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I never would have guessed... When Spike coughed up that scroll yesterday and told me that it was meant for James, I could not have imagined what its purpose was for. When I passed the message along to James at Sugarcube Corner that morning, I thought that was the end of it. I said my goodbyes and went about my day. I... I never would have imagined what I would have discovered the following day.

I was just catching up on my studies that morning when Spike called upstairs from the ground floor in the library. I could not quite make out what he said, so I made my way downstairs. As it turned out, Fluttershy had stopped by. But...something was not right. She looked...very concerned. "Oh, Fluttershy! Can I...help you? Is something wrong?"

"Mmhm... Have you seen James today?" She asked while Spike went upstairs to fetch us some refreshments. He is always quick to be a good host whenever our friends show up at our place. It has been a pretty hot summer this year, so he has been making lots of lemonade and punch on the side.

"James? Um... No, not today. Was he supposed to come by?" I asked while not recalling him coming by at all that morning. I was pretty absorbed in my current assignment at the time, but Spike would have surely alerted me to his arrival if he did visit.

Fluttershy looked away for a moment. I have not seen her that upset since...the first time he went missing. Two years ago. And what she said... "No... I came here to ask because... He worked at Sugarcube Corner yesterday, so I checked there first. Pinkie Pie said you dropped off a note for him and he said he had been called up to Canterlot, so I came by here next to ask you about it. Did you receive a message for him yesterday?"

"Oh, yeah! Princess Celestia sent me a scroll, but it was addressed to James." Spike said from the stairs as her carried over a big pitcher of punch with a few cups in hand before setting it on the central table. "I didn't read what it was about though. It wasn't for me to know, right?"

"Oh right, she did. So I brought it over to him at Sugarcube Corner. And...that was it. I said my goodbyes and came back home." I explained while trying to make certain I was not forgetting anything. "Why? Was he all right yesterday? Was he...not himself when he got home?"

"That's the thing, Twilight..." Fluttershy muttered while looking desperately worried. "He never came home last night. And nopony has seen him at all today."

"He...didn't come home? Why would..." I started to mutter before I got hit hard with a case of déjà vue. "Oh no... You... You don't suppose something has happened, do you?"

Fluttershy was clearly thinking the same thing. And she was not happy about it. "It wouldn't be the first time he's disappeared like this... But... It's not like the last times, right? He left a note the first time. And the next time... He disappeared in the middle of the night without a trace. Do you think...Princess Celestia has something to do with it?"

"Hmmm... Yeah! She would know! Spike, can you get me a scroll and pen?" I said as a glimmer of hope filled my mind. If she called him in the first place, Princess Celestia herself would know exactly what is going on.

"Yes, ma'am!" My little assistant barked as he quickly gathered up a fresh blank scroll to write down a message on right as he finished pouring us a few drinks. "OK, shoot."

I cleared my throat as I tried to keep my thoughts concise and focused. "Dear Princess Celestia. I recall that you sent Spike and I a message to be sent to James yesterday. I delivered it myself and have found out that it contained a summons to Canterlot. I did not think much of it at the time, but Fluttershy has just visited me and revealed that James never came home last night. If you could please let us know what he's doing up there and when he will be back home in Ponyville, it would deeply appreciated. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

Without delay, Spike opened the front door and blew a gout of green fire into the scroll to send it on its way in a plume of enchanted smoke. It would not take long for her to respond at all. I then turned to the three cups of fresh cold punch and levitated them over to the two of them. "Thank you, Spike. Anyone thirsty?"

Spike went along with his chores while I had a chat with Fluttershy to pass the time while waiting for a response. Fluttershy told me about little Gladesong and how much she is getting along with Smolder. It must be nice having their own little dragon assistant to look after the little dear. And took the opportunity to tell her about that weird day with those harpies that kidnapped James right off the train a little while back. We both got a good laugh out of that topic. But before I knew it, I glanced at the clock on the wall and noticed a full fifteen minutes had gone by. "Wow, has it really been that long already? I wasn't even paying attention."

Fluttershy too was pretty surprised by how lost in conversation we got. "Oh my... We really are being a couple of chatterboxes. Spike? Did Princess Celestia respond yet?"

Spike had just finished sorted a shelf of books that had been returned lately when he turned to look at us. "Huh? Um... Actually, no. I haven't gotten any... Oop... Wait a minute... I think I got something coming..."

