Ponies at Arms

Chapters

Part Two
Part Four
Part One
Part Three

Part Two

Ponies At Arms

Part Two

By: GearheartHound

In every world, in every multiverse, there are men and women who uphold the laws of their government and their rulers. We call them police or guards or watchmen. They work tirelessly to stamp out corruption, to end violence, to be the shining beacons of order in a chaotic world, and most importantly to make it home safe at the end of the day.

In a little universe, nestled carefully out of harm's way, sits a world called Equestria. In the country of the same name, where the noble alicorns Luna and Celestia rule over their hooved subjects, night had fallen long ago. The pegasus ponies of the weather service had scheduled a downpour which tended to keep most ponies indoors.

The streets of Canterlot, the capitol, were no different. Though the lights of the late night establishments still burned in the windows, most were barred for the evening and the cobbled streets were empty. Empty save for a single stallion, wrapped in a heavy cloak who slipped from one doorway to another. At first glance one might think that he was trying to avoid the drenching rain, he would be be pleased to know this as that was precisely what he hoped any onlooker would assume.

His weaving path took him down a back alleyway to a heavy wooden door which was bolted from within. He knocked hard upon it in a careful pattern, one knock, pause, four knocks, pause, two knocks, he waited, it opened a crack.

“Yes? Can I help you, friend?” The reply from within sounded neither helpful nor very friendly. The cloaked stallion looked back and forth a moment more.

“As a matter of fact you can... I come from the palace seeking guidance but I find neither Princess much versed on the subject... so I come to speak to her that knows.” The stallion drew back his hood and grinned. The doorman grunted and pulled the wooden portal open all the way.

“You're late...” He rumbled, stepping aside and letting the other stallion pass.

“Not exactly my fault! Have you seen the weather... I had to trot my sorry arse all the way here from the Sun Palace.” He grumbled, pulling off his soaking cloak, he cast it aside before he trotted down a long flight of stairs. The dim light of sputtering candles seemed to glow off the walls as he descended down below the underbelly of Canterlot. Down he descended, the walls chilling his already cold body He could hear water far off, no doubt the run-off of the sewers of which he was certainly under by now. Here was a place where the sun never shone and that was just as well.

Once the stairs opened out into a wide chamber that was dimly lit by a few wall sconces, he couldn't tell the size of the chamber as the sconces only allowed twenty feet or so of lit area, from then on there was only the inky darkness. It wasn't the simple absence of sunlight, there was something sinister, something very nearly alive about it. A voice echoed off the dark stone from somewhere in the gloom beyond. “That is quite far enough...” The cold and calculating feminine tones put the stallion's mane on end and his hooves stopped dead in their tracks whether he wished it or not. “You are late...”

“Yes ma'am... the... weather...” He mumbled softly but was abruptly cut off by the female voice.

“Silence! You will speak when and only when I ask it of you.” The voice spoke again and the stallion thought he saw movement from the deepest shadows. “So our agent in Trottingham has failed... utterly?”

“Yes Ma'am... several local guards and Celestia's prized student intervened before the plan could be carried out.” The stallion cleared his throat, “The... mayor was killed in the process, Ma'am”

“He was a fool and died as one. He was warned about the dangers of testing the potions too early and chose to ignore my wisdom. He drew undue attention to himself and paid the price for his arrogance.” The voice spat out cold as ever and the stallion suddenly wished that he was somewhere else, somewhere where the sun shone. “I have a far better plan in motion but it requires your obedience.”

“Y-yes Ma'am...” He mumbled , feeling his knees grow weak. He recalled the last time his obedience had been required. It took him a full week to clean all the blood from his hooves. Not a night went by where he was not haunted by the screams of that filly he barely knew as her life bled away.

“You have access to the hall of records and petitions. You will draft a notice of prisoner transfer and deliver it personally to the desk of the Master of Keys in Canterlot prison.” there seemed to be an edge of glee creeping into the dark voice. “You are to ensure that Lady Fiona is released and that she escapes custody.”

The stallion paled, “N-not... not her, Ma'am. Certainly... She's a monster!”

“The Night Butcher is ideal for the task at hoof... she will make herself useful to our cause. Now go... and give her this.” An envelope floated out of the shadows born aloft on a cold purple glow.

Wordlessly the stallion plucked the letter out of the air, stuffing it hastily into his battered saddlebags and bowed before scrambling back up the cold, dark stairs at speed.

Lord Captain Drussard walked slowly through the cells below the castle of Canterlot flanked by three guards He admired the ancient stonework. Centuries of stone cutting to build the city above had almost hollowed the mountain and provided a honeycomb of dark spaces where the dregs of society could be locked away in safety. Murderers, deviants, thieves and those deemed too dangerous and unstable to exist in the carefully ordered society in the world above.

The trip was standard procedure. The Master of Keys had not checked out for the evening so the cells would be searched in case he had slipped and fallen or simply gotten lost in the subterranean labyrinth. Normally Captain Drussard would have passed the task off to a subordinate but today was a slow day so far. They had checked several passages and cell blocks before stopping at the well locked and heavily barred door which marked a place where nothing was ever intended to leave from. As 'maximum' as maximum security got in the Canterlot cells.

He sighed once more and turned to the soldier who marched on his right. “Sergeant... ready the keys... I would like to finish this task and get out of here quickly.” The unicorn nodded an affirmative and removed the ring of keys from the belt on his armour, placing the key in the lock. The well oiled and well built tumblers clicked into place and two other unicorns applied their magic to swing the oaken portal open.

Within the chamber, the dark was pierced by points of magical blue light dangling from the ceiling, casting the whole room in an ethereal glow. The room was hexagonal in shape and had six great pillars, carved in black lodestone to deaden the flow of magics in and out of the space, holding the vaulted ceiling in place. In the centre of the chamber stood a low pillar and atop it a large cage. Instantly the captain's eyes narrowed, the door was open and the cage stood empty. “On your guard!” He shouted and the three unicorn Guards of the Citadel formed up on him instantly flanking him on all sides so no ponies back was to the darkness. Four pairs of eyes studied the room in detail before one on his right gasped in shock and raised a hoof.

Drussard bolted in the direction the Citadel guard had pointed but quickly slowed to a trot. Behind one of the six large pillars a shape lay in a pool of blood. it took a great stretch of the imagination to recognize the shape as that of a pony. The body had been mutilated to the point of bare recognition. The world faded slowly from notice as the old pegasus knelt down and pushed his helmet off his head, running a hoof though his greying blue mane. “It would be Master Lock... look.” He pointed to the corpse. “You can make out part of his mark here...”

“He's been... gutted...” He could hear one of the guards behind him mumble as one of the others turned and vomited over his own hooves.

Captain Drussard reached up and closed the unicorn's lifeless eyes, the head, for the most part, was still intact. He didn't weep or shudder, he didn't pass out or be ill. Captain Drussard was the oldest serving member of Celestia's military staff and in his long years he had seen things that no pony in the newest generation of guards could withstand. “It was the gryphon... only a gryphon's claws can do this kind of damage...” Drussard stood and turned to look at the rest of his current squad. “You Lads need to take a break, get some fresh air, head up and get someponies in here to take Master Lock to the morgue and clean this mess up then take the rest of the day, I'll get some others to cover your shifts, but first inform the Princess that Lady Fiona has escaped... this is her bloody calling card.”

“It true she's a cannibal, Captain?” the sergeant turned to Drussard, his face grim as he gave his slightly green looking subordinate a reassuring pat on the back.

Drussard chuckled darkly and retrieved his helmet, pulling it back on. “If she were a pony she would be... the gryphon's gone mad. She's turned murder and blood-lust into an art.” The sobering words of the captain sank in, the guards separating and dashing off to their duties while Drussard trotted towards the cage. He saw the lock and his frown deepened. It wasn't forced or shattered with either spells or alchemy. The lock was opened with a key. Somepony... some bloody foalish pony... some complete suicidal idiot had let her out...

Twilight Sparkle smiled happily and read over her newest mail. It was evening and she had been putting it off until she had some time to herself, she was pleased to find another letter from her parents. She had, of course, written about her adventure in Trottingham just a month ago and they had responded with words of praise and good wishes about her broken leg, which she would be in full command of in a few more days. All her friends, both those that were there that day and her friends who had been at home, were pleased to see she was quickly on the mend.

She set the letter down, it had also contained a polite request to come home for dinner one night when she was in Canterlot for any reason, and she mused about just taking some time off to visit home. Maybe she could bring her friends so her parents could meet the ponies, who were the dominant feature in her letters, personally. Imagining the pleasant moments she drifted in thought before the sound of her nighttime owl assistant cut through the calm of the tree. He was flying around in every direction he could fly, dropping feathers in his near terrified state.

“Owlowiscious what's the matter?” Twilight was suddenly full of concern, trotting awkwardly into the middle of her dimly lit bedroom to try and catch the owl. “Did you hurt yourself? Do you need me to open a window for you?” She scrambled for a reason for the outburst before there came a steely cold voice from the now open doorway to her balcony.

“You would do well to heed the warning of your owl friend, little pony.” The voice was mature and cultured which reminded her of the socialites in Canterlot which she had been, unfortunately, introduced to at the Grand Galloping Gala.

Twilight turned her magic on out of reflex and the purple glow bathed the doorway. She gasped and shook a little as she looked upon the second ever gryphon she had seen. This one looked far more menacing than Gilda had ever been. Her feathers were a deep blue/black like those of a raven and her back half was covered in black fur like a panther. Talons and beak shone like polished ebony and only her eyes broke the dark pattern, like two shining ruby pools which looked over the room with a calculated gaze. She recoiled from the light and shielded her eyes a little as her wings spread in indignation.

“W-who are you?” Twilight managed to raise her voice to ask as she took a stumbling step backwards, wincing as her leg protested.

“You, my dear, may call me Lady Fiona if it pleases you, though I assure you it will not be for long...” The gryphon stepped into the room and looked at Twilight through half lidded eyes. “Tonight is the night you die, Twilight... assassinated is the correct term I believe.”

Twilight reached a hoof up to her throat as the fear gripped her, looking at a creature which seemed to be some sort of monster. “A-assassinated... m-me?” She squeaked, “Why me?”

“Oh I don't pretend to know all the details...” She waved her talon in a very nonchalant manner, smiling softly. “Some political idiot plans to bring your Princess down. I am to kill you and make it clear that Celestia could do nothing to prevent it... you are her most faithful student after all. And personally I am going to enjoy it because unicorn is so very succulent.” Her tongue unknowingly drew across her beak at the thought of the word succulent making her that much more menacing to the already terrified Twilight.

Twilight paled and stumbled back until she landed on her haunches, the gryphon approaching slowly. “You're going to eat me?!”

“You will not be the first I have consumed, nor will you be the last. I have been imprisoned twice for just that offence. Celestia has nothing but distaste for me but she dare not send me home nor exile me from her borders.” The gryphon let out a sigh as a tear rolled down Twilight's cheek. “Now I believe talk is at an end...” She lowered her forelegs and dug her claws into the wooden floor, her beak opening partway to let out a low throaty growl as she prepared to pounce.

“Hey, ugly bird!” A voice puffed up with determination and heroism called from the upper loft and both unicorn and murderess looked up. There stood a young purple dragon who's chest was puffed up and both scaly hands rested on his hips. “Nobody eats my big sister!” He drew in a full breath, the gryphon's pupils shrank to pinpricks before a gout of bright green flame shot forth. She turned in time as the smell of burning hair and feathers filled Twilight's bedroom. The pale light of the candles were eclipsed by the sudden eruption of flickering fire. The black gryphoness flailed and desperately tried to snuff out the embers of what remained of the feathers upon the right side of her face.

As Spike's breath ended in a small coughing fit, the gryphon rounded, more angry than before. Her breath coming in ragged pants. Her eyes looked like they were lit by her own inner fire, the momentary lapse from the flames and the piercing shriek of the burning gryphon had shaken the purple unicorn from her terror induced paralysis. Her magic swirled forth with pure anger at its heart. The gryphon backed towards the window slowly but Twilight was much faster than that. She lashed out and tipped a book case solidly onto the monster who squawked in pain.

Twilight grinned smugly and limped closer to the prone beast, “Not all that tough are you?” She prodded one of her hind legs for just a moment before the tufted tail reached out like a striking snake and wrapped tightly around Twilight's neck, instead of the choking suffocation she was expecting she felt herself being jerked forwards. Her forehead met the wooden bookshelf and she saw stars. What she didn't see however was the black shape, still smoking slightly, slip out the balcony door and into the night.

Princess Celestia paced back and forth along the ground floor of the library. Never, in living memory, had she been so furious. Her wings stood proudly from her back and everypony gave her a wide berth. Twilight was sitting upon a pillow with Spike held tight in her lap. The two had not released one another since the incident had happened.

“What pony would dare do this?” Celestia asked to nopony in particular, turning her eyes around the room.

“I believe it is connected to the recent problem in Trottingham, your majesty.” Captain Drussard stood tall without his usual helmet, the look of tired remorse in his steely blue eyes made Twilight's heart beat faster. The purple unicorn remembered the times she had met with Celestia and the captain had been present. He always seemed like a stoic old stallion but the pained look on his face was beginning to show his age.

“S-she did say that somepony wanted me dead to... to show that you couldn't do anything to prevent it, Princess. It was the same intent the mayor had for Trottingham.. to attack you indirectly by hurting ponies and causing chaos.” Twilight spoke up for the first time in nearly half an hour and Celestia stopped her furious pacing to kneel at her student's side.

“Oh Twilight... this is beyond terrible... beyond monstrous.” The Princess gave Twilight a nuzzle on the cheek and then looked down at the little purple dragon in her lap. “And you Spike... if you hadn't reacted in time then it could have been so much worse... thank you, my little hero...” She leaned down and gave the stunned Spike a gentle kiss on the forehead which made him blush sheepishly.

“It was Owlowiscious who woke me up, Princess.” Spike looked towards where the owl perched nearby, in an uncharacteristic moment of humility.

“Then you are both my little heroes.” Celestia held one of her wings out where Owlowiscious landed with an appreciative hoot.

“Your Majesty,” one of the guards who stood outside the door slipped in and bowed respectfully. “there are several mares present who wish to see, miss Sparkle.”

Celestia stood back up and nodded to her guard. Returning her feathered hero to his perch near Twilight. “That would be the Elements of Harmony Please let them in, Corporal.” Celestia watched as the mares who had become Twilight Sparkle's best friends were led into the library. They instantly swarmed the purple unicorn with their concerns and their tearful hugs. Celestia took this moment to join her Lord Captain on the other side of the room where he had taken a moment to rest himself.

“We need to relocate miss Sparkle somewhere we can ensure she is safe.” Captain Drussard rose stepping to Celestia's side and looked over the Elements of Harmony, keeping his voice low so he didn't disturb their moment together. “Perhaps her friends as well... and family members... the ponies behind this do have the resources to bribe their way into my jail to release that terrible creature, Celestia knows what else they can bribe their way into.” Drussard blushed at using Celestia's name in vain, she only smiled.

“It's alright Captain, I believe you are right.” Celestia turned her eyes and looked upon the assembled guards. The glimmering white coats, and bright blue manes, maintained by the ward spells in their armour each pegasus standing like a copy of her faithful Lord Captain. For a moment her thoughts drifted back to some other guards. Their armour dented and worn but their spirits empowered with drive and determination. “Captain... send word to Twilight's parents that they are to come to the Sun Palace for an extended stay. And do try not to alarm them, we don't need ponies panicking in the street.” The Captain nodded and Celestia grinned. “Also... please send word to the guardhouse in Trottingham that a Captain Shrike and her squad are to come immediately to Canterlot. Assign one of your detachments to look after the town in their absence.”

Captain Drussard raised an eyebrow and looked to Celestia “Are you certain that is wise, your Majesty? The Trottingham guards are valiant and skilled, as they have proven with this potion business, but certainly one of my senior detachments would make a better choice.”

“Trust me, old friend. Twilight needs ponies who are her comrades... she has laughed and fought alongside them. I trust in their spirit to ensure her safety.” Celestia smiled and her captain bowed before heading towards his troops to make the arrangements.

Celestia turned back to the other ponies and carefully sat down amongst them to lend her support. “What are we gonna do, Princess?” Came the earthy voice of Applejack, her eyes tearful.

“We are going to do our best...” Celestia replied with a smile, putting on her most confident face. She needed to look confident for the ponies who looked up to her. Deep down however, Celestia was growing frightened.

Captain Shrike groaned, her side was aching again as she pulled herself to her hooves. No matter how much salve the doctors smeared on her or how many times she got a massage from her Trusty stallion, the wound always ached. “OK... not bad... not bad... you can move with armour on, I’ll give you that, and you've got a good set of legs on you.” She nodded to the latest recruit as he finished his tryout. “We've got some more to go through in the next few days but we'll come get ya if we decide you're guard material.” Shrike watched while the stallion stripped off his ill fitting armour and trotted out of the yard behind the guardhouse, nodding to Sergeant Trusty as he passed.

“So Brick Hoof there makes sixteen, Captain.” He floated a cup of coffee to his captain and marefriend who accepted it with a grateful sigh. The hot bitter blend slid welcomely down her throat. She nodded in thanks and passed the cup back to the green unicorn who cradled it with his magic.

“There just aren't any that can measure up...” She mumbled before turning back towards the guardhouse and trotting in the back door, pulling off her helmet and letting it clatter to the floor beside the armoury room. “Jammy left some pretty specific shoes to fill.”

“You're telling me... I haven't had a good biscuit since he's been gone... or a kitchen fire for that matter...” Trusty nudged Shrike in the side and the pegasus let out a short chuckle.

“Alright, alright... I’ll go through the paperwork soon as I can... we're still bloody short and getting spread thin as is... we need more suits of armour out there.” Shrike sunk down to the bench and began to struggle out of her shoes and greeves.

“Oh speaking of suits of armour... you might want to stay kitted up, Captain... there's a royal here for you. Told him to take a seat at the duty desk until you were done.” Trusty used a little magic to re-buckle Shrike's shoes. The mare sighed.

“Can't I get a break... just once, Trusty... just once I’d like to end my day by the clock... or pay myself a little overtime.” She lamented as Trusty helped her to her hooves again, holding her coffee mug before her so she could take another long sip.

“Overtime pay? What might that be? Never heard of it myself, Captain.” Trusty smirked and Shrike gave him a playful cuff before trotting into the duty officer's room. She blinked at the black coated unicorn who sat neatly at the desk. He was in the process of organizing the piles of various papers into some better sense of order. His armour and the wards which empowered it marked him as a Citadel Guard. One of Celestia's Sun Palace Guards.

“Ah Captain.” He stood and bowed before removing his helmet. The wards on his mane and tail slipped away to reveal that his usual tones were more reddish. He held out a hoof which Shrike shook carefully. “I am Captain Cinder of the Citadel Guard.”

“Long way from Canterlot, aren't you, Captain?” Shrike took a seat and the new guard did likewise.

“Indeed...” He answered in the usual tones of an upper crust Canterlot accent which set Shrike's nerves on edge a little. “I come bearing grave news and an order from the Princess herself.”

“Well don't stand on ceremony!” Shrike piped up and grinned, accepting the cup back from Trusty to take another long sip.

“An attempt has been made on the life of Twilight Sparkle.” Captain Cinder managed to back up in time before he received a face-full of hot coffee. The now neatly stacked papers on the desk weren't so lucky. Shrike stared open mouthed as the black unicorn pulled a handkerchief from his armour and wiped a little of the splattered drink from his coat. “Somepony in a position of power has orchestrated the escape of Lady Fiona, the Night Butcher. It was only through last minute intervention that Twilight's life was saved. The Princess is quite distraught and has arranged for Twilight, her friends and her family to be taken to Canterlot Castle to be placed under guard there.”The Night Butcher, Sweet Celestia's mane!” Shrike managed to clear her thoughts enough to swear. “The bloody Night Butcher... is she alright? Twilight I mean, not the bloody gryphon...” Shrike thought back to the harmless bookish unicorn who had stood by her side when the need arose and who had written a report so comprehensive that she could have bound it and had it published. Harmless,egghead Twilight Sparkle.

“Twilight Sparkle was unharmed thanks to the quick intervention of her dragon assistant... the Princess, however, believes that she should be under the guard of ponies that she knows and trusts. So I have come to relieve you and your detachment so you may undertake the task of protecting Celestia's prized student.” The black unicorn stood and snapped off a salute.

Shrike stood slowly and blinked a few moments before turning towards her sergeant who only shrugged, still looking shocked at the news. “I stand relieved...” She mumbled the phrase from the big book of guard procedures and ordinances. “So when can we expect our ride to Canterlot?”

The unicorn captain blinked and looked a little shocked. “Right away... the carriage is waiting in the square as we speak.”

Shrike slumped a little and sighed, “I’m never getting my time off, am I? ” she asked to nopony in particular.

Twilight Sparkle opened the door to her old tower and smiled softly, stepping out of the way and letting her friends walk in past her. “Well, this is home... or was home while I was away at school. Make yourselves comfortable.” Twilight watched as her friends trotted into the old tower and deposited their saddlebags in the main room.

“Oh my, it's simply covered in dust!” Rarity, always the one to point out such things, seemed to produce a feather duster from some dark recess of her saddlebags and began to clear the year's worth of dust away.

“Well nopony's been in here for a whole year, Rarity.” Applejack sighed and pulled her heavy packful of apples towards Twilight's little kitchen. “Why don't you loosen up a might and stop obsessing over every tiny little detail... for a change.” The farmpony set the saddlebags down with a thump on the counter and set to restocking the kitchen.

“Well somepony has to! My allergies will be positively atrocious if all this dust is allowed to remain!” The white unicorn went about her business as Rainbow Dash flapped her way to the largest window she could manage and pulled it open.

