*** Chapter 6 ***

“Man, I'll bet you a hundred bits nothing happens tonight, rookie.”

“You're on! I'm sure something's gonna happen, Halberd!”

The elder of the two guards outside the Royal Palace chuckled, patting the younger Chain on the shoulder. He'd been at this job for nearly 20 years now, and the only real action he'd seen was when that strange changeling broke into the captain's wedding. Under the moonlight he barely listened to his shiftmate as he was regaled with the young stallion's bouts during his training, admiring this newbie's spirit and passion for fighting.

“You know, being a guard isn't all about fighting threats.” Halberd motioned for Chain to stop, scratching his head and stretching his wings. “It's also about being able to detect them.” Chain's eyes widened slightly as he began to take in this new information, making Halberd smile warmly.

“Aren't you supposed to be able to fight off anything that isn't safe?”

“Well, yes, but sometimes you come across something much stronger than you. Bigger, too. I remember one of my commanding officers when I was green telling me about a bunch of manticores that tried to get in. Some idiot unicorn had tried casting a spell to attract other mares, and wound up attracting everything BUT them.” Chain laughed, imagining what a surprise it would have been to be assaulted by aroused manticores.

“That's pretty funny, but how did he solve the problem?”

“He called for help. He spotted the pack of them at a few hundred yards and let out a signal that alerted other guards.” He slapped the younger stallion on the back. “Teamwork is crucial to our city's defense. Without guards communicating, we'd never know if something were to happen.” Halberd looked up at the rest of the castle, wishing there were a few other guards around to help out, just in case. Chain's mouth opened as a thought clicked in his head.

“Oh, so that's why you said nothing would happen, because we haven't heard anything yet- !”

Suddenly, the younger stallion reached for his throat, pupils shrinking and hacking relentlessly. He raised himself on his rear legs and began to lean backwards, still choking. Halberd looked around frantically but could see no wires, no magic, no source of his shiftmate's attacker. He was about to call out when his larynx suddenly felt like it had collapsed on itself. He couldn't get any air in or out of his lungs, and he felt himself being lifted up by the neck by some invisible force. His vision began to darken as he watched the other stallion go quiet and slump to the ground. Slipping into unconsciousness, he only wished that whatever this was turned out to be a dream.

A hooded figure sprinted past the guards on the ground, silently opening the side door they had been guarding and closed it behind him. A red glow shone out from underneath the hood, and the figure slowly grew transparent until the thin, distorting lines of his silhouette were visible. He walked calmly through the small hallway and into a larger corridor whose ceiling was lined with stained glass. Various guards patrolled the smaller paths intersecting with the room, but none noticed as he slunk along the wall and into another chamber. He scanned the area for more guards, but was relieved to know that they were far behind him. His horn glowed weakly as the light returned to him, revealing his misty eyes beneath his cloak. He brushed it off of his head, and walked through the corridor, noticing a strange stone door ahead of him. Unlike the rest of the well-decorated palace, this door was completely bare, aside from a half-sun carved out near the top. Using his magic, he cracked them open slightly, and his heart stopped when he peered inside.

It was Celestia's chamber of judgment, the room that should have been his resting place in Equestria.

Near the back wall of the long, narrow room sat a large throne cut from the same stone as the doors. Rows and rows of stone benches for those who might view the judgment of a traitor to the crowns. He pushed the doors farther open, checking behind him to make sure he would not be followed, and closed himself in. He stepped slowly towards the throne, recalling his last hoofsteps here.

"Mortal Coil... step forth."

His vision pulsed black for a moment, making him pause before continuing. He could remember the tight blindfold over his eyes, the shackles that cut deep into his legs to the point where they would bleed if he walked too fast. He was halfway to the throne when he felt burning behind his eyes, and stopped completely to stare at the throne.

“I believe what the courts and evidence say? That you deceived me, that you BETRAYED me?”

The burning remained in his head, but no tears would come forth. He looked up above the throne and stared at the pattern in the glass on the wall. It was a portrait of Celestia, casting her bright yellow magic, eyes aglow. Instantly he remembered the same stare she gave him nearly a century ago, but one of rage, dark and malicious. He felt the searing, torturing pain rending his body once more, falling to the ground on one knee as the memory flooded his mind.

"I'm sorry. I really did love you."

