A Series of Continuous Events

With a deafening impact, and a sickening crack, the all too familiar Green Unicorn fell onto Celestia, who never realised the peril she had been in.

The wooden floorboards of the stage creaked and cracked under the force of Boom’s impact, and the tall, slender Princess was knocked unconscious as he landed on top of her, as he looked around with a stunned look on his face, evidently not realising the results of his actions.

Every present creature in the halls was stunned and shocked into silence. The busy Halls were devoid of sound, one could hear the drop of a pin onto a pillow of satin. No-zone knew what had just occurred nor what to do as everyone looked around, expecting someone else to step up to action.

After an eternity of stillness, Luna, who had called upon the guard to secure the Halls moments before, stepped forward and, using her Royal Canterlot Voice, which shook the entirety of the Halls, commanded the Captain to arrest the intruder, and to move Celestia to safety, immediately.

Boom, realising his actions, laughed somewhat nervously to himself, as he jumped off of Celestia’s back, still wearing his magic-resistant vest, and ran off the stage towards the Gardens to the back of the Palace, with Luna and a legion of guards chasing after him.

Fearing the worst, and not wishing to idly stand by, Light jumped to the stage to aid the Princess, as they called out to Harvest: “We’ve got to get her to the Medical Centre, now! Harvest, I need you to chase after him before he can cause more trouble!” Harvest quickly replied “On it!” as he lit up in flames, leapt through the crowd, onto the stage, and rapidly gave chase to Boom and the guards.

Taking charge of the situation, Light called upon another cohort of guards, asking them to secure the Halls and the guests inside, as well as clear a path towards the Medical Centre, and alert any available Doctors that help was gravely needed right away.

Checking Celestia’s body for any harm, Light found that one of her legs was broken, her spine bruised and that she had a concussion, courtesy of the impact, but she was not in any life-threatening danger. After a number of Medical Pegasi flew into the Halls, startling the guests inside, they gently placed the Princess on a brancard and headed towards the Medical Centre, followed closely by Light and a number of guards.

As Light, the Pegasi and the Princess, and the guards were headed through the quiet streets towards the Centre, Light could hear many explosions coming from the back of the Palace, worrying them for the safety of others. They headed back towards the Gardens, followed by a number of guards, as the rest of the cohort followed the Princess.

Arriving at the Gardens, Light found them consumed by smoke, with barely anything to see, save for a hoof in front of their face. After lighting a torch with their magic, and calling out to Princess Luna and Harvest, they heard voices coming from the far side, where they found both of them confused and coughing from the smoke, but unharmed otherwise.

Evidently, Boom managed to escape, with the use of many smoke bombs he threw behind him during his flight. Fortunately, nobody else was hurt, but Boom was definitely even less welcome in the City after tonight. Clearing the smoke with the help of Luna and Harvest, Light found a note, addressed to them, from Boom, which read: “I got your gift, I’ll let you know where to meet me.”

Looking at the trouble Boom caused, Light put their hoof to their face and said:

“What have I got myself into...”

Light and Luna shared a knowing look, remembering Light's visions of the Green Unicorn causing trouble. If this vision came to pass, what about the others? The young Royals and Light burning a city...? They put these thoughts aside and took a moment to catch their breath. Luna and Harvest asked Light what this note meant, to which Light had no complete answer.

They explained they met Boom only recently, moments after the blast at Ponyville Castle, and that he joined them in travelling to Canterlot to research a number of strange findings that Light had discovered. On the way here, he said he would bring a gift, as he had given gifts to many others, but left the day before to get it, returning by falling on Celestia.

The Gala ended abruptly because of Boom's actions, and his current whereabouts were unknown. His use of smoke bombs covered his escape, but fortunately prevented any further injury. Luna, Harvest and the guards chasing Boom were stunned, but unharmed otherwise. Noticing Luna was worried about her sister, Light told her that Celestia had been brought to the Medical Centre, and that Light split off from the group headed there to assist in the Gardens.

Heading back inside the Halls, the trio found fewer guests as many had left after the incident. Looking for their friends, Light found Banana, Violin and Caff sitting silently to the side of the Halls, drinking a hot beverage to calm themselves as they headed over to them to check if they were alright. Though they were shocked and worried for Celestia, they were alright.

