It was calm, couldn't have been much past eleven. The warm, moonlit night enveloped a restful Motorquestria in a soft glow, complimented by a gentle, inviting breeze which blew through the still forests and the relaxed residences of the kingdom. Carburetorlot, bathed in a faint but unfaltering light, overlooked all of said kingdom with moral authority, a symbol of protection and stability in the star-accented darkness. In the distance, the low thunderous rumble of an accelerating v8 blended with the euphony of the night, approaching in a throaty crescendo until all that remained was echo, only to momentarily begin once again as the result of an unheard up-shift. The distant orchestra amplified into a malicious fortissimo of an eleven hundred and forty horsepower contra-bass roar as lights appeared, hastily ascending up a winding mountain road ending at the castle gates.
Two large, iron-wrought closures parted as the lights drew a final corner, granting the cacophonous unknown entrance, to which such acknowledged with a deafening blast of sound as it flew through the open passage. The noise died down and the lights slowed as the unidentified figure approached the castle hall, settling in to a quieter hum accented with a soft supercharger's whine as the guest drove inside at a sound twenty kilometers an hour. Soft light from the tall stain-glass windows shone down on the character, revealing a dark blueish-black Koenigsegg with pearl white stripes along its body. Nothing but the car's LED lights and the rhythmic drone from its engine announced its presence as the hypercar continued through seemingly endless passages and corridors, finally turning a corner to a large set of embroidered wooden doors. The Koenigsegg's high beams came on, magically opening the two heavy doors, revealing a large, dim garage behind them.
Luna visualized the familiar room, a parking garage. Its walls were furnished with exotic materials, complimented by ornate crystal windows opposite the doorway. A tasteful abode furnished extravagantly for an equally prominent occupant. Moonlight granted from the garage's tall windows revealed none of this, except a single parking space, adorned by a pure-white Bugatti Vitesse. Princess Celestia. Parked silently without so much as an notion otherwise, the twelve hundred horsepower authority at rest seemingly glowed amidst the rest of the dreary space. Without longer than a moment's haste, the Koenigsegg broke the silence...
"My sister, wake up, we have a problem!"
The Bugatti's lights flicked on as the vehicle came to life, and a rhythmic series of quick metallic clunks premiered a wave of noise from the quad-turbo w16 engine. The car idled with a commanding presence, as its rear spoiler raised from out of the rear. The very same had been Motorquestria's monarch for centuries, a body of authority both praised and denounced by those she headed throughout her reign as princess. Both the now illuminated Koenigsegg, an Agera R model, and the Vitesse faced each other holding a mutual omnipotence between them, stating an equal share of power amongst the two. The Bugatti replied warmly after a re-collective pause.
"Hello Luna. What brings you through my chambers at this hour?"
The princess drove into the garage towards the dreary coupe as the heavy wooden doors behind her shut firmly. "I've come to warn you of a looming evil." The night-princess' exhaust note purred a low tone-of-voice, forwarding a cloak of anguish on the subject. Celestia idled now fully attentive to her sister's interruption, as she did upon any ill news regarding her cherished hierarchy. "My most recent travels through the Everfast Forest bring forth ungodly noises and grotesque figures, the likes of which I've not before had the displeasure to bear witness to."
The white Vitesse remained in park, appearing calm as she listened. She looked upon the shadowy Koenigsegg. Her license plate bore the quarter moon mark, crowning her as ruler of the night and all it brings forth. For so long after she had banished Luna to the moon, Celestia had taken the task upon herself; she knew what it entailed. Few foreign menaces dared challenge the kingdom by day, for the night was all the more catering to the reclusive and stealthy. It carried a greater demand of responsibility to thrive within such a biome, and in this way Celestia idolized her sister, whom did so with a level of composure that she couldn't help but admire.
"Have you any sort of recollection?" The princess asked after a moment.
The royal Agera thought strenuously but abandoned her efforts. "I do, somewhat, but I'm afraid my inadequate facades wouldn't do the importance of the matter justice."
The Bugatti replied in a less intense manor, "A wise Studebaker once said 'The seemingly insignificant often proves itself to be anything otherwise for those willing to acknowledge its value.'"
Luna eased her suspension into that of a lower posture, calmed somewhat by her sister's coherent approach to the subject. "Quoting Starswirl again, my sister? It seems you've entrusted him with the fate of Motorquestria a respectable number of times."
