BNS Chapter 31 - A New Threat

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While taking a shower, Alan still couldn't believe how he and Maud had dragged Luna into their debauchery. Immediately after they got out of bed, Luna teleported in an unknown direction, saying that she needed to gather her thoughts before heading to Twilight's castle.

"I can understand her, after all, what happened was too unexpected, not only for her but for me as well. I'm surprised at Maud's affinity for creating such chaotic situations. I hope she won't do something like this again in the future, or I'll need to have a serious talk with her about it." Alan turned off the shower and dried himself off with a towel using magic.

As he entered the living room, Pinkie and Maud were already ready to leave. It was at that moment that Luna appeared, now with a calm face and without any trace of the previous excitement or blushing.

Fully knowing what was going to be discussed, Maud nodded emotionlessly and answered monotonously, "Of course. It's an obvious necessity."

"Oh-oh! I have something to say too!" Pinkie happily jumped up, hugging her sister.

Tossing his gaze between the mares, Alan didn't quite understand what was being talked about, but he was worried that Luna might punish Maud for being the direct initiator of their recent actions.

Looking at his watch, Alan became slightly tense and said, "Alright ladies, it's time for us to go, otherwise we'll be late."

Nodding her head, Princess Luna replied, "Very well, then let's leave immediately."

Thus, the group left Maud's house and headed towards Twilight's castle. All the ponies on the streets of Ponyville cast surprised glances at Alan's group, as one of the princesses of Equestria was basically escorting them, and she was the most extraordinary and mysterious one. Her appearance in the public eye was not a common occurrence, and so the excited and amazed looks were an obvious spectacle.

What was most surprising was how Alan seemed to be the center of the group, with the mares surrounding him, as if he were an important person here. Even Princess Luna walked beside him, slightly behind Alan, allowing him to walk a little ahead.

The residents of Ponyville got the impression that Alan was the "leader" of the herd, or something like that. This scene would definitely stick in their minds for a long time.

Upon reaching the castle, they entered inside and were immediately greeted by Spike.

"Oh, Alan! Welcome back, everyone is already gathered. And I see you came with..." Spike noticed Princess Luna and immediately panicked, "Oh, Princess Luna! Your highness!" Spike bowed, "What brings you here?"

Nodding at his greeting, the Night Princess regally answered, "It just so happened that I learned about a meeting at the castle from Alan, and judging by his words, I should be present at it."

"Learned from Alan?" Spike blinked in surprise. "So then, you know each other?" Spike cocked his head to one side, looking at both the princess and Alan.

"You could say that," Princess Luna smiled with meaning, causing Alan to sweat a little and curse Maud under his breath.

"Wow, I didn't know you were friends with a princess. Good job buddy," Spike then seemed to remember something and asked excitedly, "Oh, right! In the next few days, we're planning another game night with Big Mac and Discord. Do you want to join in?"

"Oh, you mentioned that at the party," Alan said, raising an eyebrow slightly. Of course, as I already said, I have always enjoyed good games, so just give me a whistle and I will be there.

"Great, when we choose the time, I'll send you a letter. Now, follow me, everyone is already gathered. Starlight said she can't start without you," Spike said with a smile.

Nodding, Alan and his group followed Spike to the discussion hall. Inside, they could see the team of five harmony keepers already gathered. If we count Pinkie who just arrived, then all six were present now. Starlight and Trixie were also in the room.

As soon as they appeared, everyone turned their eyes towards them and expressed a variety of different emotions.

Rarity looked at Alan with a joyful twinkle in her eyes, while Rainbow Dash had an impatient grin on her face, anticipating his story of the encounter with dangerous griffins.

Fluttershy seemed slightly nervous but no less curious about the situation. Applejack's expression did not change much, though her interest and concern were apparent.

As for Trixie, she was literally glowing with interest and excitement, looking at Alan, which did not escape Starlight's gaze.

