"Sunny, with all due respect, did you pack ANYTHING for the trip?" Asks Arden while taking off his cloak to hand it to Izzy. It seems as though Sunny took off in the heat of the moment without proper supplies. "You were in your home. You had supplies, probably a blanket or two. How did you not pack anything but your journal?"

"I was excited to head out on an adventure. I mean, I finally met not one but two unicorns. And they came asking for help. How can I NOT be excited and forget about a few things? I've been waiting for this moment my whole life," Retorts Sunny with floppy ears as she wraps herself with Izzy's blanket.

"Listen, Sunny, your excitement is understandable. And I am grateful for you being here with us," Starts Arden as he takes his bedroll to Sunny and sets it near her. After getting it placed, Arden heads to his backpack. "However, this is a big deal. We can't afford to walk away without proper supplies. Proper rest and feeding keep our minds clear and bodies ready."

"Sorry," Apologizes Sunny before laying on the bedroll. "And thanks for the roll."

"Don't mention it. We better head out at first light. There is a lot of ground to cover here. We're counting on your notes to find the way, Sunny," Proposes Arden while staring at the sky with the blanket over his body. No one says a thing as they lay under the stars. After five minutes of silence, Arden speaks up, "Sunny, if you don't mind me asking, did you inherit that journal? It looks like it has seen its fair share of use."

"Yes. It was my father's," Replies Sunny. "I thought of following in his hoof steps."

"Is he the one that made all those star-shaped patterns?" Inquires Izzy. "They were well-made," She adds with a chuckle.

"Yeah, he did. He told me that the star was the symbol of a special unicorn from the past," Explains Sunny with a sad tone.

"It must have been quite the unicorn then," Comments Arden while tracing stars with his index finger. "Their symbol was all over the house. Why did all of them have five stars around them?"

"I wish I knew. Maybe it had something to do with the friends that helped the unicorn? Like, the smaller stars represent them?" Proposes Sunny.

"In that case, it would make sense. Especially if they were recognized as a group," Reassures Arden with a smile. "But I guess we should get some rest now. We got an early leave tomorrow. Night!"

"Night!" The two mares reply as Arden closes his eyes.

It's warm. Too warm. And, is that perfume? Concludes Arden as his internal clock causes him to slowly regain consciousness. His eyes open ever so slightly to a lilac background. A few strands of cerulean blue roll in front of it as Arden turns stiff. The feeling of being surrounded by warm and soft made him scan his surroundings with his eyes. Izzy had turned him into a body pillow during the night. Pulling him close, Arden stood perfectly still as Izzy continues to hold him like a plushie.

"Teddy," Izzy mumbles as she nuzzles Arden's mane.

Then, a counterforce pulls Arden back toward something firmer. Sunny pulls Arden closer as if spooning him. "Camping is fun," Sunny whispers as she tightens her grip around Arden's chest. "I missed you, daddy."

NOT YOUR FATHER! And I haven't acted like your father at all! Our only semblance is the coat color! I'm not your father! Too small to be him! Let me go! Grumbles Arden as he feels his head against Sunny's torso. As if on cue, Izzy comes closer and wraps her arms around Sunny, and pulls both of them closer.

Now squished in between the mares, Arden keeps his eyes closed as he lets out a resigned sigh. God damn it. I'll just let them sleep for now. I don't want to be clobbered for scaring them awake. Concludes Arden as he drifts back to sleep. Not that this is all bad.

"Wakey, wakey," Arden hears after some time.

Opening his eyes, Arden sees Izzy's eyes locked with him as she lays inches away from his face. "Good morning to you," Greets Arden with a smile as Izzy giggles.

"How did you sleep?" Izzy inquires with a grin.

"I slept well. Had a bit of a surprise waking up. But other than that, slept ok," Replies Arden as Izzy seems to deflate a little. Arden grins as he assumes to know the reason for the reaction. "You were expecting me to get flustered or freak out, right?"

"Yeah," Izzy replies with a pout.

