All from the beginning

Chapter 5

Twilight woke up around noon. Her head was aching and spinning. It felt like a golem was jumping on it over and over again. She tried to rise herself from bed, but something was holding her back. Added to the fact that her head only got worse when she tried to get up she decided to remain in bed.

She looked up at the ceiling and everything she looked at was like she was looking at it through a piece of plastic wrap. She decided that the best thing she could do was to, like always, think the situation through.

She didn't have the same problem as she had earlier the night before when she had woken up on Rainbow Dashsback. She did remember most of what had happened the day and night before. But she had a feeling she needed to remember something else.

She had landed in a uncomfortable position when she lay herself back on the bed so she tried to adjust herself, but something was holding her back. She turned her whole body to see if that worked. It didn't.

When she was going to try another position she felt something warm brushing against her cheek, like a warm breeze. And then it was gone. And now it was back again, just to be gone a few seconds later. Twilight opened her eyes to see what it was that disturbed her for getting back to sleep.

Her vision was soon met with the color cyan. That meant Rainbow Dash. Twilight wasn't really surprised of this since Dash had slept over many times before when Twilight still lived in Canterlot, and that had been two days before.

'Rainbow Dash... Rainbow Dash...' Twilight though as she tried to again remember what she forgotten. She shrugged it of and snuggled herself closer to Dash, wrapping her hooves around the mare. She could feel herself getting warmer. 'Strange how I can't feel the coldness of winter anymore but my body always embraces the warmth around it' she thought to herself as she let herself starting to drift back to sleep. 'Embrace...?'

And then all the memories of the time before she got to bed came back all at once. Memories filled with hungry kisses, tight embraces, gentle caresses, sweat and passionate words between two mare. Her headaches were gone, and blood started to pump its way back to her face. She didn't have a pillow so she used Dashs chest, pushed her head in to the surprisingly soft coat and yelled to herself ''OGMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSH, WHAT HAVE I DONE''.

Rainbow Dash started to chuckle in her sleep as Twilights hard breath against her chest. She woke up and starting squint her eyes to see better. She notices that something was shaking against. She looked down only to see Twilight, embracing her harder and crying against her chest.

Believing that Twilight had another nightmare, Rainbow Dash lifted her hoof as she always did and started to caress her friends her and started comfort her. ''It's okay Twilight, I'm here. I won't leave you.'

To Dashs surprise so did Twilight lift her head and look right in to Rainbows eyes. ''You won't?''

Dash got a stubborn look on her face. ''I've told you before that I won't leave you no matte--'' And then it hit her, the memories from the night before. The kiss... ''Oh no we didn't...?''Dash said in a horse voice.

Twilight nodded and buried her face on Dashes chest again, and continued to cry. 'This is it. Everything is ruined.' though Twilight. 'I'm going to lose my best friend just because I act like a stupid drunk filly when I got drunk.'

Dash was stunned. This hadn't been something as innocent as two young fillies experimenting up on the attic. This... this was something else. They had fooled around. Like, really fooled around. And it hadn't been just something just in the moment. They had actually moved from the floor at the door to the bed.

Dash felt herself getting teary eyed. She didn't know how to fix this. She couldn't race or talk this away. She may very well lose her best friend just because she had acted like little-bratty-drunk-fillyfooler.

She had always been attracted to Twilight since the first day that they met, and she had started to noticed herself being even more drawn to her friend lately. Small things like teasing Twilight in a different way, taking quick looks of her when she wasn't looking, among other thing.

Dash wasn't completely stupid. She knew where her attraction lay. But she had always hoped that it was just a phase. And now she was going to lose one of her best friend. 'Well, it can't get can't worse I guess...'

''It's okay Twilight, mistakes do happened.'' This didn't help.

Twilight just kept crying. It wasn't really because she regretted what had happened. It was the fact that she didn't regret it that made her cry.

She was so confused right now. She loved Dash. She was Twilights best friend. She shouldn't feel this way. Dash had become more than a just a friend. She had become somepony that Twilight truly could rely on, in the way she did to her brother, Cadance or Celestia. Dash had become family to her... and more. It's was all just so confusing.

Dash didn't know what to do, so there was only one thing left to do. ''Come on Twilight, it wasn't that bad, was it? I'm not that bad of a kisser, am I?''

Twilight looked up on Dash, panic in her eyes. ''No no that's not what... I... meant...'', her voice fainted away as their eye locked on to each other, like many times before. Seconds pasted by in silence as they just looked at one and other before Dash started to talk again.

''Heh, we have been doing this a lot lately, haven't we?''

''Mmmm...'' The silence grow longer, both trying to find an answer in each others eyes and it was Dash again who broke it.

She drew her hoof of Twilights neck and put it on the alicorns cheeks. They faces drew closer. ''Twilight, do you trust me?''

''What? Yes, of course Dash!'' Twilight said with worry in her voice.

Dash drew Twilights head closer slowly, stopping their lips an inch of each other. They could feel the breath of on and other, dancing on their lips and down the neck, both closing their eyes. Rainbow Dash had taken the first step, now Twilight had to take the second one.

They just lied there, now minutes passing. Twilight was unsure what to do. She felt like she wanted this. Something kept pulling her to take the final step. So why didn't she. Was she worried for what was going to happened. Maybe Rainbow Dash was just testing her. Maybe Dash just saw this as a joke of some sort and wanted to see how serious.

But Twilight knew this wasn't true. Sure, Rainbow Dash loved to pull pranks but she never wanted to hurt anyponythis way. So what was it the?

Was it because of what had happened with Flash Sentry? Possibly. Twilight was maybe afraid that just put Dash in the place of Flash. That all she really wanted was somepony that would always be there with her.

But the way she felt for Dash wasn't the same as it had been with Flash. She hadn't suddenly spontaneously started to think about Flash, feeling worry and butterflies in her stomach for no apparent reason.

Then she remembered the night when Dash had slept over the first time, and she remembered all the other nightslike them before. She remembered all the laughs they had, all the tears she had in Dashs hooves, the games they played and the long talks they had all nights up until the sunrise.

She opened her and looked again in to Dashs eyes, saw that all that the mare was looking at was Twilight. Her eyes consumed Twilight. All of Twilight Sparkles worries washed away. Nothing was holding her back anymore. She closed her eyes, drew the final inch and let their lips met in long passionate kiss.

No fooling around, just a kiss and a tight embrace. And then came another kiss, and another one. They just lay there, wrapped around each other. No more stares, no more looking at each other when the other, or themselves, was not knowing. Right there, right now they had each other. This moment was theirs alone and nothing was going to change that.

Twilight and Rainbow Dash was still laying on the bed when spike came knocking on the door in a hurry. He came in seeing the two mare wrapped under their blankets, not seeing what was going on. Twilight drew her face fromDashs and looked at the baby dragon.

''Hi Spike, what is it?'' Twilight said, a little annoyed by her assistant sudden intrusion.

The little dragon was breathing hard. He had not run all the way from the CMC tree house, but he had certainly screamed as he had Scoot driving him there as fast as she could. ''A emergency message from Princess Luna just arrived!'' He said panting, holding up a scroll with the blue seal of the Princess of the Moon.