But it was Starlight and Twilight who really showed the most unusual emotions. They had both learned a lot about Alan's life lately, albeit from different sources, and now, watching him enter the hall surrounded by so many mares, one of whom was one of the literal princesses of Equestria, their jaws comically dropped.

Watching this, Twilight couldn't help but think:

"Why did Princess Luna come with them? Are they acquainted?"

"Did she, like me, find out something about Alan?"

"Oh, I so want to know! I'll have to ask him after the meeting."

Starlight, on the other hand, thought a little differently:

"Alan is acquainted with Princess Luna, but how? Or is their arrival together just a coincidence? But if so, why does it look like she's allowing him to take the lead? It's so strange and whimsical that it's even a bit intriguing. Why does something incredible always happen around him?" Starlight couldn't help but smile.

"Princess Luna, Your Highness," all the ponies in the hall, including Twilight, bowed.

"Good to see you all," Luna said, nodding slightly.

Twilight immediately ran up to the princess and asked anxiously:

"Princess Luna, why are you here? I haven't reported any news to the palace yet. Did something happen?"

"I just came to visit my friend," Luna pointed towards Alan, "and I wasn't aware of any problems. Alan invited me to come with him, as he thought my presence was necessary."

Upon hearing her response, everyone was surprised, including Twilight, but she quickly composed herself and, nodding happily, replied:

"Great! He was right, your presence will significantly simplify this matter. Thank you for agreeing," Twilight bowed again.

"Don't mention it, Twilight. Don't forget that you are also a princess. Besides, you wouldn't have organized meetings for nothing, so I'm also interested in finding out what happened."

"Okay then, everyone in their places, it's time to begin." Twilight addressed everyone present and then teleported herself to her seat.

The others also settled into their places. Afterwards, Twilight looked at everyone and said:

"So, as you probably already know, not long ago, Starlight and Alan were summoned by the Friendship Map for another friendship mission. And although, according to Starlight, they completed the task, the essence and problems lie in the details of their journey. With that said, I ask Starlight and Alan to tell us what happened. Also, I would like to hear about Trixie's involvement in this situation."

Trixie was a little shaken when her name was mentioned, but she quickly composed herself so as not to appear cowardly, especially in front of Alan, Starlight, and Princess Luna.

At this time, Alan approached Starlight, and after whispering for a bit, they nodded to each other and began their story. The whole story took no more than twenty minutes. And throughout that time, the expressions of the listeners changed from surprise to fear, anger, and then back to surprise.

Trixie's account of how she was imprisoned and had a strange collar placed around her neck that prevented her from casting magic especially affected them. The faces of every horned bearer in the hall held an unpleasant shade with notes of anger and fear.

When Alan and Starlight finished their story, Alan said:

"So, we were able to leave that place and safely return to Ponyville. As you have already understood, everything we saw cannot be left without attention, which is why I wanted to tell Twilight and the keepers of harmony about it, and for the same reason, I invited Princess Luna. I hope that you will take appropriate action, as I am sure these griffins are not preparing anything good for Equestria."

Silence hung in the hall. Everyone literally immersed themselves in silent contemplation, as no one expected that something like this was happening right under their noses. And, of course, Rainbow Dash was the first to speak up. The blue pegasus flew up from her seat and, landing sharply on the table in the center, spoke irritably:

"What is there to think about? We need to show these stupid featherbrains that messing with us comes at a hefty cost!"

"Agreed, I think they crossed the line by capturing the ponies." Applejack also expressed her opinion.

"Kidnapping a lady? These griffins are definitely lacking in manners. This is something that cannot be ignored." Rarity looked surprisingly stern, although her reason was a bit strange.

Looking around, Twilight realized that the situation was not easy. She looked at Princess Luna and noticed how she was watching her with interest, her gaze indicating that she wanted to see how Twilight would act in this situation first. Gathering her courage, Twilight took a deep breath and finally spoke:

"I really didn't expect this to happen. To be honest, I'm not sure how to proceed in this situation. But since I'm not alone and I have so many good friends, I would like to hear everyone's opinion," Twilight turned to those who hadn't spoken yet. "Fluttershy, Pinkie, what do you think about this?"

