Hopefyre

Walt and Tracy couldn’t help but look down at Canterlot as they began to pass over the massive and beautiful city. Twilight however, looked at tad nervous at their curiosity.

“Guys,” she advised. “I’d like you to hide behind the inside of the chariot. If other ponies see you and cause a panic, Princess Celestia will certainly not have good opinions about you two.”

Walt looked at Twilight blankly while Tracy cocked her head to the side with a look on her face that seemed to read, “Are you serious?”

“It’s okay,” spoke Twilight. “It will only be a minute or two before we land. Please, do it now!”

Wanting to honor her and likely the princess’s wishes as well, Walt and Tracy ducked as low as they could, their hair being just visible over the edge. Spike used the opportunity to climb upon Walt’s head and sit, getting  a slightly higher vantage point than normal.

“Spike!” scolded Twilight. “Get off of him.”

“It’s fine,” replied Walt. “He’s not hurting me.”

Spike gave Twilight a sly smirk, happy to know that Walt was on his side. Twilight merely pouted and looked ahead, awaiting their landing destination. The pegasi began to reduce their speed and descend towards the courtyard of what looked to be the palace, surrounded inside the interior by armored stallions similar in appearance to the ones pulling the chariot. However, some of them looked to be dark brown in appearance with ice blue manes and tails.

Walt and Tracy peeked out from the side to see as well, and upon seeing the guards there, they became a bit nervous, as told by Tracy’s gulp.

“Hey, Trace,” said Spike, turning his body towards Tracy’s. “Are you alright?”

“Oh, you know,” replied Tracy in a sarcastically chipper voice, “just a bunch of armored guards ready to kill us if we make any slight moves that make them on edge. No biggie. And don’t call me Trace. No one does.”

“Okay,” answered Spike, his hands up defensively, “Tracy it is.”

The chariot began getting lower and lower to the ground, Walt and Tracy preparing for a bumpy landing. However, the two stallions landed upon the ground as they continued to gallop, bringing the chariot with it. The wheels of the vehicle landed gingerly upon the grass so that neither Walt nor Tracy could feel it.

The two stallions then skidded to a halt, stopping the chariot with it. With a final whinny and kicking with their front legs, the journey was finally over, prompting Twilight and Spike to exit.

“Wait for my lead,” whispered Twilight to the two humans before she fully exited.

Each of the stallions guarding the courtyard gave a respectful bow towards Twilight as she stepped towards the palace entrance. Another stallion parted through a line of guards and towards Twilight. The stallion was a unicorn, and he was slightly bigger than the other guards. His coat was white as his fellow guards, but his mane and tail were a sandy blonde. His armor was purple with a golden outline and was much more ornate than the others’ armors.

Meeting Twilight between the chariot and the line of soldiers, the other guard gave Twilight a bow himself, took her hoof in his and gently kissed it. Twilight, still being a relatively new princess, was not used to such treatment, giggling and turning her head away in slight embarrassment, blushing all the while.

“I hope your flight was pleasant, Princess Twilight,” spoke the stallion.

“I did, Captain Silver Lance,” responded Twilight, her voice now authoritative, yet friendly. “Thank you very much.”

“Now, I see to it that you brought some quote-en-quote… special guests.”

“Yes I did.” Twilight turned to the chariot, raising her voice.

“Walt! Tracy! You can come out now!”

Walt and Tracy slowly revealed themselves before the guards, each one of them staring up in disbelief and awe. A couple of them even dropped their spears over the fear they felt in front of their presence. Silver Lance himself was shocked and slightly terrified by the look of them.

Walt and Tracy, trying not to look weak or aggressive, walked out of the chariot as if nothing was amiss, looking at the still mystified guards. As the two humans made their way towards Twilight’s right side. Upon seeing the alien creatures equipped with their strange technology get close, Silver Lance crouched down, ready to pounce on the humans if they got closer. Before he could advance, Twilight’s right wing separated him from them.

“Silver Lance!” shot Twilight. “Don’t be attacking them. Princess Celestia herself has requested to see them, and I will not have them brought to her bruised and beaten.”

Silver Lance, remembering that the two humans were as much Twilight’s guests as they were Princess Celestia’s, bowed down apologetically.

“My sincerest apologies, your Majesty,” he spoke. “I do not know these creatures or their intentions at all. Forgive me for my intuitive defense.”

“Well, I have gotten to know these ‘creatures’ well, Silver,” Twilight responded with more calmness in her voice, “and I can safely say that they mean us ponies no harm. My brother was the last captain of the Royal Guard, and yet, you still seem to be more protective of him than me.”

Twilight had made mention to Twilight’s brother, Shining Armor, during the flight to Canterlot. The quip directed at Silver Lance forced Walt and Tracy to chuckle slightly. Silver Lance, couldn’t help but look at the two humans laughing at his expense. His blood was beginning to boil, but he did an excellent job keeping his calm and respective façade in front of Twilight.

“Yes,” he answered. “How foolish of me. Where shall I escort them?”

“Princess Celestia has arranged a room for each of them inside the palace,” answered Twilight, the word “palace” being received very well by both Walt and Tracy, their mouths slightly hanging open at the thought of the luxury they were about to experience. “After they have cleaned themselves and we’ve spruced their clothes a bit, they will share lunch with both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna and I, along with some of my friends.”

Silver Lance’s rage was slowly creeping again. Not only did they not respect his princess’s boundaries, but they laugh at him and would be pampered by Princess Celestia herself. However, he bit his tongue and kept his cool, bowing his head in understanding.

