Protect The Princess

"Twilight! You made it!" Queen Cadance happily trotted in front of a dozen crystal guards.

The young queen made her way towards her sister in law while levitating her baby princess behind her back. She pushed Princess Flurry Heart right into Princess Twilight Sparkle's loving hooves. The Princess of Friendship gently patted her niece's head and smiled gently.

"I can't believe I'm an aunt now! Thanks for setting up this quality aunt-niece time for me. You're the best, big sis!" Twilight exclaimed and started jumping up and down, still holding on to Flurry.

Queen Cadance's face suddenly turned dead serious. She leaned on Twilight and whispered in her ears quietly.

"Actually Twilight, we invited you over not just because Flurry misses you. There's a....tiny problem..."

"Whatever it is, I'm sure I can fix it with my trusty horn right here!" Princess Twilight joked playfully and lightened her horn.

"I'm afraid that you can't use your magic to help me this time. Shining Armor is waiting for you in the throne room to discuss about the problem." Cadance levitated Flurry out of Twilight's hands.

She pushed the concerned princess towards the crystal double doors. Twilight refused to move and stood there like a statue. No matter how hard the Queen pushes, she just stayed in the same spot. Cadance sighed heavily. She use her magic, which was obviously more powerful than her sister in law's, and levitated Twilight out the door.

"But-" Twilight asked, but was cut off by Cadance.

"Now now, you don't want to be tardy do you?" The Queen, still levitating her baby, plastered a fake smile on her face and slowly closed the door with her magic.

"Cadance, I-" Twilight stuck her face between the closing double doors, still trying to figure out what was going on.

"Bye Twily!" Cadance used her right hoof and squeeze Twilight's face out.

She slammed the door, locking the Princess of Friendship out. Princess Twilight, still concerned about what happened, mumbled to herself.

"Twily? Seems like somepony spent too much time with my brother."

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"Hey Twily!"

Twilight stumbled into Shining Armor's bedroom. It was a king's chamber, but the room was a mess! She nearly tripped on a bag of chips. Shining Armor hugged Twilight tightly, squishing her.

"Lack...of....air..." She gasped.

"Oops, sorry! I guess I'm just really excited to see you!" The King let go of his sister and grinned sheepishly.

"Cadance insisted that I should go talk to you about a problem. So, what's so urgent?" After pausing to catch her breath, Twilight asked.

"Oh...right....um, so...Sombra might or might not have return and is trying to kill our family..." Shining Armor stuttered.

"WHAT?!" Twilight yelled. "I thought he was dead!"

"Apparently not. He knows baby Flurry is an alicorn, and he's trying to kidnap her!" Shining Armor informed the princess.

"Oh my Celestia...What can I do to help?" Twilight inhaled sharply and asked.

"Not what you can do...what one of your friends could do!" Shining Armor corrected her.

Twilight raised an eyebrow. She didn't know what her brother was talking about. She's the Princess. She's her brother! She must help.

"You see, someone must go out of the Crystal Empire to find Sombra and kill him. This is a very dangerous job. Celestia forbid you to go, since you are the Princess of Friendship. If you die when you're out there, Equestria would fall. If one of your friends go, it wouldn't really matter if they die." Shining explained.

"What do you mean 'it wouldn't matter if they die'?! They are my friends! They are the Elements of Harmony! Need I remind you that they are even more powerful and more important than you? If one of them dies, I can't be the Princess of Friendship!" Twilight finally lost it.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry Twily, but we can't let you go out there. Celestia and Luna needs to stay here to rule Equestria, Cadance and I have Flurry to look after, and you have your kingdom to run. It's only fair that one of the elements go. Besides, their chances of dying are low! I mean, their as powerful as you! After all, they were the ones who gave you power, and your cutie mark." Shining Armor chuckled at the last part, remembering how his sister got her cutie mark.

On the other hoof, Twilight's eye started twitching. "Excuse me?"

"Plus, if their power can't protect them from Sombra, Celestia have already sent a Wonderbolt there." The Crystal King said.

Twilight stood there, trying to sort everything out. Her brother patiently waited for her decision.

"Hum..dangerous adventure, wonderbolt....adventure, wonderbolt. Aha! I know who I want to send to defeat Sombra!" Twilight clasped her hoofs together excitedly.

"Great! Send her here. And we also need you to stay here temporarily. We could use more ponies to protect Flurry from being kidnapped." Shining smiled.

"Okay. Let me just grab her, and that wouldn't be a problem, since I know where she is right now." Twilight said.

"Oh really? Where?"

"Sleeping. On a cloud in Ponyville."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"What do you mean I have to pick?!" Spitfire yelled on top of her lungs.

Realising that she was talking to the ruler of Equestria, the captain blushed in embarrassment and struggled to apologise.

"U-um..my apologies, Your Majesty." She stuttered.

"No worries captain. But we must choose a suitable wonderbolt to protect the Crystal Empire from Sombra. Also, their lives will not be put in danger." Celestia assured.

"And how.... will their lives will not be put in danger?" Fleetfoot raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"One of the Elements of Harmony is already there, and you know how powerful they are."

The Wonderbolts traded looks as Spitfire smirked.

"Your Majesty, which Elements of Harmony is going with one of us?" She asked, eyeing the co-captain, Soarin.

"Well, I don't know yet, because Princess Twilight Sparkle is still deciding. Speaking of Twilight, I must return to the Crystal Empire to meet her and the chosen Elements of Harmony. Captain, you must choose now." Celestia insisted.

"O-okay. Um...Soarin? Would you mind protecting the Crystal Empire?" Spitfire pointed at Soarin.

"Not at all. I would be honoured to protect Queen Cadance, King Shining Armor and Princess Flurry." Soarin stepped forward and stood next to the Princess.

"Very well. Captain Soarin, shall we leave?"

Soarin nodded. He waved at his friends/co-workers. Celestia and him both trotted to the royal carriage. This might be the last time he sees the WDB Head Quarters.