Swordstorm Book I: Scrimmage

Twilight Sparkle

It seems weird to be doing this... but we have got to know more!

She started searching for the mare from the ring toss booth once the sun raised high enough. Luckily she had gained help from her remaining friends: Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. She went to ask Rarity first and then everypony else, especially since Rarity spotted her first. She hoped she'll receive clearer knowledge about the organization, as well as Sunset Shimmer. She thought it best to have Gadreel and Spike watch the castle while she was away.

From the way the sun lifted it was already ten o' clock. She looked up at the sun to make sure. She noticed Pinkie was hopping as per usual, and Fluttershy keeping very close to her and Rarity. Twilight had been scanning random crowds of ponies with hardly any luck whatsoever. She was getting a little frazzled.

"Okay, we've been searching for an hour and haven't seen any sight of her!"

"Maybe she's not out." Fluttershy theorized. "Or she's probably busy."

"Likely, yes," Rarity put in, "but we must keep looking for her. Applejack and Rainbow Dash would've done the same."

"Or maybe she's just hungry!" Pinkie said loudly, "And maybe wanted a bite to eat."

"What makes you say that?"

When she stared at Pinkie she started going off in a different direction. As it turns out, she was headed to a food stand. It was possible Pinkie was hungry and wanted to eat something, especially since they've been looking for hours without a morsel. The more she thought about it the more her stomach started to rumble. As soon as she looked at Rarity, the unicorn mare bolted after Pinkie. Fluttershy went up to her.

"Um... Twilight? Is that her?" She asked her, pointing in the direction of the stand.

Squinting her eyes, she witnessed Pinkie coming up next to a light green mare with a dark red mane. "It is her!" she realized.

Without even a second thought she bolted after them, leaving Fluttershy to try and catch up. It had been a while but she still recognized the ring toss mare, who's name was Ruby from what Rarity told her.

"So..." She heard Pinkie start a conversation, "You must be that ring toss pony from 3rd Equestrian Funfair, right?"

"Uhh..." The mare sounded uncomfortable "Yeah, what about it?"

"Pardon my friend." Rarity intruded. "Pinkie can be a little impulsive, but a good friend nonetheless."

"Oh. It's you again." The light green mare said with a blank expression. "Look, I got more important things to do than stand around talking to a bunch of loo--"

Once she came up to Ruby, the mare cut herself off. The mare's eyes widened in surprise to see her.

"Ruby, please." Twilight said calmly. "My friend, Rarity, told me that you were one of the twelve ponies captured by the attackers from the fair. Is that true?"

"Well, yeah." She answered. "But I'm not sure what's so important about it, your highness."

"What is important is that you survived! You came back to Equestria somehow. And I am curious to know how."

Now that the mare was in the presence of a princess, she seemed inclined to speak now. "All right. There's a..." she leaned in close to her ear to whisper: "secret organization. They helped us get back by using a portal thingy."

"Portal?"

"Yeah. They called it a Dan... ugh..."

"The Dan'enth?" An orange pegasus mare with a short spiky dark purple mane came up to her.

"Yeah, yeah! That!"

"Dan'enth?" Twilight has never heard a stranger name for a portal. "Why in Equestria is it called that?"

The orange pegasus looked at her, her mouth dropped from seeing her. "Oh. My. Gosh. Are you... P-P-Princess Twilight Sparkle?"

Oh, great.

"Yes, Void, it is." The green mare said, annoyed.

"Ohmigosh, ohmigosh, ohmigosh!!"

She had no idea that a pony--who wasn't her friend--would be this excited to see her. The pegasus's purple eyes lit up with such excitement, it seemed like she was about to burst. Her friend looked at her with an irritated expression and groaned. Twilight's friends looked were pretty confused as to why she would be so excited.

She got up closer to her, "I've always wanted to meet a princess!" she said excitedly.

"Big deal!" Ruby said rudely, "It's not like she's Princess Celestia or something."

