In The Streaming Sunlight
Today was the day. Yep. Yes. Indeed. Today. Was. Said day. No, actually today was the day before the day. It was a Tuesday today. Yep. Tuesdays were nice. They were always a nice day for doing things. Any day was nice for doing things but Tuesday was particularly good. And Tuesday was today. Yep. Yeah. Correct. And No, that wasn’t sweat on her forehead, those were drops of liquid courage being drained from her very body because she was too far beyond the legal limits of courageous.
Yeah. That’s what it was
“So…what do you think?”
High Kite blinked slowly, the soft voice pulling her from the hypnotic passing scenery outside the window. The repetitive bouncing of the carriage had shaken away at some half-buried anxieties, as if the very sound was reaching into her mind with ice cold digits and shuffling, turning her brain into a deck. The sudden question had brought the unicorn back down to earth, replacing her dazed state with a hollow emptiness where the only feeling left was confusion.
“Wh-what?” she mumbled, eyes going from the window to the seat across from her and slowly realized Can Do had asked her something. The golden brown stallion with a set of scales cutie mark looked up from the clipboard clutched in his hoof an eyebrow raised and a knowing smile curving on his lips that told her he knew that she hadn’t been paying much attention. “The expenses of this organization if we get the authority to form it, what do you think?” he repeated.
The dusty red unicorn in her embarrassment opened her mouth to say something along the lines of ‘it’s fine’, paused then thought better of it. “I actually didn’t hear you, Do,” she admitted, head sagging towards her hooves.
“Nerves, huh?”
She nodded. “A little.”
That was the understatement of the century. Tension had held her tight since the journey began and now gripped like a vice as they neared their destination. With every passing second, her joints wound up like a spring, muscles flexed and ready for the start of some non-existent battle. Even the slight front of gung-ho bravado she left the compound with disappeared in a brief pop and fizzle, like a single firecracker set off in the dark. She now thoroughly regretted every form of confidence that she pretended to have in herself. They were going to meet the heroes of the world for Sun’s-sake. How could she even had been easy-going about this in the first place?
“Are you okay? You’re sweating.”
Kite gave her friend a flat look, pulling away from the window. “You know I’m not. How are you so calm about this?”
“Good parentage,” he chuckled. His attempt at a joke didn’t ease her mood in the slightest and she frowned.
“Okay. I’ll admit that wasn’t one of my best -”
“Your worst, actually,” Kite corrected with a raised hoof. Her best friend’s track record for comedy was about as bad as one could get without having brain damage.
“My worst,” He said, running a hoof through his grey mane. “But you think I’m honestly not freaking out right now? I mean, we are going to see the sisters at their personal request. I’m pretty sure the others back at base are freaking out and they aren’t even here. I think you’re entitled to a little bit of sweat just as I am to ramble about nothing in particular and hope someone is listening.”
Now it was Kite’s turn to chuckle, and by the sun's mercy did she feel better for it. “Could’ve fooled me.”
“Well, I guess my poker face is why you call me Commander.”
That and you are a hero back home. Kite thought to herself. Can Doo was the one who brought them all together in the months after Discord's defeat. It was his reputation that got them to Everfree city in the first place, having been one of the few ponies that had fought against the tyrant—mostly his creations—in their village and High Kite who had been at his side throughout it all knew he deserved it. He had led several skirmishes against the nonsense that Equestria had become. And he hadn't been the only one. In fact, between her, Doo, and their group of friends back at base, there was easily 71 years of combat experience between all 7 of them.
High Kite smiled. "I guess so, Commander."
Even though she tried to avoid it, the tension that had left the carriage during their short conversation started to build up as the castle in the distance drew closer. By the time they passed through the gates, after a lengthy inspection by the castle guard, Kite was significantly intimidated. The construction dwarfed every building she had ever seen. Even Everfree city, as developed as it was, seemed insignificant by comparison. Soon—too soon in her opinion—the carriage rounded the fountain and stopped at the front doors. With a look at Can Doo, she stepped out of the carriage as her stomach began doing somersaults in her barrel.
She then looked up at the doors and kept looking up. And up... And up................... By the Moon, this place was huge. It was making her mane itchy.
The double doors loomed over the short staircase leading up to it. Each step solid white marble, smooth and glistening. Towering spires and walled ramparts, all looking ancient but well-preserved.
“Follow me, please.”
Kite nearly jumped when a guard spoke, momentarily forgetting where she was. She looked at Can Do standing at her shoulder, who also appeared to be coming down from a similar feeling of awe, following close to him as they ascended the steps.