Twilight drew herself from Dashs grip, roes up from bed and pulled the scroll from Spikes claws. She read it, double checked it and then turned to Rainbow Dash.

''Dashie, I need you to gather the girls immediately.'' she said in a hurry.

Dash looked confused at the violet alicorn. ''What? Why? What has happened, Twi? Wait, Dashie, really?''

''We are needed in the land of the griffons. Apparently the negotiations aren't going as planned and the king of the land wants the Friends of Harmony there for some reason.''

This just made Dash more confused. '' Ehmmm... the princess do know that we don't have the Elements anymore, right?''

Twilight looked at the pony that made her heart beat like a drum-roll, not as a new-found lover but as the Princess of Equestria she was. ''Of course Luna knows that, but the king doesn't. You do realize that the only reasonEquestria hasn't been to war the last 500 years are thanks to the Elements and Celestia, right? Now go get the girls and meet me at the train station in one hour. I need to make some preparation.''

Rainbow Dash looked at Twilight for 3 seconds before jumping in to the air and flying towards the window. Twilight opened it with her magic and saw the 'new' mare in her life fly of towards the Everfree forest, in the direction ofFluttershys cottage.

She closed the window and turned to Spike. ''Spike, go get your tabard, we are going to Canterlot. I will also need every book that Celestia and Luna gave me on the departure from Canterlot. They should all on the top shelf in my personal bookcase.''

It only took Spike a minute to get the garment that Rarity had made for him and two more to the books. With the 'Tabard of Twilight Sparkle' on him everypony in the royal palace had to presume that every order he gave came directly from Twilight herself.

''Okay Spike, we don't have time to do a checklist so you have to memories everything I tell you, got it?''

Spike saluted Twilight and turned all his attention toward the princess. ''Yes, ma'am!''

Twilight looked at her assistant, confident in his abilities. ''I need you to summon the 5 main council to the Great Hall together with the Captain of Defense and The main Offense in 15 minutes from our arrival. Before that I need you to summon the captain of the Wonderbolts, the Shadowbolts and the Luna Guard as fast as you can to the War room next to the Great Hall.

After you done that I need you to make preparations for the royal railway with the land of the griffons as destination. We are using my personal train. It's already prepared and only need to be set and loaded.'' Her personal train had two training carts, one for magic and one for flying, one cart for personal space and dinner, two sleeping carts with three large bedrooms and her own personal sleeping cart. ''I want the three archmages of the academy to personally lay their best protection spells on them. Invisibility, magic-resistance, everything. Thats all, you got it?''

Spike smiled back at Twilight and said ''12, 17, 37 and 41, right ma'am?''

Twilight smiled proudly at her little brother. Twilight had made codes for every situation possible and then narrowed them down to the 50 most important. Spike had remembered them all.

Twilight made a gesture to Spike to get closer and the young dragon got next to her and grabbed her leg. Twilight started to summon her magic and before you could say 'Oh haystack' they were in the middle of the empty Great hall who's only residents at the moment were ten Celestial Guards. Spike summoned them to himself immediately and started to give out orders. Twilight pointed to one of the guards that Spike wasn't talking to and said in a loud voice ''I want my bedmaidens here within 5 minutes. Go!''

The guard saluted fast at Twilight before quickly turning and running out to the service hall. When Spike was finish giving orders he drew ink, a feather and three scrolls from his pockets and had produced three identical letters in the span of one minute. He threw each in the air and burned them up.

He and Twilight then turned to the back of the hall and walked in the War Room. A few minutes later she was joined by the Behidden, captain by the royal guards, the followed by Nightshade, leader of the Shadowbolt. Then came Twilights bedmaidens and advisers and after about 3 minutes later came Spitfire, who immediately moved in front of Twilight and saluted.

''I'm sorry for may late arrival, Princess Twilight Sparkle. I had to fly all from Cloudsdale to get here.''

Twilight roes her eyebrow at this. ''From Cloudsdale and her in 4 minutes. Are you beginning to slack of, Spitfire?''

Spitfire looked a little taken back by this, until she saw the playful smile on Twilights lips. ''Well, not all of us can teleport ourselves everywhere we wish your majesty.'' She said with a smug smile on her lips.

Twilight smiled back then turned her attention to all of the ponies in the room. ''Okay, attention everypony. I have to make this quick. The negotiations between the King Aldhelm and Princess Luna aren't going as well as we hopped. I have been summoned there, together with the Elements of Harmony to assist the Princess of the Moon.

At the same time Celestia has been gone since yesterday since the 'Great Wyrm', the lord of all dragons, started to move himself towards Equestria. We don't have to worry for the Princess of the Sun, since the 'Great Wyrm' seems to be alone. As long as it hasn't summon all the dragons at its disposal we have no bigger worry forEquestria.

What we do have to worry about are the griffons.'' Twilight turned her head to the Captain of the Wonderbolts, while putting a spell on all the other ponies in the room, making them unable to hear anything.

''Spitfire, I need you and the rest of the Wonderbolts to fly the border between the two nations on the lookout for on coming enemy forces. If an attack should suddenly come, the Wonderbolts and Shadowbolts are the biggest forces we have that are capable to fly faster than a griffon and warn us about the invasion. And the Wonderboltsare the biggest. Understood?''

''Yes, your majesty!'' Was all that Spitfire said.

Twilight nodded and transferred the spell from Nightshade on to Spitfire. ''Captain Nightshade?!'' Said Twilight in a firm tone.

''Yes, princess?'' said the former member of the Wonderbolts in a smug, arrogant tone. Twilight let it be because it wasn't a disrespectful tone, it was the tone of somepony who know all to well how good she was at her craft.

''You and the Shadowbolts are to do quick spy-missions in and out of the land at night. You are going to watch over all 17 of the lands biggest military bases 3 times a night, and use the clouds as your cover. We want to prevent and be prepared for a war, not start one, understood?''

The captain nodded. ''Yes Princess Twilight.'' Twilight narrowed her eyes at the former Wonderbolt to take that smug grin on her face. It worked excellent and the Captain of the Shadowbolts lowered her head in submission.

Twilight turned her head toward Behidden, and put his 'Magic field of Silence' on Nightshade, enable the dark-pony to hear. ''Captain Behidden?!''

''Yes, my lady?'' the dark-pony said in a smooth voice.

''Do you know how many hidden military-bases there are in the land of the griffons?''

''Nine, my lady'' The Captain said in a confident tone.

''And how many big cities are connected to these bases?'' Twilight asked.

''Five, my lady.''

Twilight moved a little closer to Behidden. ''And how many teleportation- and transformation runes have Luna made for you, and how many of the Luna Guard remains at your command?''

Behidden took a step closer to Twilight, looking at her neck with intense and lust in his eyes. ''15 transformation runes and 14 teleportation once, all linked to me. And I have 14 shadow-colts at you disposal''

Twilight made an illusion around herself and Behidden so that it looked that they were still talking to each other for everyone else. In reality, she also used her magic to cut a small wound right above her right hoof and then let the blood from the wound through the air, right above the Captain of the Luna Guard. Twilight only gathered a few drops before closing the wound, but by the look of the Shadow-colt it was all thats needed.

