As Colgate stared at the gated city, hanging precariously from the side of the great Canterlot Mountain, she felt her heart swell with a feeling she had trouble putting a hoof on. From its stone spires and simple yet sturdy foundations, which allowed the city to expand outward into the cloudless sky, there could be no mistaking the iconic place. Canterlot. Her home and future seat of Equestrian power, now little more than a construction site.

“Sort of disappointing,” Colgate shrugged, finally placing the feeling.

The armored earth pony who had accompanied her from the front gate shot her an offended stare. “I beg your pardon?”

Colgate shrugged again. “Oh you know, it’s sort of cool I guess, but it’s like seeing a new restaurant before it’s finished. You just wish it was done already so you could enjoy it, you know?”

The earth pony snorted. “I will send along your impatience to the builders.”

“Oh, thanks!” Colgate smiled, too tired from her long day to bother worrying about whether or not the guard was being sarcastic.

The earth pony shook his head, muttering something under his breath that Colgate could not hear before pointing to a large, elaborately decorated tent. “If you want to speak to the tribe representatives, then you will meet them there. Though I warn you, they will not be best pleased to see that Princess Platinum has not come herself to speak on behalf of her ponies.”

“Right, right.” Colgate waved off his words with a dismissive gesture. “Thanks for all your help and all, but I got this from here”

“As you say, milady,” the stallion said, bowing before turning to return to his post.

“You know, I could get used to ponies calling me ‘my lady’,” Colgate mused as she ducked under the propped-open flap of the great tent. Inside, illuminated by flickering torches and standing around a large wooden table, a small group of earth ponies and pegasi were engaged in a heated debate.

“Your refusal to help is tantamount to a pardon for their crimes!” Commander Hurricane slammed her hoof onto the central table with enough force to make the ponies around her flinch back. “You cannot hide behind the excuse of neutrality when they have already broken the treaty that we all agreed to!”

Across the table an orange earth pony met the furious pegasi’s stare with her own, unflinching even as the ponies around her began to mutter amongst themselves. “Askin’ for a small grace period to verify yer accusations is hardly oath breakin’ and I would ask ya to think carefully before ya start making declarations yer likely to regret in time.” She held Hurricane’s gaze for awhile longer till the Commander blinked, allowing her glare to lessen slightly. The orange mare smiled as she added, “Let us not allow rash words n’ rash actions to lead us astray tonight.”

“I verily agree with Smart Cookie!” A pink mare dressed in lavish clothes and wearing a large brown hat suddenly screamed, bouncing up onto the tips of her hoofs. “I also verily think that we should acknowledge Colgate, since she just got here!”

“I, uh, don’t think that’s what verily means,” Colgate offered as every pony in the room turned to stare at her, a mix of curious and suspicious expressions on almost every face.

“You’re just jealous because you don’t get to talk in a funny accent!” The pink mare chirped.

“Right, because those have been so consistent so far…” Colgate muttered, rolling her eyes.

“Sorry, what was that?” Smart Cookie asked, giving Colgate a warning look.

“Uh,” Colgate stammered, blushing and looking directly at a point off to her right. “I mean, hello, my name is Colgate and I am here on behalf of the unicorn tribe with terrible news!”

“And why has Princess Platinum not come herself?” Commander Hurricane asked, rising into the air as she pointed an accusing hoof at Colgate. “Does she intend to insult this council, sending an unremarkable lackey to speak on her behalf? Or is she simply too scared to come here and face justice for her crimes?”

A familiar yellow pegasi, who had till this point been standing behind the commander quietly trying to stay out of sight of the other ponies, reached up and tugged on her commanding officer’s leg. “Um, miss?”

“What is it Private Pansy?” Hurricane asked irritably.

“Miss, this is the unicorn who let us free back at the castle,” Pansy replied, giving Colgate a nervous smile. Commander Hurricane looked from Pansy to Colgate in confusion before her eyes widened in recognition. Before Colgate could react, she found herself lifted into the air, grasped in a tight embrace by the armored pegasi leader.