Fluttershy became slightly tense and looked a bit thoughtful. After a few seconds of silence, she responded hesitantly:

"Well, um... I think it would be... not a bad idea to start by finding out why they're doing what they're doing." Fluttershy calmed down a bit, seeing that everyone was listening to her carefully, and continued with more confidence, "I think we should talk to them first and foremost. Perhaps we can reach an agreement and avoid any future and unnecessary problems."

Smiling, Twilight nodded and said,

"Okay, this certainly makes sense. Pinkie, what do you think?"

"These griffins definitely need some friendship lessons! And you can't build friendship if you don't start a dialogue, so I agree with Fluttershy! We can offer them some of our signature snacks to sweeten their spirits!" Pinkie definitely looked much more positive than she did when listening to the story.

After listening to everyone, Twilight said:

"Actually, I agree that we should first establish contact with these griffins. Starting mindless disputes wouldn't be a very smart move. What do you think, Princess Luna?"

Everyone in the room turned their interested gazes to the majestic princess of the night, waiting for her to speak. After all, if the question concerns Equestria's political affairs, no matter how insulting it may be to admit, her opinion carries much more weight than Twilight's, who still lacks experience in such matters.

Luna closed her eyes, carefully considering what to say, and then spoke:

"It is true that this issue is too sensitive, and any aggressive actions will be perceived with hostility. So, to begin with, I'll send our envoy from Canterlot as soon as I discuss the appropriate candidate with my sister. As for our further actions, I believe that Twilight has every right to participate in the discussion. So, when we receive news from our envoy, I'll summon Twilight and all of you to Canterlot."

Twilight's eyes shone so brightly at her words that it seemed like she would burst with joy, but she tried to control herself in front of so many ponies and Princess Luna.

"Wow, it looks like you're really getting into some serious princess stuff, Sugarcube. Congratulations." Applejack cheered Twilight with a smirk, as Twilight was holding back her smile.

"Awesome! Keep it up, Twily!" Dash was also happy for her friend.

Seeing this atmosphere, Luna spoke with a slightly more official voice:

"Now, please forgive me, but I need to go to Canterlot to negotiate with my sister. We need to find an appropriate envoy as soon as possible to solve possible future problems," She turned to Alan and said, "Alan, what I talked about still stands, so I'll be back by evening. With that, I take my leave."

After that, Princess Luna disappeared in a flash of magic, leaving the ponies in the room surprised by the princess's decisive actions. After that, Twilight finally turned to Alan, wanting to finally get answers to all of her questions. Starlight had a similar look in her eyes.

Trixi also had eyes on Alan, but her plans were much simpler and more direct, and Starlight saw this perfectly, which bred a strange feeling within her.

After Luna left, Twilight quickly decided not to sit still and contribute to the situation, while also getting rid of unnecessary eyes for a calm conversation with Alan and his friends. Turning to the blue Pegasus, she spoke:

"Rainbow Dash, get in touch with the Gilda in Griffinstone and find out if they have any information on these exiled griffins. I would like to know for sure why they were exiled and if they pose a danger. Spike will go with you to speed up the delivery of the letter."

"Got it!" Saluting with a hoof, Rainbow Dash immediately picked up the surprised Spike with her hooves and flew out the window with a strong gust of wind.

''

"Fluttershy!" Twilight immediately turned to the yellow Pegasus and said, "Try to contact Discord, we may need his help. It will be just wonderful if he agrees to conduct a little reconnaissance."

"Oh, I'll try to talk to him, Twilight, but... it won't be easy," the mare smiled shyly, after which she headed for the exit from the castle.

Nodding, Twilight turned to Rarity and said:

"Rarity, it's probably a little unnecessary, but just in case, look for books with designs for traditional griffin clothing. I think it wouldn't hurt to make them a small gift to ingratiate ourselves with them. Perhaps the negotiations will go more successfully that way."