“Very good, your majesty,” answered Silver Lance, some of his contempt bleeding through, unnoticed by the others.

“Excellent. Please show them up to their rooms now.”

“Of course.”

Waving his hoof, he signaled seven guards to come to his spot, prompting them to do so with gusto.

“I shall accompany the male… what do you call this thing?” Silver Lance asked.

“HE is called a human,” answered Twilight, “and his name is Walt. The other one is Tracy.”

“Right.” He began signaling the other guards that came over as he assigned them. “I shall accompany Walt to his room with the help of you three, and the rest of you take Tracy to her room.”

The seven guards gave their captain a salute before splitting off. Silver Lance stood in front of Walt while the other three guards stood at both sides of Walt and behind him. Tracy was surrounded on all quarters by the last four guards.

“Shall we begin?” asked Silver Lance.

“You shall,” answered Twilight, redirecting her attention towards her two human friends. “Bye, guys. I’ll see you both at lunch.”

“Bye, Twilight!” called Walt, already being escorted to the palace with Tracy by the guards.

Walt kept look at each one of the guards and noted their constantly stoic expressions, feeling that any sudden moves might get him killed by any one of their spears. He also looked at Silver Lance, who he was having a hard time trusting.

Upon getting off the chariot, he showed an immediate hostility towards him and Tracy. He would have accepted that out of the probable fear that Silver Lance must have felt seeing two strange creatures like him for the first time, but it didn’t stop there. After Walt laughed at Twilight’s quip and when she told Silver Lance that they’d be having lunch with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, he couldn’t help but get the impression that Silver Lance was getting livid upon each event.

However, Walt kept his composure and paranoia in check. He would soon be escorted to his room and he’d more than likely not have to see hide or tail of Silver Lance for as long as he stayed.

Silver Lance, on the other hand, was sweating bullets. His back was to the alien creature and he could attack him at any time without being any the wiser. He had begun to calculate his plan as soon as he been told about the arrival of two foreign creatures by Princess Celestia herself. He would not let such odd and potentially dangerous creatures harm her and possibly, the whole of Equestria.

Upon walking into the palace, the unicorn guards keeping watch at the large entrance doors closed it behind them. Walt was even more impressed by the inner architecture of the palace. White, ivory pillars, beautiful stained-glass windows, spotless red carpets; if there was one thing he was certain, it was that this place was certainly fit for royalty.

“The princesses certainly have a nice place to call their home,” spoke Walt, his voice echoing slightly inside the halls.

Certainly a lot better than where you’ll call home soon, Silver Lance thought.

Both Walt and Tracy came across a four-way intersection, with Walt’s escorts steering him left and Tracy’s escorts turning her right. With a final glance to each other, they both went their separate ways, knowing that they’d next see each other during lunch.

Walt and his guards continued down the labyrinthine hallways for what seemed even longer than the chariot ride to Canterlot. All Walt knew was that as soon as he made it to his room, he’d like a nice, pleasant bath that he would have considered a luxury back home.

Silver Lance looked around him in all directions, seeing that the coast was clear. He his horn began glowing an ice-blue, and like Twilight with the chariot handle, the handle of Walt’s left sword began to shimmer with the same colored aura. Silver Lance thought of pulling the weapon out of its sheath, but found that he couldn’t do so.

Why won’t it move? thought Silver Lance with frustration.

Walt then noticed the aura on Silver Lance’s horn, which he then saw on the handle of his weapon. Knowing that magic could be used for telekinetic-like abilities, Walt took immediate caution.

“Be careful with that thing,” Walt told Silver Lance, grabbing the sword’s handle as he did so. “You can–”

Now was the chance. The guard on Walt’s left looked to see Walt’s hand on his weapon.

“Silver Lance!” shouted the guard. “He’s going to attack!”

“What?” exclaimed Walt. “No, I–”

Before any more words could escape Walt’s lips, the four guards turned on him and pointed their lances towards Walt’s throat. With Walt’s “attempt” thwarted, Silver Lance’s plan could commence without a hitch.

“Silver Lance,” shouted Walt, “what the hell are you doing?”

“Keep your voice down,” hissed Silver Lance. “If you try and scream, I’ll end your life right here.”

Walt stifled his response as best as he could, but felt anger and contempt creeping into his heart at this sudden betrayal. Whether by Twilight or Silver Lance’s hoof, the trust that he harbored in these ponies began to weather and crumble away.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Tracy’s group continued through the halls which were becoming more and more empty with each turn they made. A unicorn guard on Tracy’s right was also scheming with Silver Lance, wanting nothing more than to protect their leaders. Using his magic, the guard slowly levitated his spear towards Tracy’s hand, which swung at her side with each step. Her hand was open, allowing the guard to move the handle of the spear towards her open palm. Once the handle made contact with her skin, as if by instinct, Tracy gripped the handle, unaware at first what she was really grabbing until–

“My spear!” shouted the guard. “She has it!”

As the other three guards turned their swords upon her, the unicorn guard quickly relinquished his spear from Tracy’s grasp, pointing its head back at her neck.

“You’re in big trouble now, missy,” he said.

Tracy wasn’t sure what had happened, but she knew that she was nowhere near the unicorn’s weapon. She had been set up. She felt that the captain was seedy enough, but to turn on them like this. It was unforgivable for her.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

“Now follow me,” spoke Silver Lance. “There’s an nice, cold, dungeon waiting for you and your mate.”

