[center][h1][color=steelblue]Astral Gleam[/color][/h1]
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[center][@Rune_Alchemist][@Shoryu][@Lugia][/center]
The Princess looked, well, completely unfazed by that opening move. Honestly the Dragon really should seen this coming. If Astral didn't know any better, it was almost like this Dragon was acting based on ignorance. Sort of like... no way, what were the odds of that? The pony kept watching, the Dragon and the Princess looked like they were just trading blows. But Astral knew as well as anypony just how powerful Alicorns were. Princess Luna was not going all out. At least he was certain that was the case, anyway. He suddenly heard some familiar chirping sounds, and remembered that one of the "visitors" was present as well.

"You... had to have realized that we can't understand you by now. So why are you still... talking?" not that the Ebon would understand him any better than he could understood her. To her he sounded like he was neighing and whinnying. He paused as a thought entered his brain. She wasn't a motormouth type was she? Because quite frankly, Astral was still recovering from the time he was forced to spend with one Pinkamena Diane Pie, and he [i]really[/i] didn't want to have to spend more time around ponies or creatures like that again anytime soon.

Of course, this "conversation" - for lack of a better word - distracted the Unicorn from seeing how the altercation ended. In fact it was the Princess addressing him by name that nearly made him jump. How, she... knew his name? But he'd never been anywhere near Canterlot before, so why...? That wasn't important right now, answering the Princess's question was the important thing at the moment. As much a cynic as the Unicorn was, even he wouldn't dare say anything stupid to one of the royals, especially not either of two Sisters, "Er, Your Majesty..." he offered a bow, though he only lowered his head a bit rather than go into a full kneel like most ponies would do. It seemed like a more timely and efficient way to affirm one's fealty, "...I was in Ponyville acting as a guest professor at Princess Twilight's school. I was stargazing from my quarters when I saw the falling the objects. I investigated the one nearby to this Castle." hopefully that would be a sufficient explanation for his presence here, but there was a bit more to report on following that.

"I thought the object was a meteorite. I'm an Astronomer, and thought to study it up close, but... well it turned out to be some sort of vessel carrying passengers. I believe that..." he gestured to the nearby Ebon, "...is one of them. I encountered more at the crashed vessel. I was able to establish basic communication but returned here when I saw the Eclipse. I believe an Arcane Language Circle will allow you to communicate with them, but it's not a perfect translation so please bear that in mind." it wasn't like him to practically spill his guts like this. But maybe the Two Sisters just had that effect on ponies.

And then the Dragon burst into flame! Astral shielded his eyes from the brief flash of fire. He stared at the newfound pile of ash, dumbfounded. Then he narrowed his eyes into an incredulous expression, "I... don't think that was actually a Dragon. At least, not from here anyway."