We both watched with bated breath as I expected him to let out a fiery belch. But all Spike did was let out a tiny burp that barely brought out a few green embers. "Nope, that wasn't it... Probably those pancakes I had this morning. Too much starch, you know?"

Something was not right... Even at her busiest, Princess Celestia has never taken that long to send a reply. Not in the middle of the day. "This can't be right... The longest I've ever waited for a reply was just seven minutes and twenty-five seconds. Do you think it...got lost on the way up?"

Spike only shrugged his shoulders at me. "Beats me. I've never had a message not make it to her, but I guess there's a first time for anything?"

"Maybe...you could send another?" Fluttershy asked while starting to look concerned all over again. It was starting to feel like Princess Celestia...was hiding something from us.

"Sure, I'll write it out this time." I said before bringing another blank scroll and a fresh ink quill over to myself with a bit of levitation. "Dear Princess Celestia. I just sent a message out to you a little while ago, but I still have not gotten a response from you. I do not want to sound accusatory, but this abnormally long delay does not seem like you. Is everything all right? Please respond immediately if you can. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

Once again, Spike dutifully sent the scroll on its way with a breath of his magical green fire. To help pass the time, we all sipped away at some more punch. Spike even joined in with the chat, talking about what he and Sweetie Belle have up to. He kept trying to pass the two of them off as just friends, but anypony who has seen them together can tell that they are budding sweethearts. I was worried for a long time of what might happen if his crush on Rarity went on for too long, but it seems that little issue ended up sorting itself out last Hearth's Warming Eve.

Just when I was starting to wonder if we were going to have to send a third scroll, Spike suddenly let out a loud belch with an impressive plume of green flames emerging from his jaws. I quickly glanced at the clock on the wall and the positions of its hands. "Wow, a full ten minutes! That's a new record!"

Spike took a second to clear his throat since he had clearly been caught off guard by this one. Rather than let him read it to us, I brought the scroll over to myself and unfurled it before me. And...the response was not what I was hoping for. "Dear Twilight. Please gather up Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie. Your presence is required in Canterlot immediately. Signed, Princess Celestia."

There was nothing to serve as an answer over what had become of James. And yet, I had a feeling we were about to find out exactly what was going on. Fluttershy and I looked at each other, neither being able to speak. We knew this was a bad sign. I turned to Spike and asked, "Spike, Fluttershy and I are needed elsewhere. Can I trust you and Owlowiscious to watch the library while we're gone?"

"Sure. I'll keep an eye on the place. You go do what you have to do." Spike replied while not looking too surprised. I think these kinds of events have happened often enough for him to know when things are getting bad. If only we could have known just how bad things were about to get.

Once Fluttershy and I were outside the library, we had to decide how to go about rounding up our friends. Fluttershy was the first to speak up. "Before we do anything, I need to make sure someone can watch Gladesong while we're away. I think Smolder would be all right with that."

"Oh right, we can't leave the poor thing unsupervised. Once you're done with that, could I ask you to track down Applejack and Rainbow Dash?" I replied while thinking she could cover ground faster than I could since she can fly.

Fluttershy nodded while she spread her wings. "OK, I'll go looking for them. We'll meet up at the train station, right?"

"Sounds good. We'll wait for you." I said before she took to the air and flew west. I then took off at a gallop for Sugarcube Corner. It would be best to go fetch Pinkie Pie first before going to find Rarity since she does not live too far from the train station.

I went straight to Sugarcube Corner with no delays. Lucky for me, I found Pinkie Pie minding the register once I got there. And she was quick to greet me with a smile. "Howdy do, Twilight! What sounds good today? Chocolate drops? Lemon drops? Pepper drops, if you're daring?"

Ew, was she still experimenting with ghost peppers? I will never understand the appeal of spicy candy and pastries. "What?! No, nothing like that. I'm here because we've got trouble. You know James was called up to Canterlot yesterday, right?"

"Oh, yeah! He left right after you did. So he... Uh oh... Did something happen?" Pinkie Pie quickly lost that smile as she started to understand what I started to get at.

"Yeah. He never came back. Fluttershy came to me a little while ago to tell me. I tried asking Princess Celestia through one of Spike's messages and... Well..." I said before passing her the scroll I had received in response. "See for yourself."

