mare in question stepped forwards, a small grin growing on her face. “Oh and Konishi, if you ever need tips on how to please your mare I’d be more than happy to-”

“Nope!” Twilight shouted, quickly pushing Konishi out of the Boutique and slamming the door behind her, drowning out Rarity’s laughter.

Konishi glanced at the door, then Twilight, a quizzical look upon his features. “Twilight, what did she mean? Why would I need tips on how to please a mare?” he asked the young Alicorn repeatedly, who’s blush just wouldn’t go away.

“That’s just Rarity being Rarity, it’s best to just ignore her when she’s like that. Come along now, otherwise we’ll be late to Fluttershy’s”, Twilight warned, trotting off down the dirt road. Konishi regarded the Carousel Boutique with one last glancing look, before setting off after Twilight, the hot sun beating down upon them as he did so.

Rays from the early morning sun flickered through bars of the cell window, illuminating the room in a dull, eerie green light. Seeing this, the cell’s lone inhabitant slowly crawled into the light, the chains around her hooves rattling against the dank stone floor as she did so. Her wings and horn were wrapped in black steel restraints, preventing her from be able to escape via flight or teleportation. She shivered as the cold metal dug lightly into her carapace.

The former changeling queen sighed in relief, closing her eyes as she basked her tired, beaten body in the early morning rays. A coup d'etat took a lot of energy out of anyone, and her body showed the results of her futile efforts.

The changeling let out a weak chuckle, finding some humour in her dire predicament. ‘Battered and bruised? How unbecoming of a queen’, she mused, a slight smile adorning her face. Internally she was seething in anger and hatred towards those that had betrayed her, but did well to keep it hidden behind a veneer of calmness and self-control. ‘They don’t deserve such satisfaction.’

She didn’t turn when she heard hoofsteps echoing down the hallway, nor did she turn when the door behind her was unlocked, letting out a loud creak as it was opened. “My quee- Chrysalis, you’ve been summoned.”

Chrysalis smirked, slowly turning to face the guards that stood in the doorway. “Even now you still have to stop yourself from calling me your queen. Tell me, how much did it take to betray me and your changeling comrades? Were you ever truly loyal to me, or did they have to pay you?” she asked, before standing up and slowly walking towards them, steps hindered by her chains. The guards quickly diverted their gaze from their former queen, looking down at the stone floor. “Or are you just too afraid to stand up for your true queen?”

One of the changeling guards swallowed nervously, squirming under Chrysalis’ gaze as he motioned to the hallway outside. The ousted queen shook her head, but acknowledged the guards command with a subdued chuckle. ‘Their reaction is to be expected. What could a few drones do against an army anyway?’

Eight heavily armed guards stood around Chrysalis in the cramped hallway, their gaze focused solely on the former queen as her hoof chains were removed one by one. Some held the usual serious expression of a guard-- obviously not caring that their former queen was in chains-- while others had a more shameful expression, floundering whenever Chrysalis looked at them.

Eventually she felt the cold hard steel of her chains leave her hooves, allowing her to stretch her fatigued body to its fullest extent, a few satisfying pops coming from her back. Her wing and horn restraints stayed on though, keeping the chance of a successful escape at a noticeable low. The ability to gallop was all well and good, but against captors who could fly and teleport her freedom would undoubtedly be short-lived.

“Get moving”, one of her guards instructed, poking a hind leg with his spear. Chrysalis glared at her rude captor, before setting off down the hallway. The guards kept a tight formation around their prisoner so as to deter her from attempting to escape at any point.

The protracted walk through the myriad of castle hallways remained silent as ever, only the sound of armour against marble and the occasional whisper from one guard to another echoing around them. Every so often they’d pass a guard or servant, the latter of whom would often bow at Chrysalis as they passed. Though they’d soon return to clearing up the damage caused by the coup d’etat after an angry glare from the guards.

They certainly had their work cut out for them. While most of the bodies, weapons and blood had been cleaned up, scorch marks still covered the walls and floor of the castle, left there by extensive magic use. As a result broken glass and marble lay scattered across the floor, forcing the group to tip-toe their way around the sharp objects.

Chrysalis couldn’t help but grimace as several guards tore an ancient painting of queen Carapace-- her mother-- from the wall, stuffing it into their saddlebags as if it were nothing but toilet paper. ‘No doubt they’ll burn it like everything else. Disrespectful whelps.’

Eventually the group came across the large obsidian doors of the throne room, behind which Chrysalis’ fate would be decided. ‘Usurpers...my changelings will never accept their judgement, or their rule. They will all suffer for this’, she thought bitterly, as the guards slowly pushed the large doors open with their magic, before pushing her into the throne room.

Instantly the former queen was under the cold hard gaze of many eyes as many of her former nobles watched her enter the room. Unsurprisingly they had been the first to defect to the new regime, never truly happy with Chrysalis’ rule, especially after the failed invasion of Canterlot. They had always wanted a more direct approach to the Equestrian problem.

Chrysalis gave each and everyone of them a cold glare of her own, before turning her attention to the fast approaching throne. Upon it sat the smirking figure of her former general; Valia.

She was tall; around about the same height as Chrysalis, and wore heavy obsidian armour, as short red cape lying on top of it. Her luminous orange mane cascaded down to her knees, and a pair of equally colourful eyes watched the former queen as she approached the throne. On her hips sat her swords, sheathed in their leather holders just in case she needed to use them.

To her left stood someone even taller though: Thanix, a mute thirteen foot tall behemoth. Behemoth’s were the only artificially bred changelings in the Collective, and were basically living, breathing, battering rams. They lacked agility and-- in most cases-- intelligence, but more than made up for it with sheer physical and magical strength, along with their obvious intimidation factor.