Twilight was offended by that. "Anyway," She tried to get back on topic, "What do you know about the portal, or Dan'enth?"

"Well, a guy named Prince Vorick told us it would take us into Equestria." Void began, "A... very good looking stallion named Hoarfrost, told us there was another one just like it placed inside the headquarters of the..." She leaned in closer to whisper, "secret organization."

Twilight was rather shocked at the revelation. "You were inside their base?!"

"Yep! A few of their soldiers showed us the way out, and well... that's how we got back to Ponyville."

Twilight never saw the whole of Ronia, nor has ever went through the same experiences. All she saw of Ronia was the inside of the tower, and even then she didn't see much. She would have studied their world had they not have been in their current situation. It was amazing to think that these ponies survived the impossible.

The pegasus mare now looked a little forlorn. "If only our other friend came back."

"Sunset Shimmer?"

"Yeah. She said her home was no longer in Equestria and she needed to find another way back. I really hope she does. I miss her about as much as Hoarfrost."

"Will ya quit talking about Hoarfrost?!" Ruby snapped. "Everyday it's always 'Hoarfrost this', or 'Hoarfrost that', 'Hoarfrost is the cutest stallion'! This isn't the you that I know and love!"

Void seemed taken aback by what her friend said. "Excuse me? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh I don't know, maybe you just have a knack for betraying friendships!"

"What?! What're ya talking about?!"

"When I first met you, it was like, the most magical moment of my entire life; when I finally met the mare of my dreams. And now, you're not as interested in me anymore! It's like you're bored with me or something! Like I don't matter to you anymore!"

Twilight was speechless, same with everypony else. She had no idea where this argument came from, or whether or not it will end. Apparently the green mare, Ruby, likes mares. As for the orange pegasus...

"Wait... WHAT?!!" Void was as confused as ever. "'The mare of your dreams'? You're attracted to me?!"

"Well I used to be! Before you betrayed me!"

"I didn't betray you! I like guys--no, I love guys! But that doesn't mean I betrayed you! We're just friends; really good friends! Wait... then why were you mean to Sunset?"

"'Cause I thought you were interested in her! THAT'S why!"

"Enough!!" Twilight exploded. Everypony jumped in surprise by her sudden outburst.

Void looked at Twilight directly. "Um... sorry." She apologized. "I didn't mean to--"

"You don't need to apologize." She reassured. "Anyway, Sunset is trying to find a way back to her home?"

Void nodded. "She has a filly with her; a very young filly who lost her mother on the way to The Ridge. From what I overheard, she wanted to call Sunset 'mommy'. Or something like that."

It has been a very long time since she met Sunset Shimmer. Before, she was a manipulative, and deceitful individual who wanted power. She even transformed into a she-demon as well. When she and her "other" friends defeated her, she redeemed herself almost entirely. Last she remembered seeing her, they defeated the Sirens in a Battle of the Bands, said their goodbyes and so forth. She even received a few letters from her every once in a while through a magic journal given to her.

It also seems apparent that Sunset has helped these two--as well as others from what Rarity told her--get back into Equestria. So now it seems to her that Sunset is growing into a much better pony than she ever thought.

"I have one more question to ask."

"Okay?" Void was not sure what she'll ask next.

"Do you know exactly where their Headquarters is located?" Twilight asked intently.

"Why?" The pegasus looked rather nervous now.

"Just out of sheer curiosity."

"Twilight!" Rarity whispered into her ear, "What are you doing?!"

"They told us not to tell anypony, so I don't think that..."

Twilight got closer to her. "Please. My friends are being held against their will. You've seen their base, you must know where it is! I hate asking this, but there are bigger things going on in this world. As well in Ronia. Please. Tell us where it is."

The pegasus seemed to ponder on this very carefully, before answering. "All right." She sighed. "It's somewhere in the Everfree Forest."

"The Everfree Forest?!!" Fluttershy yelped.

Of course! What better place to hide?

"Well that's just great!" Ruby yelled, "Now you're gonna get into some serious trouble!"