"A few more minutes, daddy," Sunny complains as she wraps Arden in her arms and flips around, causing Arden to hit his head against the floor. Arden lets out a pained groan causing Sunny's eyes to open. As soon as she sees Arden in her arms, Sunny stands still for a second before speaking. "You're not Mr. Cuddles."

"Not your father either," Arden agrees before Sunny stiffens at the comment.

"What did you say?" Questions Sunny with her voice trembling.

"You whispered into my ear that you loved camping and that you missed me while referring to me as your father while sleeping," Explains Arden as Sunny seems to tighten the grip.

"Can you not mention this to anyone?" Requests Sunny with palpable concern.

"My lips are sealed. Just let me go, please? You're starting to hurt me a bit," Replies Arden while feigning to have a hard time catching his breath.

"Sure," Replies Sunny before quickly letting go of Arden.

After getting their rations, the tree ponies collect their gear while Arden sets up clues for Hitch to follow. Setting up a small fire with leftover sticks, Arden scatters a few pieces of trash near the campsite. As they finish the preparations to set out, Arden speaks.

"So, why did you two surround me? While I was sleeping? Did it get colder during the night?" Questions Arden while securing his backpack.

"Well, Izzy said you weren't looking too good. So, I felt bad for taking your covers and the bed. Then, she suggested that we all bundled up to keep each other warm during the night. But when I went to sleep, I had my back turned to you," Explains Izzy, while braiding her mane.

"Let me help!" Exclaims Izzy as she tidies up Sunny's mane and ties the end with a rubber band. "But while she was asleep she started cuddling you and kept mentioning her daddy. Maybe you remind her of her father?" Proposes Izzy as Sunny quickly gets up.

"Alright! Let's head out! I took a look at the map and I know the way!" Exclaims Sunny as she hastily walks away.

"I think we should keep quiet about that one, Izzy," Whispered Arden while passing by Izzy.

"Ok," Says Izzy before skipping past Arden to catch up with Izzy and glomp her. Arden smiles at the behavior.

Good. You go, Izzy. Get yourself all sorts of friends. Wishes Arden as he continues to follow them close behind.

"So, you've been trying to keep your father's ideals alive by protesting and trying to convince others with the things he left behind?" Asks Arden while boosting Sunny up a wall. Once she is top-side, both Sunny and Izzy pull him up with relative ease.

"That's the long and short of it. How can you be so light, fluffy, yet capable of lifting us?" Asks Sunny as she helps Arden up.

"Maybe if you went excavating you could have better evidence to sustain your claims? That way your arguments would have a bigger impact," Offers Arden as they continue down the road while choosing to ignore the comment on his size. A few steps after clearing the slope, Arden spots something familiar in the distance. "Um, Sunny?"

"Hm?" Retorts Sunny while confidently heading towards a large tree in the middle of flower fields. "This is the right way. Once we hit the tree, we head east to those mountains."

Dropping his shoulders, Arden lets out a sigh as he follows them. "I know it's the right way. You have more knowledge of this than us. But, we've been walking for about eight days, to reach this tree. That's three days more than the route Izzy and I took to reach your town," Adds Arden as Sunny looks back on him while deflating like a sad punctured balloon. Quickly raising his arms, Arden starts to wave them around before managing to speak. "Look, Sunny! Um, oh, ok. Your navigation was on point. We hit EVERY little landmark you mentioned. You read the stars at night to navigate without a sextant. Even the terrain issues were on point. All I'm saying is that you could have mentioned where was the first BIG marker for our trip we could have saved a bit of time. You're a great navigator, but asking for help can prevent problems later."

"Ok, I'll keep that in mind," Says Sunny with a half-smile.

"Sunny, you don't have to worry about it!" Intervenes Izzy while hopping in front of Sunny. "Arden is right! You're an awesome navigator. You just got a bit carried away! I did the same thing eight days ago. I rushed ahead and left Arden behind. And we both saw how well that plan went." She adds while speaking between her teeth.

Sunny's spirits rise as she takes the lead once more. If I remind her of her father, negative remarks might make her feel as if she is letting her father down. I better be careful with how I word things then. Concludes Arden while shaking his head.

