The Inquisition’s guildhall

Luna, Priestess Luna. Stands looking over her disciples from atop a balcony, with a long sweep of her hoof. Her hood drapes backwards off of her mane and down onto her withers, and with a flourish of magic. Bright blue orbs bathe the many cloaked ponies as they slowly raise their muzzles to the upper floor, Luna smiles and begins ‘My fellow ponies of the valiant realm, I have gathered thee here today in celebration of the upholding of our keep and once again pushing back the griffon army to their border,’ with a small hip-hip and a cheer, several ponies hoods wave off their heads to reveal the mane six. The hosts of the elements of harmony had arrived to receive special gifts for initiating the retrieval of plans to destroy a local salt mine that would. If taken by the griffon army would cause major disruption in the Equestrian economy and would have entirely crushed their regime. ‘Not only have we triumphed here, but out there on the front lines. We are also here to pay our respects to the fallen soldiers who gave their lives to keep Equestria safe.’ The mood suddenly changed, ponies immediately began to slowly stare blankly in different directions, and they felt sorry for cheering but were cooed softly by Luna herself.

‘Rejoice in the light, my little ponies. For we are to be busy at work...’ The voice, silky smooth flowed through the cathedral with ease, Celestia stood among the crowd. Her gilded hood draped over her luscious breeze-stricken mane, she approached the pedestal from whence Luna was happily seated. ‘Sister, prepare the armaments. The fool has requested quarters with the royals from all of Equestria.’ Celestia wove past several robed ponies and leant her fore-hooves on the head of the pedestal.

‘As you wish sister.’ Her subtle nod lead Celestia to rewind, backing away from the pedestal and expecting a row of bowing ponies. They had all returned to work in stations surrounding the lower levels, ‘You have done well, sister. I am impressed.’ Those words held a sense of satisfaction, Luna. Turning four shades of red and hiding her muzzle with a hoof, ‘Thank you...’.

Royal Embassy

‘Fourteen thousand lives... We are being torn apart, and you want to disappear at a time like this.’ The representative of the horses, Asunder Mane spoke sullenly, she rose a hoof to her chest plate. Readjusting the straps and smearing the dried blood off to the side, her makeup was poorly done and was faded. Revealing the bright indigo fur and tufts of gold lining the sides of her neck up to her ragged ears, one drooped to the side and the other had the tip missing.

‘We are trying our hardest to push the griffons back... I just wish it were as easy as it used to be.’ Celestia paused, blowing a bit of her mane out from her eyes and tilting her crown to the side to free her ear from underneath it.

‘All we are doing is trying, there is no try if there is a do.’ Asunder replied, stamping her hoof down. The other representatives began to converse but were stopped by the fool. He stood in-between the middle of two other representatives, he raised a hand and leaned into a standing position. His armour clinked as he stood, and he withdrew his broad sword from its scabbard. It hung from his hand as he pointed to the centre of the room, ‘There is a do, If we sit and bicker till the day has passed. We will not find a way in means to stop the griffons from encroaching on our land...’ He was shushed by a small Unicorn by his side, and he immediately fell silent.

Tears hit the silent room, they pattered the stone tiling. Asunder rose to her full height and spotted the disturbance, the mane of a brightly coloured Pegasus came into view as five ponies stood aside from the rest, ‘We must act quickly, Celestia. I want you and a team of four to be prepared for departure at O nine hundred tonight.’ Asunder grit her teeth and nudged the sombre Pegasus with her muzzle, they exited the room with haste.

‘I will not fail you, not yet. Not ever.’ Celestia mused to herself, watching Asunder depart. She turned to her sister and was greeted with a tight embrace, the fool approached with the Unicorn in tow. They nodded in agreement of Asunder and followed the horse and her Pegasus. Muttering ensued from the remaining representatives, they were shushed again. ‘I need volunteers, any. One from all of the representative’s respective countries, to band with me as we trek the stars in hope of seeking help.’ Peeling her sister from her own embrace, Celestia was greeted by the presence of three volunteers who stepped apart from their reigning representatives.

The fourth was being treated to outside of the embassy by Asunder Mane, the remaining volunteers made up that of the Crystal, Aqua and Forest colonies respectively. The volunteers consisted of the brightest and toughest out of the allies; Lemonova of the Crystal ponies, Ocean Swell of Aquastria, Prince Bramble of the Forest thicket. Rainbow Shine of the Vwunder horses, lay with Asunder just beyond the door to the embassy, she was comforted by the Unicorn guiding the fool and wrapped her hooves in the mane of Asunder.

‘You three... four have been summoned here to embark on an arduous journey across our star system to initiate first contact with our neighbouring set of allies... At least I believe we can make it clear that we need their help and request them to form an alliance in order to end this war.’ Celestia informed, she motioned towards a map of the solar system draped across one of the back walls. Levitating a piece of red chalk, she draws a line from Equus to the unknown fleet of irregular shapes painted across the surface of Saturn’s moon Titan.

‘We will be coming into contact with sentient beings that we have never had the chance to study or even exchange data with... we have no idea what they are capable of and will be treading on thin ice when we arrive, so everypony will need to remain in an alert state but still open to any and all help we can muster from them.’ Lecturing, Celestia began to pace the room. She crossed in between the volunteers and personally gave them a tap on the flank to stop them from slouching or to get their attention off of an interesting part of the blank walls.

‘Does everypony understand what I have just said?’ she paused as Lemonova raised a hoof. ‘Yes.’ Lemonova stood forward and took a small breath before beginning, ‘your highness, what happens if these... uh, sent-sen... Ah, forget it. What happens if the ponies are not nice and attack us?’ Lemonova stepped back, her back hooves accidently clipping the metal armoured plates on Cadence’s front hooves.

‘The answer to that is, make not enemy if they see us as friend.’.

Author's Note

Ask away, if somethings catches your eye.