A few seconds of looking the scroll over later, Pinkie Pie suddenly started vibrating in place. "Ooooooh there it is again! I've been getting the shudders on and off all day! And I'm guessing it has something to do with this?"

"If your Pinkie Sense is being triggered that hard, we're probably about to make a very unexpected discovery..." I muttered as I have long since learned to take that little quirk of hers as seriously as everypony else does. "Anyway, you see the message. We're needed up in Canterlot right away. Can you come by the train station soon? Fluttershy's rounding up Applejack and Rainbow Dash and I still need to go find Rarity."

"Sure thing! I'll just finish things up here for a few minutes and tell Mrs. Cake I gotta go. See you there, Twilight!" Pinkie said while she ducked back into the kitchen to probably finish up a few things she was waiting on. Not wasting any time, I rolled up the scroll and quickly saw myself out before I headed southeast towards Carousel Boutique. I could only hope Rarity was in town.

As soon as I got there, I pushed the door open to find Rarity looking over a clipboard. The bell that hangs over the doorway was quick to get her attention. "Oh, hello there... Ah, Twilight! What can I do for you, darling?"

"You can come with me. Princess Celestia sent me this." I said before tossing the scroll her way. Rarity caught it with her own levitation magic and looked over the contents herself. "Can you make it?"

"But of course, Twilight. I shan't refuse a summons from our princesses. Even so... What exactly is this all about? Did something happen?" Rarity asked while looking really confused. I do not think she even got to see James once yesterday, so she likely knew nothing about what had happened.

I let out a sigh as I started to get a bit tired of having to repeat myself. "Long story short, I got a message from Princess Celestia yesterday that was intended for James. He was called up to Canterlot, but never came home afterward. I didn't find out until this morning when Fluttershy came right to my place to ask about it."

Rarity passed the scroll right back to me as she asked, "Hm... That does not sound like him... Wouldn't little Gladesong be missing her father? Surely he just got sidetracked and stayed overnight in the palace, yes?"

I wanted to believe that we were overreacting over nothing, but I had plenty of reason to suspect something was not right. "I'd like to believe that, but... When I sent Princess Celestia a scroll asking about James' whereabouts, she did not respond at all. I waited a full fifteen minutes before sending another question. And she did not respond until another ten minutes later. Almost... Almost like she was trying to avoid answering me... It's not like her to delay a response to my messages like that."

"She...hesitated in responding? Oh dear... That certainly does not sound like her at all..." Rarity muttered as her eyes wandered. She soon snorted in determination before looking at me with a much more stalwart gaze. "This most certainly does feel like an ill omen. I will join you at the train station shortly. I just need to let Mitta upstairs know to mind the shop until I get back."

"Gotcha. I'll see you there, Rarity." I said before hurrying out the door and heading north to the train station. I was not surprised to see that I was the first one to get there and I was lucky enough to see the next northbound train pull into the station. All I had to do was show the conductor the scroll and its contents to convince him to grant me and my friends passage to Canterlot.

Unsurprisingly, Rainbow Dash was the first to show up. She came swooping in and landed beside me. I was quick to speak up, "Hey there, Rainbow! Did Fluttershy and Applejack find you?"

"Yeah, they woke me up from a nap and should be on their way over right now." She explained before turning to me while looking more annoyed over her routine being disrupted. "So, what's the deal? James decide to stick around in Canterlot overnight for some fancy R&R?"

"I...have no clue. Princess Celestia didn't provide any details. All she said when I asked was...well...this." I said before holding out the scroll for her to read. "That's it. I'm sure we'll have answers about it soon, but...the fact that she wants all six of us up there doesn't give me a good feeling about it..."

When I lowered the scroll, I saw that Rainbow Dash was looking very unsettled. Like everything that she had just learned, for how little it was, triggered something. "Rainbow...?

She hesitated before she spoke. "I don't like this... Every time this happens, it's always because it's about something that needs the Elements of Harmony to fix. And you know what happened the last time James tagged along with us for one of those."

My blood went cold. How could I forget? The last time... When Discord... That was easily the most emotionally taxing time of my life and not something I like being reminded about. And yet... Rainbow was right. Every time so far when we have been all summoned to Canterlot, it has been due to something that demanded the use of the Elements of Harmony. Discord's first escape. Then Nightmare Moon's second return. And then Discord's final act. But now this... Only this time... Was I forgetting something? I could not imagine it being due to the Changeling queen. What would we find once we got there?