“It is you!” Hurricane cried as she squeezed the air from Colgate’s lungs. “I did not recognize you! And to think I was about to order your death!”

“Glerb!” Colgate managed as her face turned a darker shade of blue. Hearing this Hurricane laughed, dropping Colgate back to the ground where she collapsed in a heap.

“My apologies strange one! I have never been one for half measures, though you seem tired and… maimed.” She gave Colgate’s metal leg an appraising look. “I will have the servants bring you refreshments and you will sit by me till my business here is adjourned.” She whistled and several pegasi hurried out of the tent.

Smart Cookie coughed politely. “I believe yer guest had something to convey before ya assaulted her. Something in regards to our missing tribe, perhaps?”

Colgate nodded as she crawled tiredly onto an unoccupied chair. She took a moment to catch her breath as one of the servants returned with a full cup that smelled strongly of her last Friday night. She grimaced and drained the cup in a gulp, pushing it back to the concerned servant as she looked to Smart Cookie and her pink companion.

“I am afraid I have bad news,” Colgate began, feeling the contents of the cup rush to her head. “So you all, you know, know about the whole…” Colgate tapped a hoof on the ground as another cup was placed in front of her. “Uh, dead ponies coming back to life and killing the living ponies thing, right?”

Smart Cookie nodded slowly, looking less than impressed. Colgate felt herself start to sweat as she picked up the new cup and took a long sip of its contents. She felt her vision begin to swim slightly and closed her eyes as she continued. “Right. Well, uh, the unicorns have, um… Well we, or they, or whatever- we figured out where they were coming from!”

“It is the work of the Necronomicon!” a large and grizzled looking earth pony interjected, looking impatient. “You unicorns told us that last time and it was hardly any great surprise then, either! Or have you come to confirm that you are responsible for all of this with your cursed meddling?”

“Chairpony, please!” Smart Cookie snapped, not taking her eyes off of Colgate. “Let’s not sink to bickering just yet, if ya would be so kind.” She nodded. “Now miss, continue.”

Colgate flushed as nodded emphatically. “Right! So, right, the Necronomicon is evil, blah, blah, blah, we took the book to find a reversal spell to stop all this and now there is an army of evil dead ponies coming to get the book back from the unicorns and kill everything,” Colgate rambled as she blinked rapidly, trying to keep her eyes open as the world started to spin around her.

“What!?” Smart Cookie leapt to her hoofs as several other ponies around the hall did the same. “By the love of the land! Why didn’t ya tell us this from the start?”

Colgate attempted to match her dramatic rise, but felt the world pitch forward as she slid face-first onto the council table. As she began to droll into the polished wood, the thought of how ridiculous she must look at that moment suddenly dawned on Colgate and she began to giggle uncontrollably.

“How much did she drink?” Smart Cookie growled as she watched Colgate begin to slide back off of the table, leading a trail of saliva with her.

“Only two cups, I am sure,” Commander Hurricane answered, consternation and bemusement combining on her face to make a singularly comedic expression. “Though I cannot say whether she has had much to eat since her arrival.”

Private Pansy gently helped Colgate finish her decent somewhat gracefully as the chosen one peered at her through one half-lidded eye. Pansy gave the other pony a reassuring smile as she laid Colgate’s head on the floor. “There you are,” she cooed. “You look utterly exhausted. Did you have to travel far to reach us?”

Colgate nodded. “And almost nothing to eat since breakfast.”

“What!?” Pansy looked shocked as she waved for a servant holding a tray of food over to them. “Why would you do that?”

“Not really had much time to spare,” Colgate muttered, eyes closing as her breathing began to even out.