The white hypercar smiled at the remark. "I hold great faith in his word, as I do yours, my dearest Luna."
Reassured of her sister's engagement, princess Luna once more sought after the translucent fragments of that night. The Agera R, momentarily at the mercy of her thoughts, pieced together a vague but satisfactory memory of what happened.
"I recall engine notes screaming through the darkened woods, so high pitched certainly no car of this world could've ever produced their atrocious melody. Shadows cut across my sight with admirable velocity as they weaved amongst the trees." The night princess gradually spoke more quickly as she continued, her v8 engine increasing its output in direct correlation.
"I remember voices intruding my thoughts, impeding on my will to make sense of it all as if I was their lone target. They spoke of an empire out from exile to exact glorious revenge on our 'damned' hierarchy. They strive for a reign of power propagandized by their horrid messages to make crude-fascism and totalitarianism seem good as charity by comparison."
Princess Celestia maintained a steady idle, not quite drowned by her sister's now hard-revving powerplant. She played then replayed what she'd just listened to in her mind, and though she remained physically meditative, the blitzkrieg of antagonistic threats conveyed by princess Luna bore deep within her. The Bugatti Vitesse had been the figurehead of Motorquestria's stability for hundreds of generations, one would be wise to think such a political dominance would bring about oppressors. Figuratively it would be fair to suggest that Celestia would gain a tolerance to such morbid threats against her, but this felt different somehow. She'd defeated great conquests, barrages and likewise, yet the princess' usual composure in such situations felt long gone. Perhaps it was the uncertainty of the evil that faced her, she wondered silently to herself. Luna's roaring exhaust had since performed a drawn-out diminuendo back down to its original tone as she calmed herself, once again trying to remember more of the evening's events. The two royal hypercars sat parked , momentarily allowing the peaceful silence of the glowing night's air to regain its envelopment of the luxurious parking garage.
Princess Luna soon spoke softly, knowing the white Bugatti in front of her was once again keen on listening. "I feel we must prepare beforehand at least if not immediately to hold any chance of defense."
"My intentions precisely. We mustn't fail to heed if some evil is due against our kingdom. As it happens what is perhaps our most promising solution is soon to arrive in Carburetorlot."
"If by which you mean the Elements, I remain as I stand." The Koenigsegg stated sceptically. "I know we've utilized them in the past with great success, but this instance feels as though the power of friendship, even theirs, would more than likely be outmatched. From what I can conclude it appears that whomever is threatening our kingdom strives for a war... are you sure we should risk the fate of Motorquestria by metaphorically placing it on their wheel arches?"
Princess Celestia once again put her encouraging reasoning into action. "If there is one thing I'm sure of now it's that the Elements of Handbrake have the skills necessary to in the least aid our efforts to protect our kingdom. As I said they are to be here within a day's time, I feel they'll be safer within the castle boundaries, as we have still an admirable royal guard keeping vigilant watch through all hours of the day and night. We haven't any reason to worry any more that we already do, trust me."
The Agera recomposed once more. "I do, my sister."
"Had you any further recollections of what you described, such could grant ourselves a greater chance at defeating what's to confront us."
Luna understood, rummaging through the sprawling vastness of uncertainty in her mind she found a memory of greater transparency than the others, one of visual imagery. "I saw one moon-betrayed silhouette. Such a concept to the mind of the beholder it was, I knew not that such a monstrosity could even exist!"
Princess Celestia listened well. "Any sort of description would be to our benefit."
The night princess spoke in what could almost be classified as a whisper. "I viewed small, dark curvature foregrounding the moonlit sky, I saw... it had only..."
Celestia idled as all in the garage seemingly faded from view. Only a black Koenigsegg remained in her focus as she paid close attention.
"...two wheels."
Author's Note
A short prologue to My little Horsepower: Friendship is Motorsport...
This isn't as good as the rest of the story, which I have put loads more thought into. I think I misused quite a few words, I think the dialogue is sh!t, it does nothing for the story except set up the ending, it took way too long to finish, and I'm sure most of my over-seas readers won't know that a "Studebaker" is (hell most of the people I know don't know what a Studebaker is), but overall I think it's acceptable.
Most of the effort put into this part was trying to recreate the sound of a Koenigsegg Agera R (Luna) @ full throttle, which if you don't know is the most awesome sound in the world!<<