One by one, our friends joined us at the station. And before long, we were on our way up the mountain with a number of other passengers. The six of us stayed grouped together as we tried to pass the time. Although conversation was sparse. I think we were all too anxious over what we were being called for. Not just because we were worried about James, but mostly because none of us could make out any hints over what this was foreshadowing. Nightmare Moon is no longer our enemy. Discord is dead and gone. Another Changeling invasion simply will not work in the face of the royal guard's revised guidelines. Was it a new threat? Or were we making a mountain out of a molehill?

"Twi...?" I turned to look at Applejack as she looked at me from the seat across from mine. "You sure the princess didn't mention anythin' about what was up with James headin' up there yesterday?"

"I'm sure, Applejack. And I'm convinced that trying to get an answer out of Princess Celestia through mail isn't going to work. There's probably a good reason why she wants to speak to us directly in the castle itself." I explained while just knowing something had gone wrong. I looked out the window for any warning signs. No signs of nonsensical weather like what might be happening if Discord was still around. The distant form of Canterlot was not shrouded in a barrier for additional security. The position of the sun was consistent with the time of day. Nothing was amiss. There were no signs of anything unusual. So why was I so convinced that a proverbial storm was coming?

It was only then that Applejack brought up a very good point. A point I almost never considered myself. "Twi... Have ya ever wondered exactly how James got to Equestria in the first place?"

"Now and then, although I haven't wondered about it in a while." I muttered while giving her my attention since watching the scenery pass by was not doing much for me at the time. "I stopped thinking about it after a while. He's always been a good friend and I'm glad to have him in our little circle. That's the important part, right?"

"Yeah, me too. It's just... It makes ya wonder, you know?" Applejack said before looking out the window at nothing in particular as the train started to lurch to one side as we went around a bend. "I mean he ain't from this world. What's that place he's from again? Some place called Earth? And it's...kinda weird that there are all these lil' myths and legends about humans just about nopony pays any mind to. It just makes ya wonder how he got ta Equestria in the first place."

She was right about that. While very few and far between, there are a number of old legends or myths about humans. But there is so little to go on that I always assumed humans were just the product of someone's imagination. I mean I took note of them enough to assume that James was one when I first saw him, but that was about it. Although Applejack then looked at me while looking even more convinced of her own words. "I ain't believin' that James bein' here is just a coincidence, Twi. Somepony brought 'im to Equestria. And not just because he won some sorta vacation in another world."

All I could do was nod. There... There had to be an ulterior motive to his presence in Equestria. He had been sent back to Earth once before after coming here. Someone must have brought him here in the first place, sent him back, and then brought him back to Equestria. And it was likely all done by the same person. And I was starting to have an ever growing hunch that we were about to get some answers to some long forgotten questions once we reached our destination. I was sure of it.

We reached Canterlot without any delays or trouble during the ride. Once we and everypony else stepped out onto the train platform, we all looked around. Canterlot was the same it has always been. There was no sign of trouble. Even Fluttershy was not able to notice anything wrong. "It doesn't...feel like something has gone wrong."

"Then we'll just have to avoid jumping to conclusions until we figure out why we're needed. Let's go, girls." I said before leading my friends along through the city I was very familiar with. We reached the castle before long and made our way inside with the guards making no attempt to stop us. They must have known we were being expected. Although...I noticed that not one of them were maintaining their usual stoic poise. They all looked very distracted by something. Most of the guards I saw being stationed in groups of two were even quietly chatting with each other, though not about a pleasant topic. It was the first clue we saw that something had gone wrong.

"Aren't the guards supposed to be...you know...kinda always really serious when on the job?" Pinkie Pie asked quietly as we trotted through the halls. I assumed we were wanted in the throne room. The halls were almost eerily quiet. And the number of guards that we passed were unusually spread out. As if they had been called away. And yet, I was not given the impression that we had been infiltrated.

Finally, we stood outside the throne room. The doors were entirely unguarded. Together, we all pushed the doors open to step inside. I feared what I might find, but I felt myself smile just slightly when I saw our two princesses seated upon their thrones in waiting. Nightmare Moon was absent, but I did not think much of it at the time. Although I quickly remembered the message I still had on my person. "We're here... Like you asked..."

"And I am sure you have many questions awaiting answers." Princess Celestia said while she and Princess Luna...looked so very distressed. Something heavy was on their minds.