''I want you and the remaining members of the Luna Guard to infiltrate every hidden base and the courts of all the five mentioned cities, and to discover any clues and/or plans on an attack on Equestria. Do you accept this assignment?''

The Captain of the Luna Guard just looked at the floating red ball in the air, like he was a dog and was going to jump in the air to try to catch it. ''Yes!''

Twilight glared at him to make him take eye contact with her. It worked and the captain was now locking eyes with Twilight, head lowered and sweat running down his face. ''By given you my blood you are by that point and until the mission is done locked in a blood-contract with me, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Do you understand the meaning of this?''

The shadow-colt first looked at Twilight with confusion and a little bit of desperation in his eyes. Then after a second or two he roes his body in a proud stand and looked determent in to Twilights eyes. ''I swear by your blood to finish this mission to the best of your expectation.''

Twilight smiled at the handsome dark-pony in front of her. ''You should know that my expectations couldn't be higher, Captain.''

He made a little bow still keeping eye contact with Twilight and smiled that confident smile again. ''I wouldn't have it any other way, you majesty.''

Twilight had sent the three captains away and divided her bedmaidens to the captains to make the necessary preparations. She walked out to the great hall together with Spike to meet the commotion outside the War Room.

There was all the highest members of the five main councils of Equestria, yelling at each other about how the situation and what they should do about it. The only ponies that didn't say anything and only stood at their rightful places was the three Captains of Equestria. They stood down the stairs, waiting for Twilight to get in her place.

Twilight used her magic to summon her crown, then stood at the highest place the podium. She then used her magic to exemplifying her voice. ''All be quiet!'' Her voice echoed through the hall over all other sound and soon silence come to the room.

Twilight let the silence be a few seconds before continuing. She told them all the same words that she had said to the captains of the three fly-forces. She also told them that preparation for war had already begun two days ago before her departure from Canterlot. She named Blue Moon as Commander in Chief over the Equestrian military and send Flash Sentry and Sugar Twist to the military base closest to the border to the land of the griffons.

When she was done she dispatch everypony in the hall and started to make the last preparation for her and her friends journey to the border.

Rainbow Dash was walking back and forth on the plateau at the train station. Applejack and Pinkie Pie was already there and Twilight, Rarity and Fluttershy was hopefully going to be there soon.

With five minutes left until the train to Canterlot was going, Dash was getting a little impatient. When she was going to ask AJ what were taking the ponies so long Rarity and Fluttershy came, surprisingly, with Big Macintosh.

Apparently Big Mac would get to worried or something like that, so he was coming along. Rainbow Dash wasn't really paying attention, turning her head around and looking for Twilight. But what she did notice was how light Rarity had packed herself to the journey.

When she question the snow white unicorn about it she had said, ''Dear, I don't want any of my precious fabric anywhere near those brutes. While I would love to show of my exquisite repertoire to an entire nation, I do not think that thegriffons will really appreciate my art. I mean, for Lunas sake, I've heard that they use armor as their normal dressing code. No dear, me and the land of the griffons aren't simple meant to be.''

Dash just shrugged it of. 'Well, I guess Spike is going to be happy not having to carry to many cases around.', she thought to herself.

Now with only one minute left she wasn't the only one getting worked up about Twilight not being there. Right when the train made the final call for the passengers to get on board, a bright light flared up a couple of feet away from the group and Twilight Sparkle was there with her little dragon assistant, looking at the gang.

''Are you girls ready?'' Was all she said.

''Where have you been? The train can be leaving any second now!'' Dash said turning towards the train.

''Dash, we are not going to take that train.'' Rainbow Dash turned and looked at Twilight. ''I told you to meet me here in one hour.'' Dash nodded in response. ''Thats in 4 minutes.'' Twilight turned to the group again and looked at all of them. ''Are everypony set and done.'' They all nodded. Twilight eyes stayed at Big Macintoch. ''Are you coming with us, Big Mac?''

Bic Mac nodded ''Eeyup.''

Twilight nodded towards him, approving. ''Having the strongest pony in Ponyville can be a good thing when we are going to a land that put such importance to strength.'' Twilight gave him and Fluttershy a mischievous grin. ''I do hop you don't mind sharing a room with Fluttershy, it seems now with Spike growing use to having his own bedroom there is not just enough space on the train we are going.''

Fluttershy paled a little. ''Oo-ooh... myyy...''. The pink maned pegasi turned to the big farm pony. ''I-I ho-hop you don't m-mind? I... I mean, if it's alright with you?'' Her face was so red it could have matched Big Macs fur-color.

Big Mac himself had seemed shocked at first, but as Fluttershy staggered in her words he seemed to get more and more calmer. ''Nnnope.'' He just said,Fluttershy returning with a confused look. ''Ehm, A-Ah mean, Ah would love to, 'Shy.''

Fluttershy looked relieved and snuggled against Big Macintosh with a love struck look on her face.

Twilight grinned and then spoke up. ''Okay everypony gather around me and stay close.'' Most of them had guessed by now what was going to happened, s everyone got around her, AJ and Rainbow Dash grabbing a hoof around her shoulder and Pinkie suddenly jumping on Twilights back. It really surprised Twilight how weightless her pink friend seemed to be when every she did that... but it was Pinkie Pie, what could you do?

Twilight summoned her magic and started to form the teleportation spell she already done two times today. She was already tired by those two and this one was going to be much harder. Now she was not only doing the spell in the same far distant, but also with six more ponies and their destination being underground.

She concentrated hard and released the magic. And in a bright flash the ponies suddenly found themselves in a big underground complex.

The group was in a large room surrounded by rock and spotlights made the whole room visible. In the middle of the complex there was a train, painted in gold, silver, purple and violet. And there was about twenty other ponies in the room, all working something that had to do with the train.

Twilight walked over to a pony and asked if all the preparations were done. The green unicorn nodded and turned away from the princess after making a bow. Twilight walked to the group and told them to go in to the train and making themselves at home, and that the train would be leaving soon. She turned around and started to go towards her own cart, exhausted from the three major teleportation-spells she had summoned today.

Rainbow Dash walked behind Spike in the back and asked him if they prepared all this in one hour. Spike laughed and said, ''You wish, you believe Twilight could sit still in a moment like this?''

Rainbow Dash looked confused at the little dragon, so he just sigh and started to tell her what he and Twilight had been doing the last our.

Twilight was her bed, relaxing and trying to get some shut eyes. For some reason sleep didn't come to her, and she turned her body constantly to try tofind a good sleeping position. She was currently in her sleeping cart, that was decorated to look as much as her own room at the Royal Palace as possible.

There was just so much to do, so much she wanted to do. Much that she didn't know she had to find out and so much to prepare. She really should start training on the time magic she wanted to master and she had to work on her flying with Rainbow Dash now that they were going to meet the king of the griffons.