"Uh... don't you mean we are gonna get in trouble?"

A crooked smile appeared across the green mare's mouth. "Who said anything about we?"

The green unicorn started bolting off, away from the concession stand and into the crowded streets. Twilight started sprinting into the crowded streets. Everypony crowded all around her, so many individual ponies surrounding her. She needed to fly, but it was too packed with ponies to have any sort of room to launch. Her vision was narrowed from all the ponies around her, so much so that she couldn't see any trace of the mare with the braided mane.

Oh no! Where did she go?!

"Hey! Up here!" a voice said from up above.

She looked up to see the pegasus mare above her, hovering in the air. "Do you see her?!" Twilight yelled.

"I'm look'n!" The pegasus scanned her surroundings, and zipped through.

She had to get out of the crowd, any more time in here would be a waste. Twilight shifted through the crowd as best she could. She wished moving around was much easier said then done. Every inch was a struggle! In spite of saying, "excuse me" or "pardon me", some ponies just won't move for anything.

It took a while, but she finally made it out. Her friends rushed over to her side.

"Did you find her?" Pinkie asked.

"No." She said worriedly, "I couldn't see her!"

She heard the orange pegasus fly towards them. She landed more gracefully than expected. Twilight noticed her cutie mark a dark purple spiral of some kind. She's not sure what it meant, but it didn't matter as of right now.

"Did you see her, Void?" Twilight asked urgently.

"I flew around, but I can't see her!" Void looked more worried by the second. "Oh no! I've gotta find my brother! If Ruby's actually going to tell somepony, it'll likely be the authorities!" She put her hooves on Twilight's shoulders, "You've gotta help me! I don't wanna be imprisoned! And I don't want my brother to be left all alone, or worse! Please, Princess Twilight! Please!"

The pegasus was on the verge of tears. She could tell by the desperation in her voice that she was serious. She looked to her friends, and all of them started nodding their heads.

"All right," She acquiesced, "but it won't be easy though. The only safe place I can offer is my castle."

"Thank you, thank you thank you!" Void was almost practically crying, "I'll go find my little brother. I already know where the castle is."

It had been almost half an hour since Void, the orange pegasus, went to get her brother. She was waiting outside her domain alongside Spike and Gadreel. Should any trouble come about, she'll be prepared to face it. And with Gadreel at her side, nopony would even dare come near her. Twilight had been pacing back and forth for most of the time.

"So, uh..." Spike spoke, "When are they gonna be here again?"

"I don't know. Hopefully soon."

Her friends went back home, considering they have jobs to do. Plus, it would've been a pain to explain the ronian's presence to them in a short span of time.

"So this mare you speak of." Gadreel inquired, "Why should she hide here of all places?"

"Because it is much safer for her here." She answered, not entirely sure if she is right. "I just hope Ruby doesn't call out to any of Celestia's guards, otherwise we'd be in more trouble than ever!"

"I see."

After a time, she started hearing the sounds of flapping. Turning her head quickly towards the horizon, she saw two pegasi flying in the air. One of them was unmistakably Void. The other was a small yellowish colt, riding on her back. That must have been her little brother. He couldn't have been older than any of Applejack or Rarity's sisters, or their friends. Void was carrying bags from her hooves as she flew.

Yes! They made it.

Once they made it to the ground, she rushed over to her. "Did anypony try to stop you?" she asked.

"Thankfully no. Though I haven't seen Ruby either, which has me wor--" Void cut herself off as she stared at something behind Twilight.

"What is it?"

"Is that a ronian?" She asked curiously.

Twilight turned her head to Gadreel, who came up to her. "From what the Princess has told me," he spoke, "you have been to Ronia. And was one of twelve captured by sabrathanians."

"Thirteen actually." Void corrected. "Well, okay, five are dead and the rest are still alive. My brother and I included."

"You don't seem at all intimidated by my presence?"

"No, not really. I've seen others bigger than you. Although they wore different armor than you, so that's new."

