The Wisdom of the Princesses
The Mane Six and Spike couldn't get to Canterlot quick enough. They'd wanted to utilize Prince Fledge's magic to magically teleport them directly to Princess Celestia's castle, yet they couldn't do that. Given that the Prince, had just suffered such a bad attack, from whoever just lost faith, and now had a ruined dream. He was sapped both physically plus magically, furthermore he was still in pain from the attack, and they knew that they couldn't do anything to hurt their new friend more. Therefore they did the next best thing. They just ran as swiftly as they could till they found the train tracks. Then after hailing the locomotive they took a seat in the end compartment and just waited to get to Canterlot. As they sat down on the fuzzy yellow benches to catch their breath, they did notice they're getting stares from the other ponies riding the train. It couldn't really be helped, given their ungroomed in addition to messy appearance. Not to mention the fact they'd just come in from middle of nowhere. Though it did seem yet again many females on the train were instantly infatuated with the Prince. Yet he wasn't in the mood to deal with their lovesick foolishness. Right now Prince Fledge was just resting his head on Twilight back legs and she was just trying to comfort him.
"It is gonna be alright, Fledge. Princess Celestia is the wisest and most powerful Alicorn in all of Equestria. She can do miracles from raising the sun to turning me into an Alicorn! If anyone can help us help you, Fledge it will be Princess Celestia! I'm sure Princess Luna and Princess Cadence are also capable of helping you. I promise we'll help you getting better. Who knows? Maybe Princess Celestia is the Maiden you're searching for. She is after all the most powerful pony in all of Equestria and like I said she can do miracles so I'm sure she'll be your Maiden!"
The aching prince just looked his soulful copper eyes into Twilight's and they seem to smile. He snuggled her and she smiled too. She then went on using her magic to brush his mane and tried to make him as comfortable as possible. The others were trying to get comfortable themselves. Every one of them was exhausted and messy. Rarity was attempting to tame her royal purple mane which was knotted and lost its luster for the moment, Pinkie Pie was trying to doze off, and Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were both talking quietly as they munched on a few spare berries. Applejack on the other hoof was sure she had a number of splinters in her rump. She asked Spike to take a look and then get them out. This caused her to scream a bit for the reason that a huge one was in very deep.
"Oh, man, if this ain't the most painful thing for my butt to get stuck with! Even with all the apple bucking I've done I've never got a splinter in my hoofs, now look at me! I've got a dozen in my butt! I won't be able to sit down for a week at this rate, YEOW! Watch it, Spike!"
"Sorry, Applejack! Really I'm extremely sorry for your pain and discomfort, yet they're in pretty deep. This particular extraction is gonna take awhile. So just bear with me for awhile. I'm sure Rarity got some lotion we can put on after I'm done. So hold still!" he told her as he tried to pluck one right under her tail, which caused her to scream for a second time. "Sorry!" he apologized as he continued to remove the splinters from the earth pony's butt. Her rump was going to need some lotion and ice by the time all these splinters were removed. Till then she just have to make sure she didn't buck Spike has he removed them. After they'd been traveling for half an hour Spike had successfully removed all of the splinters in Applejack's butt and it was more red then her apples cutie mark. The tough cowpony was grateful that her ordeal was over, yet she still wouldn't be able to sit down for awhile without pain. They asked the pony pushing the food cart if they'd any ice cream and just plain ice. The lilac and silver mare said she did and gave each of them a tasty rainbow ice cream cone, and a bag of ice for Applejack. This made everyone feel a bit better and even Fledge who'd never tasted ice cream before enjoyed it very much. It was just the thing to take their minds off their troubles for awhile.
"This is most delicious. I wish I had some of this back home. We never had such tasty desserts in my sovereignty. So thank you very much for giving me such a tasty treat. I think I feel my strength being restored. I certainly feel like I've got more energy that much is for sure!"
"Sugar rushes will do that to you, Prince Fledge! I feel so bouncy after eating the party sweets I cook in the oven for all of my parties! Though, I've never thought of rainbow ice cream. Hmm… I've got it! A rainbow party! All the streamers and decorations will be all the colors of the rainbow! With rainbow cake, cupcakes, and ice cream! Now that sounds like the perfect sweets! Ohh! I can't wait to throw a rainbow party!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed in a giddy tone of voice and just clapped her hooves together. She had some of the rainbow ice cream smeared all over her muzzle but she didn't seem to notice.
"First things first, Pinkie Pie, we really need to get to Princess Celestia's castle and see if she and the other princess can help Prince Fledge here. We mustn't forget our mission. We promise to help him find his Maiden, and we must keep him alive. So remember what matters. Parties are nice and fun, but saving the power of dreams is much, much, more important. So let's stay focused, alright?" Twilight reminded all of her precious friends who nodded. They could've fun later. What matter at that moment was helping Prince Fledge Dreamwings save his world from the evil Plague of Disbelief. That was what was important at the moment, nothing else mattered.