Rainbow Dash... Rainbow Dash was the biggest thing on her mind right now, She had been able to push Dash out of her mind on her fast trip toCanterlot but now... there was nothing more to hold back the thoughts of the cyan colored mare. She tried to occupy her thoughts with other thing, but those were always put aside by the picture of a mare with a rainbow-colored mane.

Twilight was just so confused. Was she and Dash a thing now? How did she really feel about her? Did Dash like her? How would the world react to herself if she got together with Dash? Would the princesses be alright with them being together? Would their friends be?

Twilight could feel the train starting to move. All the furniture on this train was magically enchanted to not be effected by the trains movement, but that didn't stop nopony to feel the train itself.

Twilight didn't let that occupy her thoughts very long as she did, by old habit making answers to herself, made a mental checklist and a pro- and cons-list of her having a relationship with Dash. And instead of getting nowhere with this she actually came to a conclusion very quickly this time.

Would Celestia, Luna her friends and family be okay with it?

Yes they would. Some would have it harder than the other, mainly her parents, but they would get used to the idea. Twilights parents was ponies of logic and since new statistic showed that nearly 40% of all the ponies where either homo- or bisexual, they would get through with their daughter being either of those two.

And the world?

There was of course someponies out there that would be against her and Dash being together. But then again, that would be a small amount. Again, statistic showed that only 5% of all the ponies in Equestria didn't approve of a same-sex relationship.

Did Dash like her?

Twilight thought so. She had been the one to start kissing both times now, what else could it mean? Maybe she was just fooling around, experimenting with Twilight. Twilight hit herself mentally to get the bad thoughts out of her head.

Did she like Rainbow Dash?

… yes... yes, she did. It hit Twilight like a thunderbolt to the head, but yes. Twilight Sparkle was, for all she know, in love with Rainbow Dash.
Why?

Now that was the question, wasn't it? But before she could really start ponder on this she heard the door open and close to her cart. There stood Rainbow Dash, looking over the room and slowly walked towards the bed.

Twilights heart started to beat faster and faster as the as Dash jumped on the giant bed and placed herself next to Twilight. She looked at the violetalicord and with blushed cheeks started to speak.

''H-hi.''

''...hi.''

Dash looked around the room, trying to find the right words. It was a lot harder then she thought it was going to be. Lucky for her, Twilight took charge of the situation.

''Hey Dash?''

Dash turned her head toward the violet pony laying next to her. ''Y-yeah, Twi?''

Twilight could feel her cheeks burn up before starting to talk again, letting a few seconds pass by. ''What do you think of me, Dash?''

''Huh?'' was all that the rainbow maned pegasi got out.

''What are your feelings towards me? What do you think of me when you are thinking of me? What do you think when you look open me?'' Twilight paused for a second, looking away from Dash. '' Ever since we got on the train twenty minutes ago, I have tried to reflect and understand my feelings towards you. I probably would have done so all day if, well... I guessed that Spike told you about the my little visit to Canterlot...''

Dash nodded. ''Yeah, for what he told us so have you been busy the last hour.'' Dash paused before you continued. ''Sooo... what do you think of me Twilight?''

Twilight turned her eyes to Dash and lower her head. ''Please tell me first. I know it's cliché and unfair of me to ask you this, but please...?'' Twilight couldn't continue, to afraid of how wrong this all could turn out.

Dash looked eyes with Twilight, gathering herself together before continuing. ''I... I don't know Twilight. I'm actually a little afraid of myself right now.''

Dash pause again to let Twilight gather herself this time. The alicorn wasn't crying, but Dash could notice water gathering in her... friends? eyes.

''You are amazing Twilight. When you just woken up with the worlds biggest hang over that the world ever seen, after you realize that we actually kissed and fooled around before we went to sleep and after a lot of tears, worry and kissing in the morning, you can still pull yourself back together and take charge of a emergency threating Equestria and pull everything back to order in just 1 hour.

You have lead the rescue of Equestria not once, not twice but three times. You have become an alicorn, like the second one in all of history, as far as we know. You have saved all of your friend like more times than we done you combined. You even saved another dimension! When was the last time you heard that Star Swirly-guy do such a thing.''

Dash took a deep breath before continuing. ''You are always there for us, and you always try to pull us together when some ponies in the group are fighting. You are probably the reason all of us hang out at all.'' Dash winked at Twilight. ''And your not to hard on the eyes, if you don't mind me saying...''

Dash sighed out, unsure what to say next. She decided to just throw it out and have it done for. ''… I like you Twilight. Like a lot! And I don't want you to think less of me if you don't do so back. I still want us to be friends, even if you probably don't think the same of me. I'm... I'm sorry if I've messed things up.'' Dash felt a stone placing itself in her stomach as she was awaiting her sentence.

Suddenly she felt something warm against her cheek. She raised her hoof to her chin, not feeling anything.

Wait, there was something. A little wet spot. Dash turned her head towards Twilight and felt all her worries go away and that stone in her stomach dissolving away.

''I like you to, Rainbow Dash!'' Twilight said as a single tear fell down her cheek.

Dash was stunned. ''But... but why?''

Twilight looked surprised first at Dash, then started to think and got a mischievous grin on her face. ''Because you're Rainbow Dash!''

If Dash was surprised before, so couldn't she even comprehend what that meant. ''And what the hay is that suppose to mean?''

Twilight shrugged. ''Does there really need to be a bigger reason?''

Again, dumbstruck Rainbow Dash had to get all her head gears turning to get what Twilight could mean by this. She didn't get anywhere with that, so she decided to accept Twilights new, more playful nature and shrugged it of, saying ''Well, I'm so awesome that it would take wee--...''

Dash was cut of as Twilight Sparkle, princess of Equestria, guardian of friendship, the element of magic herself jump over her new marefriend and planted a kiss right on her lips.

And as wings, hooves and lips was caressing one and other, a pink earth pony together with a light-orange one wearing a cowboy hat walked in to the cart, with the attention of asking if they were going to have a slumber-party.

''Come on, Twilight, you can do better than that. Up with your hooves, your head straight with your body and let the wings do the rest.'' Rainbow Dash was yelling instruction at Twilight as she was soaring through the air.

In the land of the griffons they put weight in two things: strength and flying. Twilight had there for decided that it had been for the best to train on her flying abilities before starting on her magic practices.

For hours she and Rainbow Dash had been in one of her special made cart. This one was one she had tricked Discord in making. She had bet that he couldn't make it bigger on the inside then it was on the outside. He had fixed that with just a snap of his fingers. The rest of that night hadn't gone so well otherwise. First rule of trying to pursued Discord: don't make him drink cider.

Anyway, the inside of the cart was quite amazing. There was only two doors on a platform of clouds stretching infinite at all direction. There was also infinite blue sky at everywhere you looked. You could even pull the clouds from the ground and out them in the air, which Dash had done making a little race track in the air that Twilight was now flying through. It even had a wind button. A wind button of all things, right beside of both the doors.