Rather fittingly, there was a large two-handed hammer across his back, as well one of the Griffin’s newest weapons: a handcannon. Except this handcannon was huge, and could fire actual-- albeit small-- cannonballs instead of the normal bullets. Those cannonballs sat in a large pouch on Thanix’s hip, which he carried about as if they weighed nothing.

"Ah, Chrysalis. Did you enjoy your stay in the dungeons? It's no less than you deserve", Valia said triumphantly, motioning Chrysalis' guards away with her hoof.

Chrysalis chuckled, pacing forward until she was at the foot of the throne. "No, but fortunately my time in a cell will be as short lived as yours on the throne. My changelings will never accept your rule."

"I do not need the acceptance of the peasants Chrysalis, I have the backing of the nobility and the military. They shall obey regardless of their opinion towards me, or they shall be made an example of. Simple", Valia told her former queen, allowing herself to relax on her new throne. “You see, that’s where you’ve been going wrong all this time. Why please the peasants-- who have no say as to what royalty does whatsoever-- when you can just as easily please the nobility, and for double the profit?”

A murmur of agreement came from the nobles as Valia jumped off her throne, slowly pacing down the steps. “The state makes them happy, the state gets more bits. Those bits can then be spent on improving the military. The military can then be used to achieve what you failed at… oh I don’t know, a successful invasion of Canterlot perhaps!?” she shouted passionately, before grabbing Chrysalis with her magic, dragging the former queen towards her. “Seriously, you had an entire army, how could you fail against a brainwashed pony and his wife? Disgraceful.”

Despite her position, Chrysalis couldn’t help but snicker, grinning widely at Valia. “Is that what this whole coup d’etat is about? Revenge against Equestria, or do you just seek to prove that you are a better leader than me?” she asked. Valia growled, backhoofing Chrysalis across the marble floor.

“Arrogant fool, I am here for a greater purpose than revenge! I intent to reclaim the glory of the Changeling Collective, the glory you left in tatters when you and what remained of your pathetic army came crawling back without so much as a single pony for us to feast on! I intend rebuild this great nation, to purge the system of the weak and lazy you have so ineptly been allowed to live. And I will ensure our survival once and for all by doing what you were always too cowardly to do; annex Equestria and the Crystal Empire and finally gain a permanent source of love. Never again will we have to rely upon subterfuge for our food. Never again will our enemies threaten us!” Valia spoke passionately, receiving a rapturous applause for the nobles. Even Chrysalis was clapping, albeit sarcastically as she rose to her hooves, spitting a bit of green blood out of her mouth.

“Bravo Valia. Spoken like a true villain, monologue and all”, she told Valia in a mocking tone, who simply chuckled, shaking her head in derision.

“Sanctimonious as ever I see. I’m no villain Chrysalis, I only work for the greater good. The needs of the strong outweigh the needs of the weak, and only when a species understands that will it truly be great”, Valia argued, turning her back upon Chrysalis as she returned to her throne. She mock yawned, slumping down in her royal seat. “I grow bored of this pointless argument, so let’s get to the real reason why you’re here; your sentencing.”

At Valia’s command a drone landed next to her, giving the former general a long scroll, before taking off again. Chrysalis smirked. “Is that all for me? How flattering.”

“You can be as nonchalant as you like Chrysalis, but you’re not fooling anypony. You’re afraid that I might sentence you to death, and no amount of sarcasm can hide it”, Valia replied in a mocking tone, unfurling the scroll in one fluid motion. It was so long it rolled all the way down to the top step.

“Wouldn’t anypony be afraid of death?” Chrysalis mumbled under her breath, watching intently as Valia skimmed through the scroll. It was merely a formality, but a formality which Valia seemed to take great pleasure in doing. ‘Anything to extend my suffering.’

“Failing to annex Canterlot? Failing to provide the Collective with a permanent love source? And considering a peace treaty with the Equestrians!? Chrysalis, this is more than enough for me to have you executed several times over”, Valia told her former queen, a menacing grin etching its way onto her face. “Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

“If you think you can do a better job at leading this nation than me then you’re sorely mistaken. Military rule will only get you so far, especially without royal blood. I only sought peace with the Equestrians because our love reserves are at an all time low. It was certainly a better alternative to what you're proposing”, Chrysalis explained, her eyes narrowed and her stance defensive. “If you go through with this, the changelings will forever go down as monsters in Equus history.”

Valia chuckled, motioning for her guards to return the Chrysalis’ side. “History is written by the victor, and we shall be victorious. Mark my words”, she said, before turning to the guards. “Take this whelp back to the dungeons, she has an execution to attend tomorrow and must make herself ready.”

“Yes my queen”, one of the guards nodded, before he and the other guards grabbed Chrysalis by her shoulders, attempting to drag her off. Before they could though Chrysalis pushed them off, staring angrily at Valia.

“This is the only chance I will give you Valia! Give me back my throne, and I will consider letting you and your subordinates live. If you refuse, then there will be nowhere in Equus for you to hide. I will hunt you down, and I will kill you”, Chrysalis threatened, standing firmly against the guards that pushed against her.

Valia sat in silence for several seconds, before breaking into a roaring laugh, wiping a mock tear from her face. “That has to be the funniest joke I’ve heard in years! Maybe you should have taken up a role as court jester, you certainly seem more adept at it than being a queen”, Valia joked, an amused smirk adorning her face.

Chrysalis growled, turning around and allowing the guards to take her away. “So be it.”

“I’ll send my regards to Cadence and her husband. I’m sure they’ll be very eager to learn of your demise”, Valia called out, a shit eating grin across her face. Chrysalis stopped for a second, pondering a reaction. A witty quip in response perhaps... She decided against it though, allowing the guards to escort her to her cell once more. ‘Oh Valia, revenge upon you will be swift and glorious.’