Fluttershy stepped forward. She was the most concerned over James in the first place. "Yes... Where is James? Where is...my husband? I understand you requested that he come up here yesterday. And he did. So why has he not come home yet?"

"Because he..." Princess Luna began to say, but stopped as she just...lost the will to say anything. She let out a sigh before looking towards her sister. "Celestia... We can't hide this from them forever. The truth will be known at this rate. Should we tell them?"

"Yes... It can't be helped now... All of you. The truth will be known one way or another. And it would be best that we tell you." Princess Celestia said as she remained upon her throne. "Everything...about him. About James."

A new kind of tension filled the air. None of us could find the will to speak. All we could do was listen as Princess Celestia began to explain. "As I am sure you have known for some time, there have been numerous myths circulating the globe about a mysterious and nonexistent race known as humans. The very same race that James is a part of. Even though he hails from another world. You all know this, yes?"

I nodded. As did most of my friends. Princess Luna then took the lead as she said, "It is time that you know. These myths are not the result of ancient misinterpretations or wild speculation. And your friend's arrival in this world is not mere coincidence. Any and all myths and legends about humanity are the last lingering bits of truth that Equestria has failed to forget of a long forgotten empire. Humanity once called Equestria home eons ago. And James is the herald of humanity's reintroduction to this world. A project that Celestia and I have been overseeing."

I lost my breath upon hearing that. Humans have existed in Equestria before? With an entire empire of their own? And...James was brought to this world as the first of some sort of project to reintroduce mankind to Equestria? It was Rainbow Dash who spoke first. And she was understandably frustrated. "You... You brought him here?! And for something like that?! Why'd you never tell us?! Why even keep this whole thing about humans a secret from Equestria?!"

"For one simple reason, Rainbow Dash. Because this world was not ready to remember." Princess Luna declared with a much bolder and commanding tone to try and silence our frustrated friend. "Humanity's disappearance from this world was a result of their final great mistake. For so long, they were very dear friends to the rest of Equestria's people. But they carried out a most cruel betrayal that forever sullied their relations with our people. A betrayal that only the Elements of Harmony could rectify. It took centuries for that memory to fade from the public consciousness. Only now is it safe to begin to bring humankind back into the fold now that it is possible to begin anew. And James was chosen to be the harbinger of their return. A duty he has carried out admirably since the day he settled in Ponyville with you."

I could barely even imagine what Equestria's previous human population could have done to irrevocably ruin their relations with the rest of Equestria's citizens. I mean... I guess it makes sense. If nopony could trust humankind after that, then there would be no way to safely allow humans to live among us.

"Huh... Yeah! He has been doing a great job with that! James is the only human I know. And he's a really good human!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as we all cracked a smile at that. She was right. From the day we first met him, James has left a good first impression on us. I could hardly imagine humans being a troublesome race after meeting him. If he really was meant to make a positive first impression our people, then that plan worked in the end.

"Quite! Such a dear, that gentleman is." Rarity added before turning her attention back towards our princesses. "While I understand that you had your reasons for keeping this information from your people, I will not question it. Now then, would you be so kind as to explain where our friend is?"

There was a quiet tension as the two of them hesitated. That alone told me that we were not about to hear some good news. Princess Celestia breathed deeply before she said, "Your friend...departed yesterday for the Empty Plains. Alone. And Nightmare Moon followed as soon as she caught wind of it."

The Empty Plains... That place? My friends had no idea what it was, but I have looked at a globe often enough to know about it. "But...why there?! There's nothing out there! I thought the Empty Plains was just a massive wildlife reserve. What is James hoping to find out there?"

Princess Luna spoke with a heavy tone to her voice. "Because...war is coming, Twilight Sparkle. There is one left. One human man from long ago remains in this world for reasons we cannot comprehend. The last emperor of humankind still draws breath. And just yesterday, a message was delivered to us containing a promise for an invasion. Even though he no longer has an empire to call his own or people to lead, he insisted that he is not without soldiers. He will set out to finish what he started all those centuries ago. We know this. And...we are not certain of how to counter this."

We all went silent. I could barely believe it. There was still one left? The one human who ruled over them all back then? And he intended to wage war upon us? I know war has been discussed in novels and other works of fiction but... War is not in our nature. What could we do? Ponies are not warriors!