“Mate?” questioned Walt. “Tracy? What do you…”

At that moment, Walt understood. He and Tracy were being sold out to Princess Celestia over egregious crimes that they did not commit. With the realization that Tracy’s safety was in jeopardy now, Walt could hold it in anymore. With a deep breath and heavy exhale, the world around Walt began to slow once again.

Grabbing the grappling gun on his right hip and wrapping the bottom wire on the hook on his harness, he turned around and fired the hook at the corner of the hallway behind him. As the hook slowly soared in the air through the decrease in time, the guards were startled by the impossible speed that Walt exhibited. As the hook finally latched to the wall, the guards, regaining their senses, were ready to thrust their spears into Walt’s neck, but Walt was prepared for this.

Walt fell to his rump on the ground and, with the decreased time slowing his fall, he moved his head back to dodge the spearheads now colliding into the center of the air above him. Clicking the trigger once again, Walt felt the pull propel him towards the hallway where he came from, sliding on the floor. His body collided with the legs of the guards, tripping them and forcing them to the ground.

With the elevation of the wire, the grappling hook propelled him upwards and to his feet, allowing Walt to pull the hammer of his pistol back and relinquish the hook from the wall and letting it retract back into the barrel. Walt used his forward momentum to continue running down the halls, hellbent on finding Tracy and saving her from danger.

Silver Lance and the other guards were stunned by how easily Walt had escaped, but their captain was not easily deterred.

“GO!” he shouted. “FIND HIM!”

The four of them galloped down the hallways in pursuit of their prisoner.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

“I didn’t take your fucking spear!” shouted Tracy, her anger rising.

“Don’t talk, you dumb animal,” the unicorn guard responded.

Tracy took the moment to scan the area, looking for a means to escape. She saw as the pegasus guard that stood in front of her was trembling the spear held within its wing.

“I will now,” said Tracy, her voice slightly more smug.

“Wha–”

Before the unicorn could finish his exclamation, Tracy grabbed the spear just below the head and swung it at the trembling spear of the pegasus in front of her. As predicted, the spear was knocked right out of the guard’s grasp, leaving her an open window. As the unicorn got its spear back with his magic, Tracy crouched down and jumped, getting twenty feet in the air at the shock of the other four guards.

Pulling out both of her grappling hook pistols, she aimed and fired the left hook at the corner of the left turn in the hallway and fired the right hook at the wall in front of her. Once both targets latched on, Tracy retracted the wires of the grappling guns, pulling her towards the end of the hallway. As soon as she was about to face the next hallway, she relinquished the left hook from the corner and hung from the wall on her right hook.

She quickly aimed and shot the left hook again at the end of the next hallway, latching herself to it, letting the right hook detach itself, and pulled herself forwards at incredible speed.

“Don’t let her get away!” shouted the unicorn guard, forcing him and two of the guards to give chase.

The pegasus, still amazed at Tracy’s feats, shook himself out of his trance and quickly gathered his weapon before galloping to catch up with his fellow soldiers.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Walt continued to run as fast as his legs could carry him without the aid of his powers. However, he realized that the equine guards behind him were much faster than he was, and it wouldn’t be long before they would catch him. Silver Lance charged his horn upon sighting him after they rounded yet another corner.

“I have you now!” he grunted.

Silver Lance shot a spell at the human, perfectly hitting his target. However, to Silver Lance’s shock and horror, the spell didn’t faze Walt, his clothes, or his equipment in the slightest.

“How?” he exclaimed. “Why is he impervious to my magic?”

Walt didn’t hear him nor did he bother. He rounded the corner to find a group of soldiers standing inside the main hall near the entrance of the palace, having been relieved from Walt and Tracy’s arrival. Silver Lance saw his opportunity.

“Stop him!” he cried. “He’s armed and extremely dangerous!”

The other guards, upon seeing the human run ever so closer to them, reconvened and stood in a phalanx formation and awaited Walt’s inevitable stop. However, he did something that surprised the guards. He continued to run even faster, even to the point where it looked impossible for a creature of his stature and size to run. The guards retained their formation, ready to stop him or spear him if the chance came.

Walt, approaching the phalanx fast, leapt high into the air, towards the spear of another soldier. The guard was too stunned to act as the human came barreling towards him. Walt stepped on the broad edge of the guard’s spearhead and pushed off to ascend even higher, flying above the ponies with relative ease.

Walt knew his speeds were too fast for a safe landing, so he quickly pulled both grappling guns from his side and fired towards the ceiling. Once the hooks latched into the smooth, stony surface, Walt swung from the wires with his lower back just inches above the floor.

He then released the hooks from the ceiling, allowing him to land on the floor and slide down the marble for fifteen feet. Upon feeling his speed diminish to the point of stopping, Walt rolled on this stomach and pushed off the ground, finding him back on his feet and behind the stunned phalanx, standing wide with anticipation for their next move.

“Don’t just stand there!” shouted Silver Lance from the back. “After him!”

The guards followed his orders and all began to gallop towards Walt. Walt turned back around and ran down the hallway where he knew Tracy would be.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Tracy ran as fast as her legs could carry her through the hallways, being hounded by the guards who tried to recapture her. She was much faster than Walt and actually ran at the same pace as the guards, even gaining more ground when her agile human body could round corners in the hallway faster and with more dexterity than the ponies, who nearly crashed into the outer wall of whichever turn they came from.

