A/N: If you haven't, make sure you give "Learning To Live" a read, that way you can get a better understanding of the characters.


Brayden's POV

"'Scuse us! Dragon and human on the move! Important princess documents comin' through!"

I knew I had woken up a little later than I usually should be, and I looked to be in quite the hurry to get to the castle of Canterlot with Spike, especially with him screaming in my ear for me to wake up. I had breakfast while he sounded like he was in a hurry, even if I felt that I was missing something.

Turned out that something important was happening today, and it was none other than the Friendship Festival that was going on today, and Spike was just there for me to remember it! By the time he told me, I was a bit of a panic... at least until he assured me that my mother had dispatched a chariot for both me and the baby dragon to ride on to Canterlot from Ponyville itself.

From what I am aware, the festival is to bring all of the races of Equestria together in celebration of friendship, which is obvious, but it is something I cherish the most ever since I had found it, long before I entered Equestria from that death Luna saved me from on Earth, far from the planet Equus where I stand now.

I can hear my breathing while I was running alongside Spike in our rush to meet up with Twilight for a gathering of the alicorns whom was my mother Celestia, my aunt Luna, Cadence, one of my loves Nightmare Moon and my main love Twilight.

Being that I also had Coco Pommel and Anna who came with me to Equestria, I already have my heart filled up with the four of them. They too will be joining in for the festivities, and I swear that even my best Earth friend Alex will be there to show the ponies all over how to party in his own style.

Even the ponies around me were peacefully talking about how everypony, even the griffons and zebras alone were here from their own native lands like the Griffon Empire to the West, and the Zebra Kingdom to the East from across the sea, it's own country next to Abyssinia, but remained undisturbed from any threats that should dare cross to them.

To my disappointment, I was saddened to see that the dragons from the dragon lands weren't present for the Festival, but if it does happen again I hope Celestia will be able to invite Ember over to Equestria. I still have yet to meet her, and I have a feeling that she probably won't be easy on me, as Spike had told me a bit of her personality from what he experienced.

Above me, is the group of the weather control pegasi gliding above the streets of Canterlot and floating upward along the castle walls and windows, never daring to get even closer to the grand architecture. I can hear their voices from that close, so I listened closely to what they were saying.

Clear Skies is the first one I could hear speaking to the group. "Princess Twilight must have her hooves full with this giant festival!"

The pegasus next to her, whom is named Sunshower responded to her excitement. "Are you kidding?! She's smart and organized and cool under pressure! There's nothing she can't handle!"

Even when the conversation got distant, and they had flown away to clear out more of the clouds in the skies above. A few of the earth ponies are trotting along with their friends and talking with the griffons and other friends of differences, but to my relief the elites seem to be silent about this, since I thought they'd protest. Perhaps they're on vacation... where? I dunno, maybe in the Crystal Empire to get away from the others.

Better that they aren't here then, as they probably only would handle the wealth of themselves. Except Fancy Pants and Fleur, who are here for the festival.

Me and Spike continue for about a minute or two until we had arrived at the front of the castle doors, which was where the heart of the festival was going to be in it's own front courtyard. The guards at the double doors knew exactly who we were, so they opened the doors for the both of us as we enter right on in to that familiar main hall with the staircase leading into both the western and eastern wings.

We both knew which direction that we were going to, and that was to the throne room where Twilight would be waiting for us.

"This way!" I said to him as I moved faster ahead to lead the way. My legs are already starting to get a little tired out from running, so we go right ahead and slow down to a walk, letting both myself and the baby dragon catch our moving down a set of hallways, we were in front of the doors to the throne room.

Well, there were some renovations in the castle that happened for a bit of a while now, so it is good to see that we'll be getting a glimpse of the new throne room. From what I saw in the blueprints replica for the east wing, the throne room was extended ahead with a new balcony and two thrones for both my mom and aunt.

To my surprise, Nightmare doesn't have a throne. She doesn't really seem to care for one though, as it doesn't look to be her own interest in ruling even after her redemption by which I spared her life from my own blade, the Song of Order. Even so, part of the blueprint also displayed the front courtyard, so it'd going to be wonderful to see most of the future Equestria festivals being portrayed in its own capital.

"Ommmmm..."