The mages at the academy couldn't find an explanation do this 'phenomena' created by Discord. Even the Doctor had been stunned by this. It was Discord, that's that. It didn't need any explanation, because it couldn't be explained. Twilight seriously wondered sometimes if Discord had anything to do with a sustain pink pony who kept defying all logic around her.

Twilight had been flying through this track that Dash made now for over one hour now. ''It pretty much combines everything you need to know about flying. Just beat it under three minutes and you can consider yourself a classified flier from Rainbow Dash herself.'' was all that Dash had said.

And let just say that if this was what it took to be considered a good flier among the pegasi, then Twilight could not imagine what other pegasi was saying about her behind her back. At her first try Twilight had come in at a time of 5:21:20.

Sure her body and wings was much bigger then the normal pegasi, but that was just an excuse. And Twilight had gotten better and better for every turn she made through the wreck. And when she had started to use magic to alter the wind-currents around her she had come even closer to the time-goal.

She closed her wings close to her body when she reached the straight line towards the finish line. Her heart was pounding, breath heavy as she finished the lap.

Gliding down to Rainbow Dash who held the timer in her hooves, she asked what the time been.

''Twilight, sorry not this time either.'' Rainbow shook her head and Twilight could feel her heart sink a little, before Dash turned her head to Twilight in the biggest of grins. ''3.00.23 just won't do, don't you think?''

A stunned Twilight sighed out in relief as she finally let her muscles relax. Applejack who had been watching the whole thing approached them. ''Well, Ah guess congratulations are in order. Ya did a mighty fine job all things considered, Twi.'' Applejack drew her eyes toward Twilight. ''No Ah don't now about ya two, but ma stomach could really use a refill. How about you two, lovebirds? And Ah'm sure that all of us could use some sort of briefing on what we'all could expect when we arrive to the griffon land.''

Applejack turned around and started to walk towards the nearest door. Twilight called after her friend, ''That sound like a really good idea. Frankly I am starving. But Applejack?!''

AJ turned around and looked at the violet alicorn. ''What is it, sugercubes?''

Twilight nodded at the other direction then Applejack was going. ''Your going the wrong way.''

Applejack just sigh and started to walk to the other door. ''Oh, chucks girl. Ah swear the only reason why you put this cart before your own bedroom was to scare us gals of so you and Dash never would be disturbed. Seriously, did ya'll see the look at poor Fluttershy when she walked in the first time. Ah thought the poor girls eyes would fall out there for a second.''

Dash started to laugh. ''Don't tell me about it. First time I walked in here I was so stunned that I walked pas the door and lost myself for five-ten minutes before finally finding the doors again.''

The three was all having a good laugh as they went to the diner cart.

All the guardians of Equestrian was sitting at an extended table, eating from a great variety of food placed on the table. They spoke about everything that didn't involve their destination, Twilight making it clear that she wanted to wait until the end of their meal to tell them.

Dash had fifteen different fruits on her plate and some eggs. She had actually started to think about her eating habits a few months ago when she began to train for the Wonderbolts. Twilight hadn't seen her eat a cupcake outside a party or such occasions. But then again, Twilight hadn't seen much of here outside of the sleepovers that Dash had with Twilight in her room in Canterlot, which there had been plenty of. Applejack and Big Mac, being the farm ponies that they were, was eating any food that had a large amount of carbs only to add other dishes for flavors afterwards.

Fluttershy was eating a small salad and a few fruits at the side. Twilight was starting to seriously wonder if Fluttershys poor physic and week attitude towards herself wasn't a direct cause of her seemingly weaker diet. Eat good and feel good, and all that. Rarity and Twilight was both eating a large and rich fruitsallad with all kinds of fruits, vegetables and an odd choice of a balsamic vinegar dressing that made it all go together excellently.

And Pinkie was eating... Twilight didn't know, everything she guessed. The pink earth pony her face right down on several plates at the same time and her puffy hair covering many more. All you could get from Pinkie right now was different sounds of what food she enjoy (which was everything it seemed), the sound of chewing and occupationally see her tongue defying logic as usual and extend over the plates near her. and making them shining clean after she had gathered all the food with it. Twilight and the rest would probably had been grossed out at this sort of behavior, but with everyponybeing used to Pinkies odd and random behavior left them pretty much unwavered at this.

Applejack was the first to speak when they nearly done with their food. ''Soo Twi... what is the trouble going on with Princess Luna and the griffons. Ah mean, what can we expect when we get to this 'land of the griffons'. All Ah know about the griffons that they are a bunch of moody fliers, like thatol'friend of Dash. What was her name, Hilda?''

''Gilda'' corrected Rainbow Dash.

''Oh, she was no fun!'' Pinkie roes her had from the plates, herself and the plates completely clean, shining even. ''Just a big, old meanie-pants. Remember how not nice she was to Fluttershy? Not nice at all, I tell you!''

''Anyway...'' Applejack started to talk before letting Pinkie have the opportunity to continue. ''What going on, Twilight?''

Twilight took her time and summoned a napkin before starting to talk. She tried to be as calm and collective as possible not to make her friends worrying too much, and started to tell her friends the incident with the old earth pony ambassador.

She also explained, with a surprisingly amount of help from Rainbow Dash, the society and rule of the griffons. The griffons almost all ruled themselves. The griffons had for over 600 years been ruled in a socialistic way, all workers working for the state. Almost everyone got to work with what ever their talents lay, everyone getting the same amount of money to spend on what ever they want.

Many pony scientists at the time had expected this to collapse within itself like ever other socialistic society did. But as the government became more and more powerful and rich and the pattern of the workers more repetitive, a noble griffon had stepped forward and nearly for-filling the true goal of socialism as put by Marex, a society with out a government and no need for money.

Oh, money existed of course, but that was mostly for trade with the outside world. The money the citizen had for themselves wasn't really needed because you could go to any store and grab anything you wanted as long as you needed it. You could eat what ever you wanted, get any form of health treat and count for help for anything.

But it had a major flaw: it was a system completely based on honor and dignity. You were expected to keep the on order with the laws of the city and part of the country that were a part of. To do your part of society tp be free, to work 8-10 hours five days a week to able to do whatever you wanted otherwise.

If you broke the law you were either imprisoned for a short or long duration of time or executed for the most heinous of crimes. But the worse considerate punishment in the land of the griffons was considered to be the one you got if you had not held up your honor and you duty to socaity; which was exclusion from society in any duration of time.

You wasn't able to work, wasn't able to contribute anyway and other griffons wasn't allowed to interact with you in any shape and form, 'less they would risk to lose their honor. In short, you were no one. You didn't exist. You couldn't even interact with other outcasts, because it would only lengthen your time outside the order.

But there was always someone keeping count of time you had, and when you had served your time as a 'no one', you where then openly invited back as if you had been a long-lost sister and celebrations and even festivals would occur.

How ever, if you ever lost your honor more than once you were forever thrown out the country, never able to return. Try and they would tie you up and fly over and throw you in to the land of the dragons. Celestia had been able to stop them a few time to do this, but this avoided even her eyes a few times.

