The Adventure Starts

“Why am I getting a letter from the princess?” is what came out of my mouth on the train heading towards Canterlot.

“I’m not sure Snappy, but there is something that’s bugging me. It’s the fact she knew your name and who you were staying with... I mean I never told her about you, not yet anyways....so I don’t know.” Twilight said with a hint of curiosity, confusion and a small hint of fear in her voice.

“Well I’m just saying this right now, I’m very scared.” as I looked down as I stated that very quietly.

“Why would you be scared? You're just going to see the Princess. Nothing really scary about that.....unless I’m missing something there....hmm.”

“It’s just the fact I am seeing the ruler of our land and not knowing why she has called for me.”

She looked at me with concern as we were talking as we went through what seemed to be a very long tunnel. “Well whatever Celestia want’s from you is probably not going to be bad or anything, knowing the princess she just wanted to meet the stallion who is with her faithful student.”

“But you said you didn’t send a letter to her. So that doesn't make any sense”

“Well we’ll find out soon enough, since we're here.”

“Wow, we got here quick didn’t we?”

“Well talking on a train does speed things up I guess.”

As I looked at the town, I was getting out of the train, I was in shock by how different they looked. They all wore fancy clothing with multiple amounts of jewels on them. As well as they had their heads stiffly looking towards the sky with there eyes closed. I asked her as I was intently looking at the pony’s in the town,“So Twilly, I have no clue where the castle is. Can you lead the way then.”

She laughed a bit, “Come on Snappy, it’s this way.” as she started to head towards the middle of the town. As she was walking we made a few small turns but I stayed right behind her as she was heading towards the direction of the castle that I can now make out from where I was at.

After a few minutes of walking we approached the doors and I was astonished. “Wow...such a big place...” I whispered softly so she didn’t hear me. As we approached the door’s to the castle, some guards came out to take me to the princess, as if they automatically knew what I looked like and that I was sent for her. I quickly turned around and gave Twilight a strong and loving hug as if this was our final time seeing each other, “Well.....I guess I have to go in by myself...”

She returned the strong hug with an even stronger hug. That made me feel good that she cared and was worried if I would be ok, “Snappy, I’ll be right out here waiting for you after you talk to her, don’t  worry though alright. She’s a very nice princess.”

“Alright, thanks Twilly....” and as I said that I  turned around to go towards the castle she sat down and waited like she said she would do, and when those big door’s closed I truthfully didn’t think that this little get together would be really good. The guards kept close to me as I walked into the castle. That stayed right at my side like I was a little stallion that just lost his mother. As we went through the giant castle we started to go to an even bigger set of doors with guards on both sides of them. Now they were unicorns on the sides of the doors and the guards next to me were pegasus, but the funny thing is they all look alike to me.

The pegasus guard on my right stopped and went in front of me and looked me right in the eye’s with the most stern of all looks anypony could get. He said,  “Alright sir, here’s the princesses hall, please be respectful.”

I looked at him and nodded, “I wouldn’t dare be disrespectful to our princess.” and he looked me over for a few seconds before he nodded in agreement and the unicorns with their magic opened up the door. As I walked in, I noticed a very tall and very strong, umm......Alicorn, yes thats what Twilight told me about our princess when I first got that letter. But I just couldn’t believe what I saw. She had a very long and very pointy horn with beautiful and majestic wings that were nicely folded on her side. I noticed how her mane moved, with so many different colors and sparkles for some reason, and as it moved I noticed that it was doing it by itself, nothing that is actually physically making it move since the windows were closed.

She stood up and walked over to me and put her hoof on the top of my head and whispered to me to calm me down, “Calm yourself. There’s nothing to be worried about. Spike sent me a letter telling me a bit about you.”

Now I didn’t notice this but when she put her hoof on my head I felt it then, my legs were shaking. I guess the entire time I was there they were shaking. Yet when she put her hoof on my head I instantly overcome my nervousness to a more relaxed and calm state.