I can hear that familiar sweet voice from behind the doors into the lobby area, from which Luna usually set out the lavenders at night in the letter Celestia sent to me on their updates. It sounds none other than Twilight in there, sounding like she is getting ready. Knowing her, when she is getting prepared, she is getting nervous.

I turned to look at Spike and nod to him with a smile by which he nods back with a smirk on his face even when he carried Twilight's papers. I place my left hand onto the right side of the gold-tinted double door and begin to open up, hearing her voice more clearly than behind the door.

"Ohhhhhhh mmmmy goodness, I can't handle this!" Oh boy, here we go again. Got to calm her down and reassure her. She groans and continues just as I come in through the door, holding it open for Spike. "Nothing is working! I just have to get it together! Just go in there, and ask! This is your Friendship Festival, Twilight! Everypony's happiness rests in your hooves!" She facehoofs and groans again with a mixture of disappointment in herself and a small amount of worry as her own ears hang low.

"Okay Twilight," Spike calls out to her as we move to approach her, still holding onto the papers. "Got all your charts and graphs."

Her ears raised up and she turned around to see me and Spike standing there, happy to see us as she leapt forward, wrapping her wings around me. I wrapped my arms and wings around her in response, sharing a gentle and loving hug with her. "Oh thank goodness you're both here! I'm just so nervous about this meeting!"

"Whachoo talkin' 'bout?" Spike wondered, even in her discussion with the hug me and Twilight were sharing.

We released from the hug we were sharing, and I knew there was a bit of nervousness in that sigh that Twilight exhaled from her breath. She faced Spike, while I listened to what looked to be bothering her, gently letting my right hand stroke her soft and silky mane.

"I'm about to ask the three most royal princesses of Equestria for a huge favor!" She says to us, sounding a little stressed. "What if they reject me?"

"It'll be fine," Spike assures her with me. "Just remember the most important thing."

"Smile?!" Twilight places on a huge fake smile and looks even more nervous than she did before with that expression on her face.

"Eh... no," Her best friend who was her assistant corrected her. "You're a Princess, too."

"Right!" Twilight says as she kept that goofy smile on her face for those few moments before fading the expression back to sounding rather worried.

I placed my hand on her mulberry-colored cheek. "Don't worry about it Twi. Celestia is my own mother, remember? If she does turn it down, I'll be there to convince her otherwise. But we know her, she's very good-spirited." I tell her, the tone of my voice sounding like it was telling her reason.

She exhales out a breath, weakly smiling when she looked at me. "I hope you're right Brayden. I think I'm overthinking about this."

She finally turns around, channeling magic to her horn to open up the double doors that led straight to the new throne room itself, which to my extent, almost looks like the design that had used to be at the Castle of the Two Sisters long ago. Even the windows were sparkling new and were that of prophecies that had been fulfilled, like the one where I redeemed Nightmare.

The bricks were white like snow and even the tiles below were crystalline just like back at Twilight's castle. On the floor in the middle of the room is a shaped symbol down imprinted there, possibly to be there as a reminder of the harmony that Equestria is bound into.

And speaking of her, she is standing right there, along with the princesses. A bright smile is on her face, even with her mane flowing by itself. She is standing between both Aunt Luna and my mother.

Being that it was good to see them again, I was probably the first to come running inside directly towards Celestia with open arms, allowing her to give me the family hug that both me and her loved to share whenever we visited one another.

"It's good to see you again mom," I said to her, my hands gently stroking the back of my mother's neck in a friendly way. "We haven't seen each other since two months ago."

I can hear her giggle. "Don't forget about your dear Aunt. It is good to see you too, my son." We released a bit from the hug, sharing a friendly nuzzle for that moment there before I let go and shifted to Luna, letting my arms move around her to share a hug with her. But I admit, I feel like I was using a bit too much of my strength.

"Easy on the hug there, young man," Luna says to me with a giggle as we released from the hug. She places her shoe-covered hoof onto my hand. "I'm glad that you could join us all for the Friendship Festival. We were starting to think that you weren't invited."

I chuckled for a moment. "Oh Twilight wouldn't forget me. I did miss the Grand Galloping Gala, but I didn't want to miss this... but I must have overslept a few hours late, so I apologize for showing up later than expected."