"How come I'm the most responsible here? I'm sure she is the protagonist here. Dead parents, check. Odd one out from the entire town, check. Kind-hearted, check. Leading attitude, check. Capable, check. Overenthusiastic to the point it poses a problem, check. You got yourself a main character ready there. The same goes for Izzy. The odd one out here is me," whispered Arden to himself with a smile.

Ok. Something is up here. Concludes Arden while setting the bonfire once more. The bright and cheerful Izzy quietly sits hugging her knees in front of the circle of stones Arden had set for the bonfire. The mountain towers over them as the moon shines its light over them. After bundling the sticks, Arden prepares to clear his throat to speak. However, Sunny beats him to it.

"So, Izzy, what's up?" Asks Sunny as Arden decides to continue with the camp setting.

That's the main characters' moment for a heart-to-heart. Concludes Arden while grabbing the flint. You go, you two. Be better friends. He cheers while sparking the fire.

"It's just. I just, I'm worried. The pegasus ponies always scared me. Because of the stories of them stealing our luminescence. I know it's stupid," Starts Izzy with a sad tone. "But, I can't help but worry. They say that when you lose your luminescence, you become listless. And then everything feels boring and depressing. You just lose the will to do anything."

"Hey, don't worry. We got your back!" Reassures Sunny while pulling Izzy into a sideways hug.

"Still, that means that instead of one, we have three potential victims," Replies Izzy with a frown. She then looks at Sunny with a worried expression. "And I don't want my new friends to end up like the other unicorns in Bridlewood."

"And we won't," Replies Sunny warmly.

Silence reigns as the two mares sit side by side. Izzy puts on a smile that quickly crumbles as she looks into the flames. Sunny's confident smile disappears as she gazes at the imposing mountains before them.

I don't want to. But just this once, just once, let them in. If anyone ever deserved it, it's her. Open up, friend. Just this once, work with me. Asks Arden while picking the bedrolls.

Arden seats in front of the fire after putting the bedrolls side by side on the opposite side from where the two mares are sitting. He watches as the two mares sit next to each other. Slowly, the fire crackles fade into nothing but a nigh inaudible buzz. The light dies out as everything turns gray. Arden's heartbeat, on the other hand, becomes the only sound he can perceive as it emanates light waves. His body numbs as he sees two lights coming from the mares. His light slowly floats towards the mares. Suddenly, his light strikes the duo.

"I'm scared. I don't want to lose them."

"How do I do this, father? I've been trying my best for years. What if we don't find anything? What then, father?"

"You're both doing way more than anyone else ever asked you to," Speaks Arden while keeping his gaze locked on the lights from Izzy and Sunny. "And both of you already accomplished more than anyone ever thought possible. There is no doubt in my mind that your father is proud of you, Sunny. You stuck to your ideals. And you tried to continue his legacy. So, don't let anyone ever tell you that you never accomplished anything. Because every day that you stood up for your ideals, you won."

"I won dad. And I will keep winning."

"And Izzy, our luminescence is the light that shines when we experience excitement and joy," Arden continues with an honest smile. Letting out a tired sigh, Arden musters the strength to keep speaking. "You taught me that. And you showed me how to share it. Had it not been for you, I would probably be very different from who I am today. Because you shared your light with me. So, even if it is true that pegasus ponies can steal that brilliant radiance of yours. They won't be able to take away something that's willingly shared. Because the joy we have can only grow when we pass it on to others, it can't disappear. So, don't worry. For every heart, your light reaches, remains connected to yours, no matter what happens."

Each sentence feels like a struggle. The words hurt his throat as they leave his windpipe. As he finishes the words, the world's colors return and Arden's senses assault his mind. Grabbing his head, Arden grunts in pain as his throat hurts as if he had swallowed boiling water. It doesn't take long for Arden to collapse before the image of Sunny and Izzy looking at him awestruck.

Sharp pain courses through Arden's skull causing him to grunt in response. Opening his eyes, Arden feels his body weigh him down. His limbs feel as if they are made of lead. Every joint in his body feels as if they are covered in rust. Arden takes notice that he rests over the bedrolls.

