"Alright, Twi, what's this about?" asked Applejack, lifting her Stetson out of her eyes.

"You look more worried than I've seen you in years, darling," Rarity noted, frowning as she observed her friend.

"I have every right to be! One of the oldest living beings on the planet and one of the greatest figures of history just sent me a letter!" Twilight cried, pacing in her throne room.

The members of the Friendship Council blinked.

"I thought we'd gotten past all this past heroes and villains nonsense," Discord mused, floating aimlessly around Fluttershy.

"Same here!" Pinkie chirped, before inhaling a frosted biscuit. "Mm, man, these biscuits are GOOD!" She offered one to Fluttershy. "You gotta try one!"

Fluttershy smiled kindly, gently taking the biscuit and biting into it. "It is good," she said softly.

"Back on track, please," Rainbow intoned, forelegs crossed as she hovered above her lover, Applejack. She looked to Twilight. "Now, who the heck is coming back from beyond the sands of time now?"

"The-" Spike began, but Twilight interrupted him.

"The First Lady of Canterlot!" Twilight cried, as if it were obvious.

"...Who?" Applejack and Pinkie asked simultaneously.

"Oh my stars! You mean the Dancer of Gems is coming back? After all this time?!" Rarity shook her hooves rapidly as she squealed. "Oooh, I'm positively ecstatic, darling!"

"I can't believe the First Lady is actually real. I mean, back when I was a model, all I'd heard were stories," Fluttershy said with a small, contemplative frown.

"Wait wait wait, you mean the First Lady? Otherwise known as the Mystical Bladedancer?!" Rainbow squealed as she flew circles around the room. "Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh!!"

"Well, glad to see she still has her old spirit. I certainly don't after hearing that old hag is back," Discord grumbled, crossing his arms.

"Can somepony please tell us who this 'ere 'Lady' is?" Applejack asked, waving a hoof.

"Only the one who taught Celestia and Luna how to fight and rule a freakin' kingdom!" Twilight cried.

Applejack's eyes widened. "Well, dang."

"I'll say. She's gotta be super old, then!" Pinkie added, stuffing another biscuit down her gullet.

"Well? What did her letter say, darling?" Rarity asked, leaning forward on the table.

Twilight, in response, lit up her horn, and suddenly a slate of iridescent crystal slammed onto the table. On it was many carved words. Twilight read it aloud.

"'Dear Princess Twilight. It has come to my attention that my old students have finally passed on the torch to you and your friends. And, with life around the world becoming generally more peaceful, I've seen fit to return to Equestria. There is little I can do out in the West anymore, after all. Expect me in thirty days time. Notify my students, as well. I wish to see how they have shaped up.'"

Silence.

Silence, interrupted by Pinkie stuffing another biscuit into her mouth. "Well, sounds like we need to prepare a welcoming party, doesn't it?"

"...Since when did you get casual about parties?" Spike suddenly asked, giving Pinkie a quizzical stare.

Pinkie shrugged. "I popped out a kid. Don't most mares mellow out after that?"

"I can't believe you actually invited me to this!" A gray mare with an orangey-pink mane and rose gold eyes exclaimed excitedly, her hooves tapping on the ground. "Seriously, Luster, thank you
much!"

Luster chuckled, wrapping a foreleg around her sister. “Of course, sis!” She looked across the group of individuals around her, frowning. “Not so sure everycreature here shares the excitement, though.”

“Don’t forget, don’t forget, stay calm, stay caaalm,” Luna was muttering to herself near them.

Celestia, similarly, was sweating bullets as she stared straight ahead.

Twilight was about the only one of the entire group of royalty who wasn’t in a state of disarray. Although, if one looked closely, they would notice her mane fraying slowly, and then being magically smoothed back into place.

The other Friendship Council members - sans Discord - were watching the street ahead with hopeful eyes. Even the Pillars had come after the news was spread.

Ponies and other creatures were all around the streets watching with rapt attention. Royal Guard were lined up on either side of the road with banners of the Equestrian Royal Flag held aloft while others held trumpets in preparation.

Everycreature was watching the street leading into the city square with hopeful eyes. Luster’s sister, Dawn Rising, continued to tap her hooves. “You think she’s anything like the old stories suggest?” She asked, eyes never leaving the horizon, biting her lower lip.

Luster removed her foreleg from her sister’s neck. “I sure hope so. I mean, if the stories are right, she has a blade of magic! How can you not like that? And her being a mare in what was a stallion’s world at the time is just so fun to read about! Like that time she tricked the tyrant of Neighpon into giving her the Jade Dragon!” Luster nudged her sister. “You loved that story.”

“I loved her stories,” Dawn corrected playfully, rolling her eyes. “She’s my favorite historical figure and may be one of the most important creatures to Equestrian history!”

Luster giggled. “You’re telling me. I wonder if she’ll let me study her magic blade…” Luster gained a far off look, daydreaming as she was wont to do when it came to the subject of magic.

“I’d rather study her,” Dawn replied, not catching the meaning of her own words.

Suddenly, a figure became visible on the horizon. Immediately, the trumpets sounded, and the banners were raised aloft.

Down the street came a stunningly beautiful creature on two legs. She was similar to a Minotaur cow in build, only much more lithe and lean, and far more beautiful than any that the bulls present had seen. She bore no fur at all, from what could be seen, only clothes that covered every inch of her body save her head.

The clothes were honestly more armor than clothing, however, yet they moved with her body with the flexibility of high quality leather. The platemail - if it could even be called that - was predominantly gold, with royal purple metal making up the rest of it. Her pauldrons bore the likeness of manticore heads, yet bejeweled, if not made of jewels themselves. In fact, they almost seemed real.