"It's alright Brayden. At least you made it on time, so it's better that than early, later or never." Nightmare says to me, as she trots forward, placing her right front hoof on top of my left hand.

My left hand gently takes her hoof and holds it, my brown eyes caught in the gaze of the black coated alicorn with her cyan cat eyes staring right back at me with a graceful smile on her face. "Nightmare." I said her name as she moves forward, gently sharing a loving nuzzle with me.

I was married to Twilight, yes. But Nightmare had one of the four special places in my heart.

"I think you might be missing somepony there, Brayden." I can hear Cadence's voice say to me with a bright smile on her face.

Nightmare giggled as she removed her hoof from my hand, using her magic to move me right in front of Cadence where she looked happy to see me. I could have just shifted right over to her, but I was happy to let Nightmare do that for me regardless.

"How's everything in the Crystal Empire?" I asked her, as I wrapped my arms around her in sharing a hug with her.

She sounded happy when she spoke to me, placing her hoof onto my back in the hug. "Flurry Heart is still mine and Shining's little rascal, but she's been doing really well! We all miss you there, and we hope that you and Twilight will come visit us sometime! There's an event happening in the next month which is the Crystal Fair, and we think you could play a big part in it."

"I'll gladly play a part in it always," I chuckled and let go of the hug, looking at her again with those light purple eyes of hers looking at her as I spoke to her. "Hey, how's Thorax doing?"

"He's doing really well. He's no longer having any fears of the Changeling queen that he was forced under when he was under the control of her hive. He misses you, and hopes you'll visit."

A smile crosses onto my face. "Let him know that I will glad to stop by and visit when I can, and that's a promise guaranteed." I said to her.

She giggles. "Now, I assume that Twilight has something to share with me and the other princesses?" She says to me, pointing her out who was right behind me.

I turn around with a graceful smile on my face when I looked to see Twilight setting up the whiteboard and markers for what she was going to propose. With a smile, I joined up right beside the whiteboard to monitor Twilight in case she starts to stress out a little on if the princesses reject her or not.

Twilight was quite content, turning to look at the princesses and black alicorn that I face once again as they began to listen to the mulberry colored alicorn, and her assistant.

"So... good morning princesses!" Twilight started, finally introducing herself to them. "Thank you all for seeing me. I have an idea that I think will make our Friendship Festival the most wonderful celebration Equestria has ever seen!"

"Yes, Twilight!" Celestia says to her in her motherly yet excited tone. "We are very excited!"

"Ponies have been from all over all morning." Cadence commented proudly.

Luna sounds calm when she speaks to her. "I'd like to think it's to see us, but Songbird Serenade might be the bigger attraction."

"I've never experienced the Friendship Festival, but this is a first time for me, and I have heard a few of Songbird's music," Nightmare smiles happily. "She's practically the mane event!"

"Yes, she is the... 'mane' event!" Twilight giggled for a moment before continuing. "And to make it extra special, I could use your help." She turns to her left and looks at the baby dragon holding onto the black marker. "Spike?"

"I'm on it!" Spike says, taking off the marker top and getting ready to write down what she was explaining to the princesses. And from there, I was ready to hear Twilight explain what her proposal was.

"Songbird Serenade's performance is not scheduled to start until after you begin the sunset. And based on my precise calculation, to get the very best lighting for the stage..." She looks at Celestia. "Princess Celestia, I was hoping you could make sure the sun stays about 28.1 degrees to the south, and Princess Luna, if you could raise the moon 62 degrees to the north at the same time, it would reflect the sunlight on the other side and really frame the entire stage perfectly!"

"I..." Luna tries to interrupt, but I have a feeling even so that nopony interrupts Twilight during her science time explanations.

"But wait! There's more!" She continued. "Cadence, if you could use your crystal magic to create an aurora above the stage, the sun and moon will shine through it and create a truly amazing light show!"

Spike jumps right up onto the top of the whiteboard as soon as he was done writing down everything in the Equestrian language, which technically they did speak English, but I still have so much trouble reading Equestrian languages overall. It's complete fine though. Other than that, he is holding a stick with a representation of Songbird Serenade who looks like a musician I knew back on Earth. "Presenting Songbird Serenade!"