To her credit, Kite didn't openly stare when they were led into the main hall, however that couldn't be said for Do. If he didn't pick his jaw off the floor quick someone would use it as a dust bin.
Though as comical as Do's reaction was, it was understandable. The room itself was as huge as it was incredible. Six large stone pillars evenly spaced along the center, supporting a ceiling with what had to be the largest chandelier in existence. As she let her eyes follow up the set of double staircases, a huge pair tapestries came into view, both drastically different in stitching and design. The one to the left looked as if it was sewn of gold, the yellow sun in represented a radiant yellow and the one to the right was a rich dark blue that could've been stitched from the night itself, the moon perfectly detailed to such a degree it was almost as if it was plucked from the sky and put to cloth.
The room would have held her attention for more than a split second if it hadn't been for the two figures standing at the top of the staircase.
If Kite could only use one word to try and describe them it would have been otherworldly. They were beyond expectation, beyond convention, beyond her. To say the two were tall would have been like saying their beauty was average, it wasn't justice to them or their language. Each one stood by their respective tapestry and each one matched their forms perfectly. Their manes flowed, ebbing and waving as if blown by a wind that she couldn't feel.
Just by the sight of them Kite was suddenly acutely aware how out of their depth she and Do were. They were just country bumpkins and here they were in the presence of Goddesses. Heroes. Immortals, if the rumors could be believed...
The guard that they had followed snapped to attention and opened his wing towards them. "Can Do and High Kite, your Majesties." He announced, bowing deep.
A tap on her barrel from Do suddenly alerted Kite that the guard's introduction had probably been a cue and, following his lead, she quickly dropped into a bow and silently prayed that they hadn't taken offence to her staring.
They stayed like that, a set of two hoofsteps were the only sounds she could hear as they slowly approached. Kite watched as the floor she locked her gaze with darkened with a pair of towering shadows and suddenly an octopus began to do a frantic drum solo in her chest. It was about to do a rimshot off her heart when one of the shadows spoke, her voice warm and comforting like a blanket and fireplace in the dead of winter.
"Please rise."
Kite rose at a measured speed. Neither too slow or fast, so as not to offend and kept her eyes forward like every guard she had seen thus far, refusing to make uninvited eye contact. She had to be polite like her life depended on it. The slightest offence and she just might— A second voice, this one as cool as a summer nights wind, cut through her thoughts like a sharp ax through wood.
"Thou needn't fear us. We would not hast extend'd an invitation to cause thee harm."
That made Kite look up. She opened her mouth, ready to lie. To say she wasn't terrified and wanted to bolt out of here before she made some huge social gaff. That she would dare assume anything about them.
Their twin expressions of compassion stopped it on her lips and lifted a serious weight off her shoulders. "Y-Yes, your Majesties."
The white goddess' smile widened just a little bit more as she turned to Can Do. "Would you two follow us to the meeting hall so we can sit down for some tea and relax before we get to business?"
High Kite spared a glance at Can Do, who only seemed to nod his head dumbly, as they began to follow the two saviors of the land to talk over tea.
To talk over tea.
To talk over tea.
To. Talk. Over. Tea.
Nope. No matter which way she put it, it still sounded impossible.
She gave her purple mane a scratch.
The other's were never going to believe this.
She couldn't believe this.
The meeting room could not be described by any definition of small. It matched the constant theme that seemed to encompassed the rest of the castle: Staggeringly huge. The far right wall was embellished with large windows in intricately detailed frames that stretched to the celling, allowing the sunlight to filter in. The celling itself towered above, its surface lined with delicate chandeliers–not as big as the one in the entrance hall–that sparkled from the moonlight, providing an absolutely dazzling spectrum of bright rainbow illumination around the room.
However, like in the main hall, Kite didn't give the décor any mind. Her attention was stolen by the fact that she was drinking tea with Celestia and Luna—they introduced themselves on the walk to the meeting room—in such a relaxed environment. They were chatting. Like normal ponies.
"I hope your journey wasn't uncomfortable." Celestia said, picking up a tea cup in her magic. "Those roads have been rough since the rainstorm last week.
"Honestly, your Majesty, I don't think either of us noticed." Can Do replied before taking a sip from his own cup. "The roads in town aren't much better."
Luna raised an eyebrow. "Is that fact? We thought routes to the castle would be worse f'r lack of maintenance. Yesterday, a whole delivery of eggs to the castle kitchen wast little more than yolk when they arriv'd. having run afoul of the many jowls and pockmarks that mar the paths from town."