"Of course, darling. If such things exist, then I'm sure I can find them in my fashion library." Rarity nodded enthusiastically, then flashed a flirtatious smile at Alan and turned around, swaying her hips as she headed towards the exit from the hall.

After feeling satisfied with her successful tasks, Twilight began to think about what to give Applejack to escort her out of the castle, but the orange-furred farm pony beat her to the punch, saying:

"Since everyone is dispersing for their own tasks, I think I'll head out too. There's still plenty of work to do on the farm, and I'm afraid Big Mac can't handle it all by himself. I've left him alone for too long, so I need to hurry. If anything happens, Twilight, let me know," then the farmer looked at Pinkie and Maud, "we'll see each other again, Pinkie, Maud," and finally, she looked at Alan with a hint of doubt, "and yes, Alan, if you really weren't lying about wanting to help on the farm, we have a gathering of recently ripened apples this week, so it will be especially busy. You can come at any time, and I'll put you to work up to your ears."

Blinking in surprise, Alan replied:

"Oh, is it harvest time already? Great, then I'll definitely come to help," Alan smiled, happy that he would finally get to see the famous farm.

Nodding, Applejack headed for the exit of the castle. After that, in the conference room, besides Twilight, were Starlight, Trixie, and Alan with the Pie sisters. Surveying them with her gaze, Twilight realized that it would not be easy to get Starlight out of the castle because she lived here, and so she uncertainly approached her friend and, taking her aside, asked:

"I have a request, Starlight. I would like to talk to Alan, Maud, and Pinkie in private, so could you take Trixie and buy us some time?"

Hearing her friend's words, Starlight was initially surprised, but then, thinking about something, she looked at Twilight with narrowed eyes and asked suspiciously:

"May I ask why you want to talk to them alone?"

Twilight blushed slightly and answered with a touch of uncertainty:

"Well... it's a bit personal... it's not very appropriate to talk about it in front of everyone."

Raising an eyebrow, Starlight said in surprise:

"I can understand Trixie and the others, but... can't you talk about it with me?"

Twilight didn't answer but only looked silently and imploringly at Starlight, causing her to shrink slightly under the gaze. Then, with a sigh, Starlight said,

"Fine... I'll buy you twenty minutes, no more. Trixie is also determined to talk to Alan. I think after what happened in the Iron Griffin City, she's clearly more interested in him than just as a friend," Starlight smirked and added, "although it definitely won't be easy for her."

Hearing such unexpected news about Trixie and Starlight's strange remark, the lavender mare couldn't help but ask:

"What do you mean by 'won't be easy'?"

Starlight realized she had said too much and hesitated a bit before answering, "Well... it's just that I figured out that Alan has a complicated relationship not only with Maud but also with Pinkie Pie. I think it will be hard for Trixie to accept that. It was hard enough for me to accept something like that myself. And me too... ah, nevermind."

Upon hearing this, Twilight's eyes widened in shock, and various thoughts swirled in her head:

'Wow, it turns out I'm not the only one who knows that Alan is in a relationship with the Pie sisters! Maybe I don't have to send her out of the conversation... Wait no! I think she's still not aware of Alan's 'peculiarity.' That's why she said it's hard for her to accept something like that. She still doesn't know what this stallion is capable of. I think it makes sense to talk to her about it later, maybe tonight.'

After finishing her thoughts, Twilight replied:

"Okay, twenty minutes is more than enough. I'm counting on you."

Quietly nodding, Starlight headed towards Trixie and, to the surprise of Alan and the rest of the group, spoke with an unusually serious tone:

"Trixie, Princess Twilight needs to have a serious talk with Alan, Maud, and Pinkie. It concerns the affairs of Equestria, so we need to step out briefly."

"What? But I also have to talk to Alan!" Trixie was extremely unhappy, and stomping her hoof, she looked at her friend angrily.

"Now, I know, but it's really important, so they'll be busy for the next 20–30 minutes. How about we go to the spa salon? We haven't been there in a while. What do you think?"