He began to pretend to be the jam, but proceeded to fall backwards off from the whiteboard. Dropping the stick and paper at the same time as he fell down. He did fall down on his back, and I can hear him groan weakly. "Ta-da..." He says before he starts to get up.

Twilight who saw that looked like it was only a small mistake in her proposal, but managed to get it through. She extends the both of her wings and smiles as if she was thanking an imaginary audience with a 'That's all, folks' kind of ending to a play.

"And yet again... I don't have any part or ability that I possess..." I can hear Nightmare grumbling to herself, still putting on a smile.

Luna did break the silence once again after the awkward silence. "So you're saying you want us to move the sun and the moon for the party." She sounded confused.

"Well, I'd do it myself, except I don't have your magic." Twilight snort nervously for a moment.

"Twilight," Celestia spoke with her calmly. "Each of us uses our powers to serve Equestria in our own way," She and the princesses show the colored auras that they channel from their horns, even Nightmare herself. "You are the Princess of Friendship. You already have all the magic you need."

"So..." She begins to look nervously. "That'd be a no?"

"Come on mom," I finally managed to speak out, stepping forward to approach my mother. "It sounded like she has a great idea to her own defense." I know from saying it that Twilight's cheeks are probably pink with glee from hearing me say that.

My mom could only shake her head, but keep the smile on her face. "Not a chance Brayden, that's something Twilight is going to have to re-think."

From there, I knew there was one thing that could try to convince her, and that was my failed attempt at doing puppy dog eyes. But even when I did that, she wasn't falling for it. Luna herself looked like she was giggling silently to herself.

"I'm telling you, we aren't going along with the plan and that's final." She remained calm surprisingly. "If you want to be creative with Twilight, you can figure out something wth her that will enhance the Friendship Festival experience and that is our final word on it."

"Sorry..." Twilight awkwardly says, knowing that her proposal was a bit of a flop there.

Celestia giggles for a moment, using her magic to turn me around to face Twilight. "Now run along, we'll see you at the festival later today."

Twilight kept a smile on her disappointment and turns around with Spike right behind her. I was following her for a moment, but I turn around to look at Celestia once more. I ended up giving her another hug that I would see her later, even when Twilight used her magic to get me off from her so we can continue through the day of getting everything prepared.

After all, I'm eager to see the preparations for the Songbird Serenade performance, and even I haven't met her aside from Coloratura. Still, something to look forward to.


"Well, that proposal didn't go exactly the way I thought it would go, didn't it Brayden?" Twilight asked me while she was looking through the task list that went as far down to the ground, even as we stepped outside and were walking together. Spike was walking right next to her opposite side of me.

"You tried your best." Spike says to her. "I would have invited Ember if I could, but the diplomatics of Equestria and the Dragon Lands are still discussing something in the future."

"Everything is possible Spike." I said to him.

He groaned. "Just like how you say that maybe one day Rarity will fall for me..." He does put on a smirk. "But she will!"

"Alright there Romeo, but now is not the time to drag on about how much you love Rarity. That's not important right now, as the festival is more on that for the moment."

"Uh, yeah," Spike says as he knows already. "Why else would I have one part on the stage to introduce the night to everypony?"

I turn to look at Spike with a goofy smile on my face. "And hey, maybe that one part you are playing will actually impress your special somepony." I teased him, raising my eyebrows at him in suggestion.

He was quick to notice my tease, and a smirk crossed onto his face. I might have caught his cheeks turn a little pink, but I don't think I saw since Twilight blocked my view of him when slowing down a bit to read over the tea-dyed scroll of paper in front of her to look over all of the other things on the checklist that were yet to be done.

Ahead from us, we are approaching the stage that looks to be set up for Songbird Serenade's performance tonight. The stage itself looks to be grand and exquisite, even has the large tent set up backstage for the performer herself to get ready when all has gathered. The sky has a few clouds, but if I know Rainbow Dash and the weather ponies, they'll get it cleared for tonight.

There are a few stalls active as of the moment, with a few familiar faces operating them or trotting about like Roseluck, Lily Valley or even Mr. and Mrs. Cake themselves who are currently selling all kinds of goodies at a stall for even the cheapest price possible that everypony can afford.