“Spike told me that you have been getting along with my faithful student”,she started to laugh softly,” and by the sounds of it a little too friendly...”

“Yes we sorta have....I’m sorry if this makes you upset in anyway.” I saids with a blush on my face from embarrassment from it being pointed out by her.

She starts to laugh a little, “Don’t worry about that, I’m glad Twilight has found someone that she can trust so much. It makes me happy to hear that she’s happy. That’s not the  reason why I called you here though. This not because of your relationship, rather its about your special talent.”

I looked back at my cutie mark, “Yea my Cutie mark basically tells me to take pictures. Why would that really interest you Princess?” looking at her confused.

“Well the way Spike put wrote it made it sound like you could take some really wonderful pictures. Also since you're with Twilight I want to see if you can use your special talent the best that you could possibly do. Call it.....a test if you must. I believe that you could take wonderful pictures, now if you pass you would be one of my most trustful photographer’s. As well as something a bit more.....exciting for you. If you do pass this and you and Twilight, if you two stay together, are ready to go to the next step, I will make it a Royal Canterlot wedding. If you would wish it to be..”

I was stunned, “A-a......Royal wedding? T-that’s......wow...” as I stood there for a few minutes to let it sink in. “Alright Princess....I would love to have that theres just one problem.......I’m going to have to leave Twilight alone while I do this for you...but besides that... don’t you have a royal photographer? Why go with somepony like me?”

“I have my reason’s SnapShot.” She smiles at me, “Now don’t worry about this, it will take you away from Twilight for my quest, but don’t worry you’ll still be able to talk to her. This is a little secret project were doing that allows a normal pony to use to talk to unicorn’s telepathically. We only have a prototype but I think this will be the best way to test it out.”

“Really? You’ll just let me test out something like that? I-I mean......it’s an honor but....wow....this is such an honor. Thank you Princess.”

“Now here.” she passed me a note using her magic and I caught it with my mouth. “Thats your assignment to set forth your future. I can’t wait to see your results. Farewell SnapShot.”

“Goodbye Princess.”

“Best of luck on your journey SnapShot, also start when you get better with your injury there. Don’t need to make you go when you're not at the top of your game.” she said this after I started to walk away but slowly out not to make it seem like I was in a rush to get out, and the bad part was I still was. “Alright Princess,” I started to speak one last time before I went out, “The doctor said a few week’s so it won't be much longer.” She nodded and I walked out the door and started to head down the stairs to the exit, and then I was with the guards again.

I sighed as I sat down on the soft grass as I seen my Snappy walk in to the Princess’s corridor. “I hope this does turn out well....well as I’m waiting might as well.....no no I promised him I would stay right here....hmmm.”

As I thought I didn’t hear the soft hoof-steps right behind me as my brother Shining Armour snuck up behind me and yelled at the top of his lungs, “HEY TWILLY!!”

I let out a little squeak of surprise, “BBBFF!” I turned around and hugged him half to death, “I was just thinking about you! How is your job with the royal guards?”

“Well I wouldn't like to brag but I was just promoted to being Captain of the Royal Guard. I’m now doing all the hard work of organizing all the troops but it’s getting easier. What are you doing here in Canterlot anyways Twilly?”

I blushed a little as I suddenly didn't realize that no one really knew I had a special somepony. “I-I....I’m here with a friend on royal business with Celestia..”

“Well why aren't you  with Celestia and your friend? Why are you waiting out here?”

“Well Celestia wanted to see him personally.”

“Him?” as he started to think I instantly knew where he was about to go with this,especially the way I acted when I answered his question, “Does someone have a special somepony?”

I wanted to punch him, no I wanted to kill him for embarrassing me like this with all the other guards around, and without any other comment after that he knew he did two things, completely embarrassed me and that he nailed it right then and there.

He sat down and started to whisper, “I’m sorry Twilly I didn't mean to do that. I forget sometimes that there are other pony’s near me when I talk.”

