Prince Eclipse

"Hurry up Spike! Everypony is on their way by now!" Twilight said as she hurriedly ran a brush through her mane with one hand. While holding a book on customs and cultures of foreign lands in the other as she ran down the hall leading to her chambers. Having recently vacated said room in order to wake a certain dragon teenager who, should have been up hours ago in order to be ready for  Luna and Celestia's sudden visit.

While the princesses visiting so suddenly was indeed out of the norm, it was added to by them saying in their letter that they had need of a guest room for two people to as they would be on leave from a military for quite some time and due to their exemplary service record, only the best would do for them. Twilight sincerely hoped they didn't mind rooming with someone especially now that Spitfire had been embarrassed somehow and had asked if she could live there for the time being. She opened the door with her magic and shut it causing a pained yelp to spring forth from the other side. And since the letter had been decidedly vague she was worrying more than usual.

"Seriously Twi, you need to calm down." Spike said as he opened the door to Twilight's room as she slipped into her own personal bathroom, Probably to shower for the third time and make sure she is really clean the young dragon thought with no small amount of frustration. "You are considered to be an equal to the princesses now and you better save some hot water for me!"

An eep that would have made Fluttershy proud came from behind the door to Twilight's bathroom and Spike instantly wished that he hadn't said anything. There was a loud popping sound followed by Spike clapping a claw over his eyes in order to keep himself from oogling Twilight...she had teleported out of the bathroom in a hurry after all. "You are right Spike! There is so much to do still and here I am worried about smelling nice?"

"Twi you smell fine you've already had two showers today, but could y-"

"EXACTLY SPIKE!!" She said waving her arms about wildly (not that Spike would know...he wasn't peeking...) "I've already lost sooo much time already I should be studying up so I don't offend their guest, especially since I know only that they are from a military!! I don't even know which one! Oh what if I offend them? CELESTIA MIGHT SEND ME TO THE MOON!!!

"Twi calm down you know she won't do that."

Twilight sighed,"I know I know but what if she is disappointed with me?" She said throwing her arms into the air in exasperation. "What if I offend their friend and they end up hating me?

"Twilight we both know that you won't let that happen" said Spike "But could you-" This time Spike was rendered speechless by the feeling of Twilight's bare body pressed against his as she hugged the teen-aged dragon.

"Thanks number one assistant." Twilight said as she hugged her friend close, completely unaware of what she was causing him to feel. "You always know just what to say to calm me down."

All Spike could do was repeat the same thing in his head over and over. 'Rarity, Rarity, Rarity, Rarity, Rarity...are those piercings?  Never mind her nipples just hardened...No! Bad! Bad Little Spike, bad!!

"Okay Number-One Assistant, let's get to it. Let's head to the library and then we will go check and make sure the kitchen staff''s preparations are underway after all this important guest might be a griffon or some other meat eater we have to be sure that they can do the job without throwing up. Alright? Spike?"

Spike had fainted and was bleeding from his nose, his pants noticeably tented.

"Spike are you-" Twilight was unable to finish her sentence as she had begun to feel a light breeze across her naughty bits...

"Oh...my...Faust...so that's why he was covering his eyes..." Twilight said blinking slowly.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

Meanwhile...

Luna was doing her very best not to stare at the pegasus in front of her. Even though he had told them his story, right down to the truly horrific details she couldn't bring herself to trust him. Other than having a lie detector present during his interrogation as well as a mind reading spell somehow she got the feeling they were being had on a monumental level. He had told them he was part of an elite unit of the military from before the fall of Discord, meaning that he was immortal and if he was telling the truth, older than her and her sister. This was only possible if a true genius had figured a way to make somepony immortal without also making them an alicorn. Needless to say it was impossible and not only this but that he only wanted to re-enter Equestrian society and be a citizen once more. The fact that her brother was dead was yet another mystery, who had done it? How had they been able to take down an alicorn strong enough to fight toe-to-toe with Discord and buy enough time for the Elements of Harmony to be used. And for him to choose this being before her to be his heir to have all his power-

"Sooo..." The mysterious pegasus spoke jolting Luna from her thoughts. "I know I'm meeting this new student of yours and her friends but the only one I know about so far is this Twilight Sparkle, whoever that is. I'd like to know more about them if possible."

It had noticeably unnerved both princesses at just how fast he was adapting to modern life, also it noticeably 'pissed off ' Luna as he had put it. After tearing his way through two thousand years worth of reading material (he had taken his time with Daring Do though) in less than five days, and mastering every nuance of modern Equestrian culture. All while keeping to an extremely demanding physical and mental training program, saying the princesses were unnerved was the understatement of the millennium, which they knew to be true.

"Very well." Celestia said attempting to regain her composure. "where shall we begin?"

"Hmm..." he said his brow furrowing in thought, "Let's start with the farmer."

"Applebloom ah don't want ta hear it!" Her sister had been complaining near constantly since yesterday when Spike had arrived with a letter from Twilight saying that the Apple family would be required to attend a small gathering in which somepony special would be in attendance and that this was to see how well they would be able to mesh with Equestrian society. That was all Twilight had written and it was all Applejack needed to know. 'Rainbow Dash might be the Element of Loyalty but that don't mean ah'm not loyal'

"But Applejack, ah was supposed ta git together with Scootaloo an' Sweetiebelle today!"  The filly was clearly distraught. Since the school year had started up her and her friends had been finding less time than ever to get together and it had been more than little disappointing. Between homework increasing in volume and Sweetie's part time job they had only had a handful of days together. In the last eight months.

"Ah know sugarcube but if'n Twilight needs us we gotta be there for her. Besides Scootaloo an' Sweetie Belle will both be there."

"It just ain't the same big sis, ah know we gotta be there for Twilight an' she's one of yer best friends, but don' ya think me an' my friends could just leave after a bit or somethin'?