“Nice view, Twilight.” The sky blue pegasus scanned her eyes over the cityscape laid out before her. She could just picture the up drafts and eddies that the tall towers and ancient fortifications would cause this high up a mountain face. “I’m so gonna have to practice my moves while I’m here! It's not like I get a chance for an urban flight every day.”

“And I can't wait to check out all the candy stores and sweet shops and bakeries and soda shops and restaurants in Canterlot Not to mention going back to see Pony Joe. I betcha I can get him to tell me his secret to making such perfect donuts!” Pinkie beamed as she bounced in a circle around the room.

“Oh... but this isn't a vacation girls...” The soft voice of Fluttershy made everypony pause. She had barely spoken through the entire trip to Canterlot, just looked scared and pained. “We're here to make sure that Twilight is OK... and to stay safe in case any scary ponies try and hurt her or us again.”

The eyes of everypony fell and there was a muttered round of apologies. Twilight blushed and took a few steps into her tower before she looked at all her friends. “I want to thank all of you girls... for coming with me. I... I’m so glad all of you are my friends and I just don't know what I would do without you all here with me.” Twilight tried in vain to hide the tear that rolled down her cheek. The Elements of Harmonyclustered around Twilight joining in a sympathetic group hug, with even Spike relenting and accepting the warmth.

“Hey, no tears or hugs for me? I feel so left out.” A slightly gruff voice spoke from the doorway and all eyes turned. Everypony except for Rarity and Fluttershy trotted over with broad smiles.

“Trusty! Celestia said that my guard would be ponies I could trust, it's so nice to see you again!” Twilight gave the green unicorn a hug before he trotted out of the doorway after receiving a none too soft nudge from his captain. The other Trottingham guards made their way into the increasingly crowded little tower, each being greeted by the Special Constables.

“Are these the ponies you have told us about Twilight?” Rarity stepped forward and put on her finest smile. “Any friends of Twilight's are certainly friends of mine. I am Rarity, a pleasure to meet you all.”

The introductions were warmly received and even Fluttershy came out of her shell with the help of the friendly attitudes of the uniformed ponies. Dash and Star talked about how their respective jobs had been going for the last month. Pinkie Pie and Applejack went to work in the kitchen making use of the apples that AJ had brought with her while Trusty brewed up an industrial size batch of one of his better blends of coffee.

Pinkie Pie would have called it a party but she was too busy having fun to remember to unpack the banners and balloons from her saddlebags. Nopony noticed as the weather began to turn or that night was advancing on schedule.

In the dark and twisting streets of lower Canterlot, hooves were clattering on wet stone as a stallion ran. He ran for his life, heart pounding in his chest and legs begging him to let go, to stop and rest. Every time he slowed there came the laughter. Cold and mirthless laughter which made him wish to be anywhere... anywhere the sun shone and his life was better.

He ran harder still and looked back over his shoulder. The dark shape in the sky above was pacing him easily. The stallion never noticed the cracked cobblestone until it was far too late. His leg dipped down hard and his hoof twisted with a snap.

He tumbled to the ground and cried out in pain. Eyes overflowing he tried to crawl in the direction he was running. The light rain and the slick stones making him all the more miserable and cold.

“You have done well, pony...” The sickly sweet voice spoke to him again as the heavy shape landed with a thump in the alley behind him. “I had supposed the golden horseshoe on your flank had something or other to do with running... very good indeed.”

“N-no! Stay back!” The stallion gasped, rolling onto his back and trying to crawl backwards away from the advancing black creature. Her eyes burned red as she sauntered closer. He got another good look at the gryphon he had released. There was something distinctly different. He wouldn't have called her beautiful before, gryphons weren't high on his list of attractive partners but now her feathers looked out of shape and there seemed to be seared patches of skin showing through, her right eye must have been injured and was swollen partially shut. It gave her a much more menacing appearance. A burned, scarred, mad creature.

“Oh we are quite beyond that, my dear stallion...” She leaned close to him and grinned. The stallion felt as if his heart turned to ice, her dark talon snatched out and gripped his broken ankle solidly. He screamed like a filly and descended into a whimpering fit. “Who are you really... I know it was you who released me and under the orders of this mysterious female. Who employs you?”

“S-stop! I'll tell you everything!” The stallion pleaded, tears streaming down his already damp face as the pain overcame him, Fiona leaned close, easing up on his ankle only slightly, looking at him with her good eye.

“Oh... oh I know you will... I have many questions and I have ways of asking them that will not heal for weeks...” Her sweet smile returned which only made the icy fear grip him harder.

“I’m a clerk... I work in the hall of records and petitions... I... draft and forge the documents that she asks me to.”He whimpered between panting and trembling.

“Who is she?” The gryphon demanded tightening her grip on the damaged appendage with a snarling breath.

“Oh, Celestia! I don't know!” He screamed and shook until the vice-like grip lessened. “S-Some Canterlot noble. I’ve never seen her but she has to be a unicorn, she uses magic sometimes... she never reveals herself. She sends messages through intermediaries or wears a cloak. She's always in the shadows. She picked me and took me for... for an initiation...” The stallion trembled as the gryphon regarded him with a slight smirk. “I h-had to kill... a pony... some young thing... maybe a student... I don't know! It was awful, but I did it, I proved my worth to her.”

“Good, good. Blood on your hooves, innocent blood... we share a common bond you and I. Now... what I wish to know... is why your mysterious benefactor failed to tell me that Twilight Sparkle had a little dragon for a companion?” The gryphon gave another squeeze to the stallion's ankle and he winced hard again.

“S-she what? I... I had no idea! I was ordered to release you, she never told me her plan!R-release you and give you that letter, it was sealed, I never even read it!” He pleaded with tears rolling down his cheeks before the black gryphon sneered and gripped her talon tight as she was able, grinding the broken bones together.

Once the screaming had stopped, she leaned close and whispered sweetly into the stallion's ear. “Her letter, lovely penmanship not withstanding, left much to be desired about her plans. A pity you know nothing... because now I must go pay your employer a visit... but not before I tear that unicorn's heart out and cast her child dragon from the highest spire of Canterlot, because, my dear stallion I was beautiful once and that blasted little creature has taken MY FACE!” the more she spoke the more fury crept into her words until she was nearly frothing mad. Taking her free talon she smoothed down her burned feathers as best she could and put her smile back on, taking a slow breath. “Well it appears that is all the questions I have.”

“Can I go?” He brazenly asked, though unable to keep the trembling hope out of his voice.

“Go? Oh no, you see all this anger and distress have made me rather... hungry...”

The stallion's eyes went wide and he shook. Managing a scream that pierced the dark night before being cut off abruptly.

Captain Drussard stood back while a pair of guards left the alleyway, a wagon with a white sheet over it being pulled behind them. The older captain again left his helmet aside and let his eyes follow the shrouded wagon as it trundled away. It was not proving to be a good morning in the slightest.

“Who found him?” He asked quietly, reaching a hoof up to rub his tired eyes.

“An old mare who lives a block over, she told us she thought she heard screaming in the night but took it for her bad hearing but then this morning she found him while taking out the trash.” His corporal stood at his side, trying not to look at the pool of blood over the cobblestones. The night's rain had watered everything down. “There was enough to identify him... Twisted Quill. A scribe working in the-” Drussard cleared his throat and cut the corporal off.

“The hall of records and petitions...” Drussard sighed and looked at his subordinate who blinked a little. “It's obvious... he forged an order to have Fiona transferred or some such nonsense so he could get her released. Now she's turned on her employer and murdered him as well... and we know what she plans to do next...” He raised a hoof and pointed wordlessly to the wall of the alley and the message which had been smeared there in blood though carefully sheltered from the rain.

Tell Twilight Her Dragon Is Dead Meat

“Short and to the point... not good coming from that one. She never uses two words when six will do the same thing. It means she's angry... very angry.” Drussard sighed and turned away from the scene, “Get some workponies with strong stomachs to get it cleared away, I am heading to the University grounds. Then to the Palace to speak with Celestia personally on this matter... nopony is to go over my head, do you understand Corporal?”

The guard gave a nod and coughed softly to hide his nervousness. “Yes, sir... of course.” Drussard looked at the corporal a moment more before taking wing and making his way towards the tower which held the most endangered ponies in all of Equestria

Shrike took a sip from her coffee mug again, the brew was getting cold but Trusty had headed out with Pinkie Pie to a local donut shop that apparently had the finest donuts in the city. She was never one for excessive sweets personally but she wasn't about to deny the bouncing ball of pink sunshine her sugar fix.

Shrike closed her eyes sadly and sighed. Pinkie Pie would have been the perfect match for her late constable, had fate not conspired to fell him in the line of duty. She could imagine the fun those two could have gotten up to, the parties, the drinks and the food. It made her shiver to think that the warmth of that future had been denied to them both as friends or even as something more.

“Have you ever been to Canterlot before?” The soft question shook Shrike from her reprieve and she looked up at Twilight who was in the middle of reading the report from the last encounter.

“Once when I was a foal... my mum thought it would be nice if I could see the Summer Sun Celebration one year... I was too young to get much out of it of course.” Shrike chuckled and finished off the last of her coffee, nodding in Twilight's direction. “You're a Canterlot filly though?”

“All my family has lived here... generations of us.” Twilight smiled and carefully closed the report, setting it back in its place on the table. “Can I ask you a question, Captain?”

Shrike gave a nod, “Certainly... and you don't have to call me Captain unless one of those royal guards is in.”

Twilight gave a little nervous smile. “O-OK. I just wanted to ask... what made you want to become a guard. I've thought about it a lot, mostly when I’m looking at the badge you gave me, and I just can't wrap my head around what would possess a pony to decide that their calling in life would be to throw themselves in harm's way.”

Shrike leaned back a little and looked up at the high ceiling, currently being occupied by a pair of pegasai who looked to be desperately trying to stave off boredom coupled with the deep inner need for a young pegasus to fly rather than sit still, they had a ball they were currently tossing although much flipping and cavorting was also going on as well. “I grew up in Trottingham. My mum was a pegasus and my dad was a ground-pounder. It was about mid fall, just starting to really cool off. I was on my way home from school, just a little filly at the time, perhaps in first year. I was amusing myself watching the leaves drifting to the ground here and there in the downtown when I heard this scream from between a couple buildings. I rounded the corner and I saw a bunch of big bullies picking on this young colt. Didn't know any of them, didn't care that they were all twice my age and mean looking or that there was three of them and only one of me, I couldn't just let that stand, so I jumped in with hooves flailing to defend him.”

As Shrike spoke Twilight sat with rapt attention, almost like she could picture every moment of the past as it drifted through her mind. “And you beat them?” She asked with a smile.

“What? Oh Celestia, no. They beat the living daylights out of me. Would have been worse too but this big stallion in a guard uniform reached down and plucked me out of the fight. That was Sergeant Stirling...” Shrike gave a sigh and noticed that all the ponies in the room were now listening intently. “Sergeant Stirling was the biggest pegasus I had ever seen up until that point, his armour gleamed and his mane actually flowed in the breeze. He told me the young colt got away and that the bullies were being dealt with. Then he asked me why, just asked why I would jump in like that. I was sort of out of it and I think I mumbled something about it being the right thing to do. He just said he thought it was too and pointed to my flank.” Shrike stood and turned, moving her barding off her flank to show off her cutie mark. A blue and green shield with a single grey feather laid over top of it. “That was the day I knew that it was what I was born for, to be a guard, to safeguard the lives of ponies.”

“And when she was old enough she joined up, wouldn't have got the job either were it not for old Sterling.” Trusty stepped away from the doorway and set down a box of sweet smelling donuts on the table. “Remembered her from way back as soon as he saw her cutie mark the job was hers. And I can tell you that's true because I was in line behind her at the time.”

“That is super awesome!” Rainbow Dash drifted down from the ceiling and landed to grab a donut before they all got snatched up.

“Well it's what landed me the job that I’ve kept all these years and why I’m the first female Captain in nearly two hundred years.” Shrike looked over at the green unicorn who only grinned and went to make a fresh pot of his usual brew. “It also landed me with that lump over there,” She pointed at Trusty and chuckled, “So there has been some bad with the good.”

The others laughed and settled back down to their conversations before there came a loud knock at the door. Shrike held up a hoof for silence and gave a nod to Boulder who extracted himself from his resting spot and trotted over to the door. Star swooped down and nodded to the big stallion who pulled the door open so either pony would have a clear line of sight to the doorway.

“At ease...” Came the rumbling reply and the guards backed away. Lord Captain Drussard stepped through the doorway, nodding to his two other guards to remain at the door. His eyes scanned the room and finally fell on Shrike. Shrike could feel her knees grow a little weak as the bigger pegasus stood closer. “Captain Shrike... a pleasure to finally meet you in the flesh.”

“Sir.” Shrike snapped off a salute and stood stiffly, the ponies from Ponyville watching and keeping their distance.

“Aren't you going to introduce me? I believe that I know young Twilight Sparkle there but the rest of your ever growing company are a mystery to me.” Drussard managed a little smile and Shrike let some of her tension slip away.

“Of course,” She cleared her throat and pointed to each pony in the room in turn. “Sergeant Trusty Spirit, my second in command recently promoted, Constable Boulder, Constable Shooting Star, also recently promoted, Twilight Sparkle you know, Spike her young assistant, Applejack, owner of Sweet Apple Acres in Ponyville, Pinkie Pie a strange but truly fantastic baker, Rainbow Dash who just might be the fastest flier in all of Equestria, Miss Rarity who owns Carousel Boutique in Ponyville and...” Shrike trailed off and blinked. “We're one short.”

“Ah... I see who you mean...” He pointed to a small puff of pink tail which was just visible from behind a bookcase. “Aren't you going to come out... I’d know that tail anywhere, dear.” He spoke with an uncharacteristic smile which made the guards and Twilight blink in minor confusion.

Slowly Fluttershy stepped from behind her hiding place, still blushing deep red along her cheeks and looking more nervous than many other times. “S-sorry...”

“Sorry what? Come on girl, it's been years since we talked...” He chuckled and pulled off his helmet to look less intimidating. His rich blue mane falling down a little though the grey in it showing his advanced age.

“Sorry... Uncle Drussard...” Fluttershy scrambled closer with a smile and shared a hug with the captain. “You still look scary in your armour.”

“And you're still shy as anything. So sorry I couldn't say hello when I was in Ponyville” He chuckled and released the butter yellow pegasus who looked over the dropped jaws and stunned silence that her friends had bathed themselves in.

“Your uncle... is Lord Captain Drussard?!” Rainbow Dash managed to stammer a little bit and stare at Fluttershy. Fluttershy for her part simply blushed and tried to hide behind her own mane.

“Um well... I don't really like to brag at all...” Fluttershy mumbled and scuffed her hooves on the floor, “and I haven't talked to him in years...”

Rainbow Dash looked between the cowering Fluttershy and the towering form of Drussard and blinked. “How could you two even be related?” The blue pegasus stammered before a hoof on her shoulder restrained her.

“Just let it go Rainbow.” Applejack sighed before tipping her hat to the big pegasus. “Any family of Fluttershy is a friend of ours.”

“Thank-you... and as much as it has been a pleasant surprise to see my niece. I have come with some grave news.” The room seemed to grow cold as everypony went from the shock of finding out Fluttershy is in some way more famous than she already is to the mounting dread surrounding the events of the past days.

Drussard looked towards Twilight and let out a little sigh. “Lady Fiona, the gryphon you bested, has killed again. The stallion who released her from prison. For whatever reason she went after him but at the scene of his demise... she left a message for you.”

“For... me?” Twilight gulped, unsure if she wanted to know the nature of the message.

“She wants your young dragon friend dead...” As soon as the words left Drussard's lips, all eyes turned to Spike. His pupils shrank down to the size of pinpricks and he began to tremble before leaning back and passing out in an instant.

“O-oh no...” Fluttershy squeaked and put both hooves over her mouth.

“Not little Spikey!” Pinkie Pie quickly bounced over to Twilight's side as the purple unicorn picked up her prone companion and hugged him tight to her chest.

“All the more reason we must find the Butcher before she has the chance to catch you alone.” Drussard looked at the guards and at the Ponyville mares. “Now... I know Lady Fiona.. she is smart and ruthless. She will wait until the perfect moment to strike and by then it will be too late. She was unprepared last time and you caught a lucky break. Next time will not be so lucky for certain.”

“Hmm...” Shrike began to grin as a thought formed. “Lord Captain, I believe I have an idea.” All eyes turned to Shrike and her grin widened. With the urging from the assembled ponies, Shrike laid out her plan. There were arguments and disputes, details to be worked out and pots of coffee to be drunk and many crumpled pieces of paper but at the end there were grins of approval and even a grim nod from the Lord Captain. It was just mad enough to work.

Captain Drussard reached back and unclasped his helmet from its place on his side before lowering it onto his head. “Excellent... we will wait for nightfall to execute the plan but the civilians will go... I will not see their lives put at risk for this.”

“No can do, buddy...” Came the reply from Rainbow Dash and the captain looked up in mild shock.

“That is not a request, miss Dash... that is an order from the Lord Captain of Celestia's Guards.” Drussard's voice had just a slight edge of anger creeping into it.

Dash leaned back and snatched something from her saddlebags and holding it like a shield before the Captain. “See this... it says ''Special Constable' I’m not a civilian. And I do not abandon my friends... or my duty.”

Drussard's eyes narrowed and he took a step closer to the now trembling Rainbow Dash, he towered over the blue pegasus and she felt all the smaller as he reached out and snatched the badge from her lips before turning it right-side up and placing it back in her care. “You were holding it upside down... looked rather silly actually. If you need a job and don't mind taking orders... come see me. The pay isn't that bad really.”

Lady Fiona clung to the battlements, her claws were getting tired but from her perch she had a perfect view of the tower with that accursed unicorn and her dragon in it. The dark of night did well to hide her black shape amongst the shadows. A grin spread across her face as she saw the lanterns being lit here and there and a coach pulling up to Twilight's tower.

Her eyes narrowed as she scanned the shapes moving in the small courtyard. It looked like several ponies were being loaded into the coach while more royal guards surrounded it. It was too far to get a clear look at the proceedings but she grinned wider. “A trap... marvellous... I follow the coach to its new destination and find only a few hundred crossbows pointed at me.” She spoke softly to herself and even chuckled.

“Just what kind of fool do these ponies take me for?” She disengaged from the tower and floated as silent as a cloud towards the tower which still had several small lamps on. With practised ease she pushed the window until the latches snapped. Poor trusting ponies never understood the concept of locking one's windows and doors.

She crouched low and looked about the room, it was a bedroom obviously, neat and tidy though only faintly smelling like ponies. She grinned and moved silently towards the door to the main rooms of the tower. Like a cat on the prowl she tucked her wings in tight as she was able and moved with the utmost stealth down a short set of stairs. She could smell a lot more ponies. Many had come and gone in here though there was an overriding scent, something confoundingly sticky and sweet.

She looked down in thought, stopping just past the doorway. Something was making the hairs on her back stand on end, the feeling like she had been trapped.

As if in answer to her thoughts, the door she had come through slammed closed and latched solidly behind her. A bright flash of light illuminated the lamps high over the shelves and shelves of books, bathing the room in the bright glow of mock daylight. Her eyes stung and she tried hard to cover them as the sound of moving hooves reached her sensitive ears.

With a growl of frustration she focused and looked upon the shapes of ponies standing, armour glimmering in the light. They blocked every doorway she could see. Her eyes snapped up to the high windows and saw that both were covered by a pegasus in flight. What she didn't notice was the smell. Instead of the natural scent of ponies there was just the sticky overwhelming scent of some confection. “Cotton... candy? You doused yourselves with concentrated essence of cotton candy?” She spoke slowly, the corner of her mouth curling up in a grin.

“It pays to know a baker who never leaves home unprepared.” Captain Shrike piped up as the guards held their ground.

Twilight looked back in the direction of the tower as the coach rolled onwards. “I hope it works...” She felt a hoof on her side and turned her eyes to Rarity who gave her most comforting smile.

“Twilight, darling, I am more than certain that our friends can handle themselves. It is just one gryphon against five armoured guards as well as Rainbow Dash and Applejack. If there is one thing our two friends are, it is sturdy.” The white unicorn looked back towards the tower. “And should the ruse prove incapable of fooling that horrible creature, then we are proceeding to the palace under truly impressive guard. We will have untold hundreds of guards as well as both princesses to watch over us. We will be just fine, won't we girls?” Rarity looked encouragingly towards Fluttershy who was silent and staring at the pink pony beside her.

Pinkie Pie was looking intently at both her forehooves which were trembling. “It's starting...” She whispered softly, so unlike her usual speech that all eyes were soon upon her. “Twilight... we gotta get nurses and doctors and everything ready...”

Twilight gulped when Pinkie's eyes looked up at her, more white than the usual perky blue, her pupils having shrunk down from shock. “There's gonna be blood everywhere...” Pinkie Pie whispered and Fluttershy promptly fainted.

“Surrender now, Lady Fiona... there is nowhere left for you to run to.” Drussard took a step forward and pawed at the library floor. “Let's not make this as bad as last time... it took a few months for your ribs to heal, if you care to remember.”

The black gryphon began to pant, her eyes squeezed shut tight. “No... no No NO! I will not return to your custody Captain! Where I am chained where I shall never see the sky, with the constant temptation of flesh dangled just out of my reach every time I see one of your pathetic pony guards. I will die before I allow myself to be captured!”

The dark winged creature wasted no more time, her back legs propelled her forward into the nearest pony who happened to be the Lord Captain. Like a giant cat springing on an unsuspecting mouse, she hit full force and the pony was borne to the ground under the larger bulk of the mad gryphon. Other guards rushed close only to be rewarded with a blast of air from her wings which knocked books from nearby shelves and staggered the guards considerably.

