Twilight enthusiastically led the way where she had found the Admirabilis again.

"They seemed able to speak our language, too! I have so many questions about them but I want you two to be the witness of this discovery!" She said, visibly excited by the events.

Phos walked behind his joyful companion along with Pearl. If what they’d seen just before wasn't an Admirabilis, then what was it? Why did it behave like it did? Why had Pearl obtained his cutie mark before him? He quickly chased the thought away and focused on where the Princess was taking them.

The Admirabilis lived in a sort of village. From the outside, it could be mistaken for a normal rocky submarine terrain but once they came closer, it was clear there were openings in the ground all around. The locals apparently lived in houses built in the rock-hard ground.

As they approached, they sensed eyes watching them from the holes in the ground, as if scared by them. Finally, an Admirabilis came up to them, it looked like Twilight but more… fleshy. Their skin seemed smooth and had a faded blue colors and, unlike Twilight, they didn’t seem to have a cutie mark. The last part made Phos smile somewhat.

The creature bowed before Twilight and said: “Oh Great Goddess, thank you for gracing us with your presence. My name is Convallarius, I am the leader of our people, how can we help you, O Guardian of the Stars?” He looked the same as the rest, but a little bit taller and with a darker shade of blue as his skin. His mane was like a chunk of flesh full of holes, as if something had been eating it.

Twilight’s cheek burned red. “Oh please! No need for so much formality, I have been looking forward to this moment for eons!” She said with a gentle smile.

“Please, it is our honor to welcome you to our home. Your arrival was prophesied for a long time in the story of our people.” The Admirabilis explained. “We shall prepare a grand feast for you, though I see that you’ve brought food yourself.” He said pointing to Phos and Pearl.

The two gems glanced at Twilight with a worried look. Phos almost reaching to his sword with his magic. Twilight quickly spoke again: “Well, Phos and Pearl aren’t food, what made you think that anyway? They’re my friends, and they’re the representatives of the other life form of this planet beside you.”

The Admirabilis looked confused for a moment but then nodded to Twilight. “I see. I am sorry then to have assumed this. I thought you knew that our people eat gemstones to survive, your friends would have fed the entire village for years. We are still thankful for your presence and will throw a party for you, as well as your friends.”

Phos relaxed as Twilight smiled at him, before turning her head back to the Admirabilis. “Yes, I’m sure a party will be perfect. I was also hoping to speak to you about yourself and your people. Phosphophyllite here is kind of a scholar and, if possible, I’d like him to meet some of your citizens.” Phos didn’t like the idea of being alone with anyone from a species that would like to eat him, but if the princess asked him then he would oblige.

The evening passed without any trouble. The Admirabilis, once they came out of their underground homes, seemed to welcome the arrival of Twilight and the gems. A party was organised before Twilight raised the Moons. Convallarius himself prepared decorations with the help of Pearl who quickly grew attached to the mysterious creatures. They played music with the help of shells; a tribal rhythm of percussion animated the evening as Twilight talked intensively with the leader of the Admirabilis while Pearl laughed and partied with the rest of them. Phos kept to himself all evening, mostly staying by the Princess.

The sunlight woke Phos up the morning of the next day. He and Pearl had slept on the ground outside the village, protected by Twilight’s magic, like every other night in the sea. As he woke up, he noticed Twilight’s sparkling horn as she lowered the moons. A serious expression on her face and with her brow furrowed.

“How come that, even though you control the moons, the lunarians still come and attack us?” Confronted Phos to Twilight, who was also surprised by the statement.

“I do not know why, Phosphophyllite, but no matter where I place the moons, they still come during the day,” said Twilight with a sigh, as her horn’s glow faded. Her face relaxed as she continued: “It used to be much simpler. It feels as if something is trying to prevent me from moving the Moons, and I do not know who, how or why. Maybe it’s the lunarians or maybe it’s me.”

Twilight moved closer to the cyan unicorn. Sitting in front of him, she put a hoof on his shoulder. “I have a job for you Phosphophyllite, I need you to find out why the Admirabilis were hiding from us and also why they reappeared now of all times.”

Phos broke his silence to complain: “But why me? Why do you give me all these responsibilities? Why can’t I just live peacefully and do a normal job like everygem else? Why do you want me to do all of this?”

“Because I believe in you. I believe that you are more than you think you are and maybe you’re why the moons are becoming harder to move,” the Princess bit her lips before continuing: “When I told you before that you need to become stronger, I meant it. Doing things on your own will help you grow stronger. Just think of it as a report. Pearl and I will talk to Convallarius today, I am counting on you to talk to the rest of the town and find out what’s wrong with this place.”

“O-okay.” meekly replied Phos, unsure of what to say beyond that. It was the first time the Princess seemed so vulnerable, or even vulnerable at all. Like she talked to a friend and not to a student or a useless gem who did nothing all day.

Twilight smiled at Phos for some time, before Pearl finally woke up. The three went back to the Admirabilis village, where Phos separated from the other two in order to work on his quest for the Princess. He had been entrusted with something very important. Important enough for Twilight to show her weak side to him. He was going to find out what was going on. For the Princess.

Name: Convallarius

Mane color: Black but full of holes, as if eaten from the inside.

Age: Unknown

Hardness: Unknown

Cutie mark: I don’t think they have one

Personality: He’s the leader of the Admirabilis, he doesn’t seem that of a good guy, he tried to eat me and Pearl when we met at first but thankfully the Princess saved us. As Twilight said, the Admirabilis seem to be hiding something and since he’s their leader, he must be the one to hide the most things from us. But I’ll figure it out. Twilight asked me personally after all.

Author's Note

Things are happening. I hope the wait didn't bothered you all too much.

Next chapter will be out saturday 14.03.2020 and I'll keep the pace at one chapter a week from now on.