"I greatly appreciate all that you've done so far for me, my friends. It makes me feel more contented knowing that there are still beautiful dreamers who haven't given up on their dreams. Please never let go of those dreams. Furthermore, my wonderful friends please do all in your power to keep the power of belief alive. Now I'm starting to feel better. I believe I can feel a new spark of a dream. Somepony just started to have a new dream and that is extraordinarily potent magic for me. So let's hope whoever that dreamer is that they don't fall victim to the Plague of Disbelief. So are we near our destination yet?"
"We'll be there in next to no time, my wonderful Prince. Though, if I may say so, we may perhaps want to get a little cleaned up first. I mean we can't show up in the Canterlot palace looking like feral ponies devoid of any sense of style or grace! So let's all go get freshen-up some," Rarity suggested kindly as she urged her friends to the lavatory compartment. They all nodded in agreement that they'd need to look a bit more groomed then they did. Therefore they then spent the next twenty minutes getting cleaned up. Luckily Rarity had some of her fashionable and soothing beauty products with her. In next to no time they'd all looked and smelled like pampered ponies, each of them holding a bit of royalty like sense from their small makeover. Even Prince Fledge seemed to enjoy some of the herbal shampoo that Rarity had concocted to make them all fabulous! Staring intensely at their reflections everypony seemed to have a nod of approval for their new look.
"You've outdone yourself today, Rarity! We all look better then a prized porker at a 4H fair! Why we would win first prize for sure. No-problem! That's how great we look. Still do you have any more of that aloe lotion handy? My rump still feels like a pincushion from all those blasted splinters!"
"Oh, but of course, my darling little, Applejack! I by no means go anywhere without some type of fashion accessory. Whether its fabric or make-up, I for ever and a day have something handy, you never know when you'll hit a fashion crisis. So here you go my very last bottle of my specially blended therapeutic ointment. Hope it helps with the sores, darling. Spike? Be a dear and rub some of this soothing lotion on our poor farm girl's rump. We need her to have some relief before we meet with the grandest and most powerful of all the princesses of Equestria!" she replied sweetly handing the tiny lovesick dragon an aqua blue glass bottle.
"Thanks, Rarity, I owe you one. Oh, does that feel so good! Really takes the edge off the pain. Next time though we take the train, I'm bringing a pillow! And maybe a pair of tweezers!"
"Sorry you're feeling not so hot, Applejack, but we do need to focus and I hope when we get to the castle, that Princess Celestia can help the Prince here. I've not been a princess very long and I'm sure she'd have a better idea how to help him out, and then we can alone."
"Twilight?"
"Yeah, Rainbow Dash? What is it?"
"We've done the impossible ever since you came in your silly balloon and made your home in Ponyville. I'd say we've done more then enough to help the Prince out somewhat. So don't go worrying so much. We can help him! Though it wouldn't hurt for Princess Celestia to help out, still we can handle just about anything that comes our way. So don't fret so much, kay?"
"She's right, Twilight. We've done numerous marvelous good deeds, since you've come to live in our tiny little town. Still we all know that asking for help is never wrong. So don't worry too much. Plus, Twilight? I believe the Prince here is looking better on his own. He's a rather unique but kind soul, A kindred spirit to us all." Fluttershy stated kindly as she finished brushing her lovely light pink mane.
"You're both right. Thanks, guys. Yes we've done many wonderful and impossible things. However, have we ever had to deal with something as serious as the very existence of a being we all care about like this?"
"Don't worry, Twilight! We just got keep thinking happy thoughts! So very happy, happy, happy, thoughts! They'll lift us up and make sure we don't get frowny gloomy faces. We just need to think positive and we can do anything! Life too short not to have some fun and laugh!"
"The party pony tells the truth, Princess. Having fun and positive thinking does help heal me. It's the foundation for dreams are to think happy thoughts. So thanks for the reminder."
"No problem! Now come on! The train gonna stop soon and we've got a date with the Princess! Oh I'm so excited!" squealed Pinkie Pie loudly as she did cartwheels down the aisle with the rest of passengers staring strangely at her as they finally disembarked from the train. The rest of them just sighed and walked down the aisle normally to the door.
The crowd took a few minutes to get hustling and bustling to where on earth they'd to go. The Mane Six and Spike waited till the station was emptier then burned down barn, before they'd moved. Prince Fledge looked up and gazed in wonder at the beauty around him. It was breathtaking. He was smiling again and the pain of his attack had seemed to subside. He looked almost back to normal. This cheered the girls up some, seeing him just being happy made their day. Still they had to get to the castle and see the Princesses. At least thanks to Rarity they'd look and smelled nice. Appearances are important even though what is more important is what's on the inside, you still should look your best. So with heads held high and smelling just like a meadow of fresh spring flowers they headed to the castle. Approaching the guards they'd bowed in respect then the purple Alicorn spoke to the guards.
"I Princess Twilight Sparkle, along with my friends, assistant Spike, and my new friend, Prince Fledge Dreamwings request an audience with the Princesses. May we please pass and met with them?"
The handsome twin black stallions looked at the group and then at Prince Fledge. They of course knew Twilight and her friends well. There really wasn't a pony in all of Equestria who didn't know of them or encountered them in some manner or another. Yet they seemed very shocked like the ponies of Ponyville had been when she called the male Alicorn "Prince Fledge Dreamwings" after all they too had heard the tale of him as colts, yet they weren't ready to accept the fact he was real. So they just kinda rudely stared at him for a few moments. At last one the twins who name must've been Lightning, given his cutie mark, and his twin brother Thunder given his cutie mark, just spoke.