Ahead of me at the side-front of the stage, I can see our other friends standing there in conversation. My close friend Applejack has a cart full of apple cider, which Rainbow swoops down by every flight she goes, drinking a mug full of that sweetness and then putting it back. I don't think they've even recognized us just yet, but we are approaching them at such a normal rate that they could turn their eyes to see us coming.

The shuffling of the scroll caught my attention and I turned to look back at Twilight as she was in study form. "Okay," She says to the both of us. "Just two hundred and eighteen things left to do and we're ready."

"Hey Twilight!"

The familiar voices that I knew myself could be heard just ahead of us when my head turned and eyes lifted across to see our friends right there with greetful smiles on their faces. It was all of our friends there: Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Fluttershy. They looked more than happy to see us, especially me. The look on the shy pegasus' face could tell that a sense of a warm yet friendly gesture was from her, her hooves nearly shuffling together when she saw me.

"Hello Spike." Rarity greeted to the baby dragon next to Twilight.

I can tell that Spike's cheeks began to blush because they were a little pink on them. "Uh..." He was nervous at first, chuckling a little bit. "Hi Rarity."

"How'd it go with the other princesses?" Applejack asked with the warm tone of her southern accented voice, putting down a mug of cider that I saw Rainbow Dash swiping from earlier for the pint of apple cider. She had just finished wiping it clean with a wet, clean cloth. "They like yer idea?"

"I bet they loved it!" Pinkie exclaimed proudly and excitedly, probably ready to burst if it was the answer 'yes'.

All Twilight could do was exhale a sigh, which I can tell sounded rather disappointed. "Not exactly," She spoke with that same expression with a mixture of worry. "They think I can make today perfect without their magic."

"And they are absolutely right darling," Rarity said, giving Twilight the best confidence that she had possible. "This festival is your brilliant idea and we know you're up to the task!"

"But what if I'm not?!" Twilight began to worry, and I placed my left hand onto her back to make sure that she calms down, but I don't think even that is working right now. "What if Songbird Serenade hates the stage?! Or nopony makes a new friend?! And if I fail at the festival, then who am I?!"

Geez Twilight... I love you, but you need to calm yourself. You really focus too much on predictions for what could go wrong, and most of the time nothing bad happens and something good comes of the way.

Pinkie was the first to come forward, pressing her nose onto Twilight's until they both fell to the tiled floor of the courtyard. "Twilight, look at me!" The pink pony commanded her to do, which she did as I could only stand there and watch. "This WILL BE the biggest celebration Equestria has ever seen! As the Princess of Friendship, you cannot fail!" She proceeded to point at her with a hoof as if graduation day was being relived over again, but with more determination heard in Pinkie's voice. "This day will define who you are, and all of us and Brayden will make absolute sure that you will make it alive! The pressure is intense! It's almost too much for any single pony to handle!"

Pinkie of course lets out a dramatic scream, and everypony who was with ear range that heard everything she was saying gasped in horror, even though they knew it was just Pinkie being Pinkie.

With a leap upward, she landed right back between Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. "So stop worrying, silly! If any, we are all here to help you!" She said with a giggle.

"Come on now Twilight, we've got a lot of work to do, and you know that we got this!" I said to her as I offered my hand to her. She of course takes my hand with her hoof and I help her up off of the ground.

Judging by the music in the background, I can tell that there was going to be a song, and I could tell that it was going to start by the background music with the orchestra. I turn to look at Applejack who approaches next to Twilight, and see her take in a breath before she began to sing.

It's time to show 'em what you've got

Rarity approached afterwards after Applejack began to sing, opening her mouth to sing.

It's time to go and get things done

Fluttershy seemed timid about singing at first, but seeing that she had approached and was next to me, I placed my right hand onto her back to give her a bit of confidence in doing so, as even her voice when she sings is beautiful.

But you don't have to do it on your own

Knowing Pinkie of course, a smile grew onto my face when she squeezed in-between the group that have gathered.

'Cause you've got friends right here to make it fun

I can see where this is going now, heheh.