Looking back at Luna, Light asked her if they could find a quiet place to gather their thoughts and to plan their next moves, to which she replied that she would lead them and their friends to the throne room, where a great number of Elite Praetorian Guards were stationed at all times. Added to this, a protective magical ward around the building prevented any intruders planning to enter with the use of magic.

In the throne room, Luna dropped her façade and tears poured down her face, the chaos of the evening being too much for her. Fearing for her sister's well-being as well as the concern that Boom could return and cause more chaos, Luna quietly took a seat as the group tried to think of the next step.

Wanting to reassure Luna, Light offered to take her to the Medical Centre, promising that the cohort of guards that accompanied Celestia ensured that she arrived safely and would receive the best care. As the group prepared to head out, a small green scale flew through the window at high speed, stopping just in front of Light who recognised it for what it was.

Light remembered that Celestia mentioned Eclipse and a group of their friends would also be coming to the Gala, yet Light had not seen them all day. They had given this imbued scale to Decaf, which she could use in case of emergencies, to send a message to Light. Worried that she or any of the group might be in trouble, Light cast a spell on the scale, which unveiled a short message, from Eclipse, to the Kirin.

Evidently, the group had arrived in Canterlot shortly before sundown, and as they neared the Palace, they heard a number of explosions and saw a group of Pegasi and Guards leaving the Palace, bearing an unconscious Celestia towards the Medical Centre. They decided to follow them, arriving at the Centre a short while after the Princess herself did. When they arrived, Eclipse bound a message to Decaf's scale Light had given her, which shot off towards the Palace.

Relieved knowing the group was alright and that they confirmed Celestia had arrived at the Medical Centre safely, Light took the scale and siphoned its magic, placing the scale on their back again. Light looked at Luna, who wiped away her tears and smiled weakly after hearing the news, and gently moved towards her to say:

"I will make this right. Celestia is safe and she will be okay, and so will you, as well as everyone else here. I promise."

Looking around during these last words, Light smiled to their friends, who smiled back at them, and prepared to head out to visit Celestia.

'Green just sat on the table in the cafe'

The group from Ponyville, consisting of Twilight and Solar, Decaf, Rain, Cherry and Green, were sitting in the Centre's cafe, drinking some hot beverages, both to calm their nerves after the apparent incidents of the night, and to more easily pass the time at the Centre until the others arrived, after which they could wait to visit Celestia together.

After arriving at the Medical Centre, having followed Celestia and her entourage of guards, Eclipse and their group were told they would not be allowed to visit the Princess. The Doctor told them that, for one, Celestia needed her rest, and for two, that it was not yet a visiting hour at the Centre.

Moments after arriving at the Medical Centre, Decaf and Eclipse had sent off the scale Light had given her, imbued with a message, and they were currently waiting on the other group to arrive. It had been a while since they had last seen each other in person, though Eclipse and Light had had contact via written messages.

A little while later, Light and their group, consisting of Harvest, Caff, Banana, Violin and Princess Luna, arrived at the Medical Centre and asked to see Celestia, to which they received the same answer as Eclipse's group. The receptionist did point them towards the café, saying that another group asked to see the Solar Princess, and who were now having a drink, waiting until they can visit.

Moving towards the café, making sure they were not too loud as to not disturb others in the Centre, the groups met and exchanged greetings, as well as introductions; as Caff and Decaf embraced each other, not having seen their sister in a few days, Luna, Violin and Harvest met the Ponyville group as Green Apple was introduced to Light and their group. After ordering some drinks and small confections, everyone took a seat again and spent time talking amongst each other, waiting for time to pass.

Eclipse noticed Boom was not with Light and their group, and asked where he was and how he was doing. After looking at Luna, who gazed downwards with a disheartened and slightly aggravated look, Light explained that Boom was not around as he was the reason Celestia is in the Medical Centre recovering from her injuries. He had left a few days ago to get a gift for Light, and returned by falling on Celestia at the end of the Gala.

Shocked at this news, they asked Light what they were planning to do next, to which Light again had no answer. The only hint they had was the note Boom had left them in the Gardens after the fiasco at the Gala, which Light took to mean that they would have to wait for a message from him, both to receive the gift he had been speaking of for a long time, as well as find out where he went off to, or where he was now.

