Prologue : The Sand Hawk

It's a raining day in Canterlot. Sophisticated ponies either avoided to getting wet or put their fancy-than-function umbrella on the street. The weather schedule made everypony in the town grumble as usual. Some ponies walked casually on the street, enjoyed an rainy evening air, some hurriedly ran through the rain or got in an awning, some argued about ponies blocking their shop, some were bored and stayed inside their house, and some hoped the Sapphire Shores' concert will be held at Canterlot sooner.

A train quickly broke in the usual scene of Canterlot. It arrived at the station and leaved as soon as all pony left the bogies. It should be normal, however, everypony at the station looked at somepony standing in the train station. Ponies showed various reaction. Most looked anxious, few excited. Everypony were looking at a tall figure in a hood beside a familiar pink-purple pony. Starlight smiled awkwardly. Her stylish hair and saddlebags were somewhat messed up.

"Well, em... how could I put this..." Starlight paused, then said. "Good evening everypony! It's nice to see you all here!" Starlight tried to act normal and tried to smile. "Here veside me is my friend. She is absolutely normal! Right! Misses- er-."

"Falcon." Starlight's friend said, coldly.

"Yes yes, Falcon!" Starlight said. She was worried. Starlight knew her friend isn't impressed. "I know she doesn't look like a falcon or anything, but we are in hurry and need to go right now. Can you pony make way for... Em, please don't gather around us, please?"

Ponies started to crowd around Falcon, but quickly stepped away when Falcon walked toward the exist. Some ponies were bumped by Falcon, but they got no apology. The coldness of newcomer questioned or offended everypony at the station. Starlight smiled embarrassingly when two ponies doubtfully looked at her. She quickly moved of from the awkward scene and accompanied with Falcon.

"You should at least say hello to them!" Starlight whispered, put on her umbrella.

"Not now" Falcon said. "We have a business to attend."

"What kind of a business you want to attend with our princesses?" Starlight questioned. "I know pony are hurry all the time, Twilight for example. She have to attend in numerous event and meeting around the Equestria, but luckily enough, the map didn't pressured her more and sent me instead. Well, it might be a bit too late when I found you there and you quite scared me. I thought you couldn't make it to the Manehattan hospital, but my goodness, you survived- oh, wait!"

Starlight walked faster to keep up with Falcon. Canterlot Ponies around the street eyed on them. The rain still continued to pour down. Ponies' reaction were mixing with excitement, curiousness, anxiousness and angry. Some pegasi hovered in the mid air to see the mysterious guest. Some ponies on the street discussed with each other quietly.

"Well, I know you may not in good mood, but, I have nothing better than you now." Starlight said. "I mean, I get quiet rusty and I still don't know what's the map want from me, so maybe you don't mind If I will be with you for awhile."

Falcon chuckled. Starlight frowned.

"I don't know what are you talking about." Falcon said.

Starlight slowly nodded. She didn't expect Falcon to understand her. The duo passed a couple of elite pony. They looked at Falcon from her head to toe. Falcon and Starlight looked back to the couple. The pupil tilted her head and frowned. The couple got smug on their face and chuckled at Falcon.

"I wouldn't call that a fashion." the mare whispered. "I think that thing is wearing an entire calamity on itself."

"Hey, cut it out!" Starlight scolded, but Falcon raised her hand to halt the former villain, indicated her to let them go. Falcon looked back to the couple. They walked away, didn't care what what they had insulted. Starlight frown, turned to Falcon.

"You shouldn't let them do that." Starlight said. "They are being mean."

Falcon didn't say anything, still headed toward the castle. Starlight felt bad for her friend. "You did have a hard time, didn't you?" Starlight said.

As usual, Falcon didn't answer.

The duo had gone through the city with a minor problem along the way. Some fillies and colts were curious about Falcon and got a close look. They caused a minor trouble to her, but their parents arrived and took them away afterward, scold them for running in the rain and being a trouble maker. The duo arrived at a gate. Castle guards opened the entrance for them. Guards saluted to the duo, then escorted them inside the castle.

The castle was elegant as usual. The white structure were quite appeal to Falcon. Starlight remembered Falcon's face when she had been in Manehattan for the first time, but she lied she wasn't amaze by the city. Falcon looked around castle. The guards stopped in front of the throne room. They stepped aside to let Starlight and Falcon in.

"Here we are, the throne room." Starlight said. "Behave yourself, okay?"

Falcon chuckled "You don't need to tell me that." Falcon said.

Starlight nodded. She's about to use telekinesis on the door, but quickly changed her mind and manually opened it. She smiled to brush off her mistake. Starlight indicated Falcon to go first. Instead of entered the throne room straight away, Falcon took off her hood and disarmed herself. She put her hood and sword to a maid pony who is waiting to keep Falcon's belonging, then Falcon showed to the guard she had no more weapon with her. The guards nodded. Falcon and Starlight walked in the throne room to meet the celestial princesses.

The throne room was crowded with elite ponies. A white magical pony was sitting on the throne at the end of the room. Other than princess Celestia, her dark blue sister were sitting beside her and looked a bit bored. Everypony was silent when Starlight and Falcon walked in. Starlight felt embarrassing when everypony eyed on her and her friend. The duo stood in front of the throne. Princess Celestia greeted her newcomer and stood up from her throne.

"Greeting, my honor guest." Celestia said. "My name is Celestia. Here is my sister Luna" Celestia introduced her sister. Luna slightly nodded. "Luna and I are a princess of this land. We're aware it took you two awhile to visit us here, but I hope your journey in Equestria is delightful so far."