Applejack was the first to speak as she brought up a very good point as she reminded that the six of us were there for a reason. "Hang on! What about the Elements of Harmony? Ain't those good enough to send that emperor fella packin' before he gets here?"

With a sigh, Princess Luna explained, "You must understand. The Elements of Harmony were used directly upon him and his entire people ages ago. And they were all banished to distant worlds. And yet, he remained. Unbeknownst to us until just yesterday. If the Elements failed then, they will surely fail again. Whatever he did to anchor himself to Equestria, he will likely be prepared to repeat should the Elements of Harmony be brought to face him again."

"And... James was the first to try and stop him? And Nightmare Moon too?" Fluttershy asked as this slew of new information was still registering with all of us. James... He set out alone. Even with all the power at his disposal when he has all that enchanted equipment, would it be enough?

"Yes... He set out alone. Reluctantly, but willingly. He... He loves this world. He loves all of you. And he... He is prepared to at least try to save it. And Nightmare Moon set off after him once she learned of his departure." Celestia explained while...looking so very guilty. What else happened yesterday that we were not being told? "They are the only ones out there now who are marching east towards the Empty Plains. I do not know what they will find, but they are alone. Even together, I can only wonder if... Hm?"

We all turned to face the doors leading into the throne room as they were pushed open. And...I saw him. My brother. Shining Armor marched in with many of the guards in the palace following him. He was clad in his armor, but without his helmet. He looked right at me and almost greeted me, but all he gave me was a worried smile. He then looked towards our princesses and spoke up. "Forgive me if we're interrupting, your highnesses. It's just that... May we have a word with you?"

"Of course, captain. What is it?" Princess Luna asked while we all looked back at him to listen. It did not look like he was supposed to be a part of this conversation. Did he have an important announcement?

"We... I just want to say... We know. We know about the message you received yesterday. We know why you ordered us to prevent James from leaving the palace. And...we know what's coming." Shining Armor explained while looking the most uncomfortable I have ever seen him while on the job. Even moreso than right before his wedding. "And... I have discussed this matter with all of my men that are stationed in Canterlot. And we... We've come to a decision."

They all bowed together before Shining Armor looked up at the princesses. "We're ready, your highnesses. Give the order and we will face them in the fields. We're not warriors, but we are defenders. And we will defend Equestria even if we must step outside our walls and do battle with whoever seeks to take our world from us. Princess Nightmare Moon was the first to answer that call. And we can't just let her do it all on her own."

So inspiring... I think he was afraid, but it looked like the act of seeing Nightmare Moon and James rising to the challenge of standing against this incoming invasion had given an unexpected boost of morale to my brother and his men. I looked at my friends. I do not think I needed to say anything to them or the other way around. Rainbow Dash smirked as she turned to face our princesses and called out, "You know what?! Count us in too! Can't let those two take all the glory, right?!"

"What?! Do you even know what you are saying?!" Princess Celestia shrieked as she probably did not expect that at all. "This is not like anything you have ever experienced. This is war. It is a terrible thing. Not at all like clashes against Equestria's vilest villains. The terrors of war are a very different type of horror that you surely cannot truly comprehend. Are you certain that you are ready for this?"

"What other option do we have, your highness?" Shining Armor asked as he and his men rose to their hooves. "Do we just stay here and let the Princess of Dreams and our newest champion press on until they reach their limits and are overwhelmed? Defend our homes from the walls until we are inevitably overrun? No, I don't want that. We don't know what to expect, but... We're willing to try. I don't want to see our world be ruined... Do you?"

We all waited for an answer. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna bowed their heads in silence. But after a minute, I could hear Princess Luna let out a chuckle. "To think... How history does indeed repeat."

"Indeed... It's certainly not the first time humanity has been the first to rise to the challenge with the rest of Equestria following suit." Princess Celestia whispered before they both cast their gazes towards us while rising from their thrones. "You are quite right, captain. We can't just stay here and await our fall. If there's no other option, we must fight back against this invasion."

Princess Luna then stepped down from the thrones' platform as she spoke out. "We have much work to do and preparations to make. Let us send word to every corner of Equestria. Let there be a call for volunteers. We must make haste."

We all smiled at each other. Even if there are dark times ahead of us, it felt like we could take on the world. A spark had been cast and now a blaze was beginning to grow among us. We had the will to stand our ground and push back against this new enemy.

As the rest of the royal guards and our princesses left the throne room, Shining Armor stayed behind to speak to us. "So... You girls serious? You think you can help us out with this?"