The lord captain struck out with an armoured foreleg which was dodged expertly before a wickedly sharp beak lashed out and cut a chunk of flesh from his hide with an accompanying fountain of blood. He didn't cry out as most would have, only grunted and struck lower with his uninjured leg, this blow caught the gryphon in the throat and she let out a pained squawk, her eyes narrowing in anger.

She pulled back and raised both glimmering black talons, ready to rend any exposed flesh she could grapple onto. She never got the opportunity before a massive armoured shape bowled into her and she was sent crashing into a pillar. Constable Boulder tried to hold her down as well as he could but the struggling, snapping gryphon was far too much for the kindhearted officer to manage. With one final surge she righted herself and grasped his helmeted head firmly before driving his unarmoured face into the solid stone of the pillar.

The big blue stallion let out a single moaned breath before slumping down unconscious. Drussard clenched his teeth as the gryphon took up a fighting stance, the other guards circling slowly. “Keep back from her! She's stronger than any of you!” He stopped to look at his leg, the artery was neatly severed and bled like a faucet. He winced and squeezed above the wound with his free hoof trying to staunch the bleeding.

Applejack lowered her head and grinned before breaking into a charge headlong into the very angry bird. The gryphon bellowed a challenge, her eyes murderously red in anticipation as she braced herself. She had seen it before, the charge of ponies into battle. So very direct. So prepared was she for the assault that when Applejack skidded to a halt she simply paused and blinked. Applejack looked up and grinned at the statue falling until the large stone horse's head landed square on the black gryphon's back followed by the grey pegasus captain.

Shrike landed and immediately struck out with all four hooves, something she had been taught in basic training was to use gravity to make up for the lack of mass in most pegasai. The stone statue she had carried up there was just the icing on the cake. The gryphon below wailed in pain as her wings were hit hard and Shrike lashed out again. Her hooves met the black body once more though this time it seemed to drop out from under her, the creature rolling to the side and catching the captain with a blow from her sharp talons.

Shrike winced and recalled the image which had been scored into her memory of the ex-mayor's blade slicing a line in her armour except this time there were three knives and where the blow landed there was little armour to protect. The grey mare cried out as claws caught in her neck and she was borne to the floor. The marble rushed up to meet her and the next she remembered was looking at the world filled with stars, letting the weight of consciousness slip away in a pool of blood.

The gryphon limped a little, spreading her bruised wings and looking at the guards who remained. There were the young pegasus mares who stopped her from taking flight, the orange mare who had caught her in that feinted charge, the Lord Captain who was bleeding out and the green unicorn who was cinching a makeshift tourniquet in place in a vain attempt to save the older stallion.

Lady Fiona turned and looked at the orange pony, still keeping both pegasai in her field of vision. She felt the frothing red rage creeping into her thoughts and she did her best to bank it. The taste of pony blood on her tongue and the scent of it heavy in the air weren't helping her at all. She needed a clear head and right now she was winning. “Would you accept this dance?” She smiled at the orange mare and stepped closer. “My you have some fine muscles on you... yes quite toned... a tough feed no doubt but wonderfully flavoursome.” She grinned darkly and watched as the mare paled just a little, taking up as best a fighting stance as she could manage.

Fiona licked along her beak and lowered her head like a pony would to charge. Applejack grit her teeth and leapt to the ready, charging forward with all her might as the gryphon did the same. What Applejack didn't count on was that lion paws were more stable on stone than pony hooves. The black shape stepped to the side and raked a single clawed talon down her side.

The searing pain shot through Applejack's body but she bit her lip hard to stop from wailing like a filly. She waited until her opponent was just past her before she lashed out. She struck with hooves that could take every apple from a hundred year old tree in a single hit. Hooves that were her time honoured tools of her trade and attached to legs that were like ironwood trees. With every ounce of force that Applejack had left she aimed her kick and struck home.

Fiona's eyes shot open wide and she screamed as the most pain she had experienced to date rocked her body. She felt her left hip shatter as well as the leg below. She tumbled to a stop and squeezed her eyes shut tight, the intense suffering washing over her and making her head spin. She struggled onto three legs and looked back at the last which hung limp and unmoving. Even her tail lay on the floor like a limp piece of yarn.

Rainbow watched with a grin before seeing Applejack stumble and fall onto her side. The Rainbow maned pegasus took one look towards the windows she was guarding before flying down to land at Applejack's side. Shooting Star held her place, watching with a gulp as she began to realize that she could be next in the long line of injured ponies.

“Holy horse apples!” Applejack winced and kept her head away from her injury as Dash carefully checked her over. “D-Dash... tell me how bad it is... don't sugar coat it none.” The farmer turned a tear filled pair of green eyes up at her companion and the blue pegasus turned to examine the wound.

Three long gouges ran through Applejack's hide and were only now beginning to bleed, each was deeper than the worst cut she had ever seen and she could tell by the twitching from the farmpony's legs that they were intensely painful.

“Deep but you'll pull through... gonna need a ton of stitches though.” Applejack let her head slump and let out a sigh as Dash laid a hoof against her cheek. “Nice move apples but next time... remember to duck before you buck.” Applejack managed a chuckle.

“Dash! Star!” Trusty called loud as he could, flinging his telekinetic force full at the window to hold it as the wounded gryphon stretched out her bruised wings and began to take flight. “Stop that crazy thing before she gets away!”

In an instant Dash was airborne again and at Star's side. Both pegasai sharing a nod before the black monster hovered closer. Her eyes were filled with boundless hatred and her claws flexed. She was fully in the grips of adrenaline and anger. Looking into her eyes, both Dash and the young guard at her side couldn't help but shudder.

“No way out... land and... and we'll get your leg looked at...” Star piped up, trying desperately to recall the course she had been 'asked' to take about sensitivity and dealing with angry ponies. “It's gotta hurt something fierce.

“Do you think...” Fiona’s voice came out in short raspy breaths, her eyes flashing with all the more rage. “Do you think for a moment... that I would land... and submit myself to you ponies... I will tear you all apart for the trouble you have all caused me today! I will slaughter you like I have done to the blue one and that grey pegasus and be done with you pathetic excuses for creatures!”

“Not while I’ve got the door blocked, lady!” Trusty snapped from his position on the floor, grinning. The gryphon looked down for just a second before her eyes narrowed upon Dash.

The blue pegasus gulped and tried to look ready but nothing could have prepared her for that kind of savagery. The angry black shape was upon her in an instant, her back to the window and the other pegasus trying to pull the pair apart in midair. Finally with a titanic effort, Dash was released. Though she was released as a projectile aimed at the green unicorn on the floor. She tried to flap her wings to slow her descent but found them slow to respond. The world slowed and Dash looked over her shoulder to see the trail of bloody blue feathers she was leaving in the air.

With no other option, Trusty abandoned his control of the windows and used his magic to stop the temporally flightless Dash before she hit the floor at speed. Fiona grinned and turned her blazing eyes at the only remaining airborne guard. She didn't waste another moment talking. She struck out hard but Star flinched. She turned her helm at the last moment and presented the crest. Claws skittered off the thickest part of the armour but caught on the crest itself, painfully pulling the helmet off Star's head. The pegasus lost just enough altitude that the black gryphon could flap her wings and propel herself through the window and out into the night.

Shooting Star landed and stumbled to Dash, her head still ringing. The blue pegasus was sitting on the ground, looking at her wings which would need a few tender mending spells. “You OK, Dash?” The dusty pegasus managed with a small groan.

“I’ll be OK... but you've gotta get after her!” Star found herself face to face with her Rainbow maned friend.

“How?! She's got a head start and she's a hell of a lot bigger than I am!” Shooting Star looked down at her hooves before Dash prodded her firm against her chestplate.

“She might have a head start but gryphons are slower than a pegasus. Trust me, Star I’ve flown with a gryphon before. Gryphons may be bigger but they have two big weaknesses. They can't turn as well as us or fly as fast and they get real angry real easy. If you can make her monster out then she's gonna make a mistake. On top of that she's hurt and hurt bad... I heard bones go when AJ bucked her.” Dash took a breath and looked into Star's eyes. “You're good, Star... you're fast and you can still fly good in that armour of yours. You can do this...”

Shooting Star looked at Dash and mumbled softly. “Why? We got our flanks kicked, Dash...”

“Because she's a monster... and it's personal... she's hurt our friends and that just doesn't fly with this girl.” Dash grinned as Star began to nod softly.

“Yeah... yeah I can do this... I’ll... I’ll think of some way and kick that ugly bird out of the sky!” Star looked around for her helmet, bouncing a little with energy. A hoof stopped her and turned her head slowly. Dash leaned close and planted a kiss on her cheek.

Shooting Star's eyes went wide and whether she liked it or not her wings decided that was the moment to spring into full form. She reached up and touched her cheek softly. Dash looked like she was blushing a lot as well. “Don't think too much into it OK... that was for luck... I’ve already got a pony with my name on her.” Dash mumbled and tried to look more nonchalant about it.

Star just grinned and spread her wings, grabbing her now dented helmet from the ground and rocketing up through the broken window and out into the blackness to do battle with her newest enemy.

Lady Fiona tried to fly faster but she found her body protesting at every turn, she was shaking and tears slowly fell from her eyes. Those ponies, those terrible ponies had beaten her to a pulp. They had tricked her and trapped her and taken turns pounding on her body all in an effort to drag her down below the mountain again. It brought back dark memories and darker thoughts. The entire exercise was proving less and less worth it by the moment.

“I want to go home... damn these ponies and their horrible, horrible little world...” She lamented, stumbling in flight a little with one leg dangling limp. It brought back shades of a scared little gryphon chick from so long ago. Fiona squeezed her eyes shut tighter and tried to banish the thoughts but they persisted. She could almost feel the rain soaking her coat and the oppressive heat of a summer night so very long ago. The blows of hooves on her body and the cries in her ears of fear and revulsion at the vision of evil before them. The ponies ignoring the look in innocent eyes as she was kicked and tormented. Fiona gave a single sob and shook her head to clear the tears, no time for this self-pity, let the memories die... she thought to herself and continued on into the night..

Fiona was nearing an older tower at the outskirts of the city when a voice cut through her calculated calm. “Hey, bird, you miss me?” Shooting Star kept her distance but matched the gryphon's flight.

The gryphon let out a deep shout of pure frustration before turning to hover in midair and stare at the pegasus who had pursued her. “No... no I don't care... leave now or die... simple as that. You get one chance or you become my bedtime snack while I sleep off this savage beating.” Her voice cracked with her exasperation. Fiona took slow breaths, trying to push her anger away but it was so terribly hard with the pony hovering before her and smirking.

“Well I guess I’d need my beauty rest too with a face like yours.” Star grinned wider as the gryphon's eye twitched. “You do look really ugly just so you know... I mean... missing feathers... blood... chipped claws... and that messed up leg...” Star kept a close eye as the gryphon twitched and her eyes began to narrow.

Finally, when Star started to launch into another description of how much the gryphon's feathers looked like they were falling out, Fiona let out a yell of utter rage. She pounded her wings hard and flew headlong at the pegasus. Star took Dash's words to heart and dodged, avoiding the attack with surprising ease.

“Not so quick in the air are ya?” She taunted, flying out of reach of another swipe. Star thought that perhaps one more insult would do the trick, “Amazing how a tubby, evil thing like you can even fly.” Star grinned for a moment but an eagle shriek blew forth from Fiona’s beak with force and rattled windows in the town below. Maybe that was a little too far... Star thought as the gryphon began to power towards her again.

Ponies in the town below, hearing the noise, turned their eyes to the sky to watch as an indistinct black shape and a pale pegasus in glimmering armour fought in the sky. Nopony had seen a battle quite like that in their lifetime, blows being exchanged and dodges expertly being pulled off. It was like a savage ballet in the starry sky.

It was going well for Star but she didn't quite move with her best speed and found out too late when her right rear leg was gripped tightly and she was flung at speed towards the tower. She remembered her crash training and rolled to a stop but by then the furious gryphon was on top of her. Their clash had brought them down to street level and Fiona had Star pinned against the cold, wet, cobblestones of old Canterlot. The crowd that had been watching continued to do so keeping their distance as the severity of the situation set in.

“I am through with you little ponies and these little games! I have killed dozens of mares and stallions and fillies and colts over the years but you guards are infuriating. Poor pale excuses for warriors hiding behind your plate steel and your good behaviour!” Fiona bellowed inches from Star's face and the pegasus had only a moment to think, a little grin coming to her lips.

“Well I’ve got bad news for you... Fiona wasn't it? I'm not good at that whole 'good behaviour' thing... I'm still on probation... because I fight dirty!” Shouting the last word with as much force as she could manage she lashed out with her rear hooves.

An exquisitely horrid pain ran through Fiona’s body as steel shod hooves met with soft, pink, delicate areas of her anatomy. She reared back instinctively, both talons reaching down to grip the space between her hind legs. As she leaned back she, unthinkingly, put weight on her shattered hip. The combination of pains mingling together overpowering the last of her senses and the she-gryphon fell over backwards, passed out with her face twisted into a mask of suffering.

“Uhh... can we help you, Constable?” A deep masculine voice spoke beside Star and she looked over to a trio of Canterlot's guards, probably on night patrol. A smile came to her lips and she finally let herself relax.

“A drink would be nice... oh... and manacles for the Night Butcher.” Star indicated to the prone black shape before letting her eyes close. The crowd gasped as the true gravity of the situation set in and one of the Canterlot guards began to shackle Fiona warily. Star began to laugh manically as the other Canterlot guard looked on in quizzical confusion, she laughed and laughed until all the adrenaline had left her system and then she struggled to her hooves to get that drink and check on her fallen comrades.

Princess Celestia walked through the halls of her castle wearing no expression at all. Her hooves clicking loudly on the cool marble, her glorious sun only just set upon its course through the sky. Anypony who had been at Celestia's side before would be slightly unnerved by the way she walked and the way her wings were partway up and trembling. Deep down in the bottom of her boundless, beautiful heart, the last of her patience had been expended. She was a very angry pony.

She paused her walk as the sound of a pony stumbling to catch up reached her followed by a loud yawn. “Sorry, sister... I must have dozed off again.” Princess Luna moved to Celestia's side and wiped the sleep from her eyes.

“I sent word for you an hour ago, Luna...” Celestia's anger was overshadowed for a moment when she regarded her little sister. She looked so very tired. “Have you not been sleeping well?”

“Not sleeping well is an understatement. I have sought out every remedy both magical and holistic and still I find myself waking without feeling the slightest bit rested. I have taken to napping at night when my duties are otherwise complete. I can only assume that the recent problems are to blame.” Luna yawned once more before shaking her head and trying to smile. “So what is on the agenda today?”

Celestia raised an eyebrow in concern before looking back down the hall. “The valiant guards who were watching Twilight and her friends have captured Lady Fiona once more.”

“That would be the gryphon murderess and consumer of ponies you spoke of? Monstrous...” Luna matched pace as Celestia continued. “Were there any injuries?”

“Severe on both sides... the gryphon will not likely walk again without magical intervention.” Celestia shuddered when she recalled the report which was given to her when she had been told of the night's activities. “We are on the way to see her now. She is being treated in my personal clinic.”

“Is that... wise? I mean certainly we could have her banished for her crimes... I read the reports at your behest and found you rather lenient towards her. There were several... gaps in the records surrounding her, Sister.” Luna stopped walking for just a moment before joining her big sister once more.

Celestia looked down at the marble and took a slow breath, recalling the painful memories. “Lady Fiona Ravenfeather is indeed of noble blood. A rare and elusive bloodline in the lands of the gryphons, she was being groomed to assume rulership of the tribes. I had taken great interest in her and she showed much promise. One day, however, she strayed from home and became lost. She wandered into a small village on the borders of Equestria and the ponies there, simple folk, saw her form... raven black with eyes like rubies and thought she was the Nightmare reborn. The misguided villagers tormented her and chased her through the village, finally cornering her and beating the chick to near death.”

Luna gasped and stopped walking, the thought of ponies being so savage to a child of any species filled her with worry. Celestia met her sister's gaze and continued. “She was spared death and brought to Canterlot to be presented to me. At once I realized what had happened and the villagers were justly punished for their crimes. With great care she was nursed back to health and tutored by some of the finest minds in Canterlot. When she was whole once more she was returned home to her lands and titles. There she brooded and learned the old teachings of battle from the days when you stood at my side against the clans. Years passed but when she again entered Equestria, she slaughtered every living soul in that village.”

Luna was still and nodded as Celestia's anger began to boil once more. “Her lands were forfeit to us for her atrocities and she was imprisoned here for several years. But no matter how long passed, the lust for blood was rooted in her and she began to kill once more when she was released. Hunting ponies for sport and devouring those she deemed worthy of her tastes. She stalked the night for nearly a year before Captain Drussard brought her to justice. Claiming the lives of five officers in the process. She was healed of her grievous injuries and chained away below the mountain.”

“So why heal her now? She is clearly a remorseless criminal despite her perceived motivation for her crimes. Personally I believe she should be released, crippled, back to the tribes and let them deal with her. Gryphon justice is as swift and brutal as always, is it not?” Luna regarded her elder sister and saw the cracks beginning to form in her facade. There was glee there at the thought of the end of such an evil creature.

“She has information I wish to know... somepony is playing a very dangerous game with me and I will have none of it.” Celestia's voice betrayed her building anger. It took the gentle touch of a hoof to her shoulder to slow her forward rampage and return her calm. Celestia trembled for the briefest moment and let out her breath as the heat of her wrath faded away.

“You care so much for our subjects, Celly... calm yourself before seeing her.” Luna managed a smile. “I know that it must seem like a mad request coming from my lips but please stay your temper.”

Celestia cracked a smile and gave a little nod to the other alicorn, leaning close and sharing an affectionate nuzzle, the older Princess moved up and whispered in Luna’s ear. “I forgot just how wonderful it is to have you back.”

The indigo alicorn giggled softly and blushed. The pair separating and continuing the journey to the small clinic in the castle halls. The sight which greeted both princesses was almost heart wrenching. Had the creature laying splayed upon the hospital bed been a pony instead of the Butcher of the Night, both rulers would have broken down into sobs.

“Ah, Princesses... come to check on our patient?” The elder unicorn in the white doctor's coat stepped forward and adjusted the glasses on his nose. Celestia only gave a nod in answer, finding her voice lost at the sight of the gryphon in the bed, she had her hind leg in a complicated brace as well as both wings splinted. An array of magical monitors and scanning devices of every description offered up a flow of information about how badly her body was damaged. As a matter of course, though the chances of escape were slim to nonethe gryphon's wrists and ankles were chained to the bed and the bed itself was affixed in stone to the floor.. “Ah well I’m afraid it's not good... burns to the face and damage to her right eye which are beginning to grow infected, four cracked ribs, three broken, fractured bones in both wings, minor head trauma. Internal hemorrhaging, which we have stopped, thank goodness. Though the major damage is to her left hip and the associated hind leg... the bone is shattered and many of the muscle groups are ruptured beyond any real repair. It would take magic on a scale, to be honest, rivalling your own in order to repair that sort of damage.”

“Can you wake her?” Luna spoke softly, the sheer damage of the wounds staggering her somewhat and bringing her closer to wakefulness. The doctor gave a slow nod and stepped to where Fiona’s head lay, he leaned down and gave a little glow of his horn. Slowly the gryphon's crimson eyes inched open.

“Fiona?” Celestia moved to where the doctor had stood and lowered herself down to be on level with the edge of the bed.

“Good morning, Celestia.” She mumbled in response, closing her eyes slowly and turning away. “Tell your dear ponies that they have surprised me once again.”

Celestia chuckled a little and shook her head slowly. Her amusement only lasted a moment before she sighed and let her own eyes close slowly. “Lady Fiona... you were sent to take something away from me... something I hold very precious... you killed your employer but still tried to carry out your mission... why?”

Fiona’s eyes opened wider and she began to laugh, deep heartfelt chuckles which shook her form until she had to stop from the pain. “You think that poor clerk was the one who employed me? He was a worm... under the sway of some unicorn with delusions of the fall of monarchy.” Fiona looked away for a moment more before taking a shivering breath. “She wrote me a letter... rather nice one, and no I do not still possess it.”

“What was in the letter?” Luna piped up again, standing beside her sister and looking over the black gryphon, now just as much white bandages as black coat and feathers.

“I’m not prepared to tell you that, Luna..” Fiona grinned and batted her eyelashes at the moon Princess as best as she could.

“You insufferable monster!” Luna snapped and stamped her hoof onto the floor, there was a sound not unlike thunder which rippled through the clinic, making nurses and the doctor scatter. “I am Lunar Princess of this land and I order you to co-operate with us this instant!”

It took a gentle touch from Celestia to still Luna’s anger. The dark Princess taking a few slow breaths and nodding to her big sister. Celestia opened her eyes and turned them on the black gryphon who began to tremble under the gaze of the Princess. “what do you want, little gryphon?” Celestia spoke softly and gently, as a mother would to a child who had misbehaved. Fiona felt the years stripped away and recalled the sad eyes of a lone Princess as she had apologized for all she had endured.

“I... I want...” Fiona’s eyes finally overflowed in tears and she shook against the restraints and splints holding her together. All her intelligence and dignity fled her and she began to wail. “I want to go home! I want to see my mountains and feel the wind again... the cold crisp air... I can't go back to the stuffy hole below the mountain.”

“Will you kill again if I let you go home?” Celestia's tone remained the same as the gryphon continued to cry like an infant, even the nurses and doctors watching from the doorway felt the prickle of tears in their eyes.

“No! no... I hope I never... never see a pony again... you chained me away... stole my lands and titles... beat me till I broke... never... never again... Please, Princess! Please let me go home!” Her tears slowed to wracked sobs as Celestia looked over at her sister.

The Princess of the moon managed a weak smile and nodded her support before closing her eyes and lending her strength to Celestia's. Magic flowed between them and Celestia turned the focus onto the broken form laying upon the hospital bed.