At that moment, the pain grew to a climax and dissipated, making Mortal Coil arch his back and let out a fearful, blood-curdling roar. He slammed his hoof into the tile floor, making it crack and sending splinters of it into his face and mane, panting frantically. He hoped nopony had heard him, but there was still the urge to take out his despair on any guard who thought they would try to find the source of the noise. Fortunately, the Royal Guard was out and about among other stretches of the palace, and were unaware of the stallion lurking around the palace. He had always known that the guards lacked in night security, but he hardly believed that it had actually gotten worse while he had been in exile. A bitter feeling rose in his throat as he reminisced the way Celestia had always teased them when they weren't around. He swallowed it back down harshly and started up the staircases to the Princesses' chambers.

The crimson unicorn paused when he ascended the final step and reached the large, heavily protected doors leading to Celestia's room. He observed that the magical barrier to Princess Luna's was no longer there, smiling inwardly. He knew that they would reconcile eventually; he only wished he could have been there for it. Under the effects of his cloaking spell, he retreated to a corner far from the door and began to chant under his breath. His horn remained undetectable, but channeled magic towards the guards, who began to asphyxiate. Each panicked and attempted to reach for the door handle, or cry out for help, but were pulled up by their necks and drawn towards his corner as his chanting changed in rhythm. He sensed their pulses dwindling and the words stopped flowing from his mouth. Each guard fell to the floor unconscious and Mortal Coil stepped past them, disrupting his spell and letting his cloak fall to the floor. To his surprise, the chamber door opened without his command, and his muscles tensed instinctively. Within the room, Celestia lay on a large, round bed, staring towards the door, disoriented from sleep.

“Who goes there?” came the weak voice of the tired princess. She assumed it might have been one of the newer guards anxiously approaching to check-in on her, and rose in her bed as she rubbed her eyes. Mortal Coil knelt instantly and bowed his head, now acting purely on fear and instinct.

“It's... It's me, Celestia.” he muttered calmly. Celestia's ears perked at the sound of her name, rather than “your highness.” Her eyes widened as her vision cleared and revealed the crimson unicorn kneeling at her chamber door. Mortal had only moments to act as he sensed a vigorous pulse of magic, and rolled to his right as he heard the thin, lightning-like bolt fly towards where his head had previously been. He looked up and felt a pang of terror as he saw Celestia's look of horror and confusion.

“You... H-how did you return to this place...?” she stuttered, raising up on her bed. “WHY?”

“Please, Celestia, bear with me-” Mortal raised his hooves in defense as he saw her charge her horn, readying another shot.

“No! You break into my palace, attack my Royal Guard, rouse me in the night, and you ask me to bear with you? What is wrong with you?!” She fired at him once more, and he jumped towards the left, now sprinting towards the bed. He sailed towards her as she charged her horn again, and a loud electrical crack could be heard as she cried in surprise.

“Please, your Highness. Just listen...” he pleaded calmly. Celestia sat against the backboard of her bed, violently struggling against him. He had collided horns with her, and her magic was now locked with his as the two horns glowed brightly. She glared at him as she realized the spell he was channeling used its target's magic against them, neutralizing any spell being cast, at the cost of immobility. He stood in front of her, legs locked still and sweat running down his forehead.

“Why should I listen to you? You were exiled, and yet you have the nerve to return...” she growled through clenched teeth, still trying to overpower his spell. Mortal felt himself weakening, and knew that in a few moments his magic would fail and he would be vulnerable. The burn returned to his eyes once more, and he shut them rapidly, feeling his whole body shake as his horn's glow began to fade. Celestia let out a triumphant yell as she threw Mortal off of the bed and onto the floor. She leaped quickly from the bed and stood over his paralyzed body, glaring bitterly down at him over her snout. He looked up towards her, his vision blurry but clear enough to see the hoof raise high over his head. He closed his misty eyes and looked away, feeling the burning in his eyes begin to fade as the wet tears flowed silently onto the floor. Moment's passed as he prepared himself for the blow, but he only felt his face on the stained carpet floor. He heard a sharp breath come from above him, and felt something land on his exposed cheek: a small drop of water. Another fell, and then another, and another. He looked up to see Celestia bent over his stiff body, crying silently and staring him down angrily.

“Why...” she sobbed weakly. “Why did you have to make this so hard for me, for yourself?"

She turned around wearily and returned to her bed, resting her legs underneath herself and faced the stallion laying on the floor. She had gained control over her sobbing, but tears still flowed slowly towards the bedspread as she looked at him in pain.