Clasped around her neck was a cloak of what could only be made of gems, trailing behind her in a kaleidoscope of colors thanks to the sun’s light. Gauntlets, greaves and boots of similar make to the chestplate covered her arms, legs, and feet, with the gauntlets bearing golden, almost blade like fins on them, and the kneeguards and tips of her boots bearing similar blades and/or spikes, all still in the gold and royal purple theme. Two rather large bumps were concealed by her chestplate, and her rear was rather well heart-shaped as well.

But the true beauty was her face. Flat, but not to a disgusting degree, and surprisingly young for someone from the Age of Unification. Her face was unblemished and dazzlingly beautiful, if not otherworldly. A circlet rested over her forehead, and trailing behind that head were two long, tail-like appendages, all the same cyan color as her skin. Her eyes were a marvelous silver, shining with strength and power.

On her hips rested what seemed to be the hilts to blades, but they were bereft of any actual blades. Dawn’s hooves instantly stopped tapping, her eyes widening as her mouth fell open, the visage of her fillyhood hero burning into her memory.

“Oh, wow…” Luster breathed, in just as much awe as everycreature else.

Undaunted, the alluring woman walked up to the group, and stopped in front of them. She briefly scanned them all.

“I see you brought a welcoming committee, Princess Twilight,” the woman said in a voice as smooth as silk and as sultry as a Playcolt model.

Twilight smiled. “I thought it only best, for a returning hero of Equestria.”

“Hm. Indeed,” she looked to Celestia and Luna. “Ah, there you two are.” She looked briefly to Twilight and the others, spying most of them ready to jump her from excitement. “A moment, if you please.” She stepped closer to the two sisters, and immediately frowned. “Celestia, Luna, tell me…” She leaned down to their eye level, being a head taller than even Twilight or Celestia. “...Where is the spine myself and Star Swirl forced into you all those years ago?” She looked to Luna. “I thought we’d overcome your fear by now. And look at your stance, hardly becoming, even for a former princess.” She gently nudged Luna, and she fell flat on her plot with a squeak.

She looked to Celestia. “And you. What happened to those years of practicing that winning smile of yours?” She gestured to Twilight. “Your prized protege seems to have beat even you in that, somehow. For shame.”

Celestia’s smile twitched. “I-I’m sorry, Master, I-”

The woman held up a digit. “Not here. We’ll go over the basics again in private.” Celestia and Luna paled at that. She then turned a cold, winning smile to the others. “Please excuse me for the wait.” She dipped her head. “It’s a pleasure to meet you all. I am Ferlua-”

“The Dancer of Gems,” Dawn suddenly gasped, her brain function obviously still rebooting. “Mystical Bladedancer. Master of The Nine Disciplines. Beauty of The Gala. Otherworldly Mage. The First Lady of Canterlot.”

Ferlua paused, turning coldly to the young mare. “...And you are?”

The sound of screaming brakes could be heard faintly as the young mare’s eyes shrank to pinpricks. “...Dawn Rising,” she responded in a small, toneless voice.

“Mm,” She hummed, mouth quirking ever so slightly as she looked to Twilight, resuming her former position. “Is she a protege of yours?”

Twilight nodded. “She’s also the sister of my other protege,” Twilight gently nudged the two sisters forward with a wing.

Luster looked up at the woman, suddenly feeling shy herself. “Um...hi, Miss Ferlua,” she said, smiling weakly.

Ferlua stared at them for the briefest of moments, before her cold smile returned. “Hm. You two are quite promising. I can see why the Princess chose you both,” Ferlua praised.

“Oh…” Dawn gasped, her ears perking up as her eyes came back into focus before she started to look down nervously. “Um, Luster’s the really talented one,” she admitted quietly while she started to rub one leg with a hoof, “I’m just the book worm.”

Ferlua’s attention seemed to be grabbed by this. “Bookworm?” Ferlua chuckled. “Child, there is nothing wrong with taking comfort in the world of literature.” She leaned down, smiling more genuinely. “It’s no use being shy with me. I can sense your power.” She placed a hand on the mare’s shoulder. “You should be proud of it.” She removed her hand, and stood up. “Now, I imagine you all have much to tell me, yes? Please, lead the way.”

“Indeed,” Star Swirl agreed, him and the Pillars smiling at the woman. “I’m sure you’d like to know how we escaped Limbo, after all.”

“And I think we all know yer dyin’ to talk about yer own travels, eh, lass?” Rockhoof said with a shiteating grin.

Ferlua let out a short breath of laughter. “Indeed I am.”

With that, Ferlua was led away, but, Twilight stopped to turn to her proteges. “Why don’t you two wait in the gardens? There’s a lot that we need to catch Lady Ferlua up on alone, and there’s something I want to tell you two later.”

Without any other words, Twilight left the two mares behind.

Luster let out a deep breath, a hoof going to her chest. “Oh my gosh...I thought my heart was going to burst out of my chest…”

Dawn didn’t answer at first, simply staring after Ferlua. Very slowly, she reached a hoof up to the shoulder that her hero had touched. “...I’m never showering again.”

Author's Note

Well everyone, welcome to a Star Wars story I've had in the works since. Naturally, it was inspired by the rush Star Wars fans got when 'The Rise of Skywalker' came out back in December. Honestly, I used to love Star Wars as a kid, then lost interest in it...until December. When December hit, for some reason all my love for the franchise came back tenfold. And thus, this story was born.

But, I can't do this alone. My good friend and brother from another mother, Pyro Mance, is helping me write this. He made Dawn Rising, and writes her rather well.

Either way, I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter!

-Timeless Lord Slayer