Ancient magics swirled and drew together. Spells that had not been woven since the last great wars which tarnished the land began to awaken and respond to the command of the solar monarch. Bones rebuilt themselves and flesh knitted together once more. The bandages shredded and the splints fell away until she lay still, whole in body and beautiful once more.

She gasped and looked down at her body, able to wiggle her toes and twitch her tail, feeling everything together as joy filled her face. She turned her eyes to Celestia, intent on thanking the monarch for restoring her life but the look in the white alicorn's eyes made all her joy drain away to nothing. Fiona's pupils shrank to pinpricks and the gryphon found the tears returning though this time they were pure terror distilled by her own eyes.

Luna looked away and the nurses fled, closing the door as lines of shimmering heat rolled off Celestia's slowly unfurling wings, she leaned close and spoke softly, never raising her voice beyond her calm. Each syllable she spoke was overflowing with raw power which made the gryphon feel so very small.

“I was lenient with you before... far too much. I felt bad for all you suffered and endured at the hooves of my misguided ponies. I took you under my own wing, nursed you to health under my careful guidance. I saw in you the potential to be the greatest of allies to the lands and ponies of Equestria but you have tarnished that trust and shattered that future I so looked forward to. Perhaps in hope of rekindling the potential I saw in you, I have been kind. This, however, is your final chance. Now... give me the information... tell me who is behind all this... tell me who dares threaten me and my little ponies... tell me everything you know... or I shall take back what I have given... and leave you broken in a place where, I promise you, by the light of the heavens, you will never see the mountains or feel the fresh winter's breeze for the rest of your miserable, shattered life.”

Part Four

The rain pattered endlessly on the cobblestones of the oldest of Equestria's cities. The Weather Patrol worked tirelessly for days to wrangle the dark clouds but the mood in Canterlot could not be lifted and the clouds would always return. Most tried to go about their business while the weather continued to drown spirits but one unicorn sat and gazed out the windows of the palace at the ever swirling clouds unable to overcome the dark mood that walked hoof in hoof with the depressing weather

“It'll be alright, Sweetheart. You've all been through a lot. They probably just needed a break from all of this, it doesn't mean they aren't your friends anymore.” Twilight turned her eyes away from the window to look upon the concerned face of her father. The older stallion reached a hoof over to comfort his daughter. The small, intimate dinner table was set for six and the Sparkle family sat and waited for the two remaining guests to show up.

Spike squirmed restlessly on his cushion and looked over at the older unicorn mare. “D-do you want me to go find the Princesses, Miss Sparkle?”

Star Sparkle rolled her eyes and smirked at the young dragon. “For the last time Spike, you can call me Mom. But no, Dear... I’m sure there is a good reason for the little holdup.” She smiled reassuringly at her adoptive son but her smile fell slowly when she looked at the expression which graced the face of her daughter.

Twilight just looked at the empty places and then returned her gaze to the window and the never ending rain.

The calm of the rain-filled night erupted in a burst of force. The crackling lines of magic coursed like crawling ivy over the stone wall centred on the body of the stallion being pinned there. The pegasus stallion squirmed and struggled a moment more before his eyes went wide and he shook the brass boot off his forehoof.

“I... I surrender!” He choked out as the lines of green magic curled around his neck and squeezed. His heart beat faster and faster as the unicorn stallion walked slowly towards him. Armour shining dull under the rain-soaked street lamps and his breath leaving a brief cloud before him.

“Sorry... Didn't hear you, Mate.” The Guard Sergeant squeezed more and the pinned pegasus' eyes began to water. The life of the pinned pegasus began to flash before his eyes though it was interrupted suddenly by a voice which simply dripped with authority.

“Enough, Trusty!” Sergeant Shrike limped slowly out of the alleyway, her right wing hanging limply at her side. The grip on the thug's throat lessened though he still hung still against the wall. The green stallion stood stock still.

“I said stand down, Sergeant!” Shrike bellowed and slowly the grip faded more and more. Shrike limped slowly towards where the assailant was pinned and quickly clipped the manacles to his forehooves, the green force finally letting him drop, half conscious, to the ground. Job done, Shrike turned her gaze on her second in command. She pulled him around a corner out of earshot of their captive.

“What in Celestia's name was that about?” She yanked her helmet from her head and tossed it to the cobblestones. “I get one punch to the wings and you suddenly decide that you're going to throw a pony through a dumpster and try to strangle the bugger. What the buck is wrong with you?”

Trusty's face was empty of emotion, not even his usual sly smirk. “He hurt you...” Was his only response.

Trusty lowered his eyes and turned away from his marefriend and Captain. She, however trotted to face him again and yanked his head up to meet her gaze. “Trusty I’m not made of glass... I’m not some prissy stay-at-home mare who can't take a bloody punch. And you're not a killer! How could you even think that it would make things better?”

Trusty let his eyes close and gave a sigh. His shoulders slumped in defeat and he pulled away from the grey pegasus before him. “I’m taking sick leave, boss...” Shrike fell silent as he trotted around the nearest corner and disappeared.

The rain fell as far as Ponyville the next morning, and though this storm was a scheduled one, it did little to detract from the fact that the skies were grey and the ponies of Ponyville were keeping indoors. The beautifully decorated Carousel Boutique was still and silent with the outdoor lights off, there would be no customers today for the beautiful and talented Rarity to ply her trade thanks to the 'closed for a special project' placard placed in the front window.

Anypony who knew the white unicorn would be surprised to see her now. Her immaculate desk was covered with an oilcloth sheet, stained with grease. Her usual array of fine needles and threads was replaced with rough and ready screwdrivers and a smoking soldering iron. Careful sketches of dresses were pushed aside in favour of detailed diagrams. Lastly the mare herself sat still, her mane tied back in a non-to-flattering knot and her horn aglow.

The words of her pink friend were sinking deeper than she had expected. She was useless to the guards, useless to her friends, save for a deft horn at needlework when they needed stitches. Their comforting words fell on deaf ears. In desperation she threw herself into the new task. This would be a masterpiece, not of fashion but of her worth. She would give back something precious to those who had lost so much.

She lifted the soldering iron once more and touched it to a delicate coil of wire within the device on her desk. It sparked and the whole assembly twitched a little. “Just a teensy bit more.” She inched the iron closer and set another wire into place. When the device shook on the table the iron slipped.

The white unicorn winced and jerked her hoof back as the hot metal scored a line across the softest part of her hoof. The room filled with the uncomfortable smell of burnt hair and sizzling flesh. Tears streaked down her dirty cheeks and she thumped backwards off her stool, her injured hoof clutched in the crook of her foreleg.

Rarity trembled as she withdrew her hoof and examined the damage. The burn was already beginning to ooze blood slightly and she let out a trembling breath. “One little burn... compared to them, this is nothing. If I work through the night then I shall be in Canterlot by tomorrow afternoon.” She quickly bandaged her hoof and grit her teeth returning to the machine. The white unicorn fought through the tears and throbbing pain in her hoof pouring her heart and soul into her work.

The rain poured down on the orchards outside Ponyville and on the form of one of Equestria's hardest working farmponies. The thick oiled raincoat she wore did little to take away the chill and the old material leaked. With every buck she shivered a little more, the soaking apples falling to the sodden earth and bobbing in puddles when they didn't hit her carelessly placed baskets. Her motions carried none of their passion, none of her love of the job. Today she was an apple bucking machine, fuelled by the need to not be alone with her thoughts.

Lift hooves and set in position, she went over the instructions her father had told her in her head, drilling them into every action she took. Front down, use yer forelegs and push back. Her hooves struck the trunk and another rain of apples fell to or near their respective baskets. She lined up with the next tree when a whistle caught her attention and she looked over to the farmhouse. She saw the shape of her older brother standing on the covered porch.

With a sigh she left her work and trudged from the orchards to the steps. “This important, Mac? I'm a might busy right now.” She scowled up at the unshakable red stallion. He shifted a little and nodded to a steaming mug on the railing.

“Made ya a toddy, ya looked cold.” His deep voice rumbled and Applejack cracked a bit of a smile. She climbed the steps and took off her prized hat, hanging it on a worn hook beside the door to drip in peace while her muddy hooves thankfully scooped up the steaming drink.

Mac looked out to the orchard and the pair stood in silence for a moment longer. “Tell me why ya done it, AJ?” His question caught the orange pony off-guard. She and her brother always had an unspoken rule. She never asked him about his decisions and the same courtesy was afforded to her.

“Tha south orchard needed-” she began but Mac cut her off.

“Tha south orchard is doin' just fine. I asked Carrot ta mind the garden fer a basket a what she wants once a week and Caramel is finally pullin' his own weight. I meant why didja leave tha badge...” He turned his eyes to hers and Applejack looked away. “You ain't been no good at lyin', AJ... 'specially ta yerself.”

“Ponies are dead Mac... lotsa ponies... this ain't a game no-more.” She took another sip of her drink and sighed.

“T'weren't a game from tha start, AJ...” He rumbled slow and took a seat beside where Applejack stood. “Pappy was darn proud a ya.”

Applejack nearly dropped her cup, turning to look at her brother who remained as calm as always. He cleared his throat to forestall her inevitable question, “Applebloom wrote ta him and ma 'bout how yer a big fancy guard now.”

“Pappy ain't ever been proud a me, Mac...” Applejack took a seat beside her brother and looked down into her drink with a sigh.

“That's a load a manure and ya know it.” He chuckled and put a hoof around her shoulders. “Applejack, Pappy wrote back near right away. He was happy as a pig in mud. Thought ya might whip them airhead pegasus guards inta shape.” Even Applejack chuckled a little but it was short-lived.

“Mac... Ah can't do it... ah can't go out every single day and see ponies ah like, mah friends, end up gettin' cut ta ribbons. Ya didn't see p-poor Shootin' Star,” Applejack trailed off with a shudder, squeezing her eyes shut tight.

“Applejack,” Mac sighed and ran his other hoof through his mane. “Remember when we were foals, we used ta grab sticks and pretend we were knights. Remember tha words?”

Applejack blushed, imagining herself as a reckless little filly but her lips soon turned up in a smile. “In brotherhood we stand together, in sisterhood may we find grace...” Her voice was soft and she felt as Mac nodded.

“I was thinkin' more on tha lines a loyal to our roots remain us.” Big Mac let a smirk grace his lips for a moment and Applejack lowered her head slowly. “Ah know that loyalty is kinda Miss Dash's thing but it's somethin' that all ponies should have in 'em. Ya never let family down and those friends a yours are practically sisters to ya.”

“It's... real complicated, Mac...” Applejack rose and downed the last of her mug before pushing the front door open.

Mac sat still and sighed as he heard Granny's always repeated words. “Jackie, wipe yer dern hooves. Ya may've been born in tha barn but yer not livin' in one.” The red stallion couldn't help but smile a little at the grumble from his sister.

In the lofty heights of Pinkie Pie's vaulted ceiling, a pony laid on a wooden rafter in silence. Her job with the rain finished for the day, Rainbow Dash eagerly sought comfort indoors. Her mind worked in the background and her tail flicked in annoyance. Boredom was something that the blue pegasus could not cope with and sleep was elusive.

Casting her eyes down to the room below she took in the furniture. The short table where she had interrupted Pinkie Pie's crazy party. The carpet on which Pinkie had apologized for sitting on Dash's head with a hug that had turned into an eager kiss. The dresser where Pinkie kept a picture of Dash so she could, 'See the most important pony in my life each and every day'. And the bed where...

Rainbow blushed and closed her eyes tightly. She cared deeply for Pinkie Pie and the pink party pony was more than enamoured with Rainbow Dash in return. Still, ever since her return to Ponyville she had felt terrible in so many ways. Her thoughts led to more discomfort. Pinkie had twisted her hoof to get her to come back, she had fought dirty and Rainbow couldn't help but feel used.

She imagined Shrike getting the news of their departure or Shooting Star awakening to word that her friend had fled like a coward. And Rainbow Dash was no coward. She thumped her head against the rafter beam, upsetting a pair of dust bunnies which drifted harmlessly to the floor to be stepped on by the little green alligator who had been watching her intently. “How am I supposed to keep my promise to Pinkie when I feel like this?” She asked the green gator and sighed as no response was forthcoming.

Far below, in the kitchens of Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie Pie was lost in her own little world as she whipped up a batch of frosting. She was running on automatic, her eyes unfocused and staring into space as her hooves moved like a blur over the mixing bowl. She stopped and nodded her head once before the bell on the stove dinged and she removed the next batch of cupcakes. With them cooling she moved on to icing the previous batch.

She didn't hear the sound of hooves in the kitchen or her name being called but she jumped and spun with a shriek, the icing flying waywardly from her dropped bowl, when Mister Cake touched a hoof to her shoulder. Pinkie blinked and blushed up at her employer as a blob of white icing slid off his nose to land on the floor with a splat.

“If you wanted me to taste the icing, Pinkie Pie, you just had to ask.” He cracked a smile and Pinkie couldn't help but giggle. “Actually... Pinkamina...” He spoke in a much more subdued tone and Pinkie's eyes went wide. The Cakes only called her Pinkamena when she did something terrible. “Cup and I think that... maybe you should take the rest of the day off... or the weekend if you need it.”

Pinkie's eyes began to water and her shoulders shook. “Y-you're not... f-firing me are you? I promise I’ll do better! I won't take any more sample cupcakes. I'll work even harder!” Her panic rose until the older stallion placed his hooves on her shoulders.

“Pinkie. Pinkie it's alright.” His smile worked to calm the pink pony some and finally he let her go to point a hoof towards the rack of confections she had made. “It's just that... we can see you're upset.” Pinkie blinked but soon her eyes followed where he was pointing and she gasped.

Row upon row of cupcakes stood like little snowy mountains. No chocolate ones, no sprinkles, no new experiments in baking like her ill-fated banana and chili pepper muffins. She had baked a day's worth of vanilla cupcakes.

Pinkie Pie slumped to the floor and just stared as Mister Cake took a seat beside her. “My wife and I have been keeping track of the newspapers, we heard what happened. I don't blame you in the least for coming home. In your place I’m sure I would have too... but I can see that your brain is still back in Canterlot”

Pinkie nodded slowly and let out a little sigh. “It was just so awful... it made me want to do bad things. Bad scary things... to other ponies... ” She trailed off and closed her eyes.

“Anger makes ponies think scary things sometimes, but it's okay to be angry, especially after what you went through. You know, Pinkie, you're a lot more than an employee to Cup and me... you're more like a daughter. Take all the time you need to think and make your decision. Whatever you pick, no matter the choice, we'll be behind you.” Mister Cake put a foreleg around Pinkie's shoulders in a little hug and the pink pony let a smile slip onto her lips. She sat on the floor of the kitchen a long while after Mister Cake had gotten up to return to the front of the shop. Her eyes traced the lines in the floor and looked over every utensil and tool which hung neatly in their proper places.

“Seen you lookin' happier, Miss Pie.” a familiar voice spoke soft and Pinkie nodded. A presence settling itself onto the floor beside her. “You got the girl, you got your old life back... why no smiles?”

Pinkie closed her eyes and rubbed her forehooves together nervously, “I’m just scared... I wasn't me and I did something bad... then when I heard about the... the firework thing... I just couldn't stay anymore. What if the Princess hadn't moved us?”

“Then you and I would be having a lot easier conversation, Miss Pie...” The voice of Jammy the unicorn spoke softly with a bit of a chuckle and Pinkie let a giggle slip herself. “As it is I’m just a bit of a daydream from that overactive imagination of yours.”

“I miss you...” She whispered, “I never lost a friend before... I don't want that to happen again.”

“If you went back, and saw this through to the end... could you live with the scars and the chance that another one of your friends wouldn’t be coming home?” The calm voice drifted through Pinkie's thoughts and she opened her mouth to answer but he spoke again, “Or could you live with yourself if you stayed here and hid under your bed?”

Pinkie Pie blushed and nodded slowly. “You're right... if I’m not there then how can I protect my new friends.”

“Who are you talking to, Dearie?” Missus Cake poked her head around the door and looked into the kitchen, concern written all over her face.

“Just my Pinkie self, Missus Cake...” Pinkie took a breath and turned with a smile, “Sorry about all the vanilla cupcakes, but I think I have some things I need to do.” Missus Cake nodded with a renewed smile, seeing the pink pony bounce past and head for the stairs.

In Pinkie's apartment, Rainbow Dash paced back and forth, a toothless alligator hanging from the end of her multi-hued tail. “How... how can I tell Pinkie...” She muttered to herself before flopping onto her haunches and thumping her forehooves against her head in frustration. “Come on brain, think think!”

Rainbow's mental battle was interrupted as the door to the room opened and the pink pony herself trotted in. Rainbow turned and squeezed her eyes shut tight for a second, willing herself to be strong as Pinkie Pie took a breath. In unison the two ponies exclaimed

“Pinkie, I need to go back to Canterlot”

“Dashie, I need to go back to Canterlot”

The ponies stopped and stared at one another. Blinking and unsure of how to continue. “What do you mean 'you need to go back' ?” The friends and lovers spoke in perfect stereo again. They stopped, blinking as they took several steps closer to each other.

Pinkie opened her mouth to speak but Rainbow's hoof gently rested on her lips and the pink pony blushed. “OK... we'll both go.” Without another word, Rainbow and Pinkie held each other close as the rain pattered on the windows and the world outside began to slip towards nightfall.

Fluttershy felt the chilly rain soaking her coat and weighing down her wings but she walked on still. The path before her twinkled in the light from her lantern as she ran the events over in her mind. Her trip to Ponyville to see her friends had ended in sadness. Rarity's boutique was closed tight and locked. The lights of Pinkie Pie's apartment were off and Rainbow Dash wasn't at home.

The yellow pony blushed as she realized where her pegasus friend most likely was. It filled her with a different kind of sadness as her hooves splashed in the broad mud puddles. She wasn't a stranger to feelings of romance but in her experience, her shyness was the all-consuming barrier between her romantic heart and a lasting relationship.

Fluttershy shook her soaking mane and sighed. She had a lot more to be sad about then not finding the right stallion at the moment. What she wanted more than a lot of things was to talk to her friends. They had all been avoiding each other since they had come back to Ponyville and the elephant in the room was so obvious it was wearing a sign.

They had abandoned their friends and run when the threat of instant mortality had reared its head. They were all terrified at the thought of a mare who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals, which included putting mares and stallions to death in horrible ways. Fluttershy had sat at the bedside of Constable Boulder and, more recently, Shooting Star. She saw how her friend's hearts had been twisted up in pain at the sight of ponies suffering and treading inches from the grave. All the while she had thought, What could I possibly do?

When Pinkie snapped at all of them, Fluttershy had scurried away. Pinkie had been right, she couldn't and wouldn't fight. The very idea of raising her hoof in anger appalled her, but deep in her heart she knew that where she should really be right now wasn't walking down a mud-soaked path at night in the rain. Where she should be was at the side of her friends, lending them as much support as she could. Can I be brave enough to ask them? The thought surfaced in her mind and she closed her eyes.

“M-Miss Shy?” A deep voice pulled her from her thoughts and she squeaked in surprise as she looked up at the towering form of her friend's older brother. “What are ya doin' out this late, and in tha rain?”

Fluttershy blushed and set her lantern down so she could speak, which is to say she mumbled quietly up at the big stallion. “O-oh Macintosh... I... I was just going to see Applejack and ummm... talk to her... if she doesn't mind that is.”

Most ponies would lean closer and ask her to repeat what she said but Big Mac wasn't most ponies. “'Fraid AJ's in bed, Miss Shy... sorry. Ah just saw yer lantern down the lane and thought I’d see who it was at this hour.”

“O-oh...” Fluttershy began and leaned down to pick up her lamp, speaking around the handle. “T-that's OK.. I’ll just... come back tomorrow.” She turned and started to nervously trot back the way she'd come when she felt a tug and her eyes went wide. Her flushed cheeks deepened another shade of red and she turned her head slowly.

Big Mac held her tail in his teeth as delicately as he could, his eyes looking to hers while his own cheeks showed a blush even through his deep red coat. “N-now it just wouldn't be proper a me ta turn ya away.” He released her tail and Fluttershy turned slowly, her knees knocking nervously. “Let me warm ya up,” His eyes went wide and he coughed, “Ah... ah mean, let me get ya somethin' warm ta drink a-and a towel.” He looked away and Fluttershy gave the slightest giggle. That was the fastest and loudest she had ever heard the big stallion speak.

“T-that would be... nice.” She smiled and big Mac let out a relieved breath.

Inside the cozy farmhouse, Fluttershy sat on a woven rug before the kitchen hearth with a large towel over her shoulders and a steaming cup of hot apple cider between her hooves. Big Macintosh sat not far away in a rocking chair, watching the fire crackle and pop with an old guitar resting at his hooves which he plucked idly. There wasn't a tune or any real song but the pair still shared a moment in silence that said more than any conversation they could have had.

The comforting moment was broken by a creak from the floorboards upstairs and the sound of unsteady hooves trudging down the stairs towards them. Fluttershy began to grow nervous once more as a sleepy looking pony stumbled into the kitchen. “Mac, con'sarnit... it's late what the hay are you doin' up?” Applejack yawned and stopped when she spotted Fluttershy, wrapped up in her brother's towel, sitting before the fire.

“She was out in tha rain, tryin' ta come see ya.” Mac supplied the answer to the unasked question when his little sister raised an eyebrow. Big Mac looked to the yellow pegasus, still seated comfortably. The pair shared a little smile before the red stallion slung his guitar and trotted out of the kitchen to let the two friends talk in private.

Applejack watched him go and turned a sly smile back to Fluttershy who flushed red once more and looked away. “Mah big brother is a might sweet on ya, Shy.” Fluttershy squeaked and looked away as if to say, 'I have no idea what you're talking about'.

With a sigh, Applejack flopped down beside the yellow pegasus and looked into the flickering flames. “What didja come ta see me for, Shy?”