They moved me. At least they aren't that angry about the talk. It's not the worst-case scenario. Concludes Arden as he spots Izzy braiding Sunny's mane. Both of them look in higher spirits than last night, good. I didn't screw it up.

Trying his best to pile himself up, Arden stands up with a lot of effort. His grunting and panting cause the two to look over for a second before averting their gaze swiftly. Arden notices it and lets out a defeated sigh as he drops his shoulders. Kicking dirt into the bonfire, Arden begins to gather their items. By the time Arden is done, Izzy and Sunny finish the care with their manes.

They look to have taken special care of their manes today. Notes Arden as he shoves his rations into his mouth.

"You're ok?" Asks Sunny while reading her journal.

"Yeah. Sorry about that, Sunny," Replies Arden with a faint feeling of relief washing over him.

"Warn us next time you're not feeling well," Demands Izzy while putting her backpack on.

"Will do. I'm sorry, Izzy," States Arden as he deflates at the absent smile on Izzy's face.

Wow. I messed up badly. The good news is that those two are probably closer now. I may have screwed things over for me. But I won't let those two lose their hopes. Concludes Arden as he prepares to set up a trail for Hitch. Only for him to notice, that there are items already scattered and a small smoke column rising from a small fire.

"Come on! We got a lot of ground to cover," Says Sunny as she closes her book and starts leading up the mountain.

Izzy doesn't comment before rushing happily to Sunny. This is when I start to fade in the background. Well, I asked for this when I used it. I just wish it hurt less. Grumbles Arden while trying to pick up the pace to keep up with the dynamic duo.

The terrain reveals to be their worst enemy. Slopes, cliffs, steep hills, and poor roads are among the usual obstacles. More than once Arden is forced to rely on Sunny and Izzy as his body fails him. Weakened limbs and struggling lungs make Arden fight the strain being applied by the path.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Asks Sunny as Arden rests on a rock. Sweat rolls down his face as he gasps for air and breathes through his shoulder.

"I think I'm having a hard time adapting to the altitude," Replies Arden in between breaths.

"The air is getting thinner," Comments Izzy while looking back at the edge. Letting out a sigh, Izzy walks back before giving Arden a tap on the back. "Come on. You can do better."

Arden smiles before getting up. "You two keep going on. I'll try to catch up. The path looks easier here," He points out while gesturing to the straight road before them. Stretching for a moment, Arden watches as the duo gains some ground as the clouds slowly seem to climb down the mountain walls. "I asked for this," He mumbles before getting up and following the road before him.

The road turns into a claustrophobic's nightmare as the wide path steadily narrows down with every step forward. Arden can hear the two ponies trotting up the path. Their giggles and chuckles make him smile as he does his best to catch up. His body weights him down the more he strains it. However, Arden continues to press on. That is until a different sound comes from the forward-most group.

"RUN!" Sunny's voice echoes from further down the path.

MOVE IT! Commands Arden as he breaks into a full sprint. All of his muscles scream at the strain applied by the effort. His tendons and bones send Arden warnings to stop the exertion. However, Arden pushes through as he continues to chase the trotting sounds and the sound of something hitting the walls above him as if it was hopping around.

"ARDEN!" Screams Izzy up a slope as Arden nearly tumbles due to his legs trying to give out.

"IZZY! SUNNY!" Arden shouts back right before a series of grunts occur. Arden forces himself up until he manages to clear the slope. As he gains the higher ground, he is met with a peculiar sight while breathing through his shoulders.

Izzy and Sunny are wrapped up in a tangled mess due to Izzy's backpack and Sunny's shoulder bag. That in itself would be comical, however, there is a third party involved with the precarious situation. A white pony with a mane that has the color of a smoothie flavor and the shape of an ice cream cone. This pony has wings with feathers that share the same color as the mane. Wearing more sports-type clothes, she grunts in confusion while holding her head.

"Ok. We ran into the pegasus. That's a plus," Starts Arden in between breaths as he approaches the disgruntled group. Freeing Izzy first and Sunny second, Arden extends his hand to the pegasus pony. "It is a pleasure to meet you. I'm Arden Sila, this is Sunny Starscout, and this is Izzy Moonbow. Sorry for the sudden visit, Ms.?"