Putting aside Boom's business, time flew by for the group, the evening turning to night and heading to morning, as they barely noticed time tick by while they were enjoying time with their friends. As the morning was approaching, and Celestia was unable to raise the sun, Luna headed outside to attempt to raise the sun herself, something she had not often done before. Fortunately, the sun rose without many issues, though Luna was more exhausted than usual because of it.

After Luna came back inside and had time to drink some water and rest a bit, a Doctor came to the café, telling the group that Celestia was awake and that they could visit her, but only with a few folks at a time. Luna stepped forward and asked Eclipse and Light to accompany her, while the rest of the group stayed in the cafe.

After telling the group they wouldn't be long, Luna, Eclipse and Light followed the Doctor to Celestia's room. Before entering, Before entering, Luna stopped before the door and said:

'When I find the one that did this, he will rue the day he ever met me and dared to hurt my sister.'

Light gently took Luna's hoof and promised her they never wanted this to happen, and they would make sure that Boom would be held accountable for his actions.

The Alicorn happily greeted Celestia as they entered, who smiled and said good morning to her faithful students as they did so. Following closely behind Eclipse were Luna and Light, relieved that Celestia was awake, for they had been very worried after sending her to the Medical Centre the previous night.

The Solar Princess was in bed, resting and recovering, but doing well otherwise, though due to the extent of her injuries, it may take some time for her to fully recover, or, at the very least, to recover enough to be sent home to continue her recovery there. For now, the best thing for her to do was to refrain from intense and tiring activities, like casting powerful spells, which would include raising and lowering the sun.

Fortunately, Luna managed to lower the moon and raise the sun that morning, though it wore her out more than usual, and Light and Luna were both uncertain she could manage doing so daily for an unknown length of time. For now, they put aside that business and turned their focus to Celestia, who was still happily chatting with her students.

Seeing Celestia smile, even in what must be a painful situation for her, warmed Luna and Light's hearts, and gave them hope that she would be alright soon, even though, in the back of their minds, they realised this must be incredibly difficult for her to deal with, especially after the celebrations of the night before, and the unfortunate conclusion to the festivities.

Celestia turned to Luna and Light and asked in a cheerful tone about the events of the night before, and what happened after she fell unconscious. Luna told Celestia about the moments immediately after her injury, where Luna, along with another Kirin and a group of guards, chased after the perpetrator who ran into the Gardens, while Light calmed the crowd in the Halls and called for medical help to take Celestia here.

Light added to this, saying that they asked another group of guards to accompany them following the Pegasi medics, until they heard explosions coming from the Gardens, and after a quick glance, peered off with a part of the group to head back towards the castle as the rest accompanied Celestia here. Nobody else was hurt, for the blasts were made to cover the green Unicorn's escape.

The Solar Princess was relieved that nobody else was hurt and expressed her gratitude over taking care of so many creatures as she was being guided to the Centre. Turning back to Eclipse, Celestia asked them about the group of friends, who they mentioned would accompany them to the Gala, to meet the Princess, to which Eclipse replied that they were waiting downstairs in the café, not wanting to overwhelm the Princess with too many visits at once.

Celestia endearingly chuckled after hearing this, and said that she has had many more visits at the same time before, so a small group of friends would be very easy to deal with. Eclipse smiled and headed out of the room to the group downstairs, as Luna and Light stayed with Celestia, who asked her if she wanted something to eat, other than bland hospital food, to which the Princess replied that a cup of tea and something sweet to eat would be lovely.

Luna took a seat next to Celestia's bed as Light headed out of the room, back towards the café, to get some refreshments for her, passing the rest of the group along the way. Greeting the group as they passed, Light turned back and kindly asked the group to not be too hyperactive, wanting to make sure that Celestia got the rest she needed without risk of overstimulation, to which they promised, almost in unison, they would be quiet.

Light thanked them and continued to the café, where they asked for a box of tea, and ordered a can of hot water and a slice of apple pie with whipped cream to bring to Celestia. The sweet lady behind the counter prepared the water and pie and placed everything neatly on a tray for Light to take back. As they were leaving, however, the lady stopped Light and gave them a note, saying someone in a cloak asked her to give this to 'a Kirin with green scales'. When Light asked her who gave her the note, she replied:

"Weird fellow, he smelt like ash and smoke, like he had been close to a fire for too long. If you see him, tell him to clean up, will you? Will take me ages to get the smell out of the carpet."