Tracy took another corner down the hall only to be confronted by a dead end. However, the stained glass wall provided her only chance of escape. She might have been able to jump and swing over the guards before, be she knew they’d be damned if they were to let it happen again.

Still in full sprint, Tracy pulled her two Jerichos from the inside pockets of her jacket and aimed them at the outer edge of the icon, starting near where her head would be. Tracy began firing, producing an outline of bullet holes through the glass that began to form a hole. Upon hearing the empty click of her pistols, she ejected the clips and slammed the butt of her guns down on the clips sticking out from the top of the containers below her wire spools.

Upon pulling the clips from the container, two new clips emerged from them like a pez dispenser. With her weapons reloaded, she riddled the window with more bullets to produce another hole that her body and equipment could easily fit through.

Placing the guns back into her jacket as she neared the window, she made a jump at the hole. Minus a couple of light brushes with glass that still jutted from the hole, she fit jumped in without further incident. However, upon looking down, she saw as below her, there was nothing but forest hundreds of feet below her. She had reached the edge of the castle that hung over the edge of the mountain.

Quickly grabbing her grappling pistols, she launched both hooks at the edge of the spire-like roof of the building, which held left her swinging above the potential freefall. Clicking the switches of her guns, she squeezed the trigger on both guns once again, reeling her up towards the ceiling above the shattered window and out of sight from her would-be captors.

As the four guards peered over the hole that Tracy had made, unsure if she fell to her doom, the sound of galloping could be heard from the other end of the hallway. Just as they turned around, they saw as Walt ran through the hallway with the large mass of guards chasing him. Walt upon seeing the dead end and the four guards standing there, he forced himself to a stop. That’s when Walt saw the hole.

“Tracy!” he screamed.

Feeling as if Walt had given up, the rest of the guards stopped as well, ready for their captain to take action. The four guards chasing Tracy also came close, further trapping Walt inside.

“Out of the way!” shouted Silver Lance as he viciously passed through the other guards. “I said out of the way. He’s mine!”

Eventually, Silver Lance made it to the front of the large group of soldiers, facing Walt once again. Walt glared at him, not so much for the predicament he was in, but because of the lengths he was going to feed his fear and hatred.

“Hahaha,” laughed Silver Lance. “I have to admit, you’re an incredibly slippery creature. But the jig is up now. That is unless, of course, you can try and fight your way out of here. And don’t get me wrong, with your super speed or whatever it was that you were doing, which was quite impressive, I must hand it to you, you can put up a good fight and possibly escape with your head still attached.”

Walt seriously considered drawing his swords and killing him right then and there, but the thought soon crossed him. Most of these ponies had no idea what was happening, and were only following Silver Lance’s gross assumptions of the supposed monster he was. For that matter, that only seemed to make it clearer that Twilight and Celestia had no idea what was happening either.

He felt like it was a long shot, but there was only one thing he could think of to sway the thoughts of the other guards. Walt unclenched his balled fists and placed them gently behind his back, away from his weapons.

“But I’m not going to,” stated Walt.

Walt’s answer came as a surprise to the other ponies. If this creature was as dangerous as Silver Lance made him out to be, surely he would have drawn his weapons right now and at the very least be prepared to attack.

“And why not? You’ve got two options. You can either come with me peacefully and you’ll be imprisoned for attacking the captain of the royal guard, or you can try and escape with the blood of these ponies on your hands. Either way, it won’t end well for you.”

“I choose neither option,” Walt declared. “As soon as I get away from you and find Tracy, I’m going to tell Twilight and possibly Celestia herself about what you and your guards have tried to have done with us. You and your guards are free to continue chasing me, but I will not yield or stoop down to killing ponies just in an effort to fuel your own paranoia about me and my friend.”

“Ha! And who do you think they’re going to believe? Some alien monsters from Celestia knows where? Or the trusted ponies of her own defense unit? Your story will hold no water to mine and my guards.”

The guards couldn’t help but question the validity of their captain’s words. Despite him going on about how dangerous of a creature Walt was, there was really nothing to suggest that Walt was anything of the sort.

“Well, let’s see,” answered Walt with his index finger on his chin. “How will your own story hold up? You’re going to try charging me of attacking you and your guards in cold blood. But wouldn’t you agree that when I tried fleeing from them, that a few casualties, yet alone, injuries would have been made in the scuffle. I think it would make a rather interesting discrepancy to know that an ‘alien monster’ with supposed lethal intent neither killed nor harmed your guards, even when I had full opportunity to.”

Silver Lance was speechless. Now he was caught in a seemingly unwinnable situation. He knew Walt would not attack any single one of his ponies even if pressed to the wall, and if he surrendered and went to the dungeon, Silver Lance’s reasons for doing so as well as his story would not hold up in front of either of the princesses given the obvious facts, which would embarrass him greatly.

With his options slipping, and Walt’s smug smile already screaming a declaration of victory, Silver Lance grabbed the lances of each one of the ponies behind him. The guards were unsure of their captain’s actions, causing them to murmur loudly amongst themselves. With the spears that he had, Silver Lance formed a tight grid inside the space of the hallway, making an otherwise impenetrable barrier for Walt to overcome.

“Sir,” nervously shouted the pegasus guard behind Walt, his voice slightly less gruff than his captain, “what do you think you’re doing? Don’t tell me that.”

“Be quiet you!” shouted Silver Lance. “Can’t you see? This creature is violent. Just look at the blood on his clothes! Only a seasoned killer would keep the blood of his victims on his coat like that.”