Fluttershy looked down into the cup of hot cider as if it would lend her the strength to ask the question she most needed to. She watched as the firelight played over the top of the mug and made the contents shimmer slightly. Her mind drifted back to the happy moments she had just experienced and how it made her feel. With a breath she closed her eyes and spoke all-at-once. “Applejack... we all need to go back to Canterlot.”

Applejack sat silent, just looking at her usually meek friend. The words she spoke were not a question or a pleasant request. They held weight with them and a conviction she had not seen from the yellow pegasus save for on very rare occasions. “W-why” came AJ's response, her voice almost cracking under the emotional strain of the evening already.

“Because it's the right thing to do... and if we're very lucky, Twilight will forgive us and we can bring all this stupid fighting to an end.” Fluttershy blushed bright as she realized her tone and her shoulders hunched. “I mean... if that's OK with you... that is...”

“But we could all be killed, Fluttershy This ain't fun... this ain't how ponies should be livin'.” Applejack scuffed her hoof on the floor, sending a stray pebble to the hearth's edge.

“So why don't we do everything we can to make all this stop?” Fluttershy set down her cup and turned herself so she was facing the farmpony. Applejack met her gaze and sighed. This wasn't The Stare, this was the yellow pony's quiet plea. Applejack couldn't think of more to say, she just gave a nod in agreement and turned her eyes to the fire.

The rain died away as the warmth of the fire burned down and soon Applejack was alone in the kitchen. She heard the heavy hooffalls of her brother approach from behind and she turned her eyes up at him. “Ya walk Fluttershy home?” Her question was met with a nod as he plunked himself down on the hearth rug by the dying fire

“Just got one thing ta tell ya, little sis...” He spoke slow as always though there was an edge of something else creeping into his voice. Applejack waited patiently for him to continue and he gave a little sigh. “Bring that girl back home... whatever ya do, AJ. Make sure Fluttershy comes home.” Applejack just grinned wide and burst out laughing.

Celestia stood still upon her balcony as the sun crept over the horizon and cast its muted glow over the lands of Equestria. She sighed and looked across the top of the small tower to the balcony opposite her own where her sister should be standing to lower her moon to make way for the day. The place was empty as it had been when the younger alicorn was imprisoned upon the moon.

“Oh blast.... I’m late again...” The Lunar Princess stumbled the last few steps up the stairs and looked out at the red clouds on the horizon signalling the birth of a new day. “I’m so sorry, Tia... I’ve just been-” Celestia raised a hoof to silence her sister, still not looking in her direction.

“Tired... I know...” The white alicorn lowered her hoof and slowly sank down onto her haunches, letting her eyes close. “Luna... am I a fair and just ruler?”

Princess Luna stepped slowly to her sister's side and settled in to watch the sunrise. “All I have read has spoken volumes to your kindness and generosity over the millennium I was... gone. What brings these thoughts on, sister?”

“These dark times,” Celestia looked up towards the heavens and smiled just a little. “I have taken a great interest in our subjects, seen them grow and prosper under my protection. And since your return the world has become whole again... but... what could possess one of my ponies to wish so much destruction on their fellow ponies? Have I wronged some innocent somehow? Have I caused harm unknowingly to prompt some poor soul to vengeance? Where have I gone wrong?”

Luna’s eyes softened and she rushed as close as she was able, pressing her cheek against her sister's neck. “Oh, Sister. This is none of your doing, these are simply dark times. Remember long ago when the land was under the grip of Discord? Or when the gryphon clans swept over the Northern peaks. We have weathered those disasters and so have our subjects. Even the Nightmare was no match for the tenacity of your ponies. Why I am certain that Twilight Sparkle will-” Luna’s words of praise and support were cut off sharply by Celestia shoving the younger princess away.

“Luna, please stop...” The Solar Sovereign turned her eyes downward and took a step closer to the edge of her balcony, staring down at the tower where her former student had been residing until Fiona, another in the long line of her disappointments, had damaged it. “My faithful student. You know well why she holds that position. Why she, above all ponies through the long millennia, has outshone all others.” Celestia carefully floated the crown from her brow and let the glimmering object hang in the air before her. She turned it slightly so the light of the morning sun caressed the radiant purple stone set into its centre.

Celestia returned the crown, reluctantly, to its place behind her horn and turned her tearful eyes back to her sister. “The long gambit i have played to ensure that my beloved sister would return to me. That the darkness be cast from her heart once and for all. I played my game well and our greatest foe too fell to her power and skill.” Luna gave a slow nod as a smile grew on her lips.

“What you didn't count on was her heart... did you, Tia?” Luna took a step to her sister's side and brushed a wing against Celestia's, the white alicorn's cheeks colouring slightly with a blush. “You tried to craft a weapon and instead you found a friend. Though i do see now, looking back on what i have seen and read of your student, that you chose her instead of the other young unicorns because she reminded you so much of a certain indigo filly who gazed up at the limitless heavens and gave names to every star she set there.”

Celestia met Luna’s gaze and in the privacy of her tower-top high above the streets of Canterlot, she cried unashamedly with an ever-growing smile. “Little Lulu... with her books and her careful approach to her craft. Measuring the distance of each point of starlight and ensuring no two shone exactly the same.”

“As opposed to impatient Tia who had no time to shepherd a glorious sky and instead cast an enormous ball of fire into the heavens and called her job done.” Luna smirked and Celestia's blush intensified tenfold. “I am surprised that you of all ponies would have the patience to play such a long game to achieve your goal.”

Celestia's smile fell for a moment and she hung her head when she replied. “I have had a thousand years to learn the value of patience, dear sister.” Luna raised a hoof and lifted Celestia's gaze back to her own.

“Twilight will see this through, Tia. With or without the aid of her friends, though the Elements of Harmony can never truly be severed. You waited a millennium to return me to the light, and you did say that Twilight has surpassed all the expectations you had for her.” Celestia gave a sheepish smile that she was glad nopony save her sister could see.

“You heard that?” the regal white alicorn's voice was a soft whisper to which Luna nodded slowly.

“I am a Princess of the Night, moving unseen and silent is as rudimentary as breathing for one such as myself. All I ask, is that you carry your faith in your student- no... your friend Twilight just a little longer.” Luna smiled as warmly as she was able even with the fatigue gnawing at the corners of her sanity and Celestia returned the gesture in full. The sisters of sun and moon stepped close as they were able and let the troubles of the mortal world fade away for the briefest moment. They shared a hug and silent tears as Celestia knew that come rain or shine, no matter what she had done in the name of love for her sister, that the Jewel of Equestria would prevail in her task. She only hoped that Twilight would be able to forgive her all she had done and all she would yet have to endure.

The light of the sun didn't last and the clouds again returned to Canterlot to envelop the city in their dull grey embrace. Nopony ventured out-of-doors save for those who couldn't come up with a viable excuse. There were no shouts of the shopkeepers or sounds of the street carts rattling over the cobblestones. The only sound, in fact, which pierced the insufferably dour atmosphere was the marching of the Royal Guards.

Every branch of the services marched in careful patrols, no ponies trudging alone and no squad too far away from another to call for help. The golden armour of Celestia's elite blanketed the cityscape with searching eyes. However, at the main gate there stood a trio of guards looking more than a little tired and bored.

“How much longer?” The tallest pegasus mumbled out of the corner of his mouth earning a glance from both his companions.

“Why are you asking us again?” The middle guard, a pegasus mare spoke as well as she could while trying to give the impression that she wasn't moving her lips. There was an image of the guard to be maintained after all.

“Because Coal's got a watch and I can't see the Celestia-damned-sun.” The tallest guard mumbled and the final pony, a unicorn guard of the citadel broke his statuesque pose and fished a timepiece out of his uniform.

“Don't mind him, Moonbeam. He's just sore because you whipped his flank at poker last night.” Coal the unicorn flicked the case of his watch open and glanced at the time. “And for your information, Silver, it's two in the afternoon.”

The male pegasus groaned though stood still as a statue. “We usually change up the rotation twice by now... what's that new Captain thinking?”

“Cut her some slack, she was at the explosion at the hospital... nearly lost one of her own.” Moonbeam chimed in and the mood turned greyer than the clouds overhead. The guards of Canterlot were taking a beating. For every one of the traitors that was brought in, there was one of their own who was being nursed back to health in the hospital ward. The guards were used to dealing with rowdies and drunkards, petty thieves and the occasional domestic dispute. Now they were fighting armed thugs and trained assassins who thought nothing of crippling a pony in order to achieve their goals or to evade capture.

“Look alive, chums... carriage on the road.” Silver narrowed his eyes and stood more stiffly at attention and his two companions did the same.

“How in Celestia's name can you see that far?” Coal could barely spot the speck of the white carriage as it was making its way towards Canterlot.

“It's a pegasus thing... speaking of...” He trailed off as a bright shape descended from the clouds and landed before the three gate guards. The pegasus threw off an oiled rain hood and shook out her mane before removing the goggles from her bright rose eyes.

“Special Constable Rainbow Dash, arriving in advance of the rest of the Elements of Harmony. We would like to see Captain Shrike and Twilight Sparkle as soon as possible.”

“Is there anything you would like us to tell them, Ma'am?” Moonbeam raised an eyebrow and the rainbow-maned mare before her just grinned.

“Tell them,” Rainbow took a breath and let her eyes close for just a moment in thought, “that their friends are back and more than ready to see this through til the end.”

Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Pinkie Pie stood still before the desk which still bore the gold plaque with the name 'Lord Captain Drussard' upon its solid oak front. Across from them a pair of green eyes glared, unhappy green eyes with heavy bags beneath them. The eyes of Knight Paladin Shrike. She leaned back in her seat and nudged the trio of badges on the desk. The clinking of brass on brass still the only sound in the office.

Just as the tension was growing so thick, Pinkie Pie could have cut slices of it and served it for dessert, Shrike let out a little sigh and rubbed her forehead gently. “So... just back? You did some soul searching or whatnot and now you're just back?”

“That's about it...” Rainbow Dash piped up softly and coughed into her hoof. “We need to see this thorough.”

“And what if I tell you I’ve got no place for deserters?” Shrike kept her eyes closed and leaned back more in her chair. “I’ve had fifteen guards quit on me in the last week. After Constable Storm's son got foalnapped, nopony wants to be in the spotlight. Even my own Sergeant is off on 'sick leave' whatever the buck that means.”

“Then yer admittin' yer short-staffed... ya need more hooves and we're more than willin' ta help.” Applejack placed her forehooves on the edge of the desk and looked down at the older mare. “We ain't askin' fer a second chance or fer forgiveness or none a that. We have our reasons and yer just gonna hafta trust that we got the jitters outa us these last couple days.”

Shrike opened her eyes and looked up at the cowpony then glanced down her side to where the score marks from Fiona’s claws had done their dirty work. The lines in her coat barely noticeable but still the scars lurked below. She rested a hoof on her throat and felt over the scar there from the gryphon's anger. “Consider yourself reinstated...” She said simply and both Rainbow and Applejack let out the breath they didn't know they were holding.

Pinkie Pie however jumped an almost imposable height in the air and seemed to produce a bag of confetti from nowhere in particular. “Yippee! You know what this calls for? A P-” Pinkie Pie was cut off sharply.

“Pinkie Pie! If the next word that comes out of your mouth is 'party' I will fire you and lock you in the dungeons for disturbing the peace.” Shrike couldn't keep the grin off her lips as the pink pony slowly landed back on the floor, flying in the face of the natural laws of physics and looked sheepishly at the Captain.

“It calls for a... a... jovial celebration possibly involving sweets and tasteful music...” Pinkie Pie spoke softly and the room descended into laughter before Shrike shoved their badges into their hooves and shooed the mares out of the office so she could dig back into the weighty problem of her paperwork.

The guards parted reluctantly and the now off-white unicorn known as Rarity trotted into the bedroom of the most powerful pony in all of Equestria. The Solar Princess wasn't there at the moment though, instead there rested a pair of hospital beds and a nurse who kept watch over the magical sensors monitoring the life of Constable Boulder. Rarity took a long breath and trotted into the room, the bundle tied to her back shaking a little both from her gait and from her nervousness.

Rarity had stood vigil over the bedside of Shooting Star after the blast which nearly claimed her life as she had stood vigil over the large blue stallion. She barely knew either guardpony, she hadn't been in Trottingham, she hadn't connected with any of them on any real level but she was determined to show them all that she could be of use. That Rarity the unicorn could have her moment in the spotlight.

Her cheeks were tinged with a blush as well as the grime and grease of her endeavour as she approached Shooting Star and gave a polite cough to draw the attention of the half awake pegasus. Star's eyes opened and she gave the slightest smile, her coat still patchy from her burns and bandaged in many places. “R-Rarity... didn't expect to see you here...” Star spoke soft, all the brashness gone from her voice. The life and vitality that filled the young pegasus had been drained away.

Rarity did her best to smile and knelt beside the bed, carefully levitating the bundled object and resting it on the bed. “I had to come back for you... and for all my friends.” Rarity took a breath and let her eyes close. “I was met with an uncomfortable truth... that outside my expertise with fashion and gemstones... I’m useless.”

Star wanted to tell her that she wasn't useless, that she helped in a lot of ways but Rarity continued before she could get the chance. “I am not as shallow as one thinks... I am not as one dimensional. Few ponies know what I am capable of. My father fixed machines for a living... though it was not his special talent he showed me that I did not have to limit myself to just one thing to lead a fulfilling life. I grew up around his workshop... tinkering with my sewing machine when it refused to work and eventually that tinkering became improving. Within a few years I was building new machines from scratch to meet my needs and specifications.”

Rarity took a moment and grinned, tapping the wrapped parcel. “I have spoken to several scientists and doctors about what I have built and they all agree that the work behind it is sound.” Rarity drew her hoof sheepishly through her mane and then smiled. “Would you care to lift the canvass?”

Star blinked some and reached her hoof over to catch the edge of the wrapping and slowly opened the neat parcel. All at once her eyes went wide and she stared at Rarity unblinking. “Is this... what I think it is?” Rarity only nodded and watched as Star's grin spread wider and wider.

“If it's not any trouble can I get a drink of water?” A voice spoke up from beside the grinning pair and without a thought, Rarity lifted a glass with her magic and filled it with cold water from a nearby pitcher. “Thanks, Miss Rarity... wow... looks like you took a beating Star.”

Shooting Star and Rarity both blinked and turned their eyes over to Constable Boulder who was half sitting up in bed and finishing off a glass of water. He blinked a little and raised an eyebrow, “Why are ya looking at me like that?” Both mares began to laugh which of course alerted the nurse who had fallen asleep on the job. Boulder just blinked more and cracked a smile.

“OK, fillies... somepony fill me in... I’m feelin' a tad out of the loop here.” The blue stallion scratched his head which only caused Star and Rarity to laugh more, tears running down their cheeks as the dark mood over them all began to lift bit by bit.

Shrike paced when she was nervous. It was a habit she wasn't proud of but at least the ponies she worked with knew what it meant by now and gave her the space she needed. The long table in the centre of the room lay strewn with reports and documents about the arrests that had been made and every little cryptic detail that the traitors had let slip. Also on the table were several trays of multicoloured cupcakes and various other tarts and things which, despite Shrike's vehement protests, were still supplied by Pinkie Pie.

As tense as she was and as dour her mood, it was good to have the girls back. They all seemed to be able to liven somepony's day just by stepping into the room. Shrike finally sighed. “Where is Rarity? I would like to get this going but we're one mare short.”

“She said she was lending Star a hoof with something, Captain.” The deep voice of Constable Boulder drifted into the room and Shrike cracked a smile. It was good to have the big lug back, even if most of this political nonsense was over his head.

Shrike slumped back in her seat and looked down into her coffee cup again as if she could simply wish it to fill with the lifesaving brown liquid her body needed to survive. Her eyes glanced to Trusty and he quickly looked the other way. The Captain closed her eyes and smothered her rising ire with several deep breaths. If she had to ask her Sergeant for anything, including a pot of coffee, there was going to be a fight and Shrike just didn't have the energy for that kind of nonsense today.

Before any more grumbling could be made, the door to the meeting room opened and a pearly white unicorn stood in the doorway, blocking the view of the room beyond. “I am terribly sorry I’m late Captain. There were some complications, and i did take a moment for a desperately needed bath, but the project has been otherwise successful.” She beamed though she still had the faint aura of fatigue about her actions. With care she stepped back to the side of the door and took a seat.

All eyes turned as the sound of hooves came don the hallway. There were quiet gasps from those nearest the door and Shrike raised an eyebrow before her Constable rounded the door and smiled a little. Her sandy coat was dishevelled and her rusty red mane was considerably shorter than it had been. Then the Captain's eyes fell to the forehoof which the doctors were unable to save. Where there should have been nothing supporting her, something steel looked bolted directly to her body.

Constable Shooting Star took a seat on the floor and raised the artificial hoof to her forehead in a smart salute. Her wings were still bandaged but it was undoubtedly the pegasus she had seen snatched away from the jaws of death. “Constable Shooting Star, reporting for duty, Captain.” No sooner had the words left her mouth then she was hit by the blue blur of Rainbow Dash and swept into a hug like the pair had been separated for years.

“S-Star...” Shrike spoke softly and took a stumbling step to her hooves. “Sweet Celestia, Rarity. How could this be done?” The Captain looked to the white unicorn and the fashion pony's smile broadened slightly.

She cleared her throat to forestall any further comments as her friends all stared with slack jaws at her. “Just because I choose to follow what my talent dictates does not mean I am bound to it. All the machines for my sewing and various other things are hoof-made. Why dears, have none of you asked what I keep in my basement?” Rarity chuckled and if it were possible for the jaws in the room to drop any further, they would have.

Rarity stood slowly and looked to each of her friends. “You all have skills outside your special talent. Pinkie Pie, you are perhaps the greatest baker alive in Equestria even though your talent is about making other ponies smile.” The pink pony blushed a little at the compliment. “Fluttershy, you can calm and befriend any animals you come across but you also have a beautiful singing voice. Applejack, apples or no apples, I doubt there is a faster hoof racer in all of Equestria. Rainbow Dash, i realize you will not find this complimenting in the least but the renovations i have seen you busy yourself with on your home put any architecture i have seen in Cloudsdale to shame. And you dear Twilight, your talent is wielding magic but you have, in the short time i have known you, become one of my most steadfast friends and I think anyone in this room would say the same, you truly have a gift for understanding everypony.”

Rarity stopped to take a breath and wipe a tear from the corner of her eye. “What I’m trying to say, girls... and gentlecolts of course... is that just because we are outside our element does not mean we cannot shine.”

One by one everypony smiled and nodded, the darkness in the room fled. Shrike looked once more to her Constable and then even back to Trusty who couldn't hide his grin if he tried. The Captain closed her eyes slowly and took a deep breath before stepping before Rarity. “Rarity... you're right. You couldn't be more right. You've given us back something we thought was gone for good. You have not only my respect but my gratitude. It's time we stopped second-guessing ourselves and got down to work.” Shrike grinned as Dash and Star separated from their tearful hug and everypony began to take their seats. Twilight and her five Elements of Harmony were, perhaps closer than ever after their own tearful reconciliation. Boulder was back in the waking world, none the worse for wear and even Star, who Shrike had almost written off as lost for good, was back in armour and ready to go. “The gang's all here...” She whispered under her breath with a smile.

“Captain if I may make a suggestion,” Twilight raised a hoof and Shrike nodded to the purple unicorn to continue. “We know that the Dark Lady has many contacts and those she uses magical force to control. She seems to be one step ahead of our movements a lot of the time, or baits us into uncovering a hideout only to capture her subordinates. Would it be a good bet that she has someone in the palace that is working for her?”

Shrike nodded slowly and looked down to the papers before her. “It's a safe bet she has an informant... which is why this meeting isn't on the official lists and from this point on I want everything we say to stay between us. This isn't a request... it's an order.” The ponies in the room nodded slowly in comprehension as Trusty stood and closed the large door before locking it with a swirl of his magic. “OK... any suggestions?”

“It looks like whoever this unicorn is, she likes to use high society ponies for most of her dirty work. Lots of money can buy a lot of fencing lessons I guess.” Rainbow Dash took a glance around the room, the seriousness in her voice was a little heavy but it made Shrike glad that she was taking this job to heart. She wished she had a dozen more like the Rainbow-maned pegasus. “So whoever this pony is it won't be one of the gardeners or the cooks or anything like that.”

“Clerks...” Pinkie Pie tapped her chin in thought. “Smarty ponies are usually the ones she makes do important stuff. Like letting that nasty gryphon out or setting up the big fireworks' explosion. The other ponies are just ones she needs for a teensy bit. Like that poor guard who had his colt foalnapped or that pony who came after me.”

Twilight shuffled the papers before her and looked at her notes. “So what we need to find is a pony in a position to overhear important information who is well off and intelligent.” Twilight's eyes narrowed and she sighed. “That in essence describes most of the staff of the palace.”

“Well we can't go interview everypony one at a time.” Shrike put a hoof to her forehead again and sighed.

“Why can't we?” The stern Southern voice of Applejack cut through the brief silence and all eyes fell on her. “We know this pony'll be a might nervous and flighty if we're askin' all sorts a questions 'bout this Dark Lady. So why don't we do up a sort a review. Get all tha clerks and such in one room an take em ta see us one at a time. Ask em a couple questions and send em on their way.”

“That still doesn't mean we'll find this spy.” Rainbow Dash cut in with frustration in her voice.

“Ah reckon ah can tell if anypony's lyin' ta me. Even before I had tha element a honesty, ah could always tell if somepony was tryin' ta cheat me on a deal. Comes with workin' tha markets as long as ah have. Ya get em in a room and ah'll tell ya if their lyin' or not.” Applejack nodded her head with certainty.

