Chapter 23:
Odious To The Extreme
After a successful rescue of Gaia Evermane and Marina, Twilight and her friends led the two Alicorn Guardians back to the temple where they will be reunited by some old friends of theirs. In the temple, Celestia and Luna hugged Marina and Gaia as it was a wonderful surprise for them and Storm Heart. Although Voltwing was the happiest much to Storm Heart's amusement, Marina's annoyance and Gaia's joy of laughter, their argument, and Voltwing's excitement have been making the reunion a little difficult.
"Yes, yes, Voltwing it's good to see you again. Especially after what happened on the battlefields," Gaia Evermane said, with a gentle smile.
"Even though it appears that years of solitude and tortured captivity hasn't done anything to slow that electric tongue of yours from incessantly wagging," Marina grumbled, leering at the yellow stallion.
"It's just that it's all so exciting, exhilarating, enchanting, enthralling…" Voltwing said until he stammered a little bit, seeing that he just proved Marina's point as the older alicorn mares all smirked at him.
"Looks like somepony got a little tongue-tied by miss fancy-corn," Rainbow Dash said whispering to Storm Heart, who nodded in agreement.
"It's a gift she has," Storm Heart said.
"Alright, no more thesauruses for you, pal," Spike commented to Voltwing.
"Will all of you please be SILENT?!" Luna yelled in her Canterlot voice.
"Thank you, Luna," Celestia smiled at her younger sister, "It is certainly encouraging that young Twilight and her friends have been able to save you four to allow us this reunion. But are we not forgetting somepony?" Celestia asked, implying that someone is still missing.
"Ah, yes, of course, Inferno and Cliffbore," Marina answered, realizing that the other two stallions of their group were still missing.
"Precisely. Now, how do we proceed about rescuing them?" Celestia asked.
Gaia Evermane spoke up and said, "I believe Marina and I could help with that, Celestia,".
"Indeed," Marina confirmed before turning to Twilight, "Well my dear, from what Lady Rarity and Dame Fluttershy have told us, since you've learned some things about the elements of Water and Nature on Mount Aris, I suggest that we should adjourn to the training room so Gaia and I can teach you some more, myself mostly, into the legacy of the magnificent Water Alicorns of yore…,".
"Yore?" Pinkie asked in confusion as Marina went on.
"She means the legacy of long ago," Voltwing replied.
"...my ancestors, who came from the best of the best of this somewhat bedraggled lineage, is long and storied," Marina continued, while Voltwing rolled his eyes in annoyance, Storm Heart was starting to fall asleep from her talking, Celestia was leaning on her hoof, while Spike was tapping his foot on the ground in irritation while Luna had her hooves pressing her ears all bored or annoyed of hearing Marina's boasting.
"In other words, with our help, our success in rescuing Cliffbore and Inferno will be simple for Twilight and her friends," Gaia said, thankfully stopping the water alicorn's bragging.
"Thank you, Gaia," Spike said in relief as Voltwing straightened up, Storm Heart woke up, Celestia sat back up and Luna unplugged her ears. "I swear Marina, your pomposity, arrogance, and boastfulness are still odious to the extreme," Luna commented, Marina merely scowled at the remark.
"At least, now I can perfectly and pragmatically see what you and young Rarity greatly and nigh-perfectly have in common, Marina," Voltwing commented.
"Shall we, dear?" Marina asked.
"Well, we better get started. Come on," Twilight said as she and the others entered the training room.