The pegasus lady remains on the ground with an awestruck expression while staring at the group. Shaking her head sideways, she takes in some air before speaking. "Wow! A unicorn, and an earth pony? Together? This day just got a whole lot more interesting."

"I'm glad our colorful group amused you, Ms.?" Pushes Arden while offering his hand once more.

"Oh, right!" Starts the pegasus while taking Arden's hand. "I'm Zipp Storm. Nice to meet you three," She greets while shaking Arden's hand firmly.

"I hope you don't mind us asking," Intervenes Sunny while slightly pushing Arden to the side. "But, why were you chasing us?"

"Oh, I was just running down the?!" Zipp's speech is halted by a loud gasp.

The gasp came from a pair of guards that had just turned a corner near a rock. They seemed to be walking, and their wings were neatly tucked behind their backs. One of them quickly drew their sword while the other clumsily dropped theirs on the ground before snatching it and holding it as if they never had done it before.

Guards searching the immediate area, check. Runaway mare with attitude and likely not keen to walls, check. Fancy clothes, check. This is probably someone important. And given the theme of those guards' armor, I would say we are dealing with a princess. Concluded Arden as he drew his sword and with some effort stood in front of the group.

"Release the princess, Now!" Ordered one of the guards as the other continued to shake and seemed to be trying to speak up as well.

"Princess?" Said Arden as he feigned ignorance and turned to face the pegasus. A memory of Izzy's drawing flashed through Arden's mind as he concocted a plan to escape the predicament. "Oh! My apologies, Your Highness. I didn't expect for royalty themselves to come to meet us," Said Arden as he winked at Zipp and lowered his guard.

"What do you mean?" Asked the competent guard as they dropped their guard in confusion.

"We sent a little balloon with a message notifying the pegasus of our visit. I'm an escort for all ambassadors of the pony kind. I also stand as a negotiator for the peace talks between the three races. My name is Arden Sila," Said Arden while making a reverence to Zipp before making another to the guards. After the quick greeting Arden gestured to his companions. "I bring with me the ambassador for the Earth ponies, Sunny Starscout. And the ambassador for the unicorns, Izzy Moonbow," Finished Arden as the two mares also made a bow for the princess and her guards.

"How can we trust you? There was no word from the Queen or the princesses about this," Said the guard as they raised their sword once more.

"Wait!"Exclaimed Zipp as she jumped in between the groups. "This was supposed to be a secret mission. The queen asked me to meet with them and guide the ambassadors back. But since you two are here, you could aid us by making this peace meeting remain a secret?" This seemed to disarm the competent guard.

Quick on the uptake. Nicely done, Princess. Mused Arden as he sheathed the blade.

"Pardon the rudeness, Your Highness. But wouldn't it be better to make the event public? As to help the populace know the three races are moving towards peace?" Arden opposed with a smile.

Zipp smiled back while placing her hands on her hip. "I came here as a sign of good faith. So, please entrust me with this. Talking to the Queen and ensuring a better dialogue will be much smoother if the pressure from our subjects doesn't weigh on her mind."

Crossing his arms, Arden began tapping his chin with his finger. A moment of hesitation later, Arden responded. "I will trust you. But, am I safe to assume that prejudice against other races is also a barrier with your subjects?" Inquired Arden before Zipp nodded. "Very well, I shall trust you. I hope you can bring the note to our meeting with the Queen. Just so we can also show the subjects that we are on an official meeting in case things go as smoothly as you say, Your Highness," Finished Arden as Zipp winked back.

"Sure. I'll bring the note to the throne room," Said Zipp as she turned to the guards. "Now, escort them to the palace through the secret paths. Do not let them be seen by the rest of the city."

The trembling guard saluted and nodded to the order. But the competent guard stepped forward. "I'm sorry, Your Highness. But I cannot allow them to enter the city without some sort of precaution," Said the mare while pointing at Arden and Izzy. "I'll confiscate the sword and we need to deploy the shields."

