Itzal chapter 4

Thanks to Morlair, Bronyikaru, and godzillafan1 for their support and helpful criticism.

She left.

"I do hope I can find a musician and soon." Celestia muttered to herself as she flew to the palace.

A week passed and Celestia had had no such luck.

She did however become much more friendly with Kek.

She thought it odd to be the only one close to a species that had been, up to this point, not seen for over two thousand years.

It was then the morning of the grand galloping gala, which was themed "tradition", and the princess was ruffling her feathers.

"Princess Celestia is everything alright?" asked a guard.

"No everything is not alright!" she shouted. "I cannot find a musician for the gala and it is in a few hours!"

The guard stood frozen of confusion and slight fear.

"Your majesty I…."

He was cut off by the double doors opening.

Kek strolled in looking magnificent in Princess Celestia's opinion, wearing formal wear that reminded her of Sherlock Holmes.

"Good afternoon, princess Celestia." Said Kek.

"Oh Kek, thank goodness. I need to ask you a favor." Said Celestia.

Kek held up his hand smiling.

"The music has already been arranged." He said.

Celestia stared at him in wonder.

"But, how did you….."

"I like to be well informed." He said.

"Well, thank you so very much. I have another favor, if it's not too much."

"Anything."

"Would you…umm…come to the gala as my….umm..escort." she said nervously.

"Are you asking me out?" he asked.

"Yes…..I suppose I am." Said Celestia blushing. "Would you?"

Kek walked up beside her.

"It would be an honor and a pleasure." He said.

They walked to a room where Celestia dressed behind a curtain.

"So at this party, what kind of security will be there?" he asked.

"Oh the usual. Two guards at every entrance." She replied, still behind the curtain. "Why do you want to know?"

"Just want to stay informed. I know of the dark times." Said the panther, muttering the last part.

Celestia stepped out from behind the curtain and looked at the black furred feline whose jaw dropped.

"How do I look?" she asked, turning around for him to see.

"Wow." He replied. "I mean….amazing. You look amazing. You are amazing."

Celestia giggled at his loss for words.

She grabbed his hand and pulled him to the gala.

The crowd gasped as they saw Celestia being escorted by the muscular cat, smiled nervously and waved.

The group as a whole smiled back at him.

They went to the staircase to welcome guests.

Everyone welcomed the panther warmly and he bowed to them, which they thought was strange.

Celestia kept stealing glances at him because she could not help herself.

When all the guests were welcomed they went to the high class hall where they sat and talked with the more important guests, namely the six friends of mane and Spike.

"Hey Kek, do you like speed sports?" asked Dash smirking.

"Oh yeah. You bet'cha." He said.

"Do you play chess?" asked Twilight.

"I do." Said Kek.

"This must be the best grand galloping gala yet." Said Princess Celestia.

Fluttershy murmured something.

"What's that Fluttershy?" asked Kek.

"I was just wondering." Said the quiet pony. "If you two were together now?"

Kek and Celestia blushed.

"I suppose you could say that." Said Celestia.

Kek nodded in agreement.

"Have any big ambitions?" asked Pinkie Pie.

"Yes, I'd like to grow a moustache." Said Kek. "An enormous moustache."

He stroked his upper lip and the table laughed.

The discussion continued until the room went quiet.

"Oh this must be the music." Said Rarity. "I do hope I get to dance."

Celestia smiled at Kek before realizing he wasn't there.

He had walked on stage and took a silver trumpet from a case.

"Hello everyone. I am Itzal and this is my trumpet Bach Stradivarius." He held it proudly. "I will play a song of anyone's liking. Any suggestions?"

Applejack waved her hoof in the air.

"The pony in the back." Said Kek.

"Could you play Venice by Chris Botti?" asked the pony.

"Oh I love that one." Said Kek.

He snapped his fingers and the band began to play background.

When Kek blew through his shining brass instrument it sounded like heaven on earth.

When he finished everyone cheered.

"The next will be dedicated to the beautiful Princess Celestia. It's titled the way you look tonight."

He played even more soothingly than before, but with a beat that made you want to move.

Celestia started swaying with the beat and everyone followed her.

Kek signaled the band to continue as he walked off stage and over to Celestia.

He bowed and extended his hand asking her to dance.

She giggled and took it.

They began to dance.

A couple joined them.

Then another and another.

Soon the whole gala was dancing with them.

The song eventually ended and everyone clapped in approval, using their hooves of course.

They went back to talking and the band went on without the panther.

They were just wrapping it up when a rumbling came and shook the whole palace.

"What is that?" asked Itzal.

"I have no idea." Said Twilight.

"Oh no! I forgot to clear the skies." Said Rainbow dash.

They went to look out on the balcony to see a haze of white.

"Dash! A blizzard?" shouted Applejack.

"I'm on it!" she said.

She had cleared it within twenty seconds.

"There, I can't take the snow back though." Said Dash.

Celestia sighed.

"Now how will the ponies get back to their homes?" she asked rhetorically.

She suddenly felt a cold substance splash onto the back of her head.

She turned to see Itzal whistling, his hands behind his back.

"What?" asked the cat, faking innocence.

Celestia gave him an evil smirk.

"Oh what is that?" she said looking behind him.

"What?" he said turning around.

He was then assaulted by a ball of white powder.

Without turning he said.

"This means war!" he quickly started to pack another snow ball along with the rest of the crowd.

The war lasted for at least two hours.

By the end Kek was being bombarded by snowballs by a hundred ponies and forced to the balcony edge.

"Ok I surrender!" he shouted.

"Take no prisoners!" shouted Dash as she summoned a snowstorm.

Kek was instantly buried.

"Victory for the ponies!" said Rainbow dash, standing on top of the snow pile.

The guests all laughed.

They dug him out and got back to the dining hall.

"Are you sure you don't want a blanket or something?" asked Celestia.

"I'm fine." Said Kek. "My body is very adept at dealing with extreme conditions."

"Well you have one fine body then." Said the princess.

"Well thank you so do you." Said Kek smirking.

Celestia just giggled.

"Would mind staying here tonight?" asked the pony after the last guest had left.

"I don't know if that's such a good idea." Said Kek blushing, slightly.

"Maybe I could convince you?" said Celestia. "We are as you said, together now are we not?"

"Well I wouldn't want be a bother or…." He was abruptly cut off by two lips upon his own.

Celestia quickly pulled away afraid she had pushed it too far.

There was a moment of silence.

"Maybe I'll stay a while." He said.

Princess Celestia smiled widely.

"Good, do you need help bringing your things to the palace?" asked the pony, absolutely ecstatic.

"No thank you. I can handle it." Said Kek.

He went to gather his things while Celestia was approached by Luna.

"Hello sister." Said Celestia cheerily.

"Hello, I bring good tidings. So far there has been no record or even a hint of any assassin named Kek or Itzal or anything of the sort." Said the princess.

"Fantastic, I asked him to stay in the palace for a while so this is at a wonderful time to discover that." Said Celestia.

"Oh, getting serious are we?" teased the dark pony.

"We're not there yet! You just love pushing my buttons don't you?"

"Well I didn't for a thousand years. I'm just making up for lost time." Luna chuckled.

Celestia rolled her eyes.

Chapter end.

This is the major turning point.

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For those of you who have read up to this point if you look on my Profile page there is a clue to the next chapter's big reveal.