“Oh... ummm if I can just add something... if that's OK I mean.” Fluttershy spoke up softly and Shrike tried not to giggle at the poor girl's expense but she was adorable when she was nervous, which was all the time it seemed. “My animals can't tell me a lot of things so I need to be very good at reading their body language. The way they walk and the way they stand can tell me a lot about what they're thinking. I should be able to help Applejack tell if anypony isn't being truthful.”

OK... Shrike thought to herself with a renewed grin. We have a plan, not a great plan but a plan... if we can find somepony who knows what might be going on with that Dark Lady then we can press them for all the information they can give us. “Alright, tomorrow morning we round up the day-clerks, all of them and take them to the main ballroom, under guard. We keep them comfy for as long as we can while Fluttershy and Applejack run through the list of names. If we don't find the clerk then we do the same thing with the night-staff.”

“If it's alright with you Captain I think I might have something that can help but I need to do more research just to be sure.” Twilight's smile was a little on the manic side but Shrike had been warned in confidence about what happens when Twilight doesn't finish an assignment.

Shrike nodded and took a breath to steady her nerves once more. She was about to open her mouth before there came a tapping from Rarity's hoof on the table. “Captain, if I may... I believe there is something immediate that must be addressed. One does not get as far as I have in an industry based upon images without learning the value of understanding the feelings between others.” Her eyes glanced over to Sergeant Trusty who was a rather more pale shade of green at the moment, his eyes wide and both ears drooped.

“Rarity... you wouldn't... not here...” Trusty’s voice was a whisper, the usual bravado and easy-going demeanour was gone. His hooves trembled as he clutched both to the pouch that had been affixed to the front of his armour.

“Yes I’m afraid, dear Sergeant... I believe the term is 'Now or never'” Rarity's smile didn't waiver in the slightest, in fact she moved a little further away, making room between herself and Shrike for the green stallion.

Trusty gave a nod and trembled still as he stepped closer and closer to where Shrike was seated. The grey pegasus began to blush at his nervousness and tried to shy back but Rarity gave a gentle shake of the head. Trusty swallowed down his fear for a moment and fidgeted with the pouch now on his waist. “Shrike...” He began softly, “I know things have been... bumpy lately. And I know I’m being an ass about a lot of things but... but things need to be set right between us.”

He knelt down on one hind knee and Shrike's eyes went wide. No... no not here, not now, and not in front of everypony... oh Celestia! The stupid pony is really doing it! Shrike's eyes went wide and her mind whirled with a thousand thoughts at once as he took her hoof and, without the aid of his magic, carefully slipped a simple silver band in place, the single emerald glittering in the sunlight which drifted through the window at the end of the room.

“When we get out of this stupid mess... we're getting married... I’m not even gonna ask, it's just happening whether you like it or not, Love...” The grin returned to Trusty’s lips and he gave a slight wink. All her resentment drained away as her heart filled with warmth and her stomach filled with butterflies. He leaned closer but before he could touch his lips to hers, Shrike grabbed him and kissed him with all the force she could muster.

Cheers and applause filled the meeting room but neither Shrike nor Trusty seemed to care anymore, their minds fully occupied on the not so distant future which seemed to be getting brighter and brighter.

The streets of lower Canterlot were too far off the beaten track for any tourist brochure. The back alleys where the lower classes worked and lived to keep a roof over the heads of the wealthy weren't a place most ponies wanted to see which is a perfect place to not be seen. Walking with care, draped in a heavy woollen cloak, a pony made his way through the maze of tight alleyways and barred gates towards his destination.

Level Ledger, Head Clerk in the employ of the crown, pushed the glasses further up his nose and sighed as he approached the door on the side of a building. He tapped the wood gently. Four knocks, pause, four knocks, pause, and another four knocks... After a Final long pause, he pulled the cloak tighter around his shoulders to keep out the chill night air. I don't have the wrong building, do I? He thought to himself before the door opened a crack and he slipped into the old building.

“You're expected, Mister Ledger.” The deep voice of one of her guards caught his attention and he tried to stifle the shriek of surprise as the black armoured unicorn stepped from the shadows and held out a hoof to take his cloak.

“Always knows when I’m coming, doesn't she?” He tried to smile but the guard's face remained cold as he took the clerk's cloak and unceremoniously dumped it on a nearby piece of dust-covered furniture strewn around the former home. With a snort of derision, the guard motioned for him to head down the flight of stairs leading to the basement. His hooves clicked loudly on the stone as he descended the spiralling staircase further and further into the shadows. Ledger tried to ignore the muttered words of disgust and hate that the guard let slip as he passed. This was always the part he hated, how the lady and those she employed would twist the knife of shame further into his back.

He approached the broken basement wall and ducked past the crumbling stone to enter yet another staircase which led further. Here there were sputtering torches and candles which dripped long strands of wax down the walls. It was the only light of any kind he could hope to see as long as he remained here. With a sigh he stepped down the final stair and looked off into the vaulted ceiling of some long forgotten chamber. Maybe it was a storeroom or a vault for some wealthy merchant a few hundred years ago. Now, however, it was where she held her loathsome council.

The shadows at the far end of the room shifted slightly and Ledger could just make out the shape of a cloaked pony sitting before a small writing table. “Ah right on time as always,” The voice drifted through the air like silk and Ledger shuddered from the tone. It was seductive and maddening at the same I instant. “What do you have to report?'

“Not good news, Mistress...” He licked his lips, throat suddenly dry as the figure moved again.

“It is never good news these days... speak now, you are trying my patience.” She snapped at him and Ledger stumbled back to land on his haunches.

“The Elements of Harmony have returned as well as both guards that were injured. The champions stand at full strength again.” Ledger shrieked and slammed his eyes closed as the shape in the darkness let out a shout of frustration and an inkwell sailed past his head to shatter on the wall behind him, drops of inky blackness running down the ancient stone as the air grew far colder.

“Those insufferable ponies! Why can they not simply die... why can they not leave my work in peace.” A burst of chilling purple energy lashed out and soon the whole writing desk joined the inkwell in pieces upon the floor. “Ledger! We are advancing the timetable... send word to the three and have them prepare their contributions and I shall carry out the final piece of the plan personally. There is nothing to stop us this time. Oh... and Ledger...” The voice whispered, soft and sweet once more and he let his eyes creek open the slightest bit. “You do remember that should you fail... the evidence against you will be in the hooves of the guards before you can get out of Canterlot.”

Ledger went pale and shuddered, eyes wide as he looked at the cold stone. The voice continued. “The fact that you were drunk at the time... is of no concern... the fact remains that you have done what you have done and there is a special place in Canterlot prison for ponies such as yourself.” A tightly bound hoof touched below his chin and lifted his gaze, the eyes, sickly and evil green stared back at him as the voice floated once more from the recesses of the cloak.

“I hope you are very aware of what your fellow inmates will do to you should you end up in Canterlot prison... what they do to all ponies like yourself.” Ledger tried not to retch as the Dark Lady slipped away into the shadows again.

“With most ponies I just fond something they love to hold against them, for you I just needed one photograph... but of course that is what you hold dear isn't it? Your passions and your secrets...” Her laugh cut through the gloom, bouncing off the walls and seeming to come from all sides. The tan coated clerk curled up further upon himself. “Now go... do as I command.”

“Y-yes Mistress...” Ledger mumbled and slunk back up the steps faster than most would have considered healthy. The Dark Lady just laughed once more, cruelty always brought out her sense of humour.

Luna stumbled, half awake down the stairway which led from the top of the tower towards the ultimate destination of her bedroom. The moon was lowered and Celestia's sun was climbing once more through the daytime sky. Her sister had slipped away to her duties which left the Princess of the Moon to tread the marble corridors alone.

She stopped and let out a wide yawn, stopping to rub the tears from the corner of her eyes. “Blasted fatigue... I curse thee.” She mumbled as she approached her living quarters.

“Princess Luna,” The familiar voice of Twilight Sparkle called out to her and she stopped with a smile. “Good morning to you Princess.” Twilight gave a little bow and Luna nodded her head softly.

“It is more evening than morning for me, Twilight Sparkle. What can I do for you before my wakefulness meets its inevitable match and I allow myself to rest?” Luna chuckled and Twilight gave a little giggle as well. Luna quite appreciated having Twilight around. She was one of the few ponies who was both intelligent and friendly enough to understand most of her rather verbose jokes.

“Well I was actually wondering if you knew where Princess Celestia is. She was going to meet me for tea this morning but she seemed a little distracted.” Luna nodded politely but on the inside she said a silent curse to Celestia. Her sister and her morose attitude weren't making anything easier on her prized student. “I thought that if she couldn't come to tea then tea could come to her!” Twilight levitated the thermos of tea and Luna gave a bright chuckle.

“Quite right, Twilight. I'm sure Tia will be glad to have some company.” Luna smiled and Twilight blushed ever so slightly at the cute nickname for her teacher. “How did your research last night go by the way? I'm sorry I couldn't stay and be of more assistance.”

“Oh that's alright,” Twilight waved her hoof with a smile, dismissing the issue. “I think I may have found something but I need to ask for Princess Celestia's help to get it. I think it might help both practically and on a more intangible level.” Luna raised an eyebrow and Twilight lifted a heavy bound book from her saddlebags which Luna immediately recognized as the itemized list of the contents of the royal vaults. With the utmost care, Twilight let the book open to her marked page and she hovered it before the Princess.

Luna’s eyes went wide before a grin spread over her lips. “Twilight... I believe even my sister does not comprehend how brilliant you are. Just the image of this... just its presence will rally our guards to new heights.” Twilight couldn't help but blush as the book was closed and she looked away with a smile.

“Oh I’m not that brilliant, Princess... I’m just trying to do my best.” The purple unicorn looked sheepishly down at the marble patterns and Luna smiled slightly, leaning down and giving her the softest kiss below her horn.

“And you succeed... you are worthy of your position and your praise. Celestia knew what she was doing when she took you under her wing and I for one am grateful. You are far more like a second sister to us both than a simple student. Never forget that Twilight.” Luna smiled, it wasn't possible for the purple unicorn to be blushing any more than she was. Luna turned her head away and failed miserably to conceal another yawn behind her hoof. “Ooh I am sorry, Twilight, but I must retire for the day, all these emotional troubles are causing quite a lack of sleep. At this time of day i believe you will find my sister in her personal office.”

Twilight gave a little bow and said a soft thank-you for Luna’s time before she stepped aside to let the indigo alicorn continue to her much needed rest.

Twilight walked the corridors slowly, still thinking about what Luna had said. That she was like another sister, that she was more family to the Princesses than just a subject or even a friend. It filled her with a brand new spark of joy and it made each of her steps lighter as she approached the quiet office that was Celestia's place of rest from the troubles brought to her in the actual throne room.

As was the custom for the Princess, the door was unguarded and open just slightly. She liked the feeling of normalcy that came with simply sitting in her study. Twilight took a breath and peeked into the room. Her teacher sat still with her eyes glued to the embers of a fire in the fireplace, the room was dark. The curtains which were rarely drawn had been closed tightly against the soft sunlight which had begun to creep through the clouds and the Solar Princess kept still, her radiant mane and tail didn't even move on their own.

Twilight carefully slipped int the room and lifted the thermos of tea out of her saddlebag as well as the simple tin cup she had borrowed from Sergeant Trusty. She was about to clear her throat hen Celestia spoke softly. “Can I help you with something?”

Twilight was startled for a moment and blushes as she whispered. “You missed having tea so I thought I would bring you some.” In an instant Celestia had turned, a smile on her lips and a hoof placed over her chest.

“Oh Twilight... I thought for a moment you were Ledger bringing me another document to read over.” The white alicorn looked to the desk where an unread stack of papers was being held in place by the weight of her discarded crown. “and yes... some tea would be lovely.”

Twilight smiled as she filled the cup with the already blended mix. Just the right amount of sugar and a twist of lemon, just as her teacher always took it. Celestia bowed her head and accepted the cup before letting the fragrance and the soothing warmth ease her tension. Celestia let her eyes open and watched as her student ran her eyes over the contents of the simple office, her gaze resting for a long while on the windows.

“Princess...” Twilight began. Celestia took another sip of tea, expecting the question she was about to be asked. “what's bothering you, if you don't mind me asking?”

Celestia took great care not to cough up her mouthful of tea, that was not the question she had been expecting. She regarded her student and the expression on her face. It wasn't the same as she had displayed on so many other occasions. It was warmer, more caring. “What makes you think something is bothering me?” The Princess spoke with as much calm as she could muster.

Twilight looked away and sighed. “You never close the windows in your office except if it's very cold outside. You missed dinner with my parents and tea on more than one occasion... and you never apologized for missing them. You always apologize when something comes up. So I can deduce that you just... didn't want to... which is very unlike you.”

Celestia kept still, carefully setting the cup down and meeting Twilight's gaze as the purple unicorn turned towards her once more. Those lavender eyes were pleading with her, begging her to open up. Celestia cracked the faintest smile and gave a slow nod. “Yes, Twilight... I have been out of sorts... I haven't been depressed in roughly a thousand years.”

Twilight stepped closer and laid a hoof gently on Celestia's. It was a level of familiarity that she wouldn't tolerate from any other aside from Luna, or perhaps Captain Drussard if he ever let protocol slip long enough to relax. “The last time I felt this way was after Nightmare Moon's banishment. I sat powerless while my only sister was taken from me. I tried to purge the Nightmare from her but I could not and in the end I was forced to send both her and the darkness within her to the moon. Now I sit here and wonder if my kingdom... my precious subjects are being taken from me. So many have been hurt or killed in recent days and I have almost lost you as well. The game grows ever more dangerous as it draws to a close. But a cornered beast will fight back with more tenacity.”

Twilight sat and listened while Celestia spoke, her teacher's eyes closed deep in thought. “She has turned my subjects against me, even my own guards and old friends. I half expect this unicorn to try to turn one of your friends against us... Nightmare Moon was an easy threat, powerful yes, but simple to defeat. Even Discord was just a single foe. This Dark Lady uses the lives of innocents and her own followers as a shield. She skulks in the shadows and twists any pony she chooses to her will.”

“But we're stronger...” Twilight whispered and Celestia turned her eyes to her prized student. “In the end the Dark Lady is just that... one pony... just one pony. Not an immortal alicorn or a spirit of chaos and destruction. She is just a unicorn and once we have her cornered she can be brought to justice just like anypony else.” Twilight smiled and Celestia let out a little chuckle.

“And how do you propose we bring her to justice, my faithful student?” The Solar Princess couldn't help but smile and lay a wing softly over Twilight's back. Twilight grinned in response and lifted a book from her saddlebags. “The contents of the royal vaults? Whatever could you need from there, Twilight?” Celestia gave the purple unicorn a puzzled expression which quickly faded to a grin when she read the entry that Twilight had turned to.

“Do you think we might be able to borrow this? Just for a little?” Twilight smiled mischievously and Celestia laughed.

“Certainly... certainly, Twilight... I believe my old friend would be more than pleased to see it used once more.” Celestia looked down at Twilight and leaned close to nuzzle her cheek. “You never cease to amaze me, Twilight Sparkle.”

The royal ballroom was stifling and the worried murmurs and whispers of the other clerks was doing nothing to help the mood of one Level Ledger. His eyes darted to the guards on each door and to the group of mares who seemed to be chatting to a few clerks and asking if anypony needed refreshment. This was too close for comfort. It had the air about it of intense interrogations as clerks were led one by one into the door to the small antechamber. It didn't bode well. He was sweating nervously but much to his delight, several others were as well.

“Can I get ya anything?” The appearance of the pink pony and her outburst almost made him scream but Ledger took a couple of breaths to steady himself before he smiled as pleasantly as he could manage. “Just a glass of water would be nice.” The girl giggled brightly and nodded before bouncing away. He watched her go and a smile crossed his lips. I wonder what she would look like as a filly. That sweet smile and her nice plump rump... NO! Those kind of thoughts are what got you into this mess... now keep calm.

Ledger took slower more steady breaths and looked back and forth through the room as casually as he could. They were almost through all the notaries, it would be his turn soon. “Here's your water!” The pink mare again appeared and again Ledger had to fight down the urge to have a heart attack, accepting the drink in the grip of his magic and tried not to watch the bouncy girl make her way back through the room.

“Mister Level Ledger!” A large blue stallion by the door spoke his name in a booming voice and reluctantly, Ledger set down his half empty glass and slipped through the crowd into the other room.

Fluttershy sat on the other side of a low table with Applejack beside her. There were two other guards in the room, a black coated unicorn of the Citadel and a female pegasus in the gold white and blue of Celestia's Canterlot Guards. The yellow pegasus let out a little squeak as she adjusted the paper in front of her and tried not to stare too much at the new stallion who had been ushered in.

Applejack looked him over as he took a seat before the two mares and adjusted his glasses. “What can I do to help you ladies today?' He did his best to smile and look interested as the orange cowgirl pony coughed and sat up straighter.

“We're just gonna ask ya a couple questions and then ya can get on yer way.” Applejack smiled and tipped her hat back to look less threatening. “Now... ya hear about this 'Dark Lady'?”

Ledger nodded, “Who hasn't... it's all anypony talks about in the palace these days.”

Applejack gave a glance to Fluttershy and the yellow pegasus nodded softly. “So... um...” Fluttershy began. “Have you... you know... ever met this pony? The Dark Lady?”

Ledger's heart began to beat harder and he smiled a bit to try and look as if the question hadn't upset him. “Me? Of course not. That's a silly thing to ask a pony.” Applejack and Fluttershy again shared a glance.

“Just one more...” The cowpony spoke soft though her eyes seemed to harden and her gaze grew harder for Ledger to look away from. “Ya guilty a anythin' that ya ain't been rightly punished for?”

Ledger began to sweat and he managed a shake of the head. Applejack and Fluttershy looked to each other once more before AJ nodded her head to the unicorn guard who levitated a pair of manacles out of his saddlebag. All at once Ledger leapt up and snatched the iron shackles out of the air, he gave them a swing and they struck the side of the unicorn's head solidly and he slumped to the marble floor out cold.

“Coal!” The pegasus shouted and tried to dash in the way but she was quickly snapped up by the clerk who was running on adrenaline and utter fear at the moment. The pegasus began to struggle and squirm but Ledger's horn glowed brightly and soon her armour clattered to the floor as she was reduced to the age of a filly, no older than Applejack's little sister.

Applejack and Fluttershy stood quickly but Ledger held a hoof against Constable Moonbeam's neck. “Stay there! Both of you!” He snapped loudly and backed up against the wall away from the door. “She's just a filly now... I can snap her neck.”

“J-Jackass!” The pegasus filly in his grasp squirmed and tried to kick her way free as the childish tears of fear came to her eyes. “Let me go!”

“Now don't go doin' nothin' stupid, Mister... yer surrounded by guards. There is no way yer gettin' out a this easy. But... if ya put Constable Moonbeam down... and make her right again... then ah might not hafta beat the manure outa ya.” Applejack didn't step closer but took a few steps sideways of Fluttershy.

The grip on the filly's neck tightened. “I’m not kidding around! Let me leave or I do something we will all regret!”

“Oh dear Celestia it's you! We've been trying to track down this unicorn for over a year.” Moonbeam, who had been staring up at the face of her captor struggled harder and began to cry. “You sick sick pony! Fluttershy, Applejack please get me away from him!” Moonbeam whimpered and struggled until her young body was sore.

“Don't worry none, Moonbeam...” Applejack's eyes narrowed and she pawed at the marble. “Now Mister, Ledger... lets all be reasonable here...”

“Guys! That's how he knows this disgusting spell... he takes innocent mares and uses this on them. He's a foal-fiddler! Oh Celestia please!” Moonbeam wailed.

“Shut up you stupid filly! I was gonna let you go but i think I'd rather enjoy your squirming somewhere more private!” Ledger snapped and the grip on her throat tightened, her sobbing reduced to pained whimpers. The room had become deathly still, Applejack’s eyes narrowed more and she snorted in anger.

“OK... forget reasonable... put Moonbeam down right NOW and I might not break all yer limbs...” She spoke in a harsh whisper.

“A-Applejack...” Fluttershy's voice was thin and restrained and when Applejack looked at her her eyes widened.

“Oh horseapples! Moon! Close yer eyes and don't look whatever ya do!” Applejack turned away and all the puzzled Ledger was able to do was mutter a soft “Huh” before Fluttershy's head rose and her eyes snapped open.

The stare was something Fluttershy couldn't control. She had used it on misbehaving animals, on a naughty cockatrice and even managed to stare down a full-grown dragon. This time however it wasn't something desperate or stern. This was Fluttershy's anger. Her rage pouring out in the gaze she gave the tan stallion. His eyes widened more and more and his hooves slipped, releasing the filly-sized Constable Moonbeam to the floor where her hooves carried her blindly below the table.

“N-no.... keep... away...” Ledger choked out softly as he fell to his haunches and began to shake. Fluttershy advanced on him slowly, her hooves the only sound in the room as everypony who could was desperately trying to block out the sheer presence of will that the yellow pegasus was showing. It was like gazing into an inferno, the heart of the sun, the depths of an untamed ocean, the eye of a hurricane.

His face grew blue as he realized that he couldn't breathe, his eyes burned when he realized that he couldn't blink. The pain searing through his mind was intense and finally with a gasp he had at least some control of himself back, enough to draw a trembling breath. Ledger could taste the hot coppery drip of blood running down his snout but it was far from over.

“What did you do?” Fluttershy asked simply and Ledger tried his hardest not to cry as her voice weighed on his mind. Not even his own mother could illicit a confession from him but he found his lips moving.

“Bad things... naughty things... horrible things... such a bad pony.” He croaked.

“Tell me... tell me what you know.” Fluttershy's voice was like taking an axe to his willpower, her eyes blazed with an inner light that made him feel faint.