Stepping forth and removing the sword from his hip, Arden offered it to the guard. "If it makes you feel safe. Go on ahead. However, I must ask that you return this to me after everything is over. This is a symbol of my status as escort and negotiator. And due to its importance, I must request that you bring it with us to the throne room. As for the shield, what is it?" Asked Arden before the mare took the sword and shoved a tennis ball on his horn.

That's creative. Mused Arden as he went crossed-eyed to look at the ball.

"That's creative," Said Izzy from the back as the mare placed another ball on Arden's hand.

"Put it on her. Then, and only then, we shall escort you to the throne room," Said the guard as Arden faked worry and went over to Izzy.

"Sorry," Said Arden with a sad tone as he placed the ball on Izzy's horn. "Now, are we ready to move on?"

The guard nodded before they all began climbing up the mountain trail.

We are doing great so far. Concluded Arden with a smile as they followed the guards.

"Why are you sweet-talking everybody we meet?" Whispered-Asked Izzy as they began to see some semblance of buildings in the distance. Arden tilted his head at her inquiry. "You sweet-talked the sheriff, and now the princess and her guards! How come you sweet-talked everyone we met?" She added with a pouty face.

"I'm just trying to solve things without more fighting and misunderstandings. I don't get why you're so angry about it," Arden replied in a whisper while feeling his legs start to grow heavy.

"Why haven't you done it to me? Why haven't you sweet-talked me?" Murmured-Asked Izzy as she crossed her arms and continued on the trail.

"Because you're the only one that was willing to help me from the start! Something extremely important mind you! You've been supporting me since I got here! Therefore, there hasn't been a need to convince you to do anything," Muttered-Argued Arden while they continued their climb. "Also, thank you!" He added angrily.

"You're welcome!" Grumbled back Izzy as they climbed over a hill to meet with actual steps of a stairway.

"Ok," Started Arden as he leaned closer to Sunny. "Sunny, try to keep your questions on hold when we are before the Queen. I don't think that interrogating them will help us here. First, we have to convince them to believe us. So, I think our best approach would be to point out the pony unity thing your father researched. After we appeal to them and get their support, we must probe what sort of question we can make without getting their feathers ruffled," Arden explained in a whisper as they followed the guards up the stairs.

"Why? We came all this way to ask about their magic, if we dilly-dally, we won't get anywhere," Countered Sunny.

"Sunny, the unicorns' only defense was their magic horns. I doubt they would let out to strangers their only defense is lost to the wind. If the pegasus were affected by the loss of magic, they would be VERY protective of it. If we just bring it up, they will probably brand us as spies or something of the sort," Retorted Arden with a frown. "Trust me on this one!"

"Fine! I'll keep quiet," Replied Sunny with a pout. "You owe me for this one."

"Thank you," Said Arden as Zipp slid back and startled him.

"Pretty slick to come up with that excuse," Whispered Zipp as she leaned closer. "How did you know I was a princess?"

"You followed the stereotypical free-spirited princess trope down to a T. It was like stumbling into a Children's Tale scene," Retorted Arden with a smirk.

"Really?" Zipp asked while looking at herself. "How so?"

"Looks, clothes, running around, unruly nature, and a set of guards looking for you. You fit the bill perfectly," Replied Arden as he felt his legs starting to drag on.

Zipp nearly tripped before Arden grabbed her and felt his arm scream at the strain applied to it to prevent her from falling. "Looks? Seriously? I think those went to my sister, not me. Are you ok there?" Zipp asked after quickly recomposing herself.

"Not having a good day on the health department," Retorted Arden while rubbing his arm. Izzy and Sunny quickly rushed to help Arden.

"Are you sure you're good enough to be meeting my mother?" Asked Zipp as Arden gestured to be ok.

"So long as we get to rest for a bit, I should be ok," Replied Arden to appease the two mares.

"If you say so. As soon as we get to the elevator, I'll take another route to make an official note and bring it to the throne room. So, if you drag yourselves a bit at the top floor, you'll help me out a lot," Explained Zipp as they continued to walk the steps.

"Good that everyone here is getting along with the plan," Said Izzy as she clapped her hands together. "But if you'll excuse us, I need to tend to MY friend here," Added Izzy as she lifted Arden off the ground and began carrying him up the steps.