"See? You found a solution to yer problem after all." Applejack said with a wink to her younger sibling." Sides it ain't like we are gonna hafta dress up fancy er nothin'. This is all about makin sure somepony new doesn't feel outta place, and that he will be able to live in Equestria." Applejack said as she led her little sister into the kitchen where Big Mac and Granny Smith were talking about what was cooking in the oven. Something about canning a pecan pie?  Regardless she pushed it from her mind as she focused once more on her sister.

"So ya think ya can handle it?"

"Yeah ah got it."

"Besides summer'll be here in about a month and then ya'll can do whatever ya'll want to."

"Applejack?"

"What is it Applebloom?"

"Thanks." The filly spoke her gratitude towards her sister easily apparent in her voice and eyes. The admiration there burning bright for all to see.

Such a beautiful moment couldn't last however thanks to Moophy's Law. And this particular moment ended with a bang, as the can of peas placed in the oven by the moderately senile Granny Smith suddenly exploded covering everypony in a goopy green mess which quickly stained their coats and clothes a nice bright shade of green.

"Well Mac," Granny said as she slumped her shoulders and hung her head,"looks like you were right. That doll is yers, it's under ma bed." Mac's only response was to fist pump and run away upstairs to reclaim his prize.

"We're gonna hafta show up like this aren't we Applejack?"

"Eeyup." Applejack responded in a very melancholy tone.

"They certainly sound like good ponies. But where are their parents?" The pegasus asked.

"That is something you will have to ask them." Luna stated firmly, establishing that this was a personal matter that had been trusted to be kept secret by a dear friend. Something he was unwilling to breach due to the way he immediately dropped the subject.

"Perhaps you wish to learn about another one of Twilight's friends?" Celestia asked him.

"The seamstress this time I think." he stated coolly as he reclined into the seat of the carriage.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo sighed in exasperation as they waited in Carousel Boutique to go to the tree castle...thing. The main problem being that Rarity was prone to panic almost as much as Twilight. And right now the worst possible thing was happening. Rarity had been told to wear everyday clothes. Meaning T-shirts and jeans or a simple skirt and blouse. Rarity would have to dress down for this occasion. And she was terrified, she was wearing shorts that reached slightly above mid thigh that were white in color she was also wearing a simple baby blue blouse that had purposely been left partially unbuttoned to expose a small amount of cleavage.

"Rarity!!" Sweetie whined, clearly believing they had waited long enough to get going."When are we gonna go?! We've been here watching you try on clothes forever!"

"Yeah" Scootaloo chimed in, also clearly bored out of her young prepubescent mind "Honestly you should just wear what you are right now I mean it looks good without trying too hard to look good, ya know?"

"Hmm...you are quite right Scootaloo, thank you."

"Besides we are supposed to be making them feel at home not hitting on them." Sweetie said while rolling her eyes.

"Very well girls let me just finish-"

"Umm Rarity?"

"Yes Scootaloo?"

"Aren't we supposed to be there at three o'clock?"

Rarity stopped brushing her mane for a moment to recollect what the letter had said. "Yes I do believe so. Why do you ask Scootaloo?

"It's 2:57."

The white unicorn mare paused mid stroke and became still as a statue. She simply sat there in front of her mirror and stared.

"...I think you broke her Scoots."

It was at this point the formerly catatonic Rarity shrieked and bolted from the room yelling at the other two occupants to move their butts.

"C'mon Sweetie lets go before she has a cow."

"I hope she remembers that her brush is still in her mane before it gets tangled in there again." Sweetiebelle sighed as she followed her friend out the door.

"Obsessive compulsive overly dramatic unicorn fashionista? Sounds dangerous..."

Luna simply stared stared ahead while Celestia shuddered briefly.

..."You have no idea." Celestia said, unaware of the former trauma threatening to bring itself to the surface of her little sister."You just need to be careful what you wear around her really then she is very nice."

Luna's eye began to twitch alarmingly. "Favorite bathrobe... favorite flannel pajamas...bonfire..." she muttered as energy crackled around her horn.

Eager to change the subject, the utterly terrified pegasus stallion spoke way too fast,"WhataboutRainbowDashwehaven'ttalkedaboutheryet!!"

"This rather abrupt statement seemed to jolt Luna from whatever self-destruct cycle she had fallen into. The pegasus was immediately filled with relief as he sighed and gathered his composure.

"Well she is somewhat-"

"Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap!!!" Rainbow exclaimed angrily, "I can't believe that cloud drifted that far!"

Rainbow Dash was flying as fast as was possible, her tank top and short shorts fluttering around her as she tried desperately to make it back to Ponyville in time. Though her watch said she was almost twenty minutes late. 'And I still need a shower. Dammit!! I knew I should have just headed home and showered and then taken a nap but no I just had to be stupid and now I-'

Her thoughts stopped (which is never a good thing) as she saw a river up ahead... 'Perfect!! now I won't stink!' she thought as she paused over the middle of the river before diving towards it...

"Ma'am we are here on the outskirts of Ponyville as requested."

"Thank you guard, once we have departed bring the carriage back to the palace and then feel free to take a few days off."

" Thank you Princess." The guard said with genuine feeling dropping his stoicism for a moment.

"Please do hurry you two, we are already twenty minutes late after all," Celestia said as she exited the carriage.

As the mysterious pegasus stallion left the vehicle, he was plagued by a momentary wave of doubt. What if I end up not belonging here? Perhaps it was foolish of me to return home after such a long time...but I have promises to keep. So it's time to stallion up and move forward. *He thought as he gathered up the cloaks they were to wear until they reached Twilight's tree castle...thing.*

**Sometimes I wonder if I should have left right then...but if I had it wouldn't have brought me the happiness that it did...**