"Sounds like y'all need all the extra horsepower you can get, cap'n. Of course we ain't gonna let them varmints take this land." Applejack spoke up proudly while tilting her hat in a way that made it look like she was ready for a bar brawl.

I then decided to speak to my brother. "Yes, we're sure. I can't just let you do this alone either. I don't know what I can do yet, but I'm sure we'll figure something out very soon."

"Twily... I'll be glad to have you with me, but don't do anything reckless. You haven't seen the kind of stuff the royal guard gets itself involved in. And I'm sure even that's gonna be nothing compared to what we end up dealing with out there." He said before pulling me in for a hug. "Don't make me regret this, sis. Mom, Dad, and Cadence won't ever forgive me if I ever let anything happen to you in this mess."

"I won't be nothing but dead weight. I promise." I said softly while hugging him back. Me and my BBBFF together in this fight... That alone gave me a big boost in confidence. We have never done something like this before and I was legitimately excited to be there for him in the line of duty. Although.. It was around then that something came to mind. "Hold on... Did you say you...tried to stop James from leaving the palace yesterday?"

He stepped back while we let go of each other. "Yeah, we did. I didn't know the context at the time, but the alarm was sounded and we were ordered just to stop him from getting outside. I think...they just didn't like the idea of him rushing off on his own like that."

"Did he...say anything when you did?" Pinkie pie asked while she stepped a little closer.

Shining Armor let out a sigh while looking really uncomfortable with what he was thinking about. "I think... The way he spoke to me... I don't he was expecting to come back alive from what he was setting out to do. Like he was...resigned to some ultimate fate."

I felt a knot in my throat. Was the situation really that bad? Does James really have a grasp on the concept of war that we just do not have? What does he know that we do not? Enough to try and keep us out of it? Whatever the case, my brother looked at me with a rather grim frown. "I can't let him die out there, Twily. That guy's the closest thing to a little brother I've ever had and I'm not about to let him die for nothing."

That got a smile out of me. And I could only nod. "We will, Shiny. We'll catch up to him together."

"Yeah... We will. Anyway, you girls head home for now. Tomorrow is when the real work begins. I'll see you then." My brother said with a hopeful smile as he trotted out of the throne room. However, we stayed behind a bit longer. Just to talk amongst ourselves.

"My goodness... Actual warfare like out of those novels... I wonder if we truly have the means to make a difference, darlings." Rarity mused while not really looking all that sure of herself. I mean none of us really had that much of an idea of exactly what we could do once everything was set in motion.

Rainbow Dash sounded a bit more confident about the whole mess than the rest of us. "Come on, you know we've got what it takes! It's not just James, you know. Nightmare Moon's out there too and she's a pony like us! If she can take the fight to them, who says we can't?!"

"I don't think it's just about ponies... Besides... I'm not really sure what I could do. Maybe I could...help the guard send out carrier pigeons?" Fluttershy muttered while looking the most unsure out of all of us. What could she do? Of the six of us, she is the last one I could ever imagine ending up in a combat situation.

Thankfully, Applejack was the first to point out the obvious truth that should not be ignored. She stepped forward and placed a hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder as she said, "Actually, Fluttershy... You sit this one out. Trust me, if there's gonna be a lotta fightin', then you ain't gonna be cut out for it."

Even though Applejack was absolutely right about that, Fluttershy still tried to protest. "But... But...we've always done these things together! I... I shouldn't just leave this all to you!"

I also had a good idea of why Fluttershy should stay behind. And so I said, "No, you really should stay, Fluttershy. Who's going to look after Gladesong while we're gone? This whole thing could last weeks. Maybe months. We don't even know where we could be going yet."

The name of her daughter caused Fluttershy to fall silent. And Rarity was quick to jump in. "Of course! Who would be there for precious little Gladesong? Even if Scootaloo could look after herself, the poor darling is merely weeks old. She needs you now more than ever, dear. If you really want to do what's best, just keep doing what you must. Be the best mother to your little one you can and wait for us to return."

Fluttershy let out a harsh sigh after a moment and looked at us with such a grateful smile as if she was trying to not cry. "I... I'm going to miss you all so much! I'll stay... I'll stay for Gladesong... But you have to promise me you'll all come back safe and sound... I love you girls!"

