Warframe: The Planet Equin Incident: Mission Failed!

Chapter 2

Location: Canterlot Orphanage, Canterlot, Equestria, Planet Equin.

Twilight and I stood in front of the rather small building. From outside we could hear the sounds of foals playing from inside. The building itself was only two stories tall, had a fenced in area behind it with a little play ground; that was it. I gave my wife an apprehensive look. Returning the same looked, she offered her wing, taking it in my hand we headed for the door. As we entered, a little bell jingled above the door, signaling our arrival.

“Coming!” a voice said from a nearby room.

Waiting, I looked around the room. A lone desk with various stacks of paper sat out front. Pictures of various families and little foals lined the walls. Some said family ‘so and so’ and little ‘blank’ was adopted and is living happily. The sound of hooves clip-clopping on the floor caused me to turn my head. From a nearby room a lone mare in a simple white shirt with a black dress walked out.

“Hello and welcome to- your majesties!?”

She immediately dropped to the floor in a bow upon realization of who was standing right in front of her. I couldn’t help but drop my head and laugh.

“Please rise,” I said kindly.

The mare slowly rose back up and looked at us nervously.

“W-What c-can I do...” she gulped, “For the prince and p-princess?”

Twilight glanced at me before releasing my hand and taking a step forward.

“Please, call me Twilight,” my wife said before holding out a hoof to me, “And my husband Excalibur.”

“Y-Yes your ma...” she stopped herself and cleared her through, “I mean, Twilight.” Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, the mare recomposed herself. “How can I help you two?”

Twilight and I looked at each other for a moment.

“Were looking to adopt.”

***

Nightshine sighed heavily as she sat in her bed, head resting limply on the railing. Another day, another day of questioning. She always wondered if she would get out of the orphanage. At her age, her chances were become more and more slime each day. She was ten, and well over the age most foals were preferred to be. In eight years she would be an adult. She always dreaded that feeling. Being stuck here… alone… for eight more years as her friends left.

At least she still had Sunny Ray.

But how long would that last?

Sunny was seven and still of a good age to be adopted. Nightshine had a feeling that somepony or maybe even ‘somebody’ would come and take her away. The two were inseparable since the day they met. And, in a way, they were like sisters. The little orange unicorn was always attracted, it’s funny, a bat pony and a unicorn with the name sun in it.

Since bat ponies like the dark and all.

“Hey, Nighty!?”

The little bat pony huffed in amusement. She always loved it when Sunny called her that. It filled her with love. The love that she has cherished for years, the love she may never receive. Turning to face the voice, she saw the happy face of Sunny as she bounced lightly on her hooves.

“Wanna play?”

“No thanks…” Nightshine replied saddened before putting her head back on the railing.

The little filly next to her stopped her bouncing as her ears fell flat against her head.

“O-Oh… okay…”

Turning around, the little filly walked away with her head hung low. Taking her head off the railing, she rested it against her pillow. Moving her tail in between her legs, she stroked it lightly. It always gave her a sense of comfort. A lone tear ran down her cheek. She tried to stay quiet as she felt yet another crying fit coming on.

Just like the many before it…

“Children!” she heard the head mare, Morning Star, call out. “Could you please gather ‘round?” All of the fillies and colts dropped what they were doing and headed for the mare. All… but Nightshine. She just grabbed her blanket and pulled it over herself. Nearby, she could hear as the rest of the children listened closely.

“Listen close little ones!” Star said enthusiastically.

Nightshine smiled lightly, she loved how nice Star was to each of them. There was a high chance Star could have been really mean.

“I have a special announcement! Today we have a couple of visitors and they are looking to adopt a special somepony!”

The last sentence caused the young bat pony to turn an ear toward the door.

‘What’s the point?’

She just had this gut feeling she would be rejected like so many times before. No pony would want her. Just a bat pony, and an older one at that. These thoughts tended to run wild. The rest of the children started to murmur to each other.

“Before I bring them in, they requested that you all call them by name. Okay?”

‘Why?’

“Please welcome… Prince Excalibur and Princess Twilight!”

Nightshine shot straight out of her bed. Her ears had to be deceiving her. There was no way the Prince and Princess would come to an orphanage…

Would they?

Pushing the blanked to the side, the young filly jumped out of bed and ran toward the door. Peeking and eye around the corner. Both of them went wide. Star wasn’t lying! She watched as the tall human stepped in first with a shorter, but tall for a pony, purple alicorn follow close behind. Looking down, the human smiled warmly at the group in front of him.

“Hi everyone,” he said with a wave.

Nightshine had seen humans before. After the return of the prince from one of his many adventures, the species followed. She heard the stories of the pair, Star would tell them often, without the gore of course. But she remembered the story of him landing in Equestria, how he returned the Crystal Empire, his rescue of Ponyville when those vine thingies’ attacked. He was the one of the ones that brought so much and asked for so little. He was an inspiration.

