Canterlot Academy Trials

Back in Equestria…about one day later…

It didn’t take long for Spearklip’s letter to arrive. Marked with the urgent color of red, the royal mailpony would know it was urgent as she sped over to levitate it to the Princess who was currently at a desk sifting through paperwork as Flash Sentry stood guard nearby, stoic as always.

“Princess Twilight!” the cyan unicorn mailpony mare squealed upon pushing the door open to Twilight’s study. “We have an emergency in the Abyssinian Region!”

“...the mercenaries we assigned?” Twilight spoke up, remembering the students from Dorm Block Sigma that were sent there. “What’s going on? Do they need support?”

“P-pretty much,” the mailpony yelped as she levitated the letter to the alicorn who promptly started to open and read it as the carrier continued, “...it seems as if the Abyssinian gangster they’re trying to take down has managed to escape and even killed one of the goblins that sent the report to us in the first place.”

Once Twilight had finished reading the letter, she sat back in her chair and put her hooves together in front of her face with a defeated sigh. “...damn it all. I didn’t think things would get this bad. Looks like friendship really is off the table here.”

“P-permit me to speak, but…” the unicorn mare mumbled while tapping her hoof nervously upon the velvet carpet. “What are we going to do?”

Twilight simply sighed as she recollected some wise words from her mother. “...’Don’t point your horn at someone unless you’re prepared to go in for the kill.’”

“...Um…?”

“Oh, sorry,” the princess shook her head, “Something my mom used to tell me fairly often. She used to run her own little gang geared towards helping people who couldn’t help themselves when she was younger.” With a sigh, she rested her hoof against the side of her face, “...it’s how she met my dad too…”

“Oh…I see…” the mailpony mare mumbled, not sure what to say next, so she shot a pleading gaze towards Flash Sentry’s direction.

The orange pegasus conceded, and broke his silence.

“Princess, if I may speak freely,” he spoke up, “If cordial public relations are officially off the table, then I suggest we strike the proverbial hydra at its heart. No use trying to take down the heads when we have a chance to kill the source of the problem.”

“I’m listening, Sentry,” Twilight replied, allowing her guard the floor.

“Send…you-know-who,” he added with a smirk, “Your favorite little pupil that doesn’t have the capacity for friendship anyways.”

“...I’m not sending Luster Dawn alone, you know that, right?”

“It’ll be a chance for her to work with others,” Sentry continued, “Hoof-pick her a team that’ll go out there.”

While his idea was sound, there was simply one problem with it. One that Twilight immediately resolved. “You do it, Sentry,” she granted him permission to select the formation, “This needs to be dealt with as discreetly as possible.”

She got up from her desk, and the mailpony backed out of the way so she could exist.

“Excuse me,” Twilight said to the carrier as while passing her by; the princess had a devious grin on her face that she always got when she got into her mental state of planning something, “But I have to inform some of my esteemed soldiers that they have a new mission.”

“...soldiers?” the mailpony muttered curiously.

“Trust me,” Sentry added as he followed the princess, “This is about to get much more deadly than you’re prepared for. I’d recommend letting us handle it.” The guard captain then looked up at Twilight and asked, “Shall I inform Smolder, Ember, and the rest of the dragons? They’re near Abyssinia.”

“Quick on the uptake, huh, Sentry? We need to inform the Abyssinian King and Queen as well. I need ears and tails on the ground as the situation develops, understand?”

The stallion saluted with one of his wings. “Of course, Princess. Now who are we sending down there alongside Luster Dawn?”

Meanwhile, with the students of Dorm Block Sigma…

Fang and the rest of his team had agreed to leave the goblins for the time being in order to give them time to grieve over the death of Uziel. As a result, they took shelter at one of the nearby inns near the middle of Abyssinia itself. For the moment, all they could do was wait for support from their home base in Equestria as they got cleaned and settled into beds there. It was an awkward time for the four of them, as they remained silent between each other for the most part, avoiding speaking to each other due to the hefty amount of emotions they had to process.

However, it wouldn’t be long before things slowly had to pick up yet again.

Soon enough, a yellow Abyssinian arrived at the inn looking for them. She spotted Fang traveling back to his room and called out.

“...are you with the group who’s dealing with the Tiger Mob, sir?”

“I am,” Fang confirmed, “What is the matter?”

“Whenever you’re ready, I would like you and your team to come with me to the parliament building. The Royal Family wishes to speak with anyone that can help.”