Gildas father had apparently been such a griffon that had been banished from the land, which explained her mean-streaked behavior. Oh, she had able to return to the country at any time she wanted, but her love for her father until he passed away. Her father had been the only banished griffon to be able to return to their land after he had regaining his honor, saving the king's life by throwing himself in front of an arrow shoot by another banished one.

His ashes had return to be put inside the family grave and as thanks and celebration of Gildas father and the first banished one to ever return, Gilda had been adopted by the king himself now.

Oh yes the king. The big elephant in the room. You see, the country had no nobility and no upper class. They only had a king. The only leading power in the country. And he was considered the strongest and fastest all the griffons. And how was he decided? By blood.

Each king had come to power through a duel with the previous one, and it was always a match to the death. The king had then to prove to his citizens that he deserve to be king by flying from their own land to the land of Equestria in a day, standing up to an unprepared Celestia and declaring himself as king of the Land of the Griffons.

This system has now been a part for over a century now and over fifty rules had been in place. Celestia had told Twilight as a filly what there hadn't ever gone 2 years between the rise of a new king. There had even been a time when Celestia had been interrupted by a griffon crashing through a window during court seven time under two months.

But king Aldhelm was a different kind of beast. He was the longest ruler the country had seen during this hundred year-long heracy, being in his twelve-year of rule. Even Celestia was on her guard in the presence of him.

He was not the strongest griffon, not the fastest, nor the smart. He was the perfect combination of all those attributes and had a great head for politics. But his biggest strength was his charisma. Twilight had experienced it herself during the yearly meeting of the rulers between Equestria and the land of the griffon. He seemed grander and taller than he really was, could make you laugh when he wanted you to and one second later make you fear him. He was almost unreal, like he was straight out of an old ponytale.

He was also the most successful ruler the land ever seen, bringing more wealth and trade to the country from all ends of the world. But being a country were personal wealth didn't matter it there for did not impress the citizen very much.

So how did he keep himself so popular? By being the griffon that held up his honor the most, keeping everyone admiring him. He never expected any mistake from anypony, nor himself. He always admitted when he was wrong and took on all challenges that wanted to test their luck against him.

A king usually had only took on them that either looked strong or once that had beaten a guard that the king had sent forward to test the strength of the warrior. This was not the case for king Aldhelm, who personally excepted any challenge that was given to him. He had even once killed an eight year old child who had played with his friends and accidentally turned with a tree blade toward the king and challenge him for a duel. Being hell-bound to keep the code of honor the king had killed him only to mourn the life he took for seven days before continuing his trip around the country.

This didn't mean he was, like Pinkie would have put it, a 'big mean fowny pants'. He was a male full of laughter and humor, treating everypony he meet with care and joy. Simple put; he was one of the most interesting creatures that Twilight ever come across.

''So in short, the griffons are society that put all their life through their code of honor. Usually a pony isn't expected to know the code when they are in the land of the griffons, but this case is a little different since the king own way of keeping his own honor.'' Concluded Twilight Sparkle to her friends.

Surprisingly Rarity was the first to speak. ''Sorry dear, but I don't understand why they are behaving so poorly and threaten us with such nasty things as war. I mean, we have Luna and Celestia, the two most powerful being in the world. In some ways we even have Discord at our side, and for all they know we have the Elements of Harmony. Why would they do something so stupid as to threaten a nation so great as Equestria?''

Twilight sigh at this. ''There are a number of reasons for that, Rarity. For example so even through we in Equestria has us alicorns by their side so do the land of the griffon has a far larger military force. Every citizen in the land can be called to war and every child get combat training. And most adult get military training as well. Almost all griffons are warriors. In short; our Equestrian-armies would be fighting a whole nation.

The second problem is the most problematic. During the war with Equestria about 500 years ago the leaders of the land of the griffons captured a whole platoon of battle-mages. They used these mages and forced to create the most powerful magical force except the Elements of Harmony: The Throne of Summons. On the outside it looks like a normal chair, but if the ruler of the land sits on the chair he is granted the ability to summon any magical creature that you wish for inside the castle.

During the end war, when the kingdom was about to lose to Equestria the high leaders of the kingdom barricaded themselves inside the castle and managed to hold their ground for more than 9 years. They summoned gods from different dimensions to throw lightning, fire and different kinds of magic to hold their defenses. And since the rulers never excepted defeat, then neither did the griffons.

If took Celestia whole power, the 'Great Wyrm' fire and the Elements of Harmony together to break through the defenses at last. Nine years of meaningless bloodshed thanks to their code of honor and a single great artifact.'' Twilight looked around at all ponies around the table before continuing. ''In short, Equestria will most certainly win a war even without the Elements, but how long is it going to take and how many lives will be lost in the process? That's not a risk me, Luna and Celestia is prepared to take. Hay, now that Discord is lose the king could summon and even control him for a short amount of time... the thought of that sends shivers down my spine.''

Everypony started to look around each other with an uncomfortable look in their eyes. Twilight left them to think about what she said, excusing herself of the table and started to walk towards the train-cart she installed for magic practice to start her training of time magic.

Twilight sat in the middle of the cart. She was going through all the notes and book she read on the subject of controlling time and alicorn magic in her head. Even though there was no bigger difference on how magic was controlled and used for alicorns and unicorns so was there a difference in how magic was let out of the body.

Since a alicorn like herself was a mix of a full grown mare of all three pony races her magic also was put out in the same way as a pegasi and earth pony. Unlike unicorns whose magical output came through a controlled use of it through their horn, so did magic to the other two races go out through theirwhole body. It was thanks to this that made the pegasi for example have the ability to walk on clouds and enhanced an earth ponies body.

While this shouldn't disturb Twilight if she actually manage to start be able to controlling time around her, she didn't want to take any chances. That why she had decided to take this cart with her. She had at first made it herself together with the three arch mages of the academy as sort of safe room for the passengers of her train if they where ever under attack by any magical means.

All magic thrown around the train was immediately nullified at first impact. It worked the same way on the inside. Hit the walls or ceiling and any sort of magical spell would just disappear. She had a floor build above the old one ss she was still capable of even casting spells, and even if it still was harder to cast magic in here it only made it more suitable to train magic in here.

Twilight started with summoning a magic field around herself and the whole room. It wasn't like a shield or anything like that, it was more like a mist. A field for scanning, to try to find the flow of time itself.

It had taken her hours just start feeling it. Twilight had been looking for some special source to start grasping from, like if you used a magical artifact. Dash had come to join her and keep her company after she been done talking to the girls and Big Mac.

And it was again Dash that help her understand how to time was flowing. Dash had taken with her an hourglass to keep a hold of time. And thats when it hit Twilight.

Time was constantly falling with them, not passed them. Time was like sand falling down with them. Time was always one step ahead, never a second behind them and always knowing where to go.

Twilight had kissed her marefriend in joy when she finally started to grasp a feel for time. This feeling hadn't stayed for more than an hour as next frustration came to be: how to get a hold of time.

She always started slow, trying to 'catch the sand' but as soon as she even got a single grain of it her spell was immediately cut of. She tried over and over again for hours, but she had no progress. She just became more and more frustrated, swearing and making Rainbow Dash blush of the profanity coming out of her mouth.

