All Hail The Empress

“Excuse me, Princess? I have news for you,” said a pony as she stood outside of a large tent. She looked like a normal Earth Pony except for quite a few major differences. She had a pair of horns behind her ears, indicating that she was technically a Unicorn, and a row of rounded spikes going down the length of her back. Her tail was like that of a lizard with a flat spade as a tip. Each of her four hooves had three claws sticking out. These features were the result of her parents being a Unicorn and a Dragon, a combination that most would not consider anatomically possible. Her coat was vibrant blue, while the spikes on her back as well as her long mane were a darker blue. Resting on the outside of each of her back thighs was a symbol, her Cuite Mark that showed her “special talent”, depicting a blue gemstone surrounded by a light blue flame.

“Sapphire, how many times do I need to remind you? No formalities! We’ve been best friends for how long?” replied the Princess, motioning from behind the flap of the tent for her friend to enter. Sapphire did such, and was met by a taller pony with a white coat. The Princess, an Alicorn, had a long mane and tail of varying shades of blue in streaks. Her Cutie Mark was a pink heart with four yellow lines going vertically, horizontally, and diagonally in both directions behind it.

“Sorry, Pri-Artemis. Force of habit due to working with the others,” said Sapphire sheepishly, resulting in a small laugh from the Princess.

“Now, what did you have to tell me?”

“Ah, yes! We’ve FINALLY managed to make some headway translating the book that Sky Blazer stole from Canterlot,” explained Sapphire, making Artemis’s face practically light up.

“I’m going to be truthful. I was beginning to doubt we’d ever be able to figure out how to crack the code within it,” admitted the Alicorn, “We’ve had this book for, what, a decade and a half now?”

“Thirteen years, actually,” corrected the Dragon Unicorn, “Of course, we’ve had enough going on that we haven’t had much time to devote to studying it.”

“True. Anyway, what have we learned?”

“Well, it contains the first steps to finding out what is referred to as the ‘Library of the Ancients,’” started Sapphire, “But, the strange thing is that we only got so far before the code or language or whatever changed.”

“Interesting. Perhaps wherever the first few steps lead us will contain the key for the next few?”

“I honestly don’t know. But, we definitely have to go find out.”

“So, where do we go first?” asked Artemis, shocking Sapphire due to the wording.

“WE?! Artemis, you can’t be serious!” exclaimed Sapphire, though she did keep her voice down as much as possible in an attempt to not alert the others in the camp, “Not only are the last member of the Equestrian Royalty left, but you’re also the one that’s leading the Rebellion! Imagine what would happen if something happened to you!”

“Sapphire. One of the most important lessons my father taught me while I was growing up was to do what my heart tells me to do,” responded Artemis as she glared at her friend, “And my heart is telling me that I need to do whatever I can to restore freedom to Equestria even if it means putting my own life in danger. Nothing you say will talk me out of it.”

“But I-!” started Sapphire before sighing, “You’ve got that look in your eye. But promise me you’ll be safe.”

“Of course I will be,” assured Artemis, her glare turning into a smile, “Now, where exactly is it that we’re going?”

“Okay, the book said to ‘Cross the Earth Tear to the reach Endless Sands and find the Castle of the Summer King.’ After we looked through a collection of old journals as well as old maps, we have discerned that the ‘Earth Tear’ is a reference to Ghastly Gorge, which is near the San Palamino Desert, the ‘Endless Sands,’” explained Sapphire, returning her friend’s smile, “As for this ‘Castle of the Summer King,’ the best we could come up with is old accounts of an Earth Pony King from a long gone civilization. But, it looks like his castle should be easily found because it was built into the tallest mountain.”

“Well, looks like we’re in for quite an adventure, aren’t we?” asked Artemis happily, “Would you mind asking your brother and sister to keep things in order while we’re away?”

“Emerald won’t mind, I’m sure. Don’t know about Elusive,” replied Sapphire, shaking her head as she thought of her brother and his tendencies, “He’s just so full of himself that I doubt he’d want to worry about anypony else.”

“Plus I’m sure at least Emerald would be more than happy to keep track of Ruby while we’re gone,” noted the Princess, referring to Sapphire’s daughter.