"Whoa!" Her little brother looked amazed. The colt then trotted over to her. "Are you really a princess?"

"Yes I am." She answered the young foal.

"Wow! That is so cool! I finally got to meet a princess!" He was notably excited, from what she could see; bouncing about.

Twilight turned her attention to Void. "Quick, lets get inside."

"Yes, your highness." She replied quickly.

To Twilight, it felt a lot less lonely with more than one house guest. But that was less than important compared to her situation. If Ruby had alerted authorities about Void disclosing the location of the organization, then things could get ugly really fast. Even more so should anypony from the organization find out. Who in Equestria would she turn to now?

She kept pacing back on forth in the throne room on the star shaped dais, wondering what she needed to do.

Oh, Twi, what am I going to do?! If Ruby gets a hold of authorities--or worse the organization, who knows what will happen! I don't like this. I don't like this at all!

The insanity of it all was too much to bear for her. Ronians, the organization, changelings. It was just too much! The gravity of every situation was overwhelming. She never asked for any of this! She had ideas to try and bargain with the organization, but it would most likely fail. It felt like a migraine just thinking about it.

It's all my fault! she deprecated herself, Everything that happened was all because of me! If I hadn't sent Rainbow and Applejack to spy, they would still be here! If only I had stopped the sabrathanians from kidnapping those ponies at the fair! It doesn't look like things are gonna get any better from here. What am I gonna do?

"Twilight!" She heard Spike call.

"Oh, what is it Spike?" She replied, depressed.

Spike sprinted to her side. "I just got a message... from Princess Celestia!"

"What?!"

"Here. I haven't read it." He handed her the letter.

She levitated the letter:

Dear Twilight: I apologize for putting you through such pain. I was told that Commander Thunder Charge and several of his soldiers were killed and have been found dead at the Border, prior to drafting them to Ponyville. What's worse was that some of the soldiers that I sent were actually changeling drones. They tried to assassinate me, as well as my sister in Canterlot. Fortunately, the Royal Guard was able to stop them.

Also... my sister Luna told me about an organization of hers called the Equestrian Universal Defense, and their involvement with the kaerndallens. At first I was appalled, but then she explained further details. She has told me that some of her guards and members of said organization were drafted beyond a place called "The Ridge"; a mountain range close to Kaerndal. She also elaborated how there are a number of survivors from being captured by sabrathanians. She explained that the kaerndallens were our allies and not our enemies, and that she had been allied with them since the first time we came to Ronia.

I should have stopped myself from making such rash decisions! Our alliance with the ronians is at stake, and there is nothing I can do to undo the damage. I am the one who is at fault. And with the changelings trying to attack... it pains me to think that the Queen may be playing a new part in this debacle. I just hope there is a way to stop this madness. If you have a good idea to prevent a devastating battle... now would be a good time to answer. --Princess Celestia

She never expected Celestia to write an apology like this, and be so bleak. Something grew inside her. A sudden feeling that she has felt before countless times... the desire to do what's right.

"You know what, Spike? I'm tired of sitting in this castle feeling sorry for myself! I'm tired of all this happening and not forcing myself to do anything!"

"But, what do you suggest we do?" Spike asked, unsure.

She then gave him a determined look. "I don't know how long it will take, but I'll do my best to stop this chaos once and for all! But I'll need a lot of help to do so."

Spike gave her a salute, "You can count on me!"

"Princess?" She heard Gadreel's voice.

"Yes, Gadreel?"

He walked across the dais, his armor chinking every step he took. "While I was minding my business walking about the castle, I heard our guest speak of the Dan'enth."

"Void has told me that was how she got here."

"Of course. If they had found the Dan'enth in Ronia and got back to Equestria... then that would mean there is another in Equestria."

"I know. Unfortunately, it's with the organization. However, we do know now that their base is somewhere in the Everfree Forest."

"So, we're gonna go find their base?" Spike asked.

"Exactly! And I have an idea of how to get in."