“Dark Lady... has... has help... nobles... paid off... has a plan... to destroy Canterlot using the... f-firework... p-p-powder.” Applejack did her best to listen to what he had to say and to jot it down blindly on a pad of paper.

“Who... who are the nobles...” The voice of the yellow pegasus slammed into his very soul again with a crushing force and he shook, coughing as blood drooled from his lips as well.

“Ebony Keys... owner of... half the nightclubs in... Manehattan...” Ledger began, looking more like a puppet being held up by a string. “Sir Wind Sword... Captain of the Cloudsdale Guard... and... and Midnight Whisper... Professor of telekinesis of Canterlot university."

“Now... turn my friend Moonbeam back into an adult and don't let me EVER hear about you doing anything evil to a foal ever again... or I WILL find you myself...” Fluttershy blinked and finally the tan unicorn dropped to the floor with a thud and a whimper, the darkness in the room lifting slowly. “O-oh my... did... did I hurt somepony?” Fluttershy whispered, her voice once again normal.

“S'OK Fluttershy... he deserved it...” The farmpony shook the thoughts from her head and glanced at her notes, still readable. On the floor the broken unicorn raised his head and waved his horn, the table bounced a little as Moonbeam regained her size in the confined space.

“OK... I can add that to my list of things I never hope to do again.” Constable Moonbeam smiled meekly, still shaking in fear. She looked at her companion who was sitting up with a groan though only dazed.

“Tell me about it...” Applejack chuckled and looked at the guardsmare. “Tell ya what, Constable... take Corporal Coal to tha Doc's ta get that bump checked up on an then take tha rest a tha day off.... I think ya earned it.” Applejack snatched the iron manacles off the floor and turned to Ledger who opened his bloodshot eyes just long enough to watch as the orange farmpony clamped his hooves together and leaned down to whisper in his ear, “Ah got a baby sister back home ya dadgum, mother-buckin' freak... that bein' said... this one's fer her.”

Applejack jerked the manacles a little too hard as she stood up, and the last thing that Level Ledger saw was applejack's forehead approaching his at speed before the world of conscious thought fled.

Deep in the dark, far below the streets of Canterlot, a scream pierced the darkness. Under the light of a sputtering torch, a pony gasped as the last of his life's blood slipped away. The mare beside him, still bound by her forehooves watched the light fade from her companion's eyes. "You... you didn't have to kill him." She stated, her voice cracking as hot tears ran down her cheeks.

"Neither did I require him to be alive... though now he serves a far more important purpose... he is a warning." The voice in the dark spoke soft and the azure unicorn tried to choke back a cry of anguish.

"What do you want from me? Couldn't you see I was happy... I made something of my life! I'm not a Celestia-damned charlattan anymore." She shook against her restraints and shouted her frustration, all the while watching the spreading pool of blood as it almost blended into the crimson of his mane.

"Oh you will always be what you always were, my dear... now... we have business to discuss." The eerie glow of magic swirled around the unicorn sword as it was pulled slowly from the corpse on the floor and with another flick of magic, wiped of blood. "You are going to attempt to destroy a certain pony... one I believe you know of... Twilight Sparkle..."

"What do I have against her? If it wasn't for her I wouldn't have turned my life around." The mare shook again and pulled at the ropes. "I demand you release me!"

"Ah, there is the voice again... sweet music... the arrogance... the self serving egotism..." The unicorn in the dark whispered and the blade swung idly through the air "You are going to kill that pony because you are her equal... if perhaps not in brute force then in skill."

"What if I refuse to help you? You have done nothing to make me sympathetic towards you in the least." The mare raised an eyebrow but shuddered at the sadistic chuckle which came from the depths of the dark room.

"If you refuse... then you join the prone fellow there... in death." The sick chuckle returned and chilled the darkness further, "But should you help me.. should you do as I ask, and exactly as I ask... then I promise that your name will be shouted in the streets, your fame will know no bounds... you will be Great and Powerful once more..."

Trixie looked at the stone floor and to the dead eyes of the stallion before her. Her tears of anguish spent and her heart was in tatters. With a steadying breath she settled her thoughts on the last kiss they had shared, their last meal, the last time she heard him laugh or proclaim she was the very best pony. She took a slow breath and whispered, as soft as she was able though she hoped to Celestia that he could hear her wherever he was now, "I'm sorry my Love..."

Trixie's horn flared to life and every strand of the ropes binding her curled away and they fell in a heap of fibres on the floor. With a trembling hoof she closed the dead stallion's eyes and laid the gentlest of kisses upon his dun coloured cheek. When she rose to her hooves, the familiar purple cape flowed back into place over her shoulders and with a flick of her magic, the matched hat perched atop her head. Her eyes burned with a fire from within and for a moment the darkness was dispelled by the explosion of magic around her.. "The Great and Powerful Trixie... will do as you ask."

Part One

Ponies at Arms

By: GearheartHound

In every city and town in every world of the multiverse, there are those brave men and women who go out every day to try and keep the streets safe. Who put themselves in the line of fire so ordinary citizens don't have to. They do this not for glory or for personal gain; they do not seek out greatness. But every now and then, a terrible threat arises and those valiant few who stand between us and the dark, have greatness thrust upon them and they become... Heroes...

Sergeant Shrike fell from the sky and hit the cobblestones hard. With the breath knocked out of her she simply rolled painfully to a stop, looking over her shoulder in the direction she came. Her armour sagged on her frame from the powerful kick to her side. It never fit properly at the best of times, now it's dented and missing rivets which is coming out of my pay... she grumped and tried to struggle to her hooves. Ahead of her the oversized stallion took a few more steps before taking up a fighting stance.

“You have got to be kidding me...” She mumbled below her breath as the midnight blue stallion charged headlong towards her. She back-winged and pulled herself up at the last moment, kicking out with her back hooves to catch the stallion in the side. Shrike wasn't a frail mare; nopony who could rise to the rank of sergeant in any branch of the guard was a frail mare.

Her right hoof struck his rib and the left struck his shoulder, she felt the bones beneath her blow give and the stallion bellowed in rage before stumbling to a halt and turning to face her again. The evidence of the fight hung over every bit of his body. Hoof prints and spreading bruises were all overshadowed by his eyes which shone out with a malevolent green glow. The stallion limped a little with his broken shoulder but still pawed at the cobbles and made ready to charge anew.

“Why won't you just give up!?” Shrike yelled at the stallion, settling back to her hooves with her wings at their fullest extent from utter frustration. “You've got broken ribs... you shouldn't even be able to stand on that leg! Just give up so I can lock you up and go have a pint!” The crazed stallion still dug at the cobbled street with his hooves and made ready to charge. So wrapped up in his rage that he didn't notice the hulking shape easing up behind him.

In a swift motion, Constable Boulder, the largest pony on the force, used his full weight to pin the stallion to a wall. Shrike let out a sigh of relief and fumbled with her belt to grab her set of manacles. “What kept you, ya big lump?” She swiftly shackled the struggling pony as the glow in his eyes began to fade.

“I was just making sure Trusty was OK, Sarge...” Came the deep but soft reply. The sergeant sighed again. Boulder was a nice stallion, nearly to a fault. “He's fine... just a knock on the head.”

“Haul this guy back to the cells and get the doctor to have a look at him... I’m going to go get Star and Jammy. I know, I know.” She held up a hoof to silence the inevitable question. “It's their day off... but frankly I don't care... this is the third one of these this week and I’m getting tired of having my flanks trampled into the cobbles. I say we get some real help, write the castle if we have to.”

Sergeant Shrike turned and nudged her helmet off, letting her stone grey mane fall back into place. Without further ceremony she made her way towards the homes of her officers.

Sergeant Shrike looked around the room at her squad. The loyal servants of law and order in Equestria, the bold and the brave. She sighed and took a sip out of her coffee cup, savouring the hot bitter blend as it ran down her throat and brought a little feeling back into her limbs. Her eyes fell on each of her team in turn.

Corporal Trusty Spirit, the pale green unicorn, had been been her friend the longest. She could always count on Trusty to come through when the chips were down and to brew up a truly awful pot of the lifesaving coffee he was known for. Fittingly that particular talent which was represented in his cutie mark, a battered tin cup nearly overflowing with steaming brown liquid.

Constable Boulder. Calling him large was an understatement, but the big blue stallion had a heart as big as he was. He joined the guard to help ponies and didn't like to exercise his immense size or strength but when he did, the criminals noticed. A trio of heavy stones adorned his flank and, as was to be expected, he was solid as a rock. Unshakable, unbreakable, reliable and quiet.

Constable Jammy. The unassuming purple unicorn had a pair of cookies on his flank and a smile always on his lips. Everypony always called him Jammy, so much so that none could recall his real name. His special talent was baking cookies which honestly didn't say much. The stallion had survived countless collapses, fires, explosions, robberies. He had sustained more wounds in the line of duty than any pony in guard history. He always seemed to be able to pick himself up and carry on regardless.

Lance Constable Shooting Star, brash and headstrong, Shrike almost didn't hire the sandy colored pegasus but the mare had demanded a job, insisting that justice needed to be served and she was just the pony to dish it out. She reminded Shrike of another mare who had dared to join the town guard many years before, so she gave the pegasus a badge and wasn't disappointed.

She smiled to herself as her eyes traveled around the room and back to the cup in front of her. Misfits the whole lot of them, the bits and pieces that the palace guard had no use for, but honestly a finer bunch of ponies would be hard to find. Despite everything that failed to impress about her squad,She figured she owed somepony a debt of gratitude and counted herself a lucky mare.

“OK you lot... we had another rampaging stallion this morning.” The pale grey pegasus pulled a report across the duty desk and read it aloud. “At a quarter past ten this morning a stallion kicked down the door of the bakery on Trottingham Road. He had green eyes that appeared to be glowing was nearly frothing at the mouth. He assaulted the owner, stole several baked goods and was in the process of eating them when Corporal Trusty and Constable Boulder showed up.” She nodded to both stallions, looking up from the report, the former having a strip of bandage around his forehead. She smirked a little, “Dumb luck really, they decided to take an early lunch.”

“Yeah just my luck, Sarge...” Trusty chuckled and tapped his bandage.

Shrike gave him a sympathetic smile and continued with the report. “The stallion put up a fight, assaulting and incapacitating one officer before the chase ensued. I happened to be on patrol at the time and took the stallion into custody with the help of Constable Boulder. He's in the cells now, Dr Greenfields checked him over.” Shrike took another sip of coffee and closed the report. “That stallion was able to unleash a kick that knocked out a helmeted guard, he was still ready to fight with broken ribs and a shattered shoulder. Not to mention a few deep tissue bruises. Any one of those would put any one of us down for a while and he just kept raging.”

“Is it a potion again?” Shooting Star piped up, a grim look on her face.

“We're having his blood scanned, but yes... glowing eyes, thinking he's the biggest, strongest stallion in the world, ignoring injuries... sounds an awful lot like a potion to me, if only we knew which one we might know how to combat it... ” Shrike rubbed her forehead a little. The potions were something new in recent years. Designer drugs being cooked up by some shadowy back alley alchemists. The typical potions weren't all that harmful for the most part. Most of the time a pony on a potion high would just sit quietly and watch all the pretty colours. These new potions, on the other hoof, were terrifying. They gave ponies great strength and stamina, impossible resistance to injury and a deep need to beat the living daylights out of anything that got in their way.

Reports were coming in about similar incidents in some other cities and towns but there was no rhyme or reason to them. Average ponies from all walks of life, and all of those affected refused to comment after the potion had run its course. It was a nightmare for the guards. Anypony on the street could just turn around and kick his neighbour's head in, there was no pattern at all and nopony was talking.

“I know I promised you all a few days rest on and off but honestly... I can't rest well knowing my town could become a riot zone overnight. It takes almost all of us to bring down one of these crazed ponies. So from now on we take days off on a rota... one day off while everypony else is on shift...” There was a groan from the guards which Shrike silenced quickly. “And furthermore! Even if you're off, you hear the bell, you come running...” Shrike gave a harried smile and the guards calmed down a little. “You all are like family to me... and I want you all to start acting like it... we're all in this mess together. Now get out there and keep the peace.”

There were softly muttered comments as the guards filed out, all except Trusty who stepped up and refilled the sergeant's cup. “Like family, Sarge?” He raised an eyebrow and Shrike thumped her forehead against the table.

“You just shut up! I just pulled an all night shift and got my flank kicked around by some stallion on a magic high. I’m short staffed and stressed...” Shrike looked up to see her corporal's face turn up in a smile. “You stop that... stop that right this instant.” Shrike tried to keep the humour out of her voice as Trusty still smiled wider. “I don't care if it's a way to beat stress... the answer is and always will be no!”

“Your loss then, Shrike...” He said softly and leaned in to give his old friend a quick nuzzle which she returned. “I'll go check with the doc and see if the results are in, then you can go to the doc and get checked out... I see you favouring your back left.”

“You know I outrank you right?” Shrike spoke up with a soft smile still on her lips.

“Thought we were supposed to be looking out for each other like family, Sarge?” Trusty turned and trotted out of the office, leaving a laughing grey pegasus sitting at the desk getting into her second cup of coffee.

Princess Celestia, ruler of Equestria and bearer of the mantle of the sun, sat regarding the scroll hovering before her. The script was careful but carried real force. The pen had sputtered here and there and the paper was graced by what appeared to be a ring stain from a coffee cup. It was a source of amusement for her, the mannerisms her ponies had adopted over the centuries, and the letter before her was a sterling example. She read more from the paper and the various stains than from the words her pony had taken the time to inform her of.

“It seems like there are a great number of these... incidents... in Trottingham. More than anywhere else. The sergeant in command of the guard there is requesting help with the situation.” Celestia spoke softly and took another sip of her tea.

“We could send a detachment?” Her sister, Luna supplied, looking up from her book on modern Equestrian law and trying to stifle a yawn.

“I believe I have a better notion...” Celestia looked over at the clock on the wall and smiled. “It's not his nap time, perfect.”

“Your faithful student' and her friends?” Luna raised an eyebrow as Celestia retrieved her pen and parchment. “Don't you put too much faith in her abilities? I won't deny her power, but wouldn't a military solution be faster?”

“Faster, yes, but I've learned in all these long years not to exercise force unless absolutely necessary.” She began to write before looking over at Luna. “Besides, it's been awhile since I've sent Twilight on some insane quest to the far corners of common sense.”

Luna just rolled her eyes and got back to her reading as the princess sent the letter off to her student in a puff of magic. Luna smiled, “A thousand years of rule and you still haven't changed...”

Sergeant Shrike stood at the front of her guards. They looked more orderly now than they had in a long while. The 'one size fits nopony in particular' plate armour they wore was neat and there were at least a few attempts to bang out the dents and buff the rust off. Though each suit bore a crystal below the throat, the uniform spells had long ago worn out. Each had their unique coat and mane color shining through proudly.

“OK, everypony... Celestia's troubleshooter and her entourage should be arriving soon. Be on your best behaviour... that includes you, Star.” The dusty pegasus snorted a little in frustration but Shrike chose to ignore her protests. She looked around the public square and then to the horizon where the sky carriage approached.

“Permission to speak freely, Sergeant?” Came the voice of Trusty behind her, the unicorn for once standing at attention.

“Granted.” She answered without even turning her head, eyes fixed on the gleaming white coats and sparkling armour of the royal guards who pulled the transport.

“What have you heard about this... troubleshooter?” Trusty looked past his boss to the approaching shape and Shrike gave a little shrug.

“Some top of her class unicorn, she had something to do with Nightmare Moon and that mess at the Grand Galloping Gala. You know as much as I do Trusty, but Celestia assured me that she is the best.” Shrike took a breath to steady her nerves and put on her finest look of 'stone-faced official no-nonsense guards everywhere.' Without even the slightest fanfare, the carriage landed and a purple unicorn stepped out.

What took Shrike first was how young the mare was, her youthful fascination showed on her face as she smiled and trotted closer. As the purple unicorn was about to extend a friendly hoof, Shrike noticed from the corner of her eye as an orange mare in a cowpony hat left the semi covered flying vehicle. “Hello, I’m Twilight Sparkle and this is my friend Applejack and...” She paused and looked behind her for a moment before gazing up at the sky.

A blue blur was rocketing towards the town square at speed. Before Shrike could react, a savage wind whipped at her back and her fellow guard pegasus took flight to intercept. In all her years Shrike hadn't witnessed a dogfight quite so fast or quite that brief. Blows were exchanged at speed, the ringing clang of hooves hitting plate armour peeled like a bell over the street.

“Lance Constable!” Shrike snapped loudly and the fight stopped in a perfect tableau before separating begrudgingly. Shooting Star landed with a thump, panting hard from the effort of her flight, her armour looked disheveled, covered in newly acquired dents and it now hung oddly. She struggled up to attention as the other mare landed, her mane and tail were almost obnoxiously loud with every color of the rainbow. Twilight Sparkle sighed gently and indicated to the glaring blue pegasus. “And this is Rainbow Dash. We're here to help you with your rogue alchemist.”

Shrike shot a glare at her lance constable who didn't shy back, but only averted her eyes. “Glad to hear it...” She spoke slowly and turned back to the purple unicorn before her. “Constables Boulder and Jammy will get your bags to your rooms at the inn, not much to look at but it's got nice beds. If you three would like to come with me we can head back to the yard and I'll fill you in with what's been going on.”

Twilight gave a nod of approval before the remaining guards turned and headed back towards the guardhouse just off the main square. “It's a very nice town you have here, miss...?” Twilight asked with a smile before she heard a cough from the pale green unicorn beside her.

Shrike twitched a little, “It's Sergeant... Sergeant Shrike... and thank you. We try to keep the streets safe as we can. Not so easy a job these days.” She pointed with a wing over to the west.“Ever since they found coal in the hills near here, the town has been getting bigger and bigger.”

“Yeah, makes me wish I became a carpenter instead of a guard.” Trusty spoke up before nodding to the newcomers. “Name's, Trusty Spirit, Corporal Trusty if you please, and I'd be the sergeant's right hoof pony.” He nodded over his shoulder “And the sour grape in the back is Constable Shooting Star.” Star snorted but said nothing more in response.

“Pleased ta meetcha, Corporal... Sergeant... Constable.” Applejack nodded to each in turn and looked around the buildings. “It's a nice break from Ponyville, bein' in a real workin' town.”

Rainbow Dash was silent as was Shooting Star, the pair did nothing but exchange glares. Shrike decided to have a word with her constable when the newcomers had been settled in for the evening. Without further ceremony the trio of Ponyville's ponies were led into the Trottingham guardhouse, and they got down to the business of the potion problem.

Twilight sat with wide eyes at the end of the explanation. “So it turns a pony crazy? I've never heard of anything quite like this. Usually an alchemical substance doesn't do much more than heal a few wounds or make a pony feel less tired.”

“You can't be tellin' me that coffee is an alchemical substance.” Trusty took this opportunity to interject as he approached with a pot of his guardhouse special brew.

“Not now, Trusty...” Shrike sighed and accepted her cup. “And it does a little more than turn a pony crazy. I've seen ponies keep fighting with broken ribs, broken legs... one poor sod will walk with a limp the rest of his life if the cast ever comes off. There isn't much you can offer in the way of an explanation? I know Ponyville hasn't had an incident yet but this should at least be headlines in a few newspapers by now.”

“Ponyville is always behind the times.” Rainbow Dash sat near an open window, adopting an air of unconcerned disinterest while at the same time staying as far away from Shooting Star as she could.

Shrike stood and turned to look at the flag hanging on the wall of the small briefing room. The old material collecting dust. It had been a fixture in the guardhouse long before Shrike had joined. It was probably an antique by now. Shrike began speaking, almost to herself, “There is some pony or some thing out there brewing up a potion that turns mild-mannered citizens into unstoppable combat monsters. Sowing seeds of utter chaos and making my life miserable. I asked Celestia for help and she sent you three... so by Her will I am going to make use of you.” She thumped her hoof on the table and turned back to the assemble ponies, the light of inspiration in her eyes. “Applejack, you said you're a farmer?”

Applejack nodded, “A farmer through and through, Sergeant.”

“Then you're no stranger to hard work and long hours?” Applejack nodded. “Good! Head out with Boulder and Jammy starting tomorrow morning. We need a good strong pair of hooves if we get another mad pony crashing through my town. Find the Special Constable a badge, Trusty.” Applejack beamed with a little pride at the mention of a badge.

“Miss Dash, Constable Star... I don't care how much you dislike each other... you are both going to put it behind you and do your job... two pairs of eyes in the sky is a lot better than one. Tomorrow morning I'd like to see you both acting like adults.” Shrike turned and regarded both pegasai, Star nodded and Dash mumbled an agreement. “Sorry? I didn't catch that?” Shrike didn't like flexing her rank but her effort was rewarded by a more definite chorus of 'Yes, Sergeant.' “Good, Trusty make that two badges, oh and one for Miss Sparkle as well, you can meet me here come morning. Now... I've been on duty since this time last night so I’m going home... we start first thing in the morning.”

The ponies got up to leave, except Twilight who stayed at the table, “If its alright with you, Sergeant, I'd like to study the case files on these incidents.” Shrike raised an eyebrow and Twilight gave a meek smile in response. “I tend to keep late hours... and studying books and papers is really what I do best.”

“Alright, everything is on my desk here.” She pointed to the stack of papers. “Keep the lamp on out front and if anything comes up at all, ring the big bell on the second floor. We'll come running.” Shrike gave the purple unicorn an encouraging pat on the shoulder before finally trotting to the locker room to relieve her tired frame of her armour.

She didn't walk so much as stumble home, the sun already dipping low in the sky, the gas lamps along the sidewalk had already been lit. The long hours were beginning to get to her. She longed for the days when she was settling disputes between neighbors and trying to locate lost pets. She was nearly at the small townhouse she called home when she heard a familiar voice from behind her. Slowly she turned her soft green eyes to the stallion who had followed her.

