During the War: A Secret Mission

The day after the broadcast came and went, but this morning was going to begin different. Today Twilight was going to make a change in the war and it definately was going to be busy even by her standards. She planed to meet with the Mayor and other important citizens of Canterlot in the hope of gaining a way to see Celestia. She quickly brushed her mane and set it together, she looked over her schedules and made time where possible. Twilight could never know just how long it would take but she would find a way.

Library work went quickly and Twilight set off with as much determination to reach Celestia as to finish the last chapter of The Maltese Pheonix. The streets of Canterlot were bustling with ponies here and there going about, the main road congested with soldier ponies being moved out, and Wonderbolts passing overhead every few minutes or so on drill soon to be sent to the front. Twilight made her way to the Town center to speak to the ponies. Passing boarded shops and homes, blackout was enforced during the night and the Defence Wardens used the light of day to test the quality of preperations. The numbers of hoofprints left in doorways seemed uncountable. Twilight thought bleakly "So many ponies away from their homes. We all owe them so much. With their stength combined we just have to win, Right? Wait why am I asking a question to myself?” A chuckle came out and she hurried on her way.
The town center was so far from the bright and sunny way Twilight remembered it, piles of sandbags were placed evenly about with armed ponies standing to secure the perimeter. The rich red brick of Canterlot Hall had turned dingy in the overcast and Twilight was taken aback by the suddeness of the change. She entered feeling the uphill battle ahead and did not let it show, she was stronger than anything they could throw and no would not be an answer she could accept.

Twilight entered the mezanine and marched to the directory desk. A deep green pony sat there, distracted from her work, she looked at a small picture frame and a fought back a tear. The picture was facing away from Twilight, and she asked politely to be directed to Mayor Proudhoove. The green pony pulled herself back togeter and replied “Oh, Hello.” She began to look for that day's appointment clipboard, Twilight saw a nameplate beside her reading Star Charmer.

“and are you Twilight Sparkle?” Star Charmer asked.

“Yes, I am here to see the Mayor Proudhooves.”

“and what is your appointment concerning?'
“An audience with Princess Celestia.”

“When did you make this apointment?”
Another question? Twilight thought and replied “Midday Yesterday, Precisely ten minutes after Celestia went on the radio” more questions followed, Twilight's date of birth, address, occupation, Twilight's parents names, addresses. Occupations. Twilight answered everything honestly. Charmer pressed a button on her desk and spoke clearly into it “Mr. Mayor, Your two fifteen is here.”
A gruff voice replied “send her in please Mrs. Charmer.” Star Charmer returned her attention to Twilight Sparkle “You are cleared to go up Ms. Sparkle. I appologise for all the questions. There are spies for the enemy everywhere and we need to check everything”
“I understand, we need to be at our most cautious.”

As Twilight began to walk up the stairs to the Mayor's office she turned around. Star Charmer was looking at her photograpgh again. Twilight could see it was young Colt in dress uniform. Twilight went back to Mrs. Charmer, “Your son?” she asked
“He was,” Star Charmer began to cry but it did not yet show in her voice “They do not know what happened to him. He was one of the first sent over when the war began”

“ Oh, no, I am sorry” Twilight placed her hoove around Star Charmer ”He might still be alright. He looks strong and noble.” Twilights thoughts turned quickly to her brother and what he could be doing. Would they send out the Royal Guard to frontlines if the worst came? “He can handle himself no matter what, Mrs. Charmer. I know.”

“Thank you. Twilight” Mrs Charmer dried her tears with a hankerchief from the desk and told to Twilight ”Now hurry on, you have an appoint...”
Suddenly loud sirens began going off, ponies hurried into the mezanine from all directions frantically
“What is that?!” Twilight shouted, Mrs. Charmer just barely hearing her over the noice. Mrs. Charmer Responded frantically ”The new defensive alert sirens, we were going to announce them tonight. They were supposed to be used if the magic shields ever went down”

Twilight ran off. With no warning the ponies of Canterlot were in terrible danger. Bolting through the doors and out of Canterlot Hall Twilight saw it. Beyond the glowing shields a dragon the size of Appleoosa. A blood-curdling shriek the dragon let out as it breathed torrents of flames against the shields of Canterlot. The red of the flame seeming to blend into the scales of the beast did only heighten its terrorizing attack.

Twilight ran quickly down main streets and back alleys leading ponies, and foals to the shelters. After an eternity of ear splitting noise there was sudden silence. The dragon could not break through the shields and vanished as suddenly as it had appeared. The attack was over, Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. Nopony seemed harmed and all that happened was a disruption of shedules. When Twilight returned to Canterlot hall she learned just what was disrupted. There was no possibility of seeing the Mayor who was off reorganizing the town. Twilight asked where she could find him but nopony could know certainly.

With a heavy heart Twilight returned to her Library. Her assistant Merrifeather was waiting to learn what had happened and twilight went through every detail. “Merrifeather? Did anything happen to the library during the commotion?

“No” Merrifeather said quickly. ”but before that a message arrived by courrier”

“Let me have it, please.”

Twilight quickly opened the letter and was surprised by its brevity, it was more a not than a letter and it read-

“Twilight, Come to the palace.

-Princess Celestia”