Celestia giggled as she spooned sugar into her tea. "Oh yes. That was quite a sight to see. The whole cart was dripping and the poor deliverymare nearly worked herself hysterical trying to find some unbroken ones. Still, I paid her for the trouble and sent her on her way."
Kite took a nibble of one of the scones and swallowed, not really tasting it. "She must have been surprised." She mumbled.
"Very. Never thought anyponys face could go that pale. Poor dear thought we had come to strike her down."
"Wait," Can Do began, his cup almost falling from his hoof in shock. "You gave her the money personally?"
"Well, I happened to be passing the kitchens at the—"
"Tis a lie!" Luna interrupted. The blue alicorn's sudden out burst almost made Kite lose her grip on the scone. "Thou wast down thither to steal mine cake!" She slammed a hoof down on the table to emphasize her point, the other pointing accusingly at her pink-maned counterpart. "I thought I told thou to leave mine slices high-lone."
Celestia's smile screamed mischievous. "Maybe, you did. Maybe you didn't. I can't remember."
"Thy memory is fine. thou just chose not to hark to me."
Kite honestly couldn't understand what she was seeing. Here they were, goddesses that saved Equestria, sister and sister and the acted like...sisters. She didn't know what to expect but this wasn't it.
Luna huffed, her expression falling from slightly miffed to businesslike in seconds. "We will talk about this later. Thou can count on that but we think we shouldst get to the point of their visit."
Celestia's smile softened, turning slightly sad. "I guess so."
Almost immediately High Kite and Can Do were at attention. The time for friendly conversation was over.
The white alicorn cleared her throat before speaking and when she did her previously friendly tone had changed to one that demanded attention of who it was addressing. "From what I understand you, Can Do, are petitioning us for authority to operate a police force under your command?"
"Yes, your Majesty."
"Why? We already have a town guard under the command of the local magistrate. In fact, why come to us at all instead of following more...regular straits?"
High Kite visibly winced, trying not to think about what happened when they had tried.
Can Do's answer was slow as if he was trying to pick his words carefully. "We have attempted multiple times but there were various difficulties that prevented us from being enlisting."
Yeah, that had put it mildly.
"Like what?" Luna asked with a raised eyebrow, "If what we hast been told by the praetor's office, their ranks art stretch'd thin and art overworked. Wherefore wouldst they deny helpeth from ponies that wouldst fain volunteer?"
"Because we are bannerless." Kite could tell by the slight strain in his voice that the admission was just short of causing Can Do physical pain. "Those who didn't join the military regulars in the rebellion against Discord is seen as little more than a barbaric vagabonds at best or...a child playing war at worst."
Kite was sitting so stiff that her joints creaked. Every fiber of her being expected the guards to be called and for Do and her to be thrown out the doors by their plots. She dared a glance up from her tea cup and immediately regretted it.
Celestia and Luna were frowning.
"So alloweth me to understand," Luna began and Kite was certain the temperature in the room dropped a few degrees, "The praetor of Everfree refuses to your efforts to protect it's ponies and boundaries beyond because thou, Can Do and thy comrades, fought under no name but thy own?"
Can Do nodded, his ears flat. "Yes, your Majesty."
Silence.
"So my little pony, Kite was it?" The unicorn looked up to see Celeistia's gaze on her. "You have barely spoken a word since we began. Tell me what is it that you and your comrades fought for."
She didn't even need to think about it. "We fought for our village. For those who couldn't defend themselves. Against those who would do us harm in the name of tyrant Discord. We fought for Equestria. In both land and spirit."
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"Approved."
"Huh?" The sound was almost unison from her and Can Do.
Celestia's mischievous grin returned, obviously she was enjoying their reaction. "You request is approved. We had planned to approve it from the start."
"Huh?"
"My sister and I are acutely familiar with the duress the Magistrate and military has been under and we had needed a entity separated from either. You now have the authority to patrol Everfree city and it's boarders."
"Aye." Luna's horn glowed for a moment and a several scrolls and pieces of parchment appeared on the table, all stamped with a wax seal. "And thou answereth to us and us high-lone."
"Huh?"
Taking a quick sip of tea, the white alicorn pushed the documents over to Can Do and High with a hoof. "Of course, there are some preparations that need to be made so I will need you and your associates come to the castle in a weeks time. That should be enough to look these papers over. Congratulations, from this moment on you shall be known as The Celestial Squad."
"Huh?"
Author's Note
So what's the verdict? Good, Bad, or what? I hope I can keep up this story.