Elite ponies in the throne room whispered to each other, but quickly shut it when Falcon said. "It's my honor to hear your good will, my princess, but I'm not here for a vocation. I'm here to deliver a message."

Celestia nodded. She noticed Falcon carry a scroll with her. Falcon rolled the scroll down and reveal what's inside.

Everyone but Celestia were shocked. The scroll turned out to be a ragged dirty yellow hawk banner. Falcon put it on the floor. Elite ponies were talking again. Princess Luna walked down from her throne and got a close look on the banner. Starlight was scared. She knew the ragged banner always mean bad new.

"I am the last sultana of Sarranid Sultanate." Falcon announced. "My sultanate had fallen. This is my only banner I can save."

Princess Celestia was quite shocked. Falcon continued. "And this realm... may end the same way..."

Elite ponies quickly made a fuss out of it. Princess Luna had looked sadly at the destroyed banner before she was alarmed when Falcon said her warning. Starlight froze. She hadn't known before her friend was a sultana.

"How did you know this land will be in danger?" Celestia said. Grim was clouding inside her.

Falcon shook her head. "the Calradia empress, she's a mixture of fox and lion." Falcon said. She walked around her banner. "How soon is the empress will know The existence of this land, is a matter of time. I can't tell you for sure if she will leave this land along, or invade it. However, it would be wiser to prepare something for her arrival, orelse, you may be sorry when she shows up with her army..."

Elite ponies were worry. They're talking about the Calradia empress and trying to guess her power. Princess Celestia thought and frowned. Princess Luna walked to her sister and nudged.

"Sister, what should we do!" Luna said. "I've never thought our honorable act will be such a big deal. Should we send them away immediately!?"

"No, we won't." Celestia said. "If we send them away, it will make the situation worse. We will find truths in our honored guest, then find a way to learn her enemy." Celestia paused and cleared her throat. "However, Falcon is my guest, I can't let anything happen to her, and I will take her under my wings."

Falcon nodded. Everypony in the throne room was silent. Starlight tried to keep up at what's happen.

"I would like to end our meeting right here. Everypony, you may leave now." Celestia said.

Elite ponies went out the throne room. They muttered about everything they heard moment ago. Starlight heard one of the ponies complaining he want to eat some donuts, but the shop didn't open today. Everypony had left. Princesses, Starlight and Falcon were only ponies an a human in the room. Princess Celestia looked at falcon closely, she noticed her guest somewhat resembles to Tirek, but with two legs and brown skin.

"So," Celestia said. "Who is the Calradia empress?"

"My old friend." Falcon said. "She used to help me, but not anymore..."

Princess Celestia nodded. She looked at her sister and comforted Luna with her wing.

"I know it must be a hard time for you, Falcon. But with my protection, you will be save here." Celestia said. "Starlight, could you help our guest relax in our house. As she's a royalty as mine, she deserves a well hospitality."

"Yes, my princess" Starlight nodded. Falcon was a bit shy to be called as 'royalty'.

"I must beg my leave. Here, make yourself at home." Celestia said and smiled. She left the throne room with her sister.

Starlight smiled and indicated Falcon to followed her out the throne room. When they walked in the corridor, the duo saw castle guards through windows. They tried to shield journalist out of the castle. Starlight was a bit upset. She smiled to Falcon when her friend stared at her. The former villain saw a royal guard captain being interview while she led her friend to a bedroom.

Finally, they arrived at a guest bedroom, enough for two. Starlight had been worried the bed is too small for her guest, but it's turned out the castle has a spare bed for a tall guest. The maid pony had put Falcon's belongings beside her bed. Starlight told Falcon to take a bath first. The former sultana smiled warmly toward Starlight before left the room. Starlight waved her hoof to Falcon and felt relief the day ended quite well.

Starlight turned to a dancing Twilight music box. She had looked around, before she talked to the music box.

"Twilight." Starlight whispered. "Twilight!"

"Oh, hi." the Twilight's music box replied. "Sorry, I'm busy. But, is everything okay?"

"Sort of." Starlight whispered. "Falcon had reached the Canterlot. But again, she's human, right?"

"I guess." the music box said. "But, I'm glad you made it well, Starlight. Also, did she say anything this time?"

"Yes, she told the princesses about a 'mean empress' has taken her -well- realm and said empress will go after the Equestria." Starlight said. "She warned us about a potential war."

"My goodness!" the music box said. "Are you kidding me?"

"No, Twilight, I know all 'evil empress' things sound like a story for foals, but there is a possibility." Starlight said.

"Of course, it is!" the music box said. Starlight shocked. "It was few days ago we discovered the village and helped the survivors. It wasn't a big deal until now."

"... I know" Starlight said. "In other hand, Falcon said she is a... sultana? Twilight, what's sultana?."

"Sultana?" the music box said. "You mean, she's a royalty somewhere near Saddle Arabia? That's kinda new. I need to take note about this and find anything relate to it."

"If you find anything useful in your research, please let me know." Starlight said.

"I will." the music box said. "Well, I need to research anything about an 'evil empress'. Starlight, keep your eyes on Flacon, okay?"

"Of course." Starlight said.

"Okay, see ya!" the music box said.

Starlight sighed. She knew there is a lot of paperwork she need to do tomorrow. Starlight put on a towel and headed to the door. After she had got herself in a cold raining day and escorted her friend, she wanted to take a hot bath and relax for awhile.

"Oh, Starlight, wait!" the music box said.

"What?" Starlight said, tuned back.

"The map," Twilight said. "It still want you there."