When it started to get dark had Dashed finally convinced her that she maybe just needed some rest. ''Seriously, Twi, you are going to need the rest before we arrive tomorrow. I mean, time-stop and time travel would be cool and all, but you need to be able to keep your head in the game!''

Twilight sighed, acknowledging that Rainbow actually were right in this. She did try again one more time, but with the same result. Again as soon as she thought she had a grip on it her spell just cut of.

The violet princess took some deep breaths to let of some steam while Rainbow Dash walked up to her, put a wing around Twilights body and started to walk them out of the room. She took one last breath and then let her head lean on Dashs neck.

Twilight was really surprised with how much her cyan colored marefriend had grown. Sure she was still spontaneous, speed-crazy and danger-loving... but she also had moments like this when she acted more of the adult of the two of them. Like the many times Twilight had cried on her shoulder duringDashs stay in Canterlot and never said a word for hours, giving Twilight the time to 'catch her breath' before Rainbow Dash herself talked back to Twilight.

Twilight really admired this with Dash. Dash allowed Twilight to be the sad or childish one, something that Twilight never could be in the presence of other ponies. Twilight never expected Rainbow Dash to become more of an adult then this, but it was still nice to see that Twilight wasn't going to haveto be the only one taking responsibility in this relationship.

Twilight and Dash passed in to the 'cloud-cart', as Dash called it when Twilight got an idea. ''Hey, Dashie?''

Rainbow Dash frowned. ''I told you not to call me that! It just sounds sooo... uncool. What is it Tw--.''

Before Dash know what happened Twilight tackled Dash, calling out ''Tag, your it!!!'' only to teleport her self right after that behind the door, making it impossible for Dash to see Twilight.

A confused Rainbow Dash drew herself together and didn't let herself miss a heart beat. She flew in the air and turned around at every angle, not finding Twilight. Twilight could be anywhere right now but Dash had a feeling that the violate alicorn still was in this bizarre cart of Discord. She started to fly around looking, looking for Twilight Sparkle.

It didn't take long before she actually find her. There weren't many places to hide really. Twilight had looked up passed the door, only to meet Rainbow Dashs eyes. This didn't face Twilight though as she gave Dash a little grin and teleported herself about a mil away just as Dash was about to land on her.

Twilight summoned her magic again to amplify her voice. ''Over here, Dashie!!!'' She yelled out and just as she finished her sentence Twilight acted quickly. Twilight took a piece of the cloud floor and hide herself on it. Then she used her magic to create a pile of clouds near her.

Her plan worked perfectly and soon Dash in the sky just seconds after she was done. Through the tiniest of holes in the cloud she was hiding in she could see Dash stopping in to the sky and slowly descending down on to the pile with hesitation in her movement.

When Dash was just a few feets from the cloud Twilight seeseed the moment. She teleported herself right above the pegasi, cough to make her turn then and putting hoofs against Dashs chest and letting themselves crash on to the pile of clouds.

Twilight didn't let this moment pass by. Before Dash had any time to do anything Twilight summoned her magic again and tied up the pegasi in all four legs with some of the clouds on the pile. Then she planted a hoof on Dashs chest, looked in to the cyan mares eye and said: ''Now, say uncle.''

Dash looked at all directions, trying to get a hold on herself. In had all happened so fast that even she had have a hard time keeping up. She was tied, with a pony bigger and stronger than most earth-ponies on top of her. The odds were stacked against her and she couldn't come up with a solution for the moment. Only one thing left to do. ''Never''

Dash let out her wings which Twilight had forgotten to tie up and then grabbed the alicorns body with them, pulling her down to Dash.

Twilight let out a little ''yelp'' in surprise by this and now had her body against Dashs. Twilight didn't let this bring her down further tho and before Dash could say anything more had Twilight planted her hooves to Dashs sides and started to tickle the pegasi.

Not many knew this but Rainbow Dash was extremely ticklish and it only took one second to have Dashs whole body shaking and her laughing out loud.

Twilight herself finally able catch breath as Rainbow Dash wasn't able to control her wings while tickled, so she let go of Twilight. ''Say uncle!'' Twilight demanded of Dash.

Twilight kept tickling Dash, who yelled out ''NEVER!'' between the laughs.

This process repeated itself over and over again for almost ten minutes before Twilight brought out the big guns. She released her hooves from Dashssides and put them lightly on the cyan pegasis chest. Rainbow Dash gasped after air, her belly aching from all the laughs.

Of course it was all in vain to start relaxing, because before she even had taken three breaths Twilight had brought her wings to Dashs sides and leg-pits and started to tickle her marefriend more aggressive and more effective. Dash immediately started to plead to Twilight to ''pleeeeeesa stop'' and Twilight had only responded with carefree voice ''Just say uncle then''.

This time it didn't take more then one minute before Dash called out ''OKAY, OKAY UNCLE, UNCEEEEL. NOW PLEASE STOP!!!''.

Twilight was fair and stopped tickling the cyan pony under her, relishing to herself that she had actually beaten Rainbow Dash.

Dash started to struggle again, trying to get from Twilights grip and weight on her chest. She did forget that Twilight possessed the strength and body of a earth-pony, so Twilight was a lot stronger and heavier than Dash remembered. And now that Rainbow Dash was out of stamina and had her whole body screaming of fatigue after more then half an hour of tickle torture, she no longer possessed the strength to overpower Twilight.

Twilight looked down on the heavy breathing pegasi. Rainbow Dash was sweating all over her own body and her hair was sticking down the body on to the chest. 'Huh, her hair has grown longer.' Thought Twilight to herself as her eyes followed down Rainbows body. Twilight could feel her cheeks getting hot as she followed the curves of the very fit pegasi under her.

Dash turned her head up making Twilight directly to rise her view and make eye contact with her marefriend.

They stared at each other for a while until Rainbow Dash started to talk. ''Hehe, we have really been doing this a lot lately, haven't we?''

Twilight understood that Dash had meant the starring. ''Yeah...''

Dash, looking away from Twilight, started to try to get away from Twilights grip again. She didn't do it seriously though, since that she knew she couldn't do it herself now and to make Twilight realize what she did and make her move on her own.

When this didn't work Dash had enough. ''Twilight, could you pleas--...''

''No, Dashie. I don't think I should.'' Said Twilight, cutting of Dash.

Dash looked up at Twilight again and meet Twilights eyes again, but this time they were different. ''Dashie, really?'' Twilight had the mischievous eyes again, but this time with the eyelids half way down and a small smile on her face.

Dash was to ask what up with that look upon Twilights face, but just as Dash was about to open her mouth Twilight lowered her body and pushed her lips against Dashs. They both begin to move their hooves, wings and bodies around each other, trying to find each others weak spots.

''Wait!'' said Twilight. Dash looked at her in confusion. Twilight looked up at the sky, remembering that there was always light in the cart, even though there was either a sun or a moon in here. She looked back at Rainbow Dash and smiled, then she turned her upper body around, reach for a corner sticking up on the cloud then covering herself and Dash with it.