“Well you should get some rest now and I will make sure you have plenty to eat tomorrow.” Pansy waited a few seconds for Colgate to respond, but the unicorn had already drifted away into sleep. She looked to the servant with the food tray. “Take her to our quarters and watch to make sure she does not vomit and drown in her sleep.”

The servant nodded and lifted Colgate, dragging her out of the tent as Commander Hurricane gave Smart Cookie a triumphant smile. “Well then, it seems that settles it then, doesn’t it?”

“It sure does!” the pink mare shouted suddenly, startling Smart Cookie. “Wait…” She blinked several times before giving Hurricane a confused look. “What does it settle?”

The Commander’s smile grew as she rested a hoof on the table. “It means, my dear Chancellor Puddinghead, that my motion to raise our forces to move on the unicorn tribe has just been passed.”

“Now wait just a second there!” Smart Cookie snarled as she glared at Hurricane. “I agree that we need to move to investigate these claims of an army of the dead n’ that swift action must be undertaken if there is any chance her claims are grounded, but that is not the same as givin’ ya permission to take vengeance on Princess Platinum! Especially if there is an army already marching in on her!”

Commander Hurricane nodded, still smiling. “As you say, advisor. I shall muster my forces and meet your own here, at Mount Canterlot. From there we will travel together, to insure that there all is done properly. Should we find an army there already attacking the good Princess, then we shall do our utmost to aid our sisters in their hour of need. And if this is merely a ruse on the part of the Princess…” Hurricane raised an eyebrow at Smart Cookie, “Then you will see firsthoof that my claims of mistreatment were not unfounded.”

Smart Cookie scowled back at her. “And how do I trust that ya will not just delay us till our help comes too late?”

Commander Hurricane’s eyes flashed in anger as her lip curled. “I would hope my word would be enough for you, but if it is not, then I will send a detachment of my own honor guard to send word to Princess Platinum and aid in her defense. I trust that you would not insult me by claiming I would allow my own ponies to die needlessly, would you?” Hurricane grabbed Private Pansy, would have who had just rejoined her, and pulled her in close. “And as a sign of good faith, I will have my good right wing join them as well as my dear friend, Lady Colgate join them. Let their lives be proof that I will not allow everypony in that castle to die horribly for vengeance’s sake!”

“What?” Pansy squeaked, looking horrified.

“Well then Smart Cookie is going too!” Puddinghead shouted, jumping up onto the table and throwing her hat at her hoofs. “As well as a regiment of my own best house guard!”

“Excuse me, hold up?” Smart Cookie asked, turning slightly green as she looked up at her lady.

“Then it is settled!” Commander Hurricane barked, ignoring both Pansy and Smart Cookie.

“Yes!” Puddinghead agreed, picking up her hat and placing it back on her head.

“But-!” Smart Cookie and Private Pansy interjected at the same time.

“Enough!” Commander Hurricane ordered as she stomped a hoof on the table. “This meeting is adjourned! We will shall return to our homes to gather our forces and return here as swiftly as possible to prepare for battle. The detachments will leave at sunrise to await our arrival at the castle.”

“Oh!” Puddinghead clapped her hoofs together. “This is going to be so exciting!”

Smart Cookie and Pansy just looked at one another, expressions of apprehension and defeat mirrored on one another’s faces.

Author's Note

And it’s up! OK, it’s up a week later than I had intended and so the next chapter is going to be delayed because I put off working on it while I finished cleaning up with this one and blah blah, but the point is!
... **** I had a point, didn't I? Oh right! It’s up! The saga continues!

What will happen to Colgate? Has the story totally jumped the track on the original storyline? Why are they leaning on the 4th wall? Am I going mad?
To answer your questions… 1: read on to find one. 2: Sorta. 3: Because they are terrible actors and it’s a low budget movie. 4: I don't know, I dropped my physics major when they told me I needed to take a statistics class to pass it. Go find someone qualified to give you an evaluation.

P.S I got my editor to give these little write ups a little love so they should be allot more readable now! : )