A note to Light, strange individual in a cloak, smelling of smoke and ash? Light thanked the lady and headed back, not showing their frustration over Boom's constant use of notes. They put it aside and told themselves they would read it later, wanting to focus on Celestia for the time.

Light returned to Celestia's room with the pie and tea, and found that the group had grabbed some chairs, and were all casually chatting amongst each other, laughing, smiling, and generally having a nice time, which filled Light's heart with warmth. After hovering over the tray to Celestia's lap, who gracefully thanked them, Light took a seat next to Banana and fell asleep, for the night had taken a lot of energy.

Light awoke a little while later when Rain nudged them awake, evidently leaning their head on the shoulder of Banana, and they found that the group was heading out, for the visiting hour had ended. Getting up from their seat and stretching, Light said goodbye to Celestia and promised they would visit her as often as they could. Though there were many things on their schedule, for Celestia, they would make time to visit again.

As the Doctor led them out of the room, Light and the group, joined by Luna, waved goodbye to the Princess and headed out of the Medical Centre. It was nearing noon, and the group was discussing where to head for lunch, whether to make something at home, to rest afterwards, or to visit a restaurant, allowing them to take more time to chat without spending energy cooking something for themselves.

Caff energetically called out and mentioned the restaurant that she visited with Banana, Light, Boom and Violin, when they first arrived in the City, saying that while it was a little walk away, the food there was very enjoyable, and, being further from the centre of town, it would be much more peaceful and quiet.

As the group headed to the restaurant, Light trailed back a bit and decided to open the note that Boom had left them in the café at the Centre. Reading the note, they found that it contained a map of sorts, leading to a place that would take time to find. 'And here I thought I could take a break from his antics...' Light thought to themselves, as they approached the restaurant.

The group arrived, and, after ordering their lunch and a cool drink, took some time for themselves. Eclipse asked Light how well their research was going, to which they replied that they think Boom might know some things, but with his chaos, he is hard to pin down at the moment. The only hint they have right now is a strange note, which they'll have to figure out later. Besides that, they did not have a lot of success, but they would not give up.

They continued, saying that the Gala of last night was highly enjoyable and went very smoothly, save for the incident, as they met and talked with Harvest an old friend of theirs, and loved listening to the excellent music by the Royal Orchestra. Violin thanked them for their kindness, and mentioned he was slightly disappointed that the Orchestra couldn't finish their entire list of songs.

The group was surprised at this statement - Princess Luna in particular - and asked what Violin meant, as they thought that the Orchestra finished when Celestia started her speech. Violin then explained that new orchestrations had been added to the list of songs they prepared to preform at the Gala, outside of the knowledge of the Princesses. After Celestia's speech, they had planned to perform these songs, for these were to celebrate the Sisters in particular.

Continuing his explanation, Violin said these two songs were not older songs made by famous composers, but more recent creations, which they would play in honour of the Princesses and the purpose they held. The performance was meant to be a surprise, but since the Gala was interrupted, the Orchestra could not finish.

Luna thought for a moment, and said that she and Celestia would be very glad to host the Orchestra again, even if only for the Princesses themselves, when Celestia was healed and back at the palace. Overjoyed after hearing this offer, Violin replied that after lunch they would head to the theatre straight away, and would let the Orchestra know.

'The songs are some of my favourites, and are truly unique in their orchestrations, as they combine two genres that are usually very separated from each other. I really think that you and your sister will like them too!'

The rest of the time the group spent at the restaurant was very enjoyable. Everyone had eaten a delicious meal, drank a couple of nice drinks, and chatted with one another about nothing in particular. Still, it was very nice to be able to share in the lovely, quiet little moments with others whom you hold dear to your heart.

After the group had finished their lunch, and had paid for the meal and drinks, everyone headed out to do their own thing for the rest of the day. After Violin headed out towards the theatre to bring the Orchestra the good news, Caff jumped up and said that she would take Decaf to their place of residence, both to show her sister around, and to make some pastries for later with her help. Decaf solemnly nodded, agreeing to her hyperactive and loveable sister's plan.