“Nice night, huh Shrike?” Trusty smiled and Shrike shook her head, the stallion had even made a bit of an effort with his usually unruly blue mane.

“Not tonight, Trusty I’m really too tired for your games...” She sighed and turned back towards her waiting front door when she felt a gentle tug on her tail followed by the comforting feeling of a body pressed to her side. Despite herself her wings trembled a little.

“You had me worried earlier... you know that right?” He whispered in her ear and Shrike trembled slightly. “Facing down a crazed stallion by yourself. You could have had the stuffing knocked out of you... or worse...”

“Trusty... I’m a guard... that comes with the job...” Shrike pulled back a little before Trusty could sway her emotions further. “And stop this! Dammit Trusty I’m your superior officer!” Shrike took a step further back and looked into the eyes of her second in command.

“And you're my friend, Shrike... it's just you and me left from the old days. Ever since the old sergeant retired and moved to Celestia knows where...” Trusty wasn't phased, taking a deep breath he continued. “We're not kids anymore... you can't take a beating like Star or Jammy can... one more broken bone and you'll be behind a desk for the rest of your career. We need to start living while we still can...”

Shrike looked down and squeezed her eyes shut tightly. She wanted desperately to just say yes, to accept what was offered time and time again with a smile. She felt a tear beginning to form at the edge of her eye. “NO!” She snapped, stamping her hoof for emphasis, “I am not getting neck deep in a relationship with anypony, much less one I’m working with... so... so just... keep your hooves to yourself!”

Trusty's gaze fell, he gave a slow nod. “If you say so, Sarge...” Shrike felt the familiar pang in her chest as the green unicorn turned and slowly trotted away. She watched him go until he rounded a corner and slipped from sight. She felt like crying, she always felt that way whenever Trusty made his little proposals. It seemed like it was every other week that she was turning the persistent unicorn down. Ever since they had joined the guard together, she knew that Trusty loved her. The problem was for Shrike that the job always came before her own wants and needs, so much so she didn't even like to entertain the thought of Trusty as more than a dear friend and a fellow guardpony. Her thoughts wandered for just a moment, she shook here head violently dispelling them. She couldn't get involved. If she got involved it would cloud her judgment. What if she needed to send him on a dangerous assignment? What if he didn't come home? How much damage could that do to her already high-strung nerves?

“It's for the best...” Shrike mumbled, climbing the stairs to her home. “... For the best...” She spoke softly again as she slipped into the cold lonely rooms that were her life outside her job. Without even putting a meal together, she slumped into her bed and curled up trying not to stare at the empty space beside her as she gave up the struggle to stay awake and let sleep take her.

It was a cool but sunny morning as was to be expected with the fast approach of fall. The sun had crested the horizon a few hours before but what was strikingly odd was the silence, the all consuming lack of activity. No birds sang, no ponies went about their morning routines. Everypony was indoors and for good reason.

The clatter of steel-shod hooves sent up sparks along the cobblestones as a gangly red stallion charged mercilessly after a pair of purple unicorns. His eyes glowed an unnatural shade of venomous green and his breath came in clouds of steam despite the sun's warmth.

“So you have any fancy tricks in your bag, Miss Sparkle?” Constable Jammy managed to huff out the request, despite the burning feeling in his chest signifying that he was well out of breath.

“Nothing works! He just plowed through my best barrier spells!” Twilight wailed as she tried her hardest to pick up speed. “I don't know any combat spells... I’m a scholar not a battle mage!”

“And I doubt poofing a big cookie in his way is gonna do much to stop him... so that's my magic out too.” Jammy looked back over his shoulder and grinned. “We do have a few friends on their way it looks like.”

“Oh thank Celestia!” Twilight hazarded a glance backwards. She could see the cowgirl pony swinging her lasso ready for the take-down. As the rope looped around the stallion's neck, the unicorns slowed their charge. The rope snapped taut and strained before Applejack skidded along the cobblestones and winced as the loop of rope was nearly torn from her teeth.

Constable Boulder approached the struggling stallion while Applejack held him as solidly as she could manage. “Even tha' big bull back home ain't this strong!” She shouted past a mouthful of rope, Twilight thought she heard a good curse in there too.

“You hang back and watch him, Miss Sparkle... collect your information while he's still under the effects of that potion.” Jammy spoke as calmly as he could and trotted closer as Boulder narrowly avoided taking a solid buck in the face.

The guards closed in as best they could and Applejack used her hard won strength to start to coil the rope. The next several seconds passed like an eternity as the stallion jerked back hard, staggering the farmpony. He swung himself around and lashed out with both back legs catching the big constable in the side. While Boulder was wincing and stumbling slightly, the stallion jerked his head again and nearly knocked AJ prone, right in the range of his vicious kick.

The mad stallion lashed out with both back hooves but they never connected with the orange farmpony. Instead they caved in the armoured barding along Jammy's side. By the time the purple unicorn guard had hit the cobbles the mad stallion was sandwiched between the street and the bulk of the largest pony on the force.

“Jammy!” Twilight and Applejack cried in unison and rushed to the fallen stallion's side.

Slowly his eyes flickered open and he grinned. “Two lovely mares standin' over me? Must be heaven then.” Slowly he struggled up to the careful prodding of both mares. “See that... good old armour! Never let me down yet.”

“You are one lucky stallion.” Applejack tipped her hat as Jammy wobbled to his hooves.

“That's why they call me Jammy. I've gotten in more jams and gotten more wounds in the call of duty than any other guard in history and still standin' at the end of it.” He grinned and both mares smiled in mild appreciation of his sturdy nature.

“Uhh... if it's not too much trouble... could you bring that rope over here, Applejack?” The deep voice of Boulder, interspersed with his heavy breathing from the strain of holding a crazed stallion down, shook the others from their momentary respite. Within a few moments they had the red stallion bound solidly though he still struggled and frothed at the mouth.

“I've never seen anything quite like this,” Twilight ran a dose of magical power over the struggling pony, scanning his form for anything out of the ordinary. “His body is in overdrive... it's not magical... somepony has turned this stallion's own body against him.” The more Twilight scanned him the more the stallion's thrashing began to slow until finally he let out a groan.

“Ooooh... my head...” The previously hostile stallion tried to get up only to notice the bulk of the guard atop him and the surrounding accompaniment of ponies with badges. “Ooh.... umm... I surrender?” He offered a weak grin.

“So he started talking?” Shrike rushed through the streets with Twilight leading the way back to the cells. “And he seemed honestly confused?”

Twilight gave a nod in affirmative and held the door open for the sergeant. “He's also not as large or heavy as the others who were affected. It doesn't fit the pattern.”

“Did he tell you his name? Any information at all?” Shrike felt the rush of excitement, they were making progress, making sense of the whole situation, it was a lead and Celestia only knows they needed on right now.

“He said he's a crate hauler from warehouse thirteen. He didn't want to give his name because he's afraid you're going to send him to prison.” Twilight was stumbling a little to catch up to the sergeant who was all but sprinting at this point in anticipation of finally getting somewhere with this case.

Shrike grinned and nearly ran into the guardhouse and down the stairs to the cells. “We'll see if I can't get him to be a little more helpful.” Shrike stepped into the gloomy shadows and stood before the cell which contained the quivering shape of the red stallion. He's barely old enough to hold down a job, Shrike thought with a sigh before looking over to the small duty desk where Trusty sat pouring a cup of coffee.

“He's all safe and sound, Sergeant. Just thought I'd fix him up a nice cup of something warm.” Trusty floated a steaming cup before him as he approached.

Shrike looked at the tin cup and chuckled. “I thought we agreed we wouldn't torture the prisoners anymore, Trusty.”

The green stallion laughed and set the cup back down on the table. “Quite right, sergeant. No torture in this dungeon.”

Shrike turned her eyes reluctantly away from the stallion before her and back to the cell where the young stallion looked up and Shrike sighed. “You're Clayton Sands... you live three doors down from me. You still live with your mum.”

“Oh , please don't tell my mum.” The stallion in the cell wailed, holding his head in his hooves. Shrike saw Twilight bite her lip and look sadly down at the young stallion who sniffled loudly and continued “I don't know what happened... I just got so angry and when the guards showed up I wanted to fight all of them.”

Shrike sighed and nodded to Trust who unlocked the cell and let the sergeant sit down beside the shaking stallion. “You nearly did, Clay.” She closed her eyes for a moment before looking back at the red stallion with concern. “Clay, no offense, but you're as dumb as a sack of bricks but honest as anything... biggest thing you've ever been in a cell for was celebrating a little too loud on your eighteenth birthday. How in Celestia's name could you do what you did?”

“I dunno, Sarge...” He whimpered. “I never did anything wrong... well... occasionally grabbing a bottle of cherry soda if the boss isn't in. they got boxes and boxes... they won't miss a little bottle will they?” He smiled faintly and Shrike just sighed.

“You're a good lad, Clay... still dumb as a sack of bricks but a good lad...” Shrike looked up at Twilight and the purple unicorn gave a little smile. “You collected your data, Miss Sparkle?”

“I have more than enough information based on the residual potion in his system, I even think I can purge it from a source if I have the time.” She beamed and Shrike nodded,she was always thrown by scientific ponies.

“Alright then.” She looked back to Trusty who was sipping his brew with his trademark grin. “Trusty, get Clay tidied up and let him go home to his mum, if she asks just tell her he had an accident. Then we're all heading out to the Rotten Apple for a couple rounds of cider and a bite to eat. If that's alright with you and your friends, Miss Sparkle?” Shrike turned to Twilight and the purple unicorn smiled.

“Well I don't normally drink but I don't think there will be any objections.” Shrike nodded to Twilight and the pair made their way up into the guardhouse.

“... So that's how I got the four hundredth and twenty eighth wound in the line of duty. Still can't look at a banana without cringing.” Jammy finished his story and Twilight burst out laughing. She was red in the face as was AJ. Dash, on the other hoof was not. She and Star sat as far apart as possible trying not to look like they were having a good time. The head chef tonight was cooking up a storm and was turning out some rather spectacular vittles which were snatched up eagerly by all assembled.

The scene before her made Shrike smile. She had had her doubts about the mares from Ponyville but they were doing a good job of fitting in. She looked up towards the ceiling and let the warmth of the cider in her stomach and the laughter of her friends, both old and new, work to make her a rather happy mare.

“Sergeant Shrike?” The question, in the friendly drawl of the orange farmpony, roused Shrike from her momentary reprieve, “Is it true that Constable Jammy has more wounds ta his credit than any other guard in Equestria?” All eyes turned to her and she took a sip from her mug.

“It's true... he's got a commendation from Celestia's Lord Captain Drussard somewhere...” Jammy blushed modestly and scuffed his hoof on the floor a little. “Lucky sod hasn't even taken a day off for a cold since he signed on.” Shrike commented chuckling.

“Yeah Jammy,” Boulder rumbled with a chuckle and nudged the unicorn's shoulder. “You sure you're a unicorn and not just an earth pony with a bump on your head?”

The ponies descended into another laughing fit as Shrike finished off her drink and stood slowly. “If you lads... and ladies, don't mind... I could use a fresh pint.” Since nopony protested she made her way to the bar and set her pewter mug down for the barkeep to refill with the sparkling amber elixir he was famed for. Shrike pondered for a moment whether the apple farm Applejack worked on was the same one that the barkeep got his cider apples from. Just as she was about to turn and ask, she felt the familiar weight against her other side accompanied by a soft chuckle.

“Ever remember when we were that young, Shrike.” Trusty spoke softly, depositing his empty mug beside shrike's. The sergeant sighed and leaned a little against Trusty's side.

“Full of energy, ready to go... the old sergeant could barely keep track of us... tearing across town after sneak thieves or breaking up bar fights.” Shrike reminisced and blushed bright when Trusty gave a soft nuzzle just below her ear. “Hooves to yourself, Trusty! Bloody hell, it's cute when we're alone but not with the rest of them watching!” She snapped in a hoarse whisper and turned to look at the green unicorn.

Trusty just sighed and grabbed his full mug in the gentle grasp of his telekinesis. “Sorry, boss... must have been the drink... won't happen again...”

Shrike bit her lip as he turned and trotted back to the conversation. The pang of guilt and heartache slowly slipped into her again and she sighed, grabbing the now full mug and trotting to join the rest of them, just catching the end of one of Applejack's stories.

“... and then she said 'oatmeal?! Are you crazy!?'” Guards and special constables alike burst out in laughter and Shrike let the hurt fade away again. Even the pair of sour grapes, Dash and Star, joined in the laughter, forgetting their animosity for a moment. Shrike tried hard to put on a smile while ponies wiped tears of laughter out of their eyes and enjoyed the drink as well as the good company.

Constable Shooting Star tried to avoid looking at the special constable who was matching her pace off her left wing. It had been a tense and awful morning from the moment that the puffed up loud pegasus had showed up for her second guard patrol wearing her shiny new badge around her neck. Everything about that pegasus just grated on Star's nerves.

“So did ya see Twilight this morning, Man that pony was some kinda hungover.” Rainbow Dash laughed as she flew and Star sighed, looking over the buildings as she flew. The laughter died away and once again the calm sound of air currents overtook both pegasai.

“So what's the deal with those bells you guys have on your saddlebags?” Rainbow Dash's voice again broke the delicate calm with its coltish tone.

“Enchanted bells. We each have one and there's the big one at the guardhouse. If any one of them is rung, they all ring. If you hear the bell ringing then you drop everything and go.” Star supplied, trying to scan over the streets below for anything out of the ordinary.

“That's cool, call of duty stuff and all that.” Rainbow Dash floated leisurely through the air and Star sighed, trying to concentrate. “So, get into many high speed chases... or death defying stunts?” Dash piped up again and Star tried to ignore her.

“Giving me the silent treatment... I get it... you're just intimidated by being in my awesome presence.” Dash grinned and Star stopped mid-flight.

“You... you irritating... OK look... I’m a guard,” Star began, jabbing Dash in the chest. “I had to fight my folks and my friends who wanted me to become a weather pony like my mum just to get considered for recruitment. I demanded the job from the sergeant and she gave me the chance... and I haven't disappointed her. I've fought on rooftops in the rain. Moonlit chases through back alleys after armed thieves. And just the other week we managed to bring in one of those rogues, one of the Shadowbolts, who I happened to chase down all on my lonesome. I don't know why Celestia sent you here to help... just what can you do, Rainbow Dash?”

Dash back-winged like she had been struck, setting her jaw in determination. “You're talking to Rainbow Dash. I’m one of the living holders of the Elements of Harmony! We beat Nightmare Moon without breaking a sweat. I’m the only pony alive to break the sound barrier. And I saved the lives of three Wonderbolts, not to mention my friend and carried them to safety. Oh yeah, and won the Best Young Flyer competition in the process. You need something done and I do it! That's what I can do!”

Shooting Star grinned and held out a hoof. “Not too shabby... sorry for thinking you were some frilly pony but you gotta admit... your mane is kinda flashy.”

Dash laughed and bumped hooves. “Can't help the way you're made. They broke the mold when this filly was born.” She jerked her hoof in the direction of her chest and grinned wider, earning a chuckle from the constable.

Shooting Star was about to ask how she could have managed to break the sound barrier without being ripped to shreds when a familiar and very sobering noise caught her attention. The bell on her side was ringing.

“This way!” Applejack dashed ahead, and the two armoured guards followed close, hooves pounding on the cobblestones as the cloaked figure ducked from one alleyway to another, evading them with strange and worrying ease.

“AJ! Hang on a tic...” Applejack skidded to a halt and looked back as Jammy and Boulder slowed down to join her. “It's a blind alleyway... no way out... let one of us go first. If it's a unicorn with a crossbow, we stand a better chance at not getting speared.”

Applejack gave a nod and Boulder trotted around the corner slowly, followed by the lithe purple unicorn. Applejack slipped in third. It was a dark alleyway, shielded over the top by the houses on both sides, despite the time of day it was dark within. There was the sound of movement far ahead and the pair of guards gulped.

It was Jammy who trotted forward and cleared his throat. “Hello... Hello cloaked stranger.” He began. “Come out now... we're guards...”

Applejack slipped down beside the guard and gave a little nod which he returned. “By order of tha Princess, come out of there this instant!” The cowgirl pony bellowed loudly and there was an answering ”EEP” from in the shadows.

“A-Applejack? What are you doing here?” The shadows parted slightly and a cloaked figure blinked its soft blue eyes at the two guards and the familiar farmpony. A curl of striking pink mane poking out from under the hood. A box of cupcakes rested at her hooves.

“What am I doing here? What the hay are you doing here?” Applejack turned to the guards and sighed. “False alarm... it's a friend of mine. But that still doesn't excuse why she's sittin' in a dark alley in a cloak and hood.”

Pinkie fidgeted and looked down at her hooves for a moment before she let out a sigh and went back to grinning. “Aww ya caught me! I snuck away from Ponyville for the Big Baking Expo tomorrow and well... I just had to get some of these world famous cupcakes early. They're so good you can't possibly eat just one... but they're so luxurious and expensive... I just couldn't be seen anywhere eating them so I tried to find someplace private and ya caught me.”

“Is this normal behaviour for your friend?” Jammy looked between the pink pony and the town's newest special constable.

Applejack sighed and nodded. “Yup...”

When Dash and Shooting Star arrived, Pinkie was thoroughly interrogated. Shrike rolled her eyes through every fast paced and sugar dipped moment of it, staring down at the careful notes that Twilight had made about the similarities between the crimes and crime scenes. The three new special constables had proven themselves enthusiastic and capable if only a little inexperienced. The streets had been quiet since yesterday which more than helped after the struggle with their past few days.

“I’ve been so wrapped up in this whole potion mess that I forgot the Baking Expo was tomorrow... well that's just wonderful...” Shrike thumped her forehead on the table nearly upsetting her hundredth cup of coffee.

“Potion? What potion?” Pinkie Pie blinked innocently at the assembled ponies and Twilight cleared her throat to explain.

“It's an elixir which imparts great strength and stamina to a pony by inhibiting their pain receptors as well as causing the body to produce vast quantities of adrenaline and other...” She trailed off as Pinkie blinked in confusion at the purple unicorn. Twilight sighed. “It makes a pony very crazy and very angry and want to break things.”

“Oooooh that sounds super not fun!” Pinkie looked very shocked “Imagine if somepony got some of that nasty potion into the food or the drinks tomorrow? You'd have a whole town full of crazy, angry ponies who wanna break stuff.” The response was bubbly and high pitched but slowly every eye in the room turned towards Pinkie Pie who blinked. “What? Did I say something wrong?”

“Could it be that easy, Sarge?” Trusty looked back to Shrike who was beginning to grow pale.

“It would be complete bloody chaos... we'd have dead ponies on our hooves if it got that out of control... riots... bloodshed...” Shrike shook her head fast and slammed both hooves on the table. “Alright... worst case scenario time, chums.”

The ranks, including Pinkie Pie and three special constables stood at attention. Shrike's heart beat faster in her chest as she settled down in thought. “You lot split into teams... two ponies per, that's going to have to include you Miss Pie, nopony goes out alone, and I’m sorry ladies but I want one guard with each of you civilians. Get to the warehouses and to the main bakers for the event, dig your noses everywhere you can and see if anything has been tampered with.”

“What are you going to be up to, Sarge?” Trusty couldn't hide the note of concern in his voice as the conversation grew serious.

“I am going to get to the Mayor's office and then the Post. If I work fast I can have a message off to the royal guard in Canterlot before the mail pegasus leaves with the daily delivery. Now hurry the lot of you! Kick over rocks! Stir up trouble and remember, we don't have a clue who could be behind this.”

The guards and recent recruits raced out of the guardhouse leaving the sergeant sitting at her desk alone. She stared into her cup of coffee and shook her head slowly, choking back her regrets before she got down to the serious business at hoof.

The trot to the mayor's office was a sobering one. Shrike tried hard to keep a calm head as visions of the streets and houses in flames danced like perverse pageantry before her eyes. Shrike was a mare who loved the town she had grown up in. she knew every street and every back alleyway. Despite the recent expansion making it a town of hundreds now, it was still home to her. The thought of her world churning into chaos and bloodshed pained her on a very personal level.

She stopped for a moment and looked out over the festival square. There were workers neatly chalking lines on the cobblestones to mark the locations of vendors and other stalls which would be set up soon for the festivities. The centerpiece of the square stood proudly atop a marble pedestal. A life-sized statue of Princess Celestia which had been commissioned for the town's centennial celebration before Shrike was born. Seeing the image of the princess standing proudly, silent guardian and centerpiece of Equestrian life sent a little spark of hope to Shrike's otherwise battered and cynical heart.

Wasting no more time she climbed the stairs and knocked politely on the door to the mayor's third floor office. “It's open... please do come in, Sergeant.” The mayor spoke in his usual calm tone.

The sergeant opened the door and stepped inside, removing her helmet and hanging it on a hook on her saddlebag. “Sir.” She stood at attention. The mayor stood before the large picture window overlooking the square as he often did.

“I couldn't help but see you in the square. Everything proceeding nicely for the festival tomorrow I trust?” He turned and flashed a smile which was cheerful and ever so slightly unsettling. There was always something unsettling about the stallion.

“Actually... that is why I’m here, Sir.” Shrike began, though the mayor's smile didn't waiver in the slightest. “We have a... hunch that some of the refreshments for the festival have been tampered with.”

Now the smile fled the mayor's face. “You can't be serious, Sergeant... however could you have come to this information?” He stepped away from the window and sat before his desk, shuffling papers.

“It's still mostly a hunch...” Shrike set her brain in motion, filling in little blanks as best she could. “We brought in a young stallion who was under the influence of a potion but he didn't fit the bill of the rest of the ones we had brought in under the influence of the potion. He was... well to be honest... laughably thin and none too bright. He babbled on and on about not knowing what he was doing whereas the other potion users we apprehended were stone faced and silent