Equis Art Online II

"You ready, Twi?" Aries asked.

Twilight sighed. It was quarter to six. Rarity had made her a pastel-blue gown for the occasion. She was grateful for it, but the warning from Rarity of "Don't trust him, no matter what." still creeped her out.

"Yeah, he should be here soon. And don't you look great."

Aries smiled. He was wearing his green suit, only his bracers, boots, cloak, and swords were present. He looked at himself in the window.

"You know, I would't look out of place as a US Secret Service agent. You know, the people who protect the US President."

"I've read a bit about them, and I have to agree with that."

The doorbell suddenly rang. Twilight opened it to an immaculately groomed Blueblood, who smiled.

"I dare ask if you and your...guardian are prepared?" He asked, frowning at Aries slightly.

"We are. Shall we get going?" Twilight said, breaking the uncomfortable moment.

"We shall."

There was a bright light, and Twilight, Blueblood, and Aries were standing in front of a restaurant. Twilight could see the Canterlot skyline all around them.

"Canterlot? How appropriate." Twilight said, to which Blueblood nodded. Escorting them inside, Aries pulled up his cloak and turned invisible. Blueblood, preoccupied with talking to the usher, did not see it. Twilight nodded. As the usher brought them to a table near a fabulous view of the Skyline, a few ponies looked, whispered, and gasped.

"Don't mind them. They're always gossiping. As nobility, I learned that rather quickly."Blueblood said.

"I'm nobility as well, Blueblood. I think it would be helpful to remember that."

"Forgive me. When I learned of your coronation, I was rather taken aback. A commoner becoming a princess. Quite unheard of." Blueblood said, sitting down, along with Twilight. Aries sat on a veranda, near the door to the balcony.

"It was surprising for me, too. I mean, becoming a Princess. That to me, the thought was nearly impossible to fathom."

"Same for a few select members of the nobility." Blueblood said, taking a menu.

"What do you mean by that?"

"A few nobles have been filing with Celestia to strip your title from you or else do worse."

"Why?" Twilight said, shocked.

"They see commoners as forever commoners, no matter what happens. I would know this because as Celestia's nephew, I have access to Royal court records. Every judge in Canterlot has thrown their case out, Yet they persist like a dog after a bone. They claim that the spell you fixed isn't grounds for a coronation, let alone ruling a kingdom. They say your Alicornhood led directly to the Tirek incident."

"I really don't see why..."

"Listen, Princess. They're taking matters, shall we say, into their own hands. I've heard rumors of an assassination plot, to take place TONIGHT." Blueblood said in a dead whisper. "I tried to alert the police, but they were already paid off, I believe. We need to make this quick."

"Then why are we still here?" Twilight said.

"It's safe here. I reserved this room for reasons you should know. One entrance, and those windows are shatterproof. No one can get in here."

"What if the windows shatter somehow?"

"That would require tornado-force winds. Everything is fine. I checked the staff and server backgrounds myself. I had the Guard sweep the restaurant for hidden weapons, bombs, the like. We should be safe."

"Well, then how do YOU think of it?"Twilight said, a bit put off.

Blueblood sighed.

"As I said, it was a shock. You've done a lot for Equestria, I will admit. But you deserved it."

"Thank you. I must say, our dinner is here."

As the waiter placed their orders in front of them, Twilight, while Blueblood was occupied with the drinks, she scanned it quickly with a toxin-detection spell.

"Nothing." Twilight said, and Aries nodded, still cloaked.

"And thank you for understanding." Blueblood said, and the waiter nodded and left.

"Well, Bon' Appetit." Blueblood said, and they began to dine. After around thirty minutes, they finished.

"I must say, you do know how to treat a mare on a date, Blueblood."

"I certainly do." Blueblood said, and his horn glowed. A massive gold bubble encompassed the table, and before Twilight could react, she was hit with a paralysis spell.

"I've always wanted to do this." Blueblood said, taking out a vial of liquid. "It's called Imperium. The only known chemical that can kill an alicorn. I planned this to perfection!" he said, while drawing a knife. Standing on top of the paralyzed Twilight, a look of fright plastered on her face, he raised the knife, ready to kill.

"GAHHH!" he suddenly screamed, and a black iron sword blade threw itself through his chest. Aries decloaked as he gripped his claymore, now impaled in Blueblood's back.

"Not if I can stop you." he said, pulling his blade out of Blueblood's side, leaving a holographic red gash. He screamed in pain and collapsed, dropping the knife and the vial. Twilight, breaking free from the spell, stood up shakily.

"Aries..."

"Let's get out of here..." Aries said. As soon as he finished, Blueblood swung a rapier towards his. Quick as a flash, Aries drew his parrying blade and blocked the slash. Triggering a sword skill, he swung upwards, cutting the rapier blade in two. Aries growled, and slammed his fist into Blueblood's face, knocking him out. He stood up and sighed. Activating the message function, he sent an SOS to Kirito.

"The others are on the way. We should alert the Royal Guard." Twilight said.

"I'm not going to let you."

The eyes of Aries and Twilight turned to the waiter, along with around ten others, all wielding swords and clubs.

"You two shall perish here, and no one will BE THE WISER!" He screamed, hurtling fowards. Before Aries could react, he was slammed into the wall. The waiter had a maniacal gleam in his eyes. Twilight put up a shield, and the others stalked around it, like wolves on a deer. Aries gagged, the waiter's sword to his throat.

"NOW, DIE!" the waiter screamed, but before he knew it, he was picked up by an unseen being.

"Nice try."

All eyes turned to Agil, who was carrying his axe and the waiter, now squeaking with fright.

"Now, all you ponies scram and turn yourselves in. Understood?" Agil said, throwing the waiter straight into the mob, toppling a few. The mob was paralyzed with fright, and they didn't move.

"Nice timing, Agil." Aries said, getting up.

"Kirito and the others are getting the Guard. They should arrive soon. And We should get going." Agil said. At that moment, a large group of Guardsponies entered, followed by Celestia, Kirito, and Asuna. Celestia scowled at the unconscious body of her nephew.

"I expected better of you, Blueblood. Arrest him."

Three guards moved forward and cuffed him, and dragged him out, along with the mob.

"I thank you for saving Twilight, Aries."

"Thanks. Let's head to Ponyville and get some rest. We're gonna need some." Aries said. As the group teleported out, another fairy watched them. He was clad in maroon armor similar to that of a Greek legionnaire, with a brown cloak and a long black skirt. His iron longsword was broad and sharp. A large rectangular shield rested on his back. His face was completely obscured by a Greek-style helmet.

"Guess I'd better get moving." He said in a determined voice, and he pulled out a teleport crystal.

"Ponyville." he said, and he vanished in blue light, leaving no trace of him being there.