We got this, you got this

We got this together

Sometimes the pressure gets you down and the clouds are dark and grey

Just kick them off and let the sun shine through

And scary as it seems, more help is on the way

'Cause friends have friends that wanna help out too

We got this, you got this

We got this together

It's the Festival of Friendship

And we can get it done

A festival that they won't forget

A party to be proud of

A day of games and fun

Just you wait and see

A magic day in perfect harmony

You got this

We got this together

With friends and family, ya are never alone

If ya need help, we've got yer back

Ya can be honest, let yer problems be known

'Cause ya got us to pick up the slack

We got this

I smiled when I heard Big Mac say his trademark "Eeyup!" but with proudness in his own tone of voice, especially with all of the apple treats on the table.

We got this together

Pay attention to the details

Every gem even-spaced

Make the colors perfect

Spike looks to be approaching one of the diamond-like jewels that were fashioned by Rarity and Coco who looks really happy to see me. "Takin' one or two to taste!" He sneakily sang as he swipes a jewel off from the side of the stage.

Inside and out, beautiful throughout

Generosity is what we're all about

"You got this." Spike sings with his mouth full of the jewel that he had taken and eaten, though he knew Rarity would probably be alright with it because she would replace it soon.

You got this

We got this together

When I saw Twilight flying upwards into the sky, I spread open my wings and join up with her as she begins to sing.

Today needs to be perfect, it all comes down to me

I don't know if I'm ready for all the things they need me to be

I am the Princess of Friendship, but that is more than just a crown

It's a promise to bring ponies together

And never let anypony down

Back to Pinkie whom is already ready for her turn for this song, as she looked eager down there and excited as usual.

We've got an awful lot to bake

Each pony needs a piece of cake

Oh, wait! There's something better we can do

We're gonna need some more supplies

To make a really big surprise

She'll be so shocked - she's sure to love it too

You got this!

We got this together!

With all the voices of everypony beginning to sing, I can feel my spirit lifting inside to open up my mouth and begin to join them in song. Better now than never after all.

It's the Festival of Friendship

Together we are one

A day we will never forget

And now everything is ready

So when the day is done

The weather

The banquet

The style

And music

All will be in perfect harmony!

The entire song had ended with a bang, and I was already back on the tiled ground of the renovated castle courtyard where all of the festival was taking place. By bang, I had meant the sound of it that had come from the large cannon that was right behind Twilight unexpectedly.

She turns around to look upwards when she sees something falling towards her. I too look up to see cake coming right down towards her. She looks to be gasping, but knowing this, she has been through much MUCH worse than that. Could've been an anvil dropped on her head like when she was investigating Pinkie Pie's 'Pinkie Sense'.

The cake slammed right on top of her, with an audible yelp of surprise from her as more of the sweety goodness more onto it. When the cake had covered her up, I can hear a bit of a groan from within the cake which was her sounding not even surprised by this.

I made sure to take a step back as I saw that the cake was melting up quickly. Well, it is a summer day, and rather hot as well, so knowing Rarity too, she wouldn't want me to get dirty because she'd probably rant about me having particles of cake all over me. Of course the cake melts, spreading onto the tiles. Nothing the janitors can't clean though. I can hear gasps from ponies though as they have gathered around to see if Twilight was okay.

The mulberry coated alicorn pokes her head out from the pink cake herself, bits still dripping down from her mane and head as she looked right behind her, seeing the pink pony herself sitting in the large cannon and watching. "Pinkie!" She called out, sounding rather annoyed, but not on purpose.

"Oopsie!" Pinkie says, a smile still on her face, even when a lit candle lands on top of her, above her horn. "Guess my easy bake confetti cannon needs a little bit more fine tuning!"

Haha... easy bake.

Twilight grumbles for a moment, blowing out the candle as she begins to crawl out from the messy cake. Still has her new crown on her though, which looks beautiful as she is.

"Songbird Serenade?" I can hear somepony in the crowd say out loud which came to my attention. "Is it really her? It is, it is!"

"Where?" I asked, looking around until I saw three figures coming forward in the crowd, with others making way for this familiar looking pegasus to come forward and introduce herself.

This lime greenish white coated pegasus had a mane style that looked rather almost bushy in a way that it covered her eyes, so I question how she is able to see through that mane of hers. The color of her mane is very dark persian blue with dark greyish persian blue highlights and two tones of pale gold with light gamboge highlights. A bow of pink is there on the back of her head, and her cutie mark is related to music as I thought it would be. Only difference, she is wearing clothes that look very popstar like.