Walt would have gladly explained his story, but not only would his story take too long to explain, Silver Lance’s madness would just deflect any reason that he would try to get across. Silver Lance began to slowly advance towards Walt, forcing him and the four guards behind him to retreat towards the stained glass.

“And If I can’t force you to attack us…” he continued.

The unicorn guard that led in Tracy’s arrest readied his lance behind Walt with his magic, ready to strike.

Walt glanced behind him, looking at the ponies that were in Silver Lance’s line of fire, and upon seeing the unicorn guard’s spear raised for an attack, Walt drew his sword as quick as he could without the aid of his powers. As the guard thrust the spear towards the human, Walt turned to the side and leaned back as he slashed his sword at the lance, shattering its wooden body into two, rendering it useless.

With a quick burst of his power, Walt took the broken lance with the spearhead still twirling in midair with his free left hand, held it like a javelin and aimed towards the broken window. Sure enough, with a massive thrust, the spear went soaring over the heads of the four guards and into the hole in the window, never to be seen from again.

The other guards were impressed by Walt’s ability to disarm the guard without even attacking, only solidifying his innocence in their eyes. Walt, his sword still equipped to him, stared daggers into the unicorn. Fearing for his life, he galloped around Walt, who continued to glare into the stallion’s eyes as he retreated towards Silver Lance’s wall of soldiers.

“And now you draw your weapon,” stated Silver Lance, “likely in an attempt to take down the unicorn who tried to apprehend you.”

“Fuck you!” shouted Walt. “He tried to kill me.”

“And now,” continued Silver Lance, advancing with his wall of spears with the unicorn, both smiling in triumph, “I shall be forced to kill you in self-defense of my guards and the nation of Equestria.”

“That’s enough, Silver Lance!” shouted a similar voice behind Walt.

The pegasus guard flew above Walt and landed in front of him, spreading his wings for further protection.

“Private Firegust!” shouted Silver Lance at the pegasus. “Just what do you think you’re doing?”

“This creature has done nothing wrong, Captain.”

“Of course he has! He tried drawing his blade upon us as we escorted him to his room! Now move, private.”

“I don’t believe you. If he’s as lethal as you say he is, he would have attacked or even killed one of us by now.”

“Silence! You were just admitted into the Royal Guard a month ago. Do not tell me that you wish to see that title stripped from you for disobeying my orders.”

“I joined the Royal Guard under the impression that once I begun to serve, I would protect the innocent of Equestria. And I’d like to see you try and fire me for upholding those beliefs.”

Walt was stunned by the honor the pony protecting him showed, as were the guards behind and in front of him. Silver Lance just stood fuming over the pony’s resilience. Firegust turned his head to look at Walt.

“Go,” he simply said. “He may want to kill you, but I know he won’t kill me.”

Walt stood still for a second, but said one last thing to him.

“Thank you.”

Upon turning around, the two remaining guards behind him parted to the walls to make room for Walt to escape. Walt drew both grappling hook guns and aimed them at the center of the top the stone frame of the window. Shooting the hooks, they connected to their targets, with Walt giving a few tugs to check for stability. Enhancing the speed and retract switches on his pistols, Walt took one last look at the livid Silver Lance.

“I must thank you for the tour of the castle, Silver Lance,” he said. “I can’t wait to tell Celestia all about it.”

Before Silver Lance could make a rebuttal, Walt clicked both triggers, the pull sending him soaring through the hall and towards the window. Once her reached the window the wires began pulling him off the ground and towards the still-lodged hooks. Once he was about twenty feet from them, he pulled the hammers back, dislodging the hooks, and soared through the window, shattering it even further.

Walt found himself above the chasm as well, but was prepared for such. Still airborne, he fired the hooks at the base of the flag pole atop of the spire, allowing them to latch to the very top of the roof. Pulling the triggers again, he was pulled towards the pole, the momentum from his previous launch almost whipping the guns from his hand.

Even with gravity in play, Walt’s feet landed upon the edge of the roof as the pull continued to slide him upwards towards where the hooks were nestled until he reached the flagpole. Once he was within arm’s length, he unlatched the hooks from the room and grabbed on. However, he spotted another pair of hands grabbing the pole just below him. Looking down, he saw Tracy, sitting on her knees, giving him a greeting smile.

“There you are,” panted Walt. “I suppose it was you who made the hole in the window?”

“Yep,” she merely responded. “And then I just waited here until you finally showed up. Took you long enough.”

“Right,” said Walt. “Let’s go find the Twilight and the Princess. I need to file a complaint.”

“Walt picked Tracy up by her hand and pulled her to her feet. Attaching the wires of their grappling hooks to their harness, they aimed their guns at the next roof to their right, it looking much less steep than the spire. Firing their hooks at it and making their target, Walt and Tracy swung to the next building.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Silver Lance and the other unicorn guard looked at the holes in the window made by both Walt and Tracy. Knowing that with their grappling harnesses, they wouldn’t have simply fallen to their deaths, the two of them galloped to the group of other guards.

“Swiftspell,” spoke Silver Lance to the unicorn guard. “I’ll go after the humans. Stay here and make sure no one leaves!”

“Understood, sir,” complied the unicorn.

With his many lances still in his magical grasp, Silver Lance and his weapons disappeared in a bright flash of light from his horn. Likewise, Swiftspell had teleported in a similar fashion, but reappeared behind the rest of the guards.