Suddenly brightening up, Trixie smiled and replied:

"Ah, yes, that's right! After the spa, I'll have a better chance. Let's go quickly!"

"That was easier than I thought," Starlight smiled to herself, silently following the energetic unicorn.

"Awww... everyone is so busy!" Pinkie watched as Starlight and Trixie left, then turned her gaze back to Twilight. "And what about me? What can I do to help?" Pinkie happily bounced in place, wanting to do something to help.

Looking at Pinkie, Alan, and Maud, Twilight nodded in satisfaction and said, "Excellent, now that we're alone, I would like to discuss something... sensitive with you. Please follow me."

Exchanging blank glances with the Pie sisters, Alan shrugged, and they followed Twilight. They walked through a long corridor, bypassing many rooms, including the living quarters. When they reached a certain door, Alan and Maud immediately recognized it as the room where they took magic lessons.

Entering the room, Twilight invited them to sit on the couch, and she herself sat opposite them. She lit her horn, and in a flash of magic, a tea set with already-brewed tea appeared in front of them.

'Darn, magic is a really convenient thing,' Alan thought, envious of the cup of tea that was placed in front of him. 'I wish I could learn these tricks sooner.'

When the tea was served and Twilight made sure she created a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere, she decided that it was the most appropriate moment to begin her interrogation.

"So, what I want to talk about is, how shall I say it...reactions a bit unusual," Twilight tried to contain her embarrassment and keep her outward calm, watching the reactions of those present along the way.

"In any other situation, it would be none of my business, but due to some of the things that Maud revealed to me," Twilight looked at the gray mare, "I just couldn't ignore this question, as this could help me... Equestria! This can help all of Equestria in the future... Yes, that's exactly what I wanted to say."

Alan blinked his eyes in surprise, looking at Maud and then turning back to Twilight and asked:

"Help Equestria in the sense of... with our 'MIB' Bracelets?

Twilight's eyes widened slightly, and she quickly replied:

"Ye-yes! And with the bracelets as well, but right now, that's not what I'm talking about."

Seeing Alan's confused look, Twilight explained:

"While you were away, I was able to talk with Maud a little bit, and she told me a lot of things..."

"Oh really?" Alan glanced at Maud with a slightly accusing squint.

The gray mare remained unfazed, as if she hadn't noticed anything at all. Alan returned his gaze to Twilight and asked:

"So what did she tell you?"

Twilight paused for a moment, then answered:

"She told me about your relationship with her and her sister."

"Oh..." Alan had expected something more unusual, so he relaxed slightly. "Well, I wouldn't say it's that much of a secret. I just didn't feel the need to spread it around. And it's not that big of a deal," Alan said, not quite understanding why she wanted to talk about it.

"Yes, your situation is a little unconventional, so that can be understood," nodded Twilight, then blushed slightly and continued, "But she also mentioned your... um... stamina."

Alan, who had seemed to relax just a moment ago, tensed up again and gave Maud a displeased look. Seeing this, Maud just barely smiled and monotonically replied:

"That's correct, he really is the most enduring stallion in Equestria. He can also be… quite insatiable."

'I'm the insatiable one? Aren't you the one who prepared a whole jar of contraceptives?' Alan mentally exclaimed, sitting with his mouth literally agape, afraid to blurt it out loud.

Hearing the gray mare's words, Twilight blushed even more and, turning to Pinkie, said:

"Pinkie, I know this might be a little unpleasant, but I can't just take Maud's words at face value, so I want to ask you personally. I'm sure you wouldn't lie to your friends. Tell me, Maud's words... are they really true?"

Pinkie, who had been surprisingly quiet all this time, replied:

"Twilight, you're right, I would never ever lie to my friend, never! That's why I'll answer you honestly," Pinkie took a slight pause for drama, then continued, "YES! Absolutely everything my sister said is pure truth! And my sister never lies, just like Applejack," she said with a bright smile, then moved closer to Alan, pressing her body against his.