Her two bodyguards accompanying her look like characters from a movie that I knew about back on Earth, especially the bodyguard with the poofy black mane and clean beard.

"Hiya," The popstar greets all of us. "I'm lookin' for the pony in charge?"

Cameras from the Equestrian paparazzi and tabloids were there, all taking pictures of the pegasus, who begins to pose for all of the photos that are being taken, until they stop a few seconds later.

"I need to set up for my sound check." Songbird said, looking quite happy to see Twilight, but hasn't noticed me yet standing there.

"Ms. Songbird Serenade?" Twilight says, moving out from the mess and keeping within a few hooves not to get the mess spread to her. "Um, I was just going to check on you." She laughed nervously and began to make the introduction of herself. "I'm Princess Twilight, and sorry about the mess. I'm usually not so..."

There was a pause and a gasp from the audience, but even my eyes saw everything that had unfolded before her. She was just moving her hoof in conversation when a small splatter of cake on them had flung over onto Songbird's shirt, and even the alicorn looked rather embarrassed with an awkward smile to say the least.

Songbird on the other hoof, looked quite impressed. "Caked in cake?" She joked for a moment after the shock coming from the audience.

"You have visual on buttercream?" Her first bodyguard looks at the mess on her.

"Visual confirmed, go for cleanup." I can hear her second bodyguard who I knew was Whinnyfield back in Ponyville saying. He trots forward, wiping the mess off of her shirt, making it clean as possible... as if the mess never happened.

I just had to make a turn to get Songbird's attention for the fact that she had never seen an Equestrian human like me before, even in the beginning when I first came to Equestria. "Songbird?" I called her name.

Her face turns to look at me when I was approaching, still with a friendly smile right on her mouth. "Sorry to step in and interrupt, but my name is Brayden. I'm practically the only Equestrian human there is to live here, well there are my other human friends but they're from Earth, and I am the husband of Princess-"

"Twilight," She interrupted me, offering her hoof forward for a hand-hoof shake. "I've heard so much about you! How you had redeemed Nightmare Moon, practically everything you've done! It's great to meet you at last, as I have had a question to ask you. Practically had it lingering in my mind for a long while now."

I smiled. "I'm open to any question. What is it?"

"I do need another performer on stage, and I figured you could be the one who help me out with a song. Are you interested?"

My mind ponders for a moment to think about it, and I look at her opening my mouth to say my decision.

The distant clap of thunder seems to catch me, her and practically everypony off guard. There is the sounds of gasps from everypony as they begin to change their viewpoint towards the open clear blue skies. I too look up to see what it is that had made the sound of thunder, as the day is supposed to be clear.

Just across in the sky, there is a dark yet murky brown appearance of clouds crawling into the scene from the South-West, and even I am surprised as to see that none of the Equestrian Air Force were here, as I know they had their duties. Why would they not take down this cloud that was approaching above Canterlot?

A gasp of surprise was heard from Twilight when she had looked up to see it coming this way. "Storm clouds? I ordered perfect weather!" She turns to the culprit whom she thinks is just trying to prank as obvious when it came to pranks. "Rainbow Dash?!" She had a tone of warning in her voice that she was in big trouble if this was her doing.

The scared look on the rainbow maned pegasus pony proved otherwise when she turned around, sounding rather fearful by the look of the clouds. "Uh... I... don't think those are storm clouds."

I looked a little closer by each step that I took, my bare feet touching into the messy cake. I really wanted to see if there was anything within those clouds that were causing trouble. It better not be Garble and his own dragon friends trying to prank us, as Ember is still establishing good relations with Equestria itself from the dragonlands.

Wait... a glowing symbol of arctic blue streaks within the cloud?

By the time I could see it, I was already shocked to see that it was a large figure coming out from the smoke itself which looked to have left its trail and began to slowly gather above the city of Canterlot, giving it a dark and rather ugly impression on its arrival. But what really caught my attention was the color on the figure and the symbol... it looks to be supported by a large blimp of some sort...

It's... it's a skyship... this doesn't look good.