I am concerned. You were very cold this morning. Now you're carrying me? What the hell Izzy? Pondered Arden as he allowed himself to enjoy the ride.

It didn't take long for them to reach the elevator with golden doors. Zipp took the lead before the guards could call the elevator.

"Listen, keep a low profile and escort them to the throne room. One of them seems to be having some issues," Said Zipp as she pointed to Arden being carried by Izzy like a bride. "So, take it slow. Meanwhile, I'll retrieve the note. So, I'll use my special path. Keep up the good work."

The guards saluted before Zipp hopped off the edge and disappeared under a carpet of clouds. Something's is off here. I don't think the pegasus can fly. Either that or only a few can do so. Mused Arden as the elevator doors opened.

The group entered the device before Izzy placed Arden on the floor. A couple of button presses, and the elevator began doing its job. The second carpet of clouds later, and Arden laid eyes on the pegasus city of Zephyr Heights. The entire town was built on the side of the mountains. Golden decorations and alabaster buildings spread across the mountainside as far as the eye could see. The plates sustaining the buildings were connected by sky bridges, cable cars, and a few blimps. The entire place felt like a fancy neighborhood like Beverly Hills or the fancy part of Hollywood.

But no pegasus flying. All of them are walking around. And they have cellphones? That's a HUGE disparity in technology. But their military seems to be from the middle ages. Maybe, did the peace caused by the divide make them lay back on their defenses? So, we have paranoid superstitious unicorns. War-ready panicking Earth ponies. And oblivious and vain pegasus. This is getting better and better. Mused Arden as they continued their ascend.

On one of the screens, a title call from a TV news show appeared before a stallion and a mare appeared. The stallion was named Skye Silver. And the Mare was called Dazzle Feather.

"Good morning, Zephyr Heights! It's another beautiful day in the big city. Looks like warm breezes and clear skies for tonight's royal celebration!" Said Skye with the most cliched anchor voice possible.

A celebration? That could somewhat work for us. Concluded Arden as Izzy and Sunny seemed to be squealing at the sight of the city. Arden couldn't help but chuckle at their reaction.

"Tonight's royal bash for Queen Haven will be stunning, but the real jewel in the crown will be Princess Pipp's performance. Isn't that right, Skye?" Continued Dazzle as she looked at her co-worker with a rehearsed smile.

A party with a performance. Now that would be a stage to put out the pony unity idea. Schemed Arden with a smirk.

Chuckling at the smile, Skye took a breath before coming up with his follow-up. "Oh, my, yes, Dazzle. And this just in – an exclusive vid from Pipp for all you loyal fans out there in Z.H."

Suddenly, the image switched to something that seemed somewhat familiar. It looked like a video from social media with emojis popping from the bottom of the video. The streamer was a mare pegasus with a pink coat and a purple mane. She had a golden crown with a few golden flowers near her ears.

"What is up, everyone? Big shout out to all my fans, the Pippsqueaks!" Said Pipp with an over-excited voice. "So, tonight's the night. I can't wait to debut my new song later. It has a very special place in my heart, but not as much as you guys!"

Good lord! Could you sound more fake? Frowned Arden as he continued to stare at the screen.

"Okay, guys, I love you lots. Gotta go. Pipp-Pipp-hooray!" Said Pipp before rushing to turn off the camera. But not before nearly exposing her chest due to her wardrobe choice.

OKay. So, we have an unruly princess and A pampered princess. The only variable left is the Queen. But if she is like the rest, she'll be very vain. Concluded Arden as the news restarted with the news anchors saying Pipp-Pipp-hooray.

The elevator came to a stop right before a ding occurred. The doors opened to a long path leading to a marvelous castle. The building felt as imposing as the guards standing at attention along the way.

"Time to deal with the regalia of these feathered ponies," Mumbled Arden under his breath as they stepped out of the elevator.

Author's Note

ALright!

Sorry for the delay. Had to finish my course so I could focus on this. I couldn't afford to trip at the finish line.

So, thanks for reading! Please let me know what you thought about it!

Thank you for your time!