Wayward Souls (private)

Almost beaming with pride at the reaction his little treasure earned, Brim happily explained. "I got it a long time ago way back when. I saw this pony flying over the place but she wasn't sad or crying or angry like all the others that had shown up. She had this glow about her that was amazing, but she flew really fast and I could only run so quickly. She flew right over the gates and then a little bit later, she flew away but this fell from her and I've kept it close ever since."

she looked perplexed, then drew celestia quickly."did she look like this?" she said showing him the picture.

Brim tilted his head a little while looking at the picture, but after a minute or two of study he nodded. "But how'd you know what she looked like?"

she smiled "that my demon friend is princes celstia, let me explain~" and from this point she began another 20 minuet lecture followed by flash cards and a pop quiz.

While the flash cards and lecture helped explain who she was, Brim kept failing one major part of the quiz. "But she can't still be alive, ponies don't live THAT long," Brim repeated for the 7th time after getting the series of questions related to date and time wrong.

she sighed for the 5 time "the princes are alicorns, and i dare say they are immortal or close to it, the only thing more magically charged than an alicorn would be a spirit but they are well..." she stopped as she recalled the destruction a certain draconiqis coursed.

"But everything dies eventually, that's what death told me. And when everything else is gone, he'll go too," Brim replied. While he didn't want to be wrong, or have his first friend proven wrong, he also didn't want to keep arguing.

"well even if they can die, which i did say they might, it wont be for a good few thousand years" she said. suddenly she remembered something. "keep your eyes open when we get to canterlot though.. let just say I'm a bug watch and a certain have has vanished after heading this way." she added not sure if it was important at all.

Brim tilted his head in confusion, but nodded all the same before following along side Lightning as they continued onward to Canterlot.

as they got to canterlot lightning smiled and took in a deep breath. "beautiful..."she said smiling.

Brim didn't hear what she'd said, he was too busy looking at all the buildings and towers to notice as they neared the gates. Then he got a fresh new kind of distraction, in the form of a spear being pointed at him and a loud 'Halt!' command. Startled, Brim looked to the guards who halfway seemed just as nervous to be pointing weapons at a demon. One took off running towards the castle while the first two simply kept pointing their spears at Brim.

"What'd I do this time?" Brim asked looking over towards Lightning.

"don't worry dear, they are just scared." she turned and smiled to the guards "I'm sorry sirs for this inconvenience, i am sorta in a hurry, i have some books to get to the royal canterlot library, you see I'm getting close to my deadline in returning them, and this is some what my worst fear, I have never been late but this week well.. its been eventful which has slown me down. so if you'd be so kind, we mean no harm, in fact I'm more of a threat than this scamp here, i do understand if we need to be id'ed though so if we must, please may you hurry." she said in her clearest voice trying her best to be well presented.

"Hey," Brim responded at the slight jab Lightning had at him.

"You can go ahead miss, I recognize ya," the guard said without moving his from Brim. "This one though is goin ta wait for Cap'n Shining to arrive. It'll be up ta him if he get's in."

"then sir, as much is its going to bug me, i must wait here until then too, but please lower your weapons at least." she sad calmly before sitting down

"Sorry miss, orders are to hold anything possibly dangerous at spear point, don worry though. So long as it's not doin nothing stupid, it won't have ta worry," the guard continued without lowering the weapon from Brim's face. Brim however was cringing as some very sharp looking instruments were held mere inches away and he was completely unsure how this Shining pony would react to him. So far, most spectators seemed to have had negative views after all.

A few minutes later, the guard that'd run off came back with a white stallion in more elaborate and fancy armor came trotting up. "Alright soldier, what have you go-" Shining trailed off as his eyes settled on Brim. For a few tense moments, the two just stood there looking at each other. Then Shining let out a sigh, "alright, lower your weapon Bulwark, but keep it at the ready. We're taking this to the princess."

"Right sir," the guard responded and obliged. Then the two of them began to lead Brim off to the Castle while the guard who fetched the captain took up the empty post.

"Lightning?" Brim said as he was being somewhat forcefully led away.

"sirs! i respect your decision but i hold myself responsible for him, so i must accompany him" she said loudly and very demanding.

Despite Brim's smile, Shining just shrugged and said, "fine, you can come along too. Swift said you had some books to return to the royal library anyways right?"

lightnings mood lightened "yes sir indeed i am, i should be able to get to that once this fiasco is sorted out."

Shining sighed again and kept walking, muttering out something about extra paper work and hoping he wasn't going to be late. The rest of the trip was handled in relative silence until they reach the castle where Brim couldn't help but look up at. "The gates might have been taller, they didn't look nearly this amazing," he said while being led in.

After being led down a few hallways, they eventually came to another set of double door with a pair of guards set at attention around it. Shining went inside after telling Brim and Lightning to wait where they were.

"brim, are you ok, you dont need to be worried or anything, they will make the right choice, im sure of it ok brim?" she said smiling. "i wonder if princes luna is here, this will be so cool" she said almost exitedly.

Brim cringed at the thought of both princesses being around. Course he was still stuck with the idea that they couldn't really be that old and still be alive so what he thought might be awaiting on the other side of the doors wasn't exactly a pretty picture. Soon enough though, the doors opened a bit and Shining bid the two into the room.

It was a dining room, and it seemed to be around lunch time for there were two very regal looking alicorn sitting next to each other and they seemed to have been enjoying a quiet meal before this happened, the calm smiles still spread upon their faces despite the appearance of a demon. After showing the two in, Shining bowed and let himself out, shutting the doors on his way. This left both princesses, Lightning and Brim alone in the hall. "Why don't you two come and sit, we'll have something brought out shortly for you two to eat as well," the white one said. Brim was hesitant at first, but when he recognized the white one, and surprisingly enough the blue one (though he didn't know where from), Brim obliged and sat down.

lightning, like an exited teenager about to meat her favorite pop star. lightning sat down and let out a little squee. she raised her hoof as to ask a question.

"Speak freely my little pony, this isn't a formal meeting," Celestia said in a calm voice. Brim was still studying the princess with critical eyes. Despite his belief, here was the very pony he'd seen flying over the wastes all those years ago, and it baffled him.

she nodded trying to regain her composure "thank you princess.. i am most apologetic for my behavior. i shall try my best to correct myself, your highnesess, we are privileged to be standing before you here, princess celestia this is an honor to be speaking to you, i have seen you in the library but well i always got a bit shy.." she ended that sentence with an awkward giggle then turned to Luna. "princess Luna, it is as well a great honor meeting you, tho, this is my second time, i dare say this is the first time you have met me. you two a truly kind and understanding to see us rather than kick us out of your georgiose city. thank you." she finnished with a slight bow.

The princesses shared a small chuckle before looking back at the two. "On that matter, what business do you two have in the city?" Celestia asked curiously.

"And why is there a fire demon out of Tartarus?" Luna asked almost immediately afterwards.

Brim looked questioningly over at Luna. Am I not supposed to be here? he wondered to himself before responding. "I followed a purple pony and then I followed lightning here."