“All you had to do was stay away, and nothing else would happen to you...”

He lay still on the floor, silently watching her as she hung her head and let her breath deepen as her crying intensified. He could feel his body's senses returning to him, but chose to remain motionless for fear of alarming her.

“I came back to warn you of something, your Highness.” he whispered, causing her to quiet down and stare at him, confused. Very rarely had he ever referred to her as “your Highness.” She wiped the tears from her face sharply and regained her outer composure.

“Warn me of what, Coil? What could you possibly have to say for yourself?” she demanded.

“The citizens of Equestria are in danger, Celestia. You are in danger.” he choked out. “I'm not sure what from, but-”

“But what?!”

Mortal Coil paused for a moment. “I think it has something to do with your brother, Aether.”

Celestia remained silent, narrowing her eyes. “You still dabble with my brother?” Coil jumped up in alarm, raising his hooves up defensively once more as Celestia's horn glowed softly.

“No! Never!” he shrieked, momentarily unable to control his voice. He dropped his voice and looked away from her. “I abandoned him after... after you banished me, Princess.”

Celestia stifled a sob as she remembered the spell she had used to erase him from Equestria, and to erase him from her memories.

“I had a vision where the Element holders took you hostage, and summoned him to come to you. He... He killed...” Mortal Coil dropped off his sentence there, not wanting to remember it again. Celestia's expression softened, and she spoke to him half-reassuredly.

“That couldn't possibly happen. The Holders are loyal to me, and would never ever be willing to do that-”

“They aren't willing!” Mortal Coil broke in, keeping his head down. “They're not themselves. All except one: Applejack.”

Celestia raised a concerned eyebrow. “What do you mean, 'not themselves'?”

“I mean it's like they're being controlled by some kind of magic. I believe that they all have a part in the recent...” Coil's voice disappeared again as he saw the expression on Celestia's face. It told of an untrusting mare who no longer had the time to fall for the unicorn's tricks again.

“Please, Mortal, not this again, “ she whispered, her eyes misting up in anger. “Why do you torture me like this?”

He stood up and approached her slowly, a look of certainty across his face. “I'm not lying, Celestia.” He tentatively reached a hoof up towards her head, which jerked back slightly. “I never did.” His hoof stopped midair, and slowly Celestia returned her head to its position, allowing him to gently wipe away the streaks of pain on her face. The alabaster mare now stared into his gray eyes, desperately searching for any signs of insecurity. She found none.

“I didn't want this to happen to us, Coil...” she began, now shaking.

“Neither of us did. I was a fool to trust him, and I've suffered the consequences, “ Coil muttered, looking out of the corner of his eye at the black marks on his flank.

“I don't know if I can believe you now, or ever, Mortal Coil.”

“What if Applejack were to prove my innocence?” Celestia's eyes widened in confusion.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I'm trying to show her that her friends aren't themselves, and that they are responsible for the 'disappearances' in Ponyville, Cloudsdale, and Canterlot.” Coil continued eagerly. “I want her to be able to see exactly what is going on, and that maybe she could clear my name...”

Celestia remained quiet, analyzing this new information with a calmer expression.

“I will hear of this from Applejack herself, without your accompaniment. “ she declared. “You have one week to persuade her. However...” Mortal Coil shrunk back slightly as Celestia glared at him. “Should I find out that you are doing anything to betray me-”

“CELESTIA, PLEASE!” He begged, grabbing her face quickly and pulling it towards his own. She peered into his fearful eyes and held her breath.

“I don't want to believe you did that before, “ she whispered, hardly any sound escaping her lips. He gasped and slowly released his grip on her cheeks. Instead of shirking away, though, he watched Celestia leaned forward slowly and closed her eyes. His addled brain forced his head forward and his lips met hers, making his heart ache as he felt the alicorn shake with another sob. They both slowly retreated, silently observing the other's reaction.

“I don't want to believe you, Mortal Coil.”

Moments passed, and their heads lurched forward as they embraced each other tightly and kissed passionately, afraid to give up the last moment they might ever have together again.

Author's Note

I'm sorry for the long wait, you guys.
I've been dealing with some familial issues, and I've felt more remorseful recently than before (which actually helped me write this chapter).
I hope you all enjoy. Expect another chapter on this or Baker's Delight in the somewhat-near future.

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