“If she can! Ruby and Wild Blitz are always getting into trouble,” laughed Sapphire, now thinking of the mischief her only child was apt at getting into.

“That’s not true!” shouted a voice from outside, which was followed by a quiet shush from another.

“Ruby! Are you spying on us?!” shouted Sapphire, recognizing her daughter’s voice as any mother would, “Get in here this instant, young mare! You too Wild Blitz!” This was met by the rustling of leaves and the flap of the tent opening. Two young ponies, a filly and a colt, entered with their heads hanging down. The filly looked mostly like her mother, though she had a normal pony’s tail she was mostly red and lacked a Cutie Mark. The colt was an orange Pegasus with a short purple mane and a tail. He too lacked a Cutie Mark, “You two should know better than to spy on other ponies! Let alone Princess Artemis!”

“But mom!” replied Ruby, looking up at her mother as she did.

“No buts! Now, both of you apologize to the Princess and get to bed!” ordered Sapphire, her nostrils flaring in anger. Artemis couldn’t help but laugh, “What’s so funny?!”

“You! Has being a mom changed you THIS much?” answered the Alicorn between laughing fits, “We used to get into so much trouble spying on other ponies when we were growing up. I don’t think we ever went a week without at least one of our parents scolding us.”

“Princess Artemis, would you PLEASE stop trying to undermine my parenting?” questioned Sapphire, glaring at her friend, “The idea is to show them that it is not acceptable behavior!”

“They’re kids! Lighten up!” responded Artemis, still laughing, though now it was more at the memories from her foalhood, “You pretty much quoted verbatim the same thing we always used to hear every time we got caught. And you should know how effective that was.”

“Thanks, Princess Artemis!” exclaimed Wild Blitz, his voice cracking slightly, “And, uh, sorry for spying on you.”

“I’m sorry too, Princess,” said Ruby, though it was painfully obvious she did not really mean it.

“Your mom is right that spying on other ponies is wrong,” admitted Artemis, “However, I’m sure it was for what you believed to be a good reason, am I right?”

“We kinda, sorta overheard you talking about that book that is so important that mom won’t let us near it,” explained Ruby, receiving a nod in agreement from her mother to the last part of the statement, “And, uh, we were wonder if we could, you know…”

“Oh, for crying out loud! We want to go along with you when you go on your adventure!” yelled Wild Blitz, keeping his voice down as much as possible.

“No, absolutely not! I will not have my only child be put into danger like that!” exclaimed Sapphire without any hesitation, “It’s one thing that my best friend and the leader of this group is going, but it’s a whole other story when it comes to you.”

“But mo-om!” pleaded Ruby, “All we ever do around here is sit! We’re never going to help to free Equestria, topple the evil Empress, or earn our Cutie Marks just by staying here!”

“No, and that’s final!” retorted Sapphire, again not hesitating in the slightest.

“Sapphire, if I may?” asked Artemis, who had kept quiet during that little exchange, “Ruby has a point. Also, you, Fire Comet, and Sky Blazer will be there to make sure these two stay safe. Besides, we can’t exactly have any of the other adult ponies go with us because they’ve all got important tasks around the camp.”

“Are you trying to undermine my authority, Artemis?!” shouted Sapphire in anger, “Because it sounds like you are!”

“I’m sorry it seems that way to you,” said Artemis, “But I don’t want to keep anyone who wants to help from doing so if I feel they can be of some use.”

“You know I hate you sometimes, right?”

“What are best friends for?” asked Artemis, smiling at her infuriated friend, “Now, I want all three of you to get some rest. Tomorrow, we’ll pack supplies for our adventure after I talk to Wild Blitz’s mom and we’ll head out the day after that.”

“Good night, Princess Artemis!” said Wild Blitz as he exited the tent. Sapphire, still angry at her daughter, used magic to drag the young Dragon Unicorn out of the tent without so much as a word. Artemis sighed before yawning.

“Well, dad. I hope I made the right decision,” said Artemis once she was alone, “I really do miss you. And mom, of course. But I barely knew her. At least I have that potion that Adisa makes so I can see both of you anytime I want, even if you don’t see me. Maybe someday we’ll see each other again and I can get to know mom for real.” Artemis let the fireflies she’d been using for light out of the lantern before crawling into her sleeping bag and falling asleep.