“Listen here!” he shouted. “No one gets by me or reports about what happened here unless you want your status of soldier of the royal guard immediately revoked. Do you understand me?”

Angered by Silver Lance and Swiftspell’s betrayal, the every single guard turned to face him with a stern look on their faces. One guard even cracked his hooves at the wrists, expecting a brawl. All Swiftspell could do was gulp in response.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Walt and Tracy had just climbed atop the roof and were ready to continue onwards. While not level, the roof allowed for ample running speeds without one losing their balance. Walt and Tracy ascended to the top-left side of the roof, where if one tripped, they had time to get back up before they fell off, and if they fell off, there was land for them about fifty feet that they could rappel down to, as opposed to another complete drop on the right.

Walt and Tracy began to run until Silver Lance and his spears appeared thirty feet in front of them. Walt and Tracy were shocked at the unicorn’s appearance, unaware of teleportation magic.

“Now, I’ve finally got you,” said Silver Lance, panting with anticipation, directing his attention to Walt. “I could see how fast you blocked Swiftspell’s spear, but let’s see how well you can manage two dozen!”

Silver Lance quickly hurled each spear at Walt and Tracy one by one. Walt gasped in horror. He knew that even with his powers, with the amount of spears being thrown at him, he could only block a small number of them before he’d exhaust himself and be at the mercy of the remaining weapons.

Tracy’s palm thrust forwards in front of Walt, confusing him. The first spear, stopped in midair with the point just an inch from her hand. The other spears also stopped before they could hit their target, forming a spikey hemisphere of wood and metal that protected the two of them further.

When the spears eventually stopped flying, Tracy whipped her hand to the right, sending all of the spears careening off into the trees below. Looking back at the stunned Silver Lance with a victorious smirk, she then looked towards Walt, her face looking exhausted, but peaceful.

“You’re welcome,” she whispered.

Tracy, overcome with exhaustion, fainted and fell to the left and began to tumble down the roof towards the edge.

“Tracy!” shouted Walt.

Knowing he couldn’t catch up to Tracy without tripping on the roof, Walt resorted to using his powers again, allowing him to descend the roof at a steady pace while still having some time to catch Tracy before she fell.

With the amount of his powers that he did use throughout the course of the day, he felt the sharp pain in his stomach again, and with the feelings of dread that he felt in potentially losing Tracy adding to the pain, he ceased his power, leaving Tracy to fall at a normal speed.

Walt didn’t care anymore. Walt leapt for Tracy’s hand and landed upon his stomach, his fingers just inches from Tracy’s. Tracy’s legs began to slide over the edge along with the rest of her body. With one last hopeful hop, Walt grabbed Tracy’s hand before it could go over the edge. Walt breathed a sigh of relief upon knowing that Tracy was safe for the time being. Just then, Silver Lance’s body appeared just to Walt’s right, his right hoof raised up to stamp on Walt.

Walt quickly rolled off the roof before Silver Lance’s hoof connected to his face and free fell with Tracy still in hand. Walt then pulled his grappling gun and fired it at the roof’s edge, allowing him and Tracy to gently rappel down the wall.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Twilight and a large, but slender snow-white alicorn were walking down the spacious hallway inside the palace, which was lined on both sides by various stained-glass art. The alicorn wore regal golden slippers upon her hooves, a golden choker around her neck, and a golden tiara with a purple gem in the center. Her mane and tail were a large, ever-flowing combination of cyan, lime-green, purple, and magenta. The mark on her flank was that of a yellow sun thickly outlined in orange with blazing-orange rays.

“I hope you’re excited about our guests, Princess Celestia,” spoke Twilight with a bright smile.

“Trust me,” Celestia spoke in a motherly tone, “I can safely say that I am just as eager to meet them as you are.”

“That’s great! Oh, Princess Celestia, you’re going to love them! One’s really smart, and the other one is pretty funny, and–”

“Patience Twilight,” hushed Celestia. “I will meet them in due time.”

A large shadow passed in front of a window on their left, causing both of them to see what it was. Twilight could clearly make out two bipedal creatures, one holding another by their arm. The one on the bottom looked limp as a ragdoll as they both gently landed towards the ground.

“Walt?” she whimpered. “Tracy?”

Twilight nervously galloped back from where she came to the nearest exit: the passage at the back-left corner of the hall. Celestia, worried for her student’s concern, followed her to the exit.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Walt’s grappling hook retracted back into the pistol, allowing him to place the gun at his side and tend to Tracy. Walt began to reach into the left inner pocket of Tracy’s jacket, rummaging desperately for what he knew was inside.

“Get your claws out of there,” spoke the enraged growl of Silver Lance.

Walt turned to his left to see Silver Lance standing five feet in front of him, panting loudly. Walt kept his hands inside the coat pocket of Tracy, but didn’t dare move a muscle. Walt stared at the livid stallion, ready to react the instant the second he tried something.

“I said get your–”

“Tracy!” shouted Twilight, running to her fallen friend.

“Get back, Princess Twilight!” he shouted at her. “This human is trying to attack us! Look! His hand is in her pockets! She must have a weapon.”

“What is going on here?” asked Celestia, walking towards the two humans and two ponies.

Walt, while still tense with the threat that Silver Lance posed, couldn’t help but be overcome by the grace and majesty that Princess Celestia presented.

