Exiled soldiers

It's been a day since the second group of Prometheans had joined the crew of the iInfinity and the Forerunner Dreadnaught had been discovered, with the ships having been linked to share power, a useful thing as Forerunner ships used what was called Vacuum energy to work, which would be useful when Infinity ran out of fuel.

Osiris, Blue Team, and Lone team had been debriefed, and already there was medal talk going around for Ken and Josh, given it was Josh's efforts that had oetten them to the Ancillas, and Ken who had given them the escape window and destroyed a Guardian. Needless to say, it added a little more respect, and maybe a bit of contempt, to their reps.

Right now, the team of six were in their team room. Also needless to say was Ken was squirming due to Palmer knowing about his feelings for her. "So, what do you guys want to do," Josh asked. "Captain Lasky did give us two free days starting today for yesterday."

"I don't know about you guys," Ken said, "but I want to get off the ship. I know we can't, but still, I think everyone on this ship deserves some shore leave when this is all over."

"Well, I'm probably going to reply to my parents," Twilight said, holding a scroll up as she read one of the books Joh and given her to read.

"And what's this letter say, Twi," Spike asked as he simply lay on his bed.

"Not much, except that a few cities have gone quiet for some reason, a festival is coming up in a few days, and that the others problems are starting to go up."

"How bad," Elegance asked as she, Josh, and Palmer played cards.

"Try the more classy one of my former friends having to sell herself to make enough money to keep her place, a little more than I had thought would happen, honestly-"

"My job," Elegance said with a chuckle.

"-but that isn't the worst of it. Well, in their opinion, anyway. Another one literally crashed and burned from a flying accident that, according to her and my patents, were because she was in thought about something, but was done recovering. As for the others, not that bad. Well, comparatively."

"Well, if you use that tablet, mind if we say hi," Josh asked. "I mean, they should at least know who their daughter's with so they don't go bat shit insane with worry."

"I don't see why not," Twilight said before placing her book down, spine up and still open to the page she was on, before reaching under the bed to the foot locker, opening it, and pulling out the tablet Discord had given her. "You want to, Palmer?"

"Since everyone else is," she said before she, Elegance, and Josh set the cards down and walked over.

"Guess I'll get this thing on, then," the lavender unicorn muttered before typing a few commands in, one of which brought out a small holoprojector. "And here goes nothing but time," she said before pressing a button labeled "Call".

A few seconds passed of small beeps from the device before a long hum emitted from it, and an image of two ponies, one male wearing a business suit who had dark blue skin and similarly colored, if not lighter, hair and tail, the other being a mare with gray skin, with purple hair and tail, each with stripes of white, who wore a plain, white dress. "Hey, guys," Twilight said, a small smile on her face. "Good to see Discord wasn't lying."

"Hey, Twilight," her father said, mirroring the same smile.

"Hey, Twily," her mom said, also mirroring the smile. It was her who addressed the others. "And I guess you all are the friends she made since she left?"

"Yes, ma'am," Josh said, being respectful, which made Velvet chuckle.

"No need to call me that,"  Velvet said. "You are one of Twily's friends, after all."

"Mom, I still haven't forgiven you guys and the others for not sticking up for me during the trial. I know you two couldn't be there, but you still could have helped in some way," Twilight said. "I'm actually a little ashamed to have the same first name as you right now."

"Twilight, can it wait until later," Night Light asked. "I mean, this is the first time we're talking with you and your friends face to face."

"I guess so," Twilight said. "Anyway, guys, these would be my parents, Night Light and Twilight Velvet. Guys, these are my new group of friends, Josh, Ken, Elegance, the changeling from before, and Palmer. In case your wondering, Spike's trying to take a nap."

"Which is kinda impossible right now," he said. "Can't you take that somewhere else?"

"Nope," was the slight joking reply from Twilight. "So, what have the others been up to? You know, aside from Rarity having to become a prostitute when Princess Celestia would help her out, economically speaking?"

"No need to be so crass about her, Twilight," Night Light said.

I feel as if I have some right to be so, Twilight thought. After all, you guys did betray me.

"But, if you really need to know, Shining has been sending strange letters recently. He says that he'll help free us, or something, and that he'll be here for the festival," Night said. "Other than that, there are still angry Nobles about Princess Celestia and Nightmare."

"Well, if what Twilight's told us about her is accurate," Ken said, "I can see why. I mean, she did quote unquote 'take Equestria over'. How long was that, anyway, a few hours? Dictators on our home planet last at least a year. Mostly because no one's willing to stand up, but still. And even then, they don't exactly endanger most of the ones they're ruling over."

"What are you trying to say Ken," Elegance asked.

"Just that either A: Any kind of ruler Twilight's people have is incompetent as hell, or B: they have a kick ass military, and given what you, Twilight, and Spike have said, I'm leaning toward the former."

"A little," Josh agreed.

"Guys, we can talk about if Celestia is incompetent or not later," Twilight said. "I thought yu wanted to talk with my parents."

"Hey, I'm just saying here," Ken said, raising his hands.

"Same," Josh said, shrugging.

"Anyway," Twilight said, "do you guys still live in Canterlot?"

"Just me, or does that sound like Camelot," Palmer asked.

"Not just you," Ken said.

Twilight shot the two a death glare before turning back to the hologram. "Okay, I think you're good."

"Still are, at least until your little sister is born," Night Light said, the last part getting a look of surprise from Twilight. She knew her parents were having another kid, they had said so, but they didn't sat if it would be a filly or a colt, much to the amused chuckle from her parents, Josh, Ken, and Elegance, while Palmer let a small smile through. "We found out yesterday," Night Light said.

"Oh, that reminds me," Elegance said. "Two days ago, when Discord gave us this thing, he said changeling riots would happen tomorrow, which is now yesterday."

"Yeah, they happened," Velvet said. "Chrysalis herself was here in Canterlot, and actually got her fellow rioters into the castle. I don't know what happened next, but of what I hear, Chrysalis got herself a throne of Equestria, something I'm sure Cadence will be mad about when she finds out, and a second investigation was started into the assault case."

"Pinnacle of the Equestrian Justice system," Spike said from his bed, loud enough to be heard with ease. "They won't believe a national hero, but they'll believe a race that attacked their capitol a few years ago. Anyone else sensing some hypocrisy?"

"Right here," Josh said, raising a hand. "Don't forget a princess, either."

"Point remains."

"Fair enough," Josh said. "So, Miss Velvet," he said to Twilight's mother, "if I may ask, and embarrassing stories about Twilight your willing to share with her friends?"

"Josh," Twilight exclaimed, blushing, but her mother giggled.

"No need to add 'Miss' to my name," she said. "A friend of Twilight's is a friend of mine, even if she hates us right now. As for stories?  A few."

"I'm going to die of embarrassment," Twilight muttered.

Later that night, laughing could be heard from that team's room.