Venus Transcendent

Luna personally sent out letters to Scootaloo's friends, saying that she would be heading out on a trip and that they needn't fret over her safety. The princess did the same with Seamus' guardian, Fluttershy. She received a long letter back, detailing what foods he liked and how he preferred his soup and that he needed to preen his feathers three times a day. She spelled out every aspect of his day like a concerned mother would, and it made Seamus feel good inside. She treated him as a son, and he loved her in return just as much, even if her concern was a bit embarrassing.

"You like to oil your feathers?" Amethyst asked.

"You weren't supposed to read that!" He snatched the letter off the princess, who only grinned.

"Awww! You like warm milk before you go to bed?" She snickered. "Or bubble baths instead of showers?"

The colt just rolled his eyes and tucked the letter into his saddlebag. He didn't mind her being sarcastic towards his tastes in warm milk. Instead of rebuking her for being annoying he walked out of Luna's room and down three stories, to the east side of the castle. His room was, for the most part, far away from any window or skylight. It was down in the deepest part of the castle, deeper than the dungeons or even the Crystal Catacombs.

The city itself had a foundation deep in the mountainside. Originally it was a massive mine used by the Earth ponies that settled the land, but eventually they filled it in with concrete and used the old passages as an anchor to root Canterlot onto the cliff face. The castle itself was set on a bed of solid bedrock. Originally the castle was underground, a small fort under the stone to used in times of need. After Celestia took over thousands of years ago, she began to construct it as her own castle.

After the event a month ago when Seamus moved out, Celestia moved all of his possessions down there, where she could keep them in storage. It wasn't easy getting down into the Old Castle, as some of the staircases were crumbling and the footing wasn't stable, but the guards managed to sequester his things down in Celestia's personal hiding spot. After a long walk and a small lantern, Seamus managed to make his way to the underground cavern.

There were no lights that deep, as nopony ever went down into that part of the castle. The reason being, it was crumbling, decaying. The once grand golden trim along the walls were turning a pallid copper, and the copper door handles were oxidizing and turning a gross pitch of green. Even the air down in the Old Castle seemed dead. It tasted of iron and earth, and some of the passages were collapsing from lack of care. Celestia couldn't be bothered to sink funds into the place. Namely because nopony even knew it existed save her and Seamus, perhaps Luna.

The Venus alicorn hung his lantern on a wall, looking up at the door the Old Castle's wine cellar. It had a huge door of solid diamonds, but in a shape of the olden king of the Earth ponies. No wonder it was so easy for Celestia and Luna to take hold of the place; they wasted all their materials on extravagance and culture, not so much as spending a single cent on things like swords or weapons.

Seamus tried to use magic on the massive door, but apparently the King knew better than to leave his cellar susceptible to unicorn sorcery. After a few minutes of sitting in place, it was apparent the colt had not other option but to open it with his bare hooves. Of course, by all laws of physics, that was impossible. Diamonds are, by nature, asininely heavy. But there was no other option. With a slight tug, the door glided open.

At first the colt gawked; the purely diamond door was not only hollow, but with all it's tall might it was light as a feather. The crafts-ponies of old were apparently masters at what they did. Pegasus ponies may have had the sky and maybe the unicorns had their magic, but the Earth ponies had the soil and the crust beneath them, and they'd mastered it perfectly. The door was a quintessential marvel of workmanship, massive and intricate, menacing to anypony that beheld it, but it glided quieter than a breathe of wind on it's hinges and weighed no more than a bag of sand.

He took up his lantern and went into the massive room. Just to met with another shock. Treasures, gold, diamonds, bronze, silver and platinum, rubies, sapphires and emeralds stacked higher than an Ursa Major littered the room. Seamus' jaw nearly unhinged; it had dropped so suddenly he heard the sinew pop. Untold riches lay before him like the fabled city of gold found again. But among all the coins of metal and chunks of minerals bigger than him, he heard the dull clop of a pony clapping.

He didn't even bother to look up. He knew who he would find.

"Hello little boy." Celestia chirped, two huge torches burning on either side of her throne of diamonds. Her face had a slight smirk to it. She sat hunched in her seat while leaning forward. She put her weight on a sword, easily the size of a grown stallion, and wore a suit of armor cast in diamonds and rubies. Her slouch bespoke the power of a lion after the hunt, of muscle and power boundless, yet unbidden, lying dormant.

"And you couldn't spare a cent." Seamus sighed.

The armored Princess' smile grew. "Of course not. I'm just so poor you know."

Seamus grabbed his notebook, his clothes and a chunk of emerald. The colt didn't even give the princess a second glance, disgusted. He left soon after, heading back to the surface. But just before he left he heard Celestia call to him.

"If you tell anypony about this place, it will be their head."

Luna ate her midnight meal in her room, wearing her custom-made blue silk jammies with little stars sown into the cuffs. She head a few candles lit and a servant delivering her cheese every ten minutes. She had a craving for cheese sometimes. Personally she'd missed the amazing dairy-made delight during her exile and now that she was back she couldn't stand to not dine on the perfectly delectable cubes of cheesy goodness. She was going on her fifth plate when Seamus walked in.

"Hey Luna did you know tha-"

Luna paused mid-bite, melted bits of dairy all around her mouth and on her muzzle.

"Er... did I interrupt something or...."

"No dear." Luna wiped her mouth. "I just like to eat like a common pony sometimes. What do you need?"

"I just wanted to ask you if you knew about Celestia's treasure horde down in the Old Castle. See, when I found it she told me that she'd behead anypony that I told, but she obviously won't behead her own sister and besides you're more powerful than her anyway. But did you know?"