Them both, in the hide of the light, now throw themselves at one and other and as the feral instincts started the kick in a long night of passion a waited them both.

Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash woke up about the same time the day after, both surrounded in almost complete darkness.

''When did we get inside a storm-cloud? And why ain't there no winds?'' Dash said as she was looking around in near perfect darkness.

Twilight sigh and summoned her magic first to make room for them to stand and then to lighten up the room. ''We're in the flying cart, remember Dash? We are just to far down to let the light come through.''

Dash blushed a little remembering last night. ''Oh right. Oh, and good morning, Twi.''

Twilight stopped looking around the room she made of the clouds and smiled at Dash. ''And good morning to you Dash.'' That mischievous from last night came back to Twilight. ''You look a little stiff Dashie, did something happened to you last night?''

Dash blushed even more, but this time she was prepared. ''Well, after the first hour of my day completely stressed us all out and I had to go through two training sessions yesterday I get tortured by my own new as-of-yesterday marefriend for what seemed hours. And then when thats all over and we both where sweating and breathing hard we did some amazing fillyfooling for wh--''.

''We'll anyway, I wonder what the time is, don't you?'' Twilight said quickly, cutting of Dash and face as crimson as a forest fire. The alicorn then summoned a clock out of nowhere to look at the time. And then she did a complete 180*.

Her face paled as she was in complete shock. ''Dash, we will arrive at about five minutes.''

Dash immediately flew up in to the air to start kick clouds. ''Give me one and we will be out of here''.

Twilight grabbed one her marefriends hoof and pulled her down. ''We don't have time for games now Dash. Oh-my-dear-Celestia I don't have time enough for anything right now.'' Twilight said frantically. She summoned her magic and two seconds later she and Rainbow Dash stood right at the door to the outside at her own sleeping cart, just as it's doors opened.

Outside stood a large banquette waiting for her arrival. There must be more then a hundred griffons there, all lining up to make a smaller, narrowing path towards a large carriage. Twilight quickly summoned her crown to her head, took a big deep breath and started to walk out of the train. Dash was right behind her, walking proud as if she was Twilights body-guard.

''I thought you said five minutes!'' Dash said in quiet.

Twilight let out a small invincible sigh. ''Well obviously I either miscalculated or the clock was going wrong.'' Twilight and Dash started to walk towards a great, big griffon that stood in the middle of the banquet waiting for Twilight.

Her friends meet up with them, coming from the other side of the train. Applejack was the first one to walk up to them, looking relived. ''An' where in the gosh darn nation have ya gals been? We have been looking all ova th'place for you.''

Rainbow Dash was the one answering that one. ''Well, me and Twilight kinda, sorta fell asleep on the cloud-cart , and when we woke up we where completely covered in like twenty feet of clouds.''

Twilight didn't listen to the rest of the conversation as she finally got to the middle of the banquet to the big griffon. ''Good day, adviser Hartnell. A pleasant to make your meet you once again.'' Adviser Hartnell was, like the title said, king Aldhelms adviser. Many give him the credit for the financial success in the country and to keep the king in order... most of the times.

The adviser bowed down for Twilight, looking down on the ground. ''You honor me with your words, Princess Twilight Sparkle. I trust that the journey was a safe and pleasant one? I would have greeted you with a more formal ceremony, but you came here so, so sudden and we simple didn't have the time to properly honor your arrival.''

Twilight didn't let any emotion get through, keeping her face and posture as a princess should. ''I am grateful for any honor you give me, adviser, and this was a great honor indeed.''

The adviser nodded, apparently happy with the answer. He roes up and smiled at Twilight.'' Then I suggest that we all take our leave towards the Castle.'' He turned sideways, wrapped out his one of his wings, 'showing' Twilight and the company towards the large carriage.

Twilight and her friends started to walk towards it, and the king's adviser went beside Twilight. ''I hop you will enjoy your visit here, your majesty. Are all these mare one of the elements?''

Twilight nodded but didn't spare an eye at Hartnell. She didn't dislike the griffon per say but she had a position to uphold as a representative ofEquestria. She was one of the three rulers after all. She wasn't just a princess, she was Equestria itself. Ponyville was going to be her safe haven, buteverywhere else she was Princess Twilight Sparkle, ruler and protector of her land. And now when she was in a land who could bring war to Equestriashe had to act with authority.

''Yes WE are, adviser. We all represent each of the Element, and also Equestria itself,'' Twilight turned to face the griffon. ''Would you do us the honor of being the one presenting us to the king, advise?''

The griffon blinked a few times before bowing and conceding. ''You again honor me, your majesty.''

Twilight introduced each girl of the gang in the usual order. The adviser bowed an elegant small bow to each of them. She also presented Big Mac asFluttershys 'consort'. After the griffon had taken an extra look at Big Mac, nodding of approval and commenting on the stallion obvious natural strength his gaze returned on Rainbow Dash and stayed there for a few seconds before returning to Twilight.

''Excellent, then shall we enter the carriage? We wouldn't like king Aldhelm waiting, do we?''

Twilight nodded and entered the vehicle after adviser Hartnell opened the door for her.

The next hour the most of the group stayed quiet while listening at Twilights and the adviser's conversation.

Apparently the ambassador was still jailed after refusing to duel the king, and Luna hadn't made things better. The kings honor had apparently been tainted and he had to figure out how to get it clean again. There was several ways actually to do so, and one of the was war. That is why Luna had been so desperate and started her journey as soon as she had heard the news. But she hadn't been able to convince the king that war wasn't the right option.

As they got closer to the castle Twilight could feel the power of the magical artifacts inside the castle getting stronger and stronger, almost pulling her. It didn't really surprise Twilight that she would feel this since the artifact pulled strong magical monsters and deities to it, which would count for Twilight as well. But that the feeling would be this strong actually scared Twilight a little.

Now that the Elements of Harmony wasn't a part of this world anymore, The Throne of Summons was the most powerful force in the world. But the Elements had never felt wrong. Nut this... this was something else.

Twilight took a look at the others in the carriage to see if they were effected the same way. She couldn't see any signs of it. 'Well, technically they are considered normal creatures in this world.' Twilight thought.

The pull Twilight felt didn't go away as they finally arrived at the palace gate. The palace itself wasn't like any of the castles Twilight ever seen inEquestria.

It was more like a big fortress that was a part of the mountain. A big, high wall, more the 30 feet high surrounded the mountain wall with only one gate existing on a narrow but tall stone bridge up high above the ground. Behind the wall you couldn't see much, but as the group in the company of the griffon guard and the adviser walked through the gate they saw a large fortress barely higher than the wall, stretching from one side to the other, almost taking up half the place inside the wall.

There wasn't any houses here, instead there was even more walls, just as thick as the first one, with several door attached to it. The griffon population here, which mostly was occupied with either being a part of the castle guard or a part of the military, live inside the walls. All the doors was also only on the side towards the fortress itself. And there was four walls in total.

As the group approach the fortress all but Twilight marveled at the strange construct but as they got to the tunnel that went inside the castle Twilight only felt like she herself went in to oblivion.