I sighed, “It’s fine Shining, your still my BBBFF and not-”

As I was talking the doors behind me swung open with a very shocked and nervous looking SnapShot walking out of the door’s.

As I walked out of the big doors, the guards staying behind me and closed the doors, I was looking down, trying to think if I should really do this or not, because knowing me, I would definitely mess this whole thing up. But my thoughts were interrupted by a very happy and energetic unicorn rushing over to me to give me a hug, “Hey Snappy! How did thing’s go?”

As I looked up and hugged her back I knew right now was not really the right time to answer the question. “Lets talk about it later.” I looked over at the white unicorn that was behind her in armor, really fancy armor to be more exact and he said in a happy tone with a bit of a smile on his face, “Hello there, my names Shining Amour, Twilight’s older brother. So you must be Twilight's special somepony,” and when he said that I knew he ticked Twilight off just a bit because she twitched about the word “special somepony”.

“Well lets go get something to eat. That way we can fill our stomachs and I would be able to tell you both what happened with Celestia. It’s good new’s.....I believe...... “ I sighed, “but I really don’t know.”

I listened to SnapShot as he told me what Celestia said to him, how he was assigned a position to a being a royal photographer and even the part that I couldn't believe, that Spike sent a letter to the princess without me telling him too, could he be jealous that I’m spending more time with Snappy than I do with him? Mental note: Keep an eye on Spike on new members of the family inside of the tree house.

“Well that’s very good news for you there SnapShot!” as my brother patted Snappy on the back, making him cough up some of his food. Even though food like that’s disgusting, it was very cute, for some reason, seeing Snappy like that.

“Ouch....my wing’s still hurt. Please watch it Armour.”

My brother laughed, “Sorry about that.  Talking about those wings of your’s, what happened?”

“Um bro.... lets not talk about that....since we don’t even know what happened. He lost his memory and is now slowly getting it back. We just found out his name a few days ago. So...yea we’re not really sure. All we know is he had an accident.”

Shining Armour looked at him and started to think for a few seconds, “Why didn't you ask Celestia if she could bring back all your memories?”

“Thing is, I wanted to before I went into my mind to find out my name, but now I don’t want to know at all what I was doing right before I jumped out of a plane.” said Snappy.

“Well we really don’t know what a plane is, but does it serve the same purpose as a hot air balloon?” Shining Armour and I both asked at the same time confused on the word ‘Plane’.

“Yea, sort of at least. Yet a plane is made of metal and it holds a lot more passengers and is lots sturdier.”

“Wow sounds like a very advanced piece of equipment being able to do something like that.”, I said.

“Yea it is a nice piece of equipment. But that's why I don’t want to try and remember what happened before that especially what I had on me.....”

“What was there anyway’s SnapShot?” Shining Armour said.

“Just don’t worry about it alright. It’s just time for us to eat.” he said trying to make himself eat the food in front of him.

“So Celestia wants you to go on some adventures. Would you be doing it then....going out and having fun taking pictures for the princess.”

I couldn't believe what happened after that. He quickly burst into tears and slammed on the table in frustration and quickly ran away from us both. I suddenly realized what I said and how it must have sounded like to him. I knew, for once, my mind had failed me this time. That must have angered him. Why wouldn't it? I would be upset if the pony you love is asking if you are going away for a long time, or maybe forever. I quickly got up and ran after him at the fastest gallop I ever knew I could. Mental note: Read over the racing books more, hmm thinking of that I should try my luck in the Running of the Leaves. Oh never mind that now! I need to get him. As I started to catch up to him I noticed his bandages were starting to come off of his wings.