Following this, Light said they would head home as well, and would try to get started on figuring out the next note that Boom had left them. Trying to wrap their head around the message and the possible location it held would prove quite a challenge, and Light admitted that, evidently, Boom was smarter than everyone gave him credit for.

After a moment of shared laughter, the group slowly started thinning out as everyone waved the others goodbye, so that they could enjoy their time the way they wish. Luna and Eclipse headed back to the Palace, both to discuss royal business as well as prepare a plan for the cycle of night and day for the time that Celestia was unable to complete her role.

As Luna and Eclipse flew upwards and headed back to Canterlot Castle, Light Rain said that they wanted to have a look around the city while it was still light out, and Cherry and Green would be joining them. While they were walking away, the others heard the trio's chats, debating on where to go first; go shopping for souvenirs, or to just take in the sights of the city? Perhaps returning to the Palace to have a look around there as guests of the Princesses?

Before they turned away, Harvest and Banana walked up to Light and asked them if they could help Light decypher the message. Light smiled, and happily accepted their help, for three pairs of eyes would work better than just one. Light, Banana and Harvest headed back home, joined by Caff and Decaf, and both groups promised not to bother the others, lest they lose their focus.

After arriving at home a little while later, Light, Banana and Harvest headed to the living room as Caff and Decaf started working their magic in the kitchen, and soon the house was filled with a lovely scent of cinnamon, chocolate and various fruits. Light took the note and placed it on the table, allowing Harvest and Banana to have a good look at it as well.

Following off of Boom's last message, the one they found very shortly after the fiasco at the Palace, Light had a feeling that this note may contain directions to a place where Boom would like to meet them. The trio started brainstorming, spewing out all sorts of ideas. The jumbled words, which require a cypher, the strange amalgamation of shapes and figures, some which looked like buildings, but not ones they had seen, many ideas yet none came to fruition.

While they were flipping through pages of cypher books, old world symbols of directions, and maps of the area, Caff overheard the trio's efforts and asked her sister to bring them some tea and biscuits, as she was busy folding dough as well as cutting up fruits. Decaf begrudgingly agreed and headed to the living room, where Harvest, Banana and Light were surrounded by books. Glancing down at the piece of paper as she placed the tray, Decaf took one look and said

'He wrote "Meet me outside of the city, one stop down by train. I'll know when you get here."'

Staring in disbelief, there was silence from the trio for a long time, until at last Banana asked how she knew this? Did she know the code? And was she so familiar she could figure it out just by looking at it once? Decaf simply shrugged and replied:

'Nah, it's not code, or cypher or anything. Either he was drunk when he wrote this or he just has really, really poor hoofwriting. Maybe, no, definitely both.'

Still somewhat dumbfounded at Decaf's ability to read through Boom's awful writing, Light grabbed their bag, preparing to head out to meet Boom, and find out what he's up to. They headed upstairs to grab the book that he had left them, hoping to be able to read some parts, as well as ask him what it even was about or why it was so important.

Light headed downstairs and quickly grabbed a bottle of water to take along with them, placing it in their bag as they headed to the door, before being stopped by Caff and Harvest, asking what they were about to do. They responded that they were going to meet Boom, and hopefully get some answers from him, and they had not a moment to lose.

Still, neither Caff not Harvest let them pass, to which Light asked why, as the voice of Banana spoke out from behind them, telling them they were joining them to find Boom. Light said that it could be dangerous and that Boom should be approached with caution, him being the chaotic force that he is, and they did not want to risk anyone getting injured.

Decaf called out from the kitchen and said 'Have you learnt nothing of the stubbornness of my sister and Pie? They're coming along, whether you like it or not.' Caff threw on her backpack as Banana did the same right next to Light. Light sighed and smiled, asking them if they were sure about their decision.

With a chuckle, Banana replied 'You've brought us this far, and you have not led us astray. Face it, we're coming with you, laddie.' Harvest said they would stay at home and help around the house, and stepped aside to let the trio pass as they headed for the door, waving a quick goodbye to Decaf and Harvest as they headed to the train station.