Following Pinkie's lead, Maud did the same, which slightly embarrassed Alan, but he still warmly smiled at the mares and hugged them. Hearing her friend's answer and seeing this unusual scene, Twilight literally froze, realizing that this could really be the solution to her problem. Because of this and the way these mares were pressing against this extraordinary stallion, her legs began to rub involuntarily against each other.

Suddenly, remembering the recent meeting, Twilight realized that she had forgotten to ask something else, so she decided to do it now:

"What about Princess Luna? Why did you come together?"

Alan was distracted by the mares nuzzling into his embrace, and looking at Twilight, he replied:

"Well, you can say that we are friends. Oh, I just remembered something," Alan suddenly brightened up and grinned, "do you remember how I promised to teach you my version of meditation, and I said that I already have another student in mind?"

Reproducing this moment in her head, Twilight nodded and replied:

"Yes, I remember. You did mention that you would introduce me to…" Here Twilight suddenly realized something, and her face took on a stunned expression, "Don't tell me that this student is..."

"That's right, that student was Luna," Alan watched with pleasure as Twilight's face 'morphed' several times.

Moments like this, when someone can teach the Princess of Equestria something and not the other way around, literally exploded all of Twilight's ideas about the world.

"Wh-wha... how... WHAT?!" Twilight finally managed to collect herself and ask, "So, you're saying you understand meditation better than Princess Luna? But how is that possible? She's a princess, and a princess of the night, at that! She's constantly in a state similar to meditation in order to travel through every pony's dreams, I don't understand, wha..."

At that moment, Pinkie's laughing voice cut off Twilight's words. "Twilight, hehe, you're so silly sometimes. Princesses are ponies, just like us! Of course, they don't know everything in the world. Even I understand that. I'm pretty sure I know more about baking than any of the princesses!"

"I won't lose to anyone in knowledge of stones," Maud also decided to express herself in her monotone manner.

Realizing that she had become a tad too excited, Twilight calmed down a bit and said:

"Yes, you're right. They can't know and be proficient at everything in the world, even if they are powerful and wise princesses of Equestria..." From her expression, anyone could tell that she forced those words out.

Knowing that the conversation had drifted a little off course, Alan said:

"So, if that's all you wanted to know, how about discussing the time when we could have a meditation lesson? I'll talk to Luna about it today and let her know of any date you propose."

As Twilight heard that she would be learning with Princess Luna under Alan, she realized that it gave her a strange feeling of anticipation.

"I'll be studying one of the topics I'm interested in, right beside Princess Luna! Wow." Such thoughts couldn't help but spark a glimmer of interest within the lavender alicorn."

"Yes! I agree! Tomorrow evening would be the perfect time for it," Twilight said, looking excited.

She wanted to talk and ask something else, but quickly realized that it was not the appropriate time. Plus, she didn't know how to raise the issue of such embarrassing things again.

'I want to know his opinion about me, but to ask that right after the conversation about his 'endurance' would be too awkward. I think it's better to use one of Rarity's tactics in this and be more demonstrative. And only after I understand if he's interested in me can I bring up the topic again, probably.' Twilight thought to herself as she looked at Alan and his girlfriends.

"Great, then we'll go. I also have some things to do, plus many promises to different ponies that I need to start fulfilling. See you later." With these words, Alan left Twilight, who watched him thoughtfully.

Pinkie and Maud followed him, hugging their stallion tightly. This sight could not help but arouse a small envy within Twilight, but she understood that normal relationships were unavailable to her and that Alan was her only hope to avoid the curse of the alicorns. And so, she had to convince him to help her as soon as possible.

With these thoughts, Twilight decided to visit Rarity later to get some advice. Who better than her to know how to get someone's attention? The only thing is, she doesn't know that the white mare has plans for that stallion herself. Soon, many ponies will have to understand that, in the near future, a real battle for the attention of one stallion will begin.

And not just for romantic attention...

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