“Princess Celestia!” exclaimed Silver Lance upon seeing the absolute authority in front of him at last. “Thank goodness you’re here. These humans just tried attacking me and my guards. Allow me to arrest them!”

Twilight was shocked. The two humans that she just befriended were being declared treacherous and violent by the captain of the Royal Guard. Twilight looked to Princess Celestia, hoping that she would hear her friends out as well.

“Is this true?” asked Princess Celestia, looking at Walt with scrutiny.

Walt knew that anything he would say would hold less weight than Princess Celestia’s trusted captain of her own fighting force. However, he would tell the truth no matter how far the unicorn would go to silence and discredit him.

“No!” cried a voice from the sky. “It’s not true!”

The three ponies and Walt looked up to see a pegasus member of the Royal Guard glide from behind and land between the humans and Celestia, looking directly at her.

“Firegust,” addressed Celestia. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Every word that Silver Lance speaks is a lie. These creatures are not violent, and the only one that attacked anyone was Silver Lance and Swiftspell at these…”

“Humans,” finished Walt.

“Silence!” Silver Lance shouted. “I know what I saw, and I believe Celestia will trust in a captain over a private.”

Firegust scowled at having his statement stifled by his rank.

“But I think he’ll trust in all of us instead of just two,” called another voice.

Turning back towards the exit, everyone saw as all the guards involved with the chase of Walt and Tracy spilled out of the exit and formed a semicircle around Celestia and Twilight. The middle two guards in the line held Swiftspell on their backs, who was hogtied gagged, and had a glowing jade ring around his horn.

“Swiftspell?” exclaimed Celestia. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Silver Lance and Swiftspell were conspiring to frame these two humans for assault on the Royal Guard,” explained Firegust. “I even saw Swiftspell’s acts with my own eyes.”

“Explain yourself.”

“He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!” yelled Silver Lance. “He’s delir–”

“I do believe the question was to my guard, captain,” Celestia said, turning to face Silver Lance.

“Yes, your majesty,” submissively responded Silver Lance.

Celestia turned back to face Gustfire and gave him a nod, allowing him to continue. Silver Lance was now quivering.

“Thank you, your majesty,” resumed Gustfire. “When we were escorting Tracy to her room, Swiftspell used his magic to lift his spear into her hand, making it look as if she took it to use it against us.”

“And none of the other guards noticed this?” pried Celestia. “And why didn’t you say something before?”

“No, ma’am,” called a voice in the back. “We were completely oblivious to the whole thing. The only time I realized something was amiss was when Swiftspell began declaring that she was trying to attack us.”

“Not only that,” included Swiftspell, “but I was newly admitted to the Guard last month. I was scared that if I spoke against a higher up like Swiftspell, he’d terminate me. I’m so sorry for my cowardice, and I will gladly take any punishment that comes my way.”

Celestia looked at the face of the guard who spoke first, staring deep in his eyes. The guard stood his ground and did not change his expression. Celestia nodded, content that he was telling the truth.

“But, your majesty!” exclaimed Silver Lance. “These humans are dangerous. Just look at the male! He’s reaching into her pocket for–”

Before he could say “weapon,” Walt pulled out a silver vial with a small cork stopper. Pulling the cork off, the ponies watched as Walt placed the vial under Tracy’s nose. Near instantly, she gasped for air, now fully awake and alert, allowing her to observe her surroundings.

“Smelling salts,” observed Twilight aloud. “What happened to her?”

“Where…” mumbled Tracy. “Where am I?”

“You’re alright for now,” spoke Walt, trying to comfort her and himself with a hug .

Twilight was touched by how these two must have cared for each other, especially when she figured it was Walt who saved Tracy from falling.

“You see this?” jumped in Twilight. “Does this look like a dangerous creature? There’s nothing that proves that Walt or Tracy are anything of the sort, just that Silver Lance is a xenophobe who let his fear cloud his reasoning.

“I mean, if he was truly dangerous, he would have easily used his powers to hurt them, but as far as I can tell, there’s not a scratch on these ponies.”

“I’m sorry,” interrupted Celestia, becoming very interested in this revelation, “but what powers?”

“It was incredible!” shouted the guard.

“He had the speed of the fastest pegasi!” shouted another, which fueled many others.

“The way he leapt over us!”

“And how he deflected Swiftspell’s spear!”

“So,” questioned Celestia to Twilight, “does he possess super speed?”

“Not exactly,” answered Twilight. “You see, Walt claims to have a power that allows him to slow time around him while being able to move normally when everything else becomes slow. He said he used his powers to kill a manticore.”

“A manticore?”

“You see!” shouted Silver Lance. “He is violent. He killed an innocent–”

“The manticore was about to attack and kill a filly in the Everfree Forest, and that filly is a sister of one of my dear friends! If it hadn’t been for Walt, my friend would have lost a sister yesterday. You can ask her about it; she’ll testify.”

“It’s okay, Twilight,” cooed Celestia. “I believe you.”

Walt smiled seeing as how Celestia was beginning to side with him.

“Young Walt, I just want to say, “Thank you,” for saving the lives of one of my little ponies. For those reasons, as well as the facts provided by Twilight, Firegust, and the rest of my guards, I see no reason as to declare you and your friend here ‘dangerous.’”

Walt and Tracy smiled upon their names being cleared.

“Thank you,” spoke Walt, bowing his head.

Celestia’s calm and motherly smile quickly turned to contempt and disgust upon facing Silver Lance, who froze in fear at her glare.

“As for you,” addressed Celestia, “stand by your stallions next to Swiftspell.”