"No." The Empress of the Night stood in her ever-so-threatening silk pajamas. "I will confront my sister about it this instant."

"You might want to change first." Seamus held back a laugh. "I can't take you all that seriously in your silky pajamas."

Luna looked down at herself, annoyed. "Okay, I'll do it tomorrow. When I'm rested and dressed in something intimidating."

The next day dawned beautiful and clear, Celestia's sun dawning over the land in a blaze of glorious light. Seamus was already down in the throne room, preparing to meet the ponies he'd be traveling with and to say goodbye to the ponies he would be leaving. He wore a smart looking brown suit with a white undercoat. Fastened around his neck was a red bowtie, which gave him an odd glance every now and again, but he didn't mind.

"Why are you wearing a bowtie?" Scootaloo asked. "Seriously, twentieth century much?"

"I wear a bowtie now, bowties are cool." Seamus grinned.

Fluttershy showed up not a moment later, swooping him up in a huge bear hug. She wouldn't let go and had tears in her eyes, but eventually she set him down and looked at him. She looked upset about him leaving, but proud of him too. Seamus couldn't resist giving her one last goodbye hug, knowing he wouldn't see her again for at least a few months.

Amethyst eyed the visitors and guards with apprehension; she didn't like large crowds, the could always hold an assassin. It was plain to see the knives she had on her. They were strapped to her waist and there was even one hidden in her armor on the upper left side of her chestplate. The sword she carried was old and beaten, massive dings and cuts marred the cutting edge of the blade and caught the sheathe when she went to draw.

Twilight showed up soon, giving Seamus a massive book of spells to study and an enchantment to allow his saddlebags  to hold a nearly infinite amount of items inside and not grow any heavier. She gave him a hug and a few bits, hoping that he'd stay safe up in the North. The spellbook she'd given him was mostly defensive and attack spells, with a few trap hexes in the back. He knew that Twilight preached peace, but he also knew Twilight was aware he would, in all likelihood,  see battle. He thanked her as a teacher, and then less formally as a friend.

As he did this a rather strange character wandered around the edge of the gathering. The pony wore a cloak and kept their face hidden from bystanders, making it's way over to the guest of honor. Amethyst drew her throwing knife, ready to put it in between the stranger's eyes if the need arose. Just before the odd pony reached Seamus did the colt turn toward the figure and smile. The mare put the knife back, still wary of the newcomer. The pony pulled back their hood, to reveal it was actually a paler, more menacing Rainbow Dash.

"Hey kid!" Rainbow scooped him up and began to shake him like he was a doll, holding him close to her chest. "I've missed you so much and you didn't send me a letter so I just decided to visit you today and it's a good thing I did because you're leaving and I just wanted to say goodbye because I wub woo so much! Yes I do!"

Seamus groaned, but was still smiling. At least Dash was still in good spirits. "I missed you too! Can you put me down now!"

"Oh." She placed him on the ground. "Sorry, just wanted to get in a good memory of me before you left."

"It's fine Dash. So what have you been up to? I hear you've found a regular source of food?"

"Yeah... he's kind famous, see. Let's just say that he was a little more than excited about me hanging around him." The pegasus winked at him. "When I'm not at his place I'll just be flying around Equestria. Not many places I can't go now that I'm like this. Yup... it's all cool."

"Nice." The colt gave her a hug goodbye. "But you'd better get outta here, I think you make Amethyst antsy."

Amethyst was right behind her, hoof on her sword, ready to draw it.

"I kind noticed." Dash smiled, walking away.

Soon after the rest of the Mane six arrived, each with a farewell gift. Rarity had a huge coat for him, made of genuine rabbit fur; much to Fluttershy's horror. AppleJack (*grudgingly*) gave him a green and black scarf Granny Smith had knitted for him. Pinkie awarded him a tiny oven, hardly the size of his hoof. She said it was best used to cook chestnuts and small things like. Even Spike gave him one of his gems for good luck.

Not long after this did Amethyst lose patience. She pushed the guests out and closed the doors, not caring much for being cordial or polite. She kicked them out at swordpoint, sighing and slouching against the doors after they were shut. The mare next invited in the ponies she'd be traveling with. There were a number of guards with higher rankings, but one seemed to stand out among all the rest. Specifically one with a very strong, chiseled facial structure.

The guard was, judging by the colors on his jacket, a general of high esteem. Other troops in the room parted way when he walked past, while when a private or rookie walked by they had to slither all the way around to get through the crowd. The general that Seamus was keeping his eye on was tall, about a foot taller than Big Macintosh and just as muscular. He wore a rather dangerous looking sword, and his scar put him across as violent. But his eyes and face spoke another story. His look was kind, sympathetic to the soldiers he looked at. The troops he talked to always smiled at him and occasionally the general would tell an informal joke, getting a good laugh.

Amethyst approached the stallion and shook hooves, each one grinning ear to ear.

"Seamus, this is general Armstrong, and he will be in charge of commanding our new troops and keeping an eye on you and your friend.... speaking of that runt where is she? We're ready to leave."

"I'm here!" Scootaloo pushed her way through the crowd of guards and soldiers, walking in between their legs and squeezing past where she could. "Sorry, got a little lost in there."

"We're leaving in ten, so get ready to walk!" Amethyst shouted to the gathering. "Hurry it up and pack up! Anything you want to bring with you had better be on your own damn back, hear me?! No pushing the work off onto one of the larger officers!"

A few of the soldiers sighed and began to re-pack their things.

"That's what I thought." The Princess smirked.