Immediately the pair were overwhelmed by questions. Both smiled widely at each other. Sighing, Nightshine felt yet another tear run down her cheek. Turning away, she headed back for her bed. Climbing in, she felt her previous crying fit coming back.

Little did she know, the human saw her disappear.

She didn’t know how long she cried. It could have been seconds, minutes, or hours. All she knew was that her eyes hurt and her nose was running. She was so preoccupied that she didn’t notice the shadow in the door way. He watched her silently with his arms crossed as he leaned against the door frame.

“Hey, sweetie.”

Nightshine gasped heavily. The voice was deep, masculine, full of wisdom, and for some reason… warm and welcoming. Turning toward the door, Nightshine quickly wiped the tears from her eyes.

“H-H-Hi,” she responded nervously, very nervously, “Y-Your majesty!”

The man dipped his head and held up a hand.

“Please. Call me Excalibur.”

“Y-Yes your… Y-Yes, Excalibur.”

He walked into the room and took a knee in front of the young filly. He smiled at her. It was a smile like so many others. Hope, wonder, love. The list goes on. But there was always that feeling of dread, lies, and false hope.

“I saw you hiding back here,” he said, “How come?”

Nightshine just looked into his deep brown eyes. She tried to come up with a response, anything, she didn’t even cared if she lied. If she lied to royalty.

“I-I… I don’t feel good…” He chuckled lightly and closed his eyes. “W-What?”

He looked at her, a small half smile on the right side of his mouth, “I know you’re lying young one.” Her cheeks turned red. She was caught, she knew it, and the blush defiantly gave it away. “Don’t worry… I won’t tell Morning.” The filly stayed quiet and looked down at the blanket in her lap. “So… what’s your name?”

“N… N-Nigh… N-Night… shine. Nightshine…”

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him nod in thought.

“Nightshine,” he repeated quietly, “That’s a cute name.”

“T-Thank you…”

Silence filled the air. For the filly it was awkwardness, for the man, it was a time to study. He looked her over. She was light grey in color, had a dark green mane, tail and leathery wings, the little tufts of fur on the tips of her ears, and the deepest set of blue eyes. She was cute, no doubt about it.

“Y-You should p-pick, Sunny R-Ray…” Nightshine said to the man.

She just threw out her own chance of being adopted. But she would have much rather watch her friend leave with a loving and caring family than herself. He didn’t want to admit it, but it was better that way. Tears started to flow freely as she started to cry for the third time that day. She was so distracted by her little sobbing fit she didn’t notice the body next to her move and sit on the bed.

“Eep!”

She tensed up as a pair of hands picked her up and placed her in their lap. Looking up, shocked, she saw the face of the prince looking down at her with the same warm smile. Lifting a hand, he gently rubbed her cheeks, removing the tears.

“Sunny spoke highly of you,” he said softly. “She even said the same thing.”

“R-Really?”

He nodded. She couldn’t believe her closest friend would throw away her chance so she could be chosen. It would be yet another reason why she loved the little unicorn. She was going to regret the day they would be separated. Reaching up, the man scratched one of her fuzzy ears. She tensed up for a second before relaxing and leaning into the embrace. She never felt that sort of thing before…

And she loved it!

“Excalibur!” Looking toward the door, the pair heard the man’s wife calling for him. “It’s time to go sweetheart!”

Nightshine had that sick feeling return. Even though she was only held for a few minutes, she didn’t want it to end. She was loving the attention, and that scratching! All to be taken away just as fast as it appeared.

“Coming!” he called before looking down at the little filly. “Unfortunately, I have to go now.” He gently lifted her off his lap and placed her back on the bed. She could feel tears forming for the fourth time. Before he stood up, he noticed her sadness. “Hey, none of that. Okay?”

Nightshine looked up at him with accidental puppy eyes. Wiping the tears away yet again with his thumb, she did her best to compose herself. Sliding off the bed he took a knee in front of the filly. He gave her what is probably at this point, a patented smile.

“Be brave, Nightshine. Okay?”

She gently rubbed both her eyes. “O-Okay…”

“Alright.”

Standing up, the prince turned and headed for the door.

“W-Wait!” she pleaded while holding out a hoof. The man stopped and turned to face her.

“Yes?”

She sat down on her bed and tapped her fore-hooves together while avoiding eye contact.

“D-Did… did you decide?”

He stood there shocked for a moment before smiling yet again.

“Not yet… but I’ll make sure you come up.”

He gave her a wink before walking out of the door and out of sight. Nightshine sat there in silence as she listened to the sound of his footsteps fading before a door opened and clicked shut. Lying back down, she grabbed her tail and stroked it. Tomorrow is a new day. She hoped and prayed, she would be picked.

Even though there was still worry in the back of her mind.