The captain rushed to where he was told, hoping that by some miracle that if he just followed Celestia’s orders, that he’d be off the hook. The other guards untied and ungagged Swiftspell, allowing him to walk but still unable to use magic due to the ring on his horn.

“Captain Silver Lance and Lt. Swiftspell. For needlessly causing panic in my castle walls, endangering the lives of your guards, and spreading lies about my two guests, I am hereby suspending you both of duty for thirty days with no pay.”

“And don’t forget the part where he tried to kill us!” called Tracy with cupped hands.

“Kill you?” asked Celestia. “Who tried to kill you?”

“Both of them,” replied Walt. “When they cornered me in a hallway, Swiftspell tried hurling his lance at me, but I blocked it, broke it, and threw it through the window at the end of the hall. You can’t miss the window; it’s completely broken, but the spear is more than likely in the forest below.

“And then when we tried fleeing on the roof up there,” he said, pointing at the building just at his side, “Silver Lance tried to kill both Tracy and I with the lances that he stole from his soldiers.”

“But then,” concluded Tracy. “I used my own powers to block all the lances and toss them over the side of the roof. Again, if you don’t believe us, there’s probably a fuck-ton of spears down in that part of the forest now.”

“Hmm,” Celestia thought as she gathered the new information in her mind, “those are some gross accusations, but I will have a team go and investigate.

“In the meantime,” said Celestia in her commanding tone, directed back at Silver Lance and Swiftspell, “if my team comes back to find that their story is indeed true and that you tried to dispose of my guests without reason, then I shall see to it that both of you will be stripped of your titles and permanently relieved of duty from the Royal Guard. Equestria help you. Guards! Take them to the dungeons until the investigation is over.”

Silver Lance was devastated. He knew that the investigation would result unfavorably once it was over. His many years in service, one of them being the captain of the royal guard, would end in shame and dishonor. All he could do was bow his head in shame as his once loyal guards chained him and placed another green-glowing ring on his horn like the criminals he used to arrest.

Once Silver Lance and Swiftspell were chained, the guards began to escort them back to the palace towards the dungeons while Gustfire staying behind. Before Silver Lance could be sent inside, he took one last look at Walt and Tracy. Walt merely glared at him, as if to tell him, “You’re getting exactly what you deserve.”

Tracy, on the other hand, pulled her left lower eyelid down with her left index finger with her tongue sticking out, and stuck up her right middle finger at the stallion. Once the treacherous unicorns were out of sight, Walt and Tracy stood back up to more than likely talk with Celestia about the events. Sure enough, she immediately approached them.

“Walt. Tracy,” she addressed with slight nervousness. “I want to extend my deepest apologies for what happened to you both. You see, we’re not all like Silver Lance and Swiftspeed.”

“It’s okay,” spoke Walt with a smile. “If the other ponies here are anything like Twilight and Gustfire here, then I think we’ll be just fine.”

Twilight and Gustfire grinned at being revered like that.

“And if it’s any trouble,” spoke Walt. “Were you going to punish Gustfire in any way?”

The pegasus guard’s smile changed back into a nervous grimace.

“I don’t see how that would be any of your concern,” said Celestia, “but I do not intend to reprimand him in anyway. He stood up against the corruption of his captain with the risk of losing his job, and bravery like that gets rewarded in my kingdom, not punished.”

Walt was highly impressed at the just and kind judgments of this leader, finding them even more breathtaking than her appearance.

“Thank…” mumbled Gustfire, bowing. “Thank you, your majesty!”

“No,” answered Celestia. “I must thank you for sticking your neck out for these humans. I don’t know what would have happened if they were in harm’s way. Perhaps when all is said and done, you might get a promotion out of this.”

“A promo… a promot…”

Gustfire fainted, earning a giggle from Celestia.

“Now then,” said Celestia, turning to Walt and Tracy. “I think now is just as good a time as any to have a proper introduction. I am Princess Celestia. It’s an honor to make your acquaintance.”

Walt looked to Tracy and gave her a shrug before he knelt down and gently took Celestia’s hoof in his hand.

“The honor is all mine,” he responded, kissing her hoof.

Walt’s respectful act caused Celestia to blush and turn her head slightly, while Tracy groaned in response.

“My name is Walt Warland. An absolute pleasure to finally meet you.”

“I have to say,” replied Celestia, as Walt stood back up, “the pleasure is all mine.”

Looking to Tracy, she gave Celestia a subtle expression that seemed to ask, “Do I have to?” Celestia giggled.

“It’s okay,” Celestia responded. “You don’t have to do that with me.”

“Oh, great!” she said without a hint of sarcasm. Taking Celestia’s hoof and shaking it, she said, “I’m Tracy. Tracy Rodriguez.”

“A pleasure, Tracy.”

“Once they stopped shaking hands, Celestia turned to Twilight.

“Twilight,” she asked, “could you please show Walt and Tracy to their rooms. They must be tired and could use a bath.”

“And how!” exclaimed Tracy.

“Certainly, Princess Celestia,” responded Twilight. “Walt? Tracy?”

“Wait,” spoke Walt. “What about Gustfire?”

“He’ll be fine,” answered Celestia. “He just got a tad excited. Now go, please.”

Walt gave a nod at Celestia before Twilight walked back towards the palace, the two humans following close behind. Celestia glanced at them both out the corner of her eye, producing a slight and hopeful smile.

“Perhaps…” she muttered.