"Awww, we love you too, Fluttershy! Group hug!" Pinkie Pie spoke before we all came together for one big hug. "And sure! Let's all make a Pinkie Promise! That we'll all come back and have one big coming home party once everything is said and done!"

"Sounds good to me! Altogether now, right?" Rainbow Dash asked as we stepped back and brought our hooves together. And thus, we said the chant. Cross our hearts. Hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in our eyes. "Now we've all gotta come home just fine in the end. You just keep an eye on things on the homefront while we're all out on the east front, all right?"

Fluttershy nodded somewhat reluctantly. I could tell she wanted to come with us so badly just because of our undying friendship, but she knew that it would be no place for her. Not when she still had a newborn daughter to watch over. "Mmhm... You all take care of yourselves out there... And... When you catch up to him... Tell James I love him."

"Will do, darling. Will do." Rarity replied firmly while we all finally began to leave the throne room. With nothing else to do, all we could do was return home and wait until the next day when everything finally started to come alive.

Although Pinkie Pie was not quite done talking. "Hey! How about I throw all a going away party tonight? Just for us!"

"Oh please, Pinkie. We don't want to be exhausted on the morning when the guards start calling for volunteers. We need to rest up tonight! Save the celebrations for after we win this war." I replied while we all got a good chuckle out of her usual enthusiasm. Her parties really can take a lot out of you.

This evening, I have been taking things easy at home. Gathering up little bits and pieces of supplies I might want to take with me. Although maybe an hour before his bedtime, Spike came running upstairs with a scroll in hand. "Hey, Twilight! I just got this and I think it's for you!"

"At this hour? I wonder what it's about..." I muttered before I took the scroll and held it before me. I was most surprised by what Princess Celestia had sent me. "Wow... Spike, good news! It looks like Princess Celestia has an important task for you while we're gone."

"Huh? Where are you go... Oh right, this big war thing that's coming. What about it?" He asked while still not quite grasping the whole concept of this upcoming war. Probably for the best, all things considered.

I then looked over the scroll again. "Anyway, it looks like... It looks like you'll be spending a lot of time with Cadence for a while. As her...messenger?"

He really liked the sound of that. He always got along really well with Cadence. "Really?! That's great! I'll be the best assistant she could ever have! Just like I've always been for you, right?"

"Mhmhmhmhm, yes Spike. Just like you've always been with me. I know you won't let her down." I said while unable to help letting myself smile. But after a moment, Spike walked up to me as his smile left his face. I set the scroll aside and asked, "Spike? Is something wrong?"

He did not say anything for a moment. As if he just could not find the right words at that instant. "War... It's... It's a terrible thing, right? Like... Is it as bad as all the crazy stuff in the Power Pony comics?"

I let out a sigh. I suppose he kind of has an idea of war is like. Even if it is a very weak grasp of it. "Probably worse... I don't really know what to expect, but I'm not expecting this to be a fun experience..."

Spike then stepped right up to me and grabbed me in a tight hug with his face buried into my neck. "Please come home safe and sound, Twilight... I... I don't wanna say goodbye... I'll miss you while you're gone..."

For just an instant, I felt afraid. War... Are we going to die out there? Was I going to die? No, I could not let myself start doubting myself now. I had to be strong. We found the courage to stand and fight today. I cannot let it fade already. I put my arm around my little friend and held his head against me. "I'm gonna miss you too, Spike... And I'll do everything I can to make sure I come back safe and sound. We all will. Just...have faith in us, all right?"

"I will, Twilight... Everything always turns out just fine in the end. Everything will be OK..." He said before pulling away and wiping his eyes with his wrist. He then looked up at me with a hopeful smile as he said, "I need to stop doubting everyone. You always pull through, right? What am I so worried about?"

All I could do was join in with a smile of my own. "Heheh, true. Now, how about brewing up some tea before bed? It'd be best if we got a full night's sleep before tomorrow."

Ponyville is quiet now as I write this. Spike is asleep, the moon is high over town, and I am finally getting too drowsy to keep writing. I do not want to keep myself awake all night with thoughts of what is coming. Everything is going to be fine. Equestria is a rich world that surely has resources it can use to give itself an edge. I just need to stay confident.

We are all going to be just fine... We can win this war. Hopefully without any loss of life. Anyway, I must get to sleep. There is much to do tomorrow and I cannot get started with a nasty case of insomnia. I just hope we are ready when the time comes.