Across The Pond

Rarity and Fluttershy were on their way to where the Emperor was staying. Though they were not trained to fight as well as the others they still had some training with a sword while in Cloud Ruler Temple. The Emperor had asked they stay with the him because it was probably the most guarded part within the confides of the city walls since most of the town's defenses were currently on their way to the docks. Besides if Emperor Mede figured they were less likely to be spies attempting to harm him.

The plan was to have Rarity and Fluttershy stay with the Emperor until after the fight then have them go and treat their friends if necessary. The Emperor tried to make the point of having them help out the entire medical division but Strillian talked him into changing his mind by telling Emperor Mede how unlikely it was they knew anything of human anatomy.

When Fluttershy and Rarity walked through a heavy steal door in the basement of the Imperial Palace one of the legionnaires closed the door behind them and brought a thick bar of metal to block the door. The room was fairly large and was very well lit and had several doors and hallways leading off in different directions but the other doors were made of wood, not steel. All along the top of the walls were small, one inch, holes every couple of feet.

There were four legionnaires in the series of rooms that Rarity and Fluttershy and they were all in formation. Two were by the door despite the the heavy steel door that was locked in place with the stone door frame. There was two walking up and down different hallways.

Before the duo could start to look around in the other rooms a fifth legionnaire walked up from one of the hallways and said "The Emperor wishes to speak with you two."

Rarity and Fluttershy walked down the hallway behind the legionnaire to what appeared to be a makeshift throne room.

"Hello, and welcome to the official Imperial City panic room, Emperor edition" Emperor Mede exclaimed.

"This is certainly much more lovely than I anticipated a castle basement to be" Rarity said politely.

"Yes it is very pretty but there is much more to it than that" Emperor Mede said as he got up from his makeshift throne.

"Oh?" asked Fluttershy, though she hadn't been saying much she was just as curious about the design as Rarity was.

"Why yes, I'm sure you noticed the holes in the walls? They actually serve some purpose. the holes actually branch out into a series of tubes running out and allowing fresh air to blow though this place. So fresh air isn't something we would have to worry about" claimed Emperor Mede proudly.

"Well that is rather ingenious though, couldn't you have made the holes a little less ... unsightly? I mean it looks like somepony just knocked holes into the wall, albeit rather uniform holes but unpleasant none the less" Rarity observed.

Emperor Mede chuckled and said "I don't know how they do things where you are from but here, usefulness outweighs the aesthetics. This place isn't used very often and civilians aren't really every in here, you two being an exception. So beautifying it would just be a waste of Septims. Septims we could be using for the city" the Emperor told them.

"That makes sense, I suppose" Rarity said as she looked towards one of the holes.

Emperor Mede laughed again and said "well I hope it doesn't bother you too much."

Rarity smiled at Emperor Mede and said "well if we are lucky we wont have to be in here for long."

Emperor Mede looked towards Rarity and said "well that or we are just very unlucky. So lets pray to the nine in hope it is the first."

Strillian, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Twilight Sparkle were making their way to the Waterfront District to board one of the ships in port. Strillian didn't know what was going to happen but he wasn't sure the four mares walking along side him were going to be extremely useful in a fight. Despite the training Strillian made sure three of the four ponies beside him received he was quite sure none of them had taken a life. He could only hope they wouldn't freak out and distract the legionnaires who were fighting.

The small group had made it to the Waterfront District in great time. Despite the lack of guards regulating the streets everyone seemed to be in their own respective homes. The city had an eerie feeling to it, like a calm before a storm.

When they reached the Waterfront District Strillian turned to them and said "pick a ship and get on it, they are all going to the same place so it doesn't matter which one. Just make sure you let the captain of that specific ship you will be fighting under their command. I need to find my men now so I'll see you four later." And with that, Strillian walked away.

There was an awkward moment of silence. Everypony knew how dangerous this was going to be but they felt they had to do it regardless of the possible peril. The Empire couldn't help them with the Thalmor breathing down their necks and right now the Empire was their best chance of getting home.

Rainbow Dash, trying to get rid of the silence, turned her head to the strap and adjusted her quiver, causing the arrows within to rattle noisily. Everypony looked at Rainbow Dash expectantly. Applejack said "you got something to say sugar cube?"

"We should pick a boat" Rainbow said without looking away from the strap, still adjusting her quiver.

"How about that one?" Pinkie Pie asked excitedly.

"Why not, it's as good as any" Applejack said.

The four cantered up to the boat, not wanting to waste any time. When they got on the deck they were met with a legionnaire waiting by the entrance.

"Hello there, what is your division?" asked the legionnaire without looking up from his clipboard.

"Our what?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"You know your squadron, it helps us organize who is where so we can do a head count after the fight easier."

"We aren't legionnaires, so we don't have a squadron" Twilight told the legionnaire.

The legionnaire began to look up from his clipboard and  said "then you have to go, civilians must sta-" The legionnaire stopped mid sentence when he saw the four mares.

"The Emperor said it was okay, and Strillian said we could pick whatever boat we wanted and we picked this one because there weren't as many people and you guys looked lonely and that made me sad so we are here to cheer you up" Pinkie Pie said in one breath.

There was a moment of both shock and awe on the legionnaires face. Pinkie Pie's ability to speak so much in one exhale was truly a, for lack of a better word, unique talent. Then the legionnaire noticed the weapons they carried. Pinkie Pie had a staff, Rainbow Dash with her bow, Twilight had been given two light weight daggers by a few legionnaires who had likely saw Twilight's first kill. But it was on Applejack that the legionnaire found his eyes resting.

"Is that an Akaviri Katana? The kind the Blades use?" asked the legionnaire with awe in his voice.

"Ah guess so, they gave it to me when they were training me. Ah didn't know it had a name" Applejack said with a shrug.

"You were trained by the Blades?!" exclaimed the legionnaire. "That's a terrific weapon, it has the same reach of a long sword but is significantly lighter. It gives it a better damage to weight ratio and it's the small things like that, which make all the difference in a combat situation."

Applejack looked at the long Katana and thought 'is this blade really that special?'

"So we can stay then?" asked Twilight.

"Of course, though you will be expected to help in the preparation" the legionnaire told her.

"Naturally" Twilight said.

"Alright, first I need two of you to move those boxes below deck by the canons, they are full of ammunition and are extremely heavy so you'll have to be careful and work together" the Legionnaire said.

"Me and Twilight can do it" said Applejack. She knew she was pretty strong and Twilight could use her magic, plus this would give her a chance to talk with Twilight.

"Alright, off you go then" said the legionnaire, motioning towards the half dozen crates on the deck.

"Alright" Twilight said as she started moving towards the boxes with Applejack. but before Twilight got halfway there she turned around and asked "what was your name again?"

"I'm called Carmalo" the legionnaire told her.

"Carmalo, alright I'll remember that. Thanks" Twilight said as she turned and continued to walk with Applejack.

Carmalo looked at Rainbow Dash's wings and said "well if you can fly you can help make sure all the sails are properly tied down. It'd be easier than having one of us climb the mast and make our way over."

"On it" Rainbow said with a quick salute before zooming up towards the top of the mast.

"And then there was one" Carmalo said. "Alright it looks like we still need to load the canons with the first shot. Can you load the all the canons below the deck for us. That would save us a lot of time."

"Okie, Dokie, Lokie" Pinkie Pie said with a smile, her tongue hanging out the side of her mouth.