As I stared at his wings unfold from his side, I knew they weren't fully healed yet. He opened them up and tried, very awkwardly tried to lift off the ground. He only got a few feet off the ground when he went into the alleyway and crashed into a dumpster. I quickly went to him and tried to get him out of the smelly metal tin. I was finally able to find him and I used my magic to bring him out of the tin. I hugged him tightly, making sure he wouldn't leave. “I’m sorry Snappy. I didn't think of how you would feel like if you had to leave. I only thought of the positives of going, not the negative of having to be separated from me! I’m sorry.” and as I felt him hold onto me tightly crying into my mane I knew for a fact: he wanted to go. Yet he couldn't possibly stand to go out on his own for this sort of job, without me of course.

I held onto her for what seemed like eternity, I knew she was talking but I couldn't hear anything she said. I didn't care what she was even saying at this point, I got to hold her. After a while it seemed as if she was becoming happier since the tears on my face were disappearing. I’m not really sure if that was the case, but It just dawned on me what just happened. I took my head out of her mane, her wonderful soft mane, and looked into her eyes, “D-did I just.....fly?”

She shook her head and kissed me softly for only a few seconds, “Yes, Snappy, you just flew.” she paused for a second to look at my face and then her face got stern, “Did you hurt yourself when you flew?!?” as she now used her magic and looked all around my body to see if there were any cuts or bruises from my flight.

“Not that I can tell at least. It actually felt.....good to be able to stretch my wings out. Even if I was clumsy with it....that at least tells me I’m healing. I guess its because I’m with you then huh Twilly,” as this one little compliment was meant to be a little joke, yet made her blush which is all that I was looking forward to seeing.

“Well lets go back to the restaurant. You still haven’t eaten anything. You need your strength!” as she used her magic to levitate me and keep me close to her. What we both realized though is that i still had all of the garbage on me from when I went dumpster diving just moments before. Now, that was the biggest blush that came on her face that I didn't even mean to cause.

“What Twilly? You look like you just seen 500 puppies playing around in circle with one ball.”  I said, even though the whole analogy didn't make a bit of sense.

“Well you're all covered in gunk. You kinda need a bath now...” and before I knew it, I believe she started to get all these different little idea’s in her mind by putting me in the bath and stuff. Truthfully I didn't see any of this coming from her when she quickly tried to get me to a hotel room to clean up, with a big smile and a big blush on her cute face.

“Twilly you know we can just find a hose of something. I’m perfectly alright.” trying to stay away from that part of a relationship. Hey I’m willing but the thing is if we did anything like that, well then it would just go way too fast. I kissed her forehead and looked into her eyes, “I know what your planning and I’m sorry to say this but I’m just not ready for that.”

She looked down a bit, “Sorry.....I didn't mean to it’s just the whole idea of the shower got me thinking...”

I poked her on the nose softly, “Boop.” she started laughing knowing that everything was fine now, you know if I’m starting to play around. “I love you Twilly, now come on, we need to find a hose or something to get this garbage off of me.” As I said as we were both walking back towards the restaurant when, of course a pain started to come from my wings.

I sat down for just a second as she was walking farther away and I grabbed at them and rubbed them the best I could to try to somehow ease the pain. Twilight looked behind and noticed me sitting there, awkwardly rubbing my wings and she came over, not saying a word and went behind me and smacked my hooves away. I was shocked how hard she hit them to remove my hooves. After that I felt the softest of rubbing motion on my wings that felt like a masseuse that has had over 20 years of experience.

“Twilly.....where in Equestria did you learn.....how to do this....” as I said in pure soft moans of how well the motion feels on my wings.

She giggled softly behind me as she kept working, “Well sometimes I had to do this for Celestia and also, being around Fluttershy so much with her wing’s I guess I just learned how to do it. Why? Am I doing something wrong? Does it hurt?” she asked in a worried tone.

“No....no it feels wonderful......” and with that she removed her hooves from my back and I was now surprised that they felt perfectly lose, not even a speck of pain coming from them.. I put them down on the side of my body and smiled happily. My wings don’t hurt and I’m happy to be with Twilight. Nothing could possibly go wrong. But as that thought came to my mind I knew I was wrong. I just somehow knew, something terrible was about to happen.