Outwardly, Light was happy that Banana and Caff came along with them, but, deep down, they were still afraid something may go wrong, and they made sure to stay alert and jump in at a moment's notice, should there be any threat of danger or injury to either one of their companions. Fortunately, the sun was still high in the sky, and, if everything goes to plan, they should make it back home before dinnertime.

After a short trip on the train and getting off at the next station, Caff, Banana and Light looked upon a rocky area, having gotten off at a station on the other side of the mountain, standing in its shadow. They looked around and could see many different peaks, and they searched around for any sign of Boom, if his note was true.

The note he had left did say that he would know when they got there, and Light reasoned that nobody else would get off here, knowing that the train sped past this station on the way to Canterlot. With all the rocks and cliffs around, Boom could hear a train stopping from very far away, as the echoes reverberated around the area.

As Light, Caff and Banana looked around, they heard a number of pebbles falling down from the cliffs above them, Light made a barrier to protect the trio. As the stones fell around them, they could hear an expression of pain and an audible grunt from behind a rock next to them. Boom appeared, rubbing his head, muttering to himself over needing to wear a helmet next time.

Though his frustration amused the trio, and they were glad they found him, he had a lot to answer for, and they were not in the mood for weird riddles or strange mind games. Asking what it is he wanted, he replied:

'There is barely any time to waste. You need to read the chapter I marked as soon as you can, before the end of the special performance tomorrow.'

Light's eyes flared up and their voice deepened, asking Boom what the importance was of this book, for the first chapters were only disturbing and worrisome. Moving closer towards him, they said their patience was running out, for Boom's antics had caused a lot of grief, and it had gotten them no closer to resolutions about anything.

Boom stood his ground and gazed deep into the Kirin's eyes, which now lacked their amethyst irises, and burnt with a white hot glow. He explained that what happened with Celestia was an accident, and that he was also planning to help her. He wanted to take responsibility, but since he had to remain hidden outside of Canterlot, he needed the Kirin's help.

He continued, saying that he, just like Light, was trying to figure something out. He had found a number of loose threads, seemingly unconnected, that all led to a single hypothesis, one he only had to check to confirm, and Light could help him with this as well. All he needed was their trust, and their input by reading the book.

Light stepped back and took a deep breath, as the flame in their eyes extinguished and their irises returned. They needed to be careful, as they feared their vision of destruction may come true. As Light turned around to think of what to say, Caff asked what it was he was trying to figure out, to which Boom stubbornly replied that they would see after tomorrow.

Boom asked the Kirin to wait for just a moment longer, but Light had heard enough, and asked Banana and Caff to follow them back to the train station to head back to the city. Without looking at Boom, Light said they would read the book, but they wanted Boom to explain everything after the fact.

At the station, the trio had to wait for a little bit, for the train would take a while to pass the station again. As Light stood outside to look out for the train, and was speaking with the guards stationed there, Boom returned and whispered to Banana:

Before Banana could ask what Boom meant, he had disappeared already, and shortly afterwards, the train arrived. After the trio boarded, Banana told Light all that Boom told him, and handed them the flask, as well as a note upon which he had written the message to send to Celestia. Light sighed and bowed their head, saying they could not figure that Unicorn out whatsoever, thanked Banana, and placed both items in their bag.

Arriving back in Canterlot, Banana, Caff and Light found that Rain, along with Cherry and Green, had been waiting for them to return, as they enthusiastically waved and trotted to the group to welcome them back. It turns out, while they were walking through town, they met a good friend of theirs, a Pegasus named Starshine Nova, and told them about their plans for the next few days, the special celebration at the Palace included.

Starshine, who was a very skilled flier, had always wanted to visit the Palace, and asked Rain if they could join them, to which Rain replied that they would ask if this were possible. Knowing that Light would visit Celestia soon, Rain asked them to bring this up with the Princess, for their friend would be honoured to join these special celebrations. Light smiled and said:

'I'll make sure to ask her, for I think she'll agree, the more the merrier. Especially if your friend can help make the celebrations even more magnificent with their performance.'

Waving goodbye to Banana, Caff, and Rain and their buds, Light headed to the medical Centre to visit Celestia, both to check up on her - and to possibly give her Boom's tonic - as well as ask her about Rain's friend, arriving a little while later.