"Excuse us, beloved Princess Twilight, but did you call this pony next to you "Prince Fledge Dreamwings?" inquired Lightning.
"Yes."
"But how is that possible? Prince Fledge is a children storybook character! How can he be real?!" exclaimed Thunder as both he and his twin looked thunderstruck. They looked at each other then back at Prince Fledge who seemed to be getting tired of ponies thinking he was fictional. It was getting old really quick and he wanted to get on with things.
"Believe us, partners, and everypony back home in Ponyville had the same reaction, but we ain't pulling your legs. He is The Golden Horned Alicorn and we've got to see the Princesses now! So if you'd kindly shut your traps and let us in, we'd be mighty grateful!"
They just gawked at them for a few more moments. Then their expression changed and they bowed to them. "Yes, you may enter. You know the way. And Prince?"
"Yes?"
"It's an honor to meet you!"
"Likewise. Thanks. Now come along my darling friends. We've got a Princess to meet." They galloped through the golden doors and hurried to the throne chamber to see all the other Alicorns. They weren't expecting them. So it was a bit of a shock when they burst through the doors and found the sisters and Cadence enjoying some veggie juice mixed with super strawberries. The three royals looked up and Twilight's sister-in-law nearly chocked on her juice, but quickly recovered.
"Twilight?! What in the name of Equestria are you doing here?" she asked coughing a few more times before regaining her regal composure. She looked at her with beautiful eyes so kind and gentle, full of love and affection. It made Twilight even happier of her brother's choice in a wife. Still this wasn't the time to talk about that. So Twilight dashed in front of them and bowed.
"Oh, my fellow Princesses, we are most sorry for our unannounced arrival in Canterlot, but we've got an urgent situation! This is a life-or-death matter that we need all the help we can get to prevent the end of the world as we know it! We'd like you too meet someone you've known all your life, yet have not met till just know. May I introduce our new friend Prince Fledge Dreamwings?"
All three of them gasped and stared at the stallion in shock. He looked at them with some amusement and decided to showoff a bit. He went into that dramatic rearing up showing off both his wings and his golden horn. He even glowed golden and sparks of magic rippled through the throne room. Everypony just stopped and stared at him for a few moments. Then he went back on all fours and bowed his mighty head. "I'm blessed and honored to meet you all in the flesh. I really hope you can offer me some help. I also could do with a magical boost of energy. I'm sorry of the abruptness of all of this, but I don't have much time, nor does my homeland. So if we could make a long story short I'd be very grateful, but first I need a magical recharge. So can you please do that first?"
The beautiful snow white mare with the flowing rainbow mane smiled at the Prince. She gave him an affection smile with her lovely eyes and spoke, "We will aid you in anyway possible, oh great Golden Horned Alicorn. Even all of us grew up on your epic legend of affection, companionship and courageousness. So if we can help you we'll do it in anyway possible. So my sister? Princess Cadence? Twilight? Shall we give him a recharge of magical energy?" Princess Celestia asked to all of them. All of the royals nodded and each took one direction around him and closed their eyes. A magical hum of magical energy was heard as they all glowed and their magic entered the Prince's body. He reared up for a second time and his golden horn sparkled.
"Thank you, thank you all. I feel much better now."
"You're welcome, good sir. So I'd say you and I have some things in common. I'm the Princess of the Night; you're the Protector of Dreams. I can enter dreams of others. You can encourage and protect the dreamers. I've always however wanted to meet you and see you protect my dreams."
"We're greatly honored, blessed and humbled by your presence in our world, Prince Fledge Dreamwings. All of Equestria would love to meet you! You're the hero of childhood! Even I loved hearing your tale as a small filly! So tell us more about you!" begged Princess Cadence.
So using a bit of magic to get everypony some nice and tasty wiggly jingly pudding he began his tale all over again. He told them all about his home, the Plague of Disbelief, and how he didn't know who the 'Maiden" he sought was. It was a beautiful narrative but it still meant that danger was nearing and they didn't know how to help. After he finished he looked at them all and asked the question he'd been dying to know since arriving in Equestria. "So can any of you help me? Help me save my world? For I don't know if you realize if my world dies, so does this one, and it will continue to ripple till all of creation has been destroyed by lack of dreams and lack faith! So can you help me?"
Everypony in the room didn't know what to say. The Mane Six had come to in such a short time love and care for Fledge, he was another golden friend, and their bond with him was strong. The three remaining princesses all looked at him in utter amazement and out of the corner was Twilight. She just looked at the Prince and she desired to help him more then any other pony. The way she looked at him was something amazing. Still not one pony could do this miracle he'd asked of them on their own.
Princess Celestia looked at all of them and then she gazed into his soulful copper eyes and said, "We shall do all that is in our power to help you, Prince Fledge Dreamwings. We may not know yet how to help. But we will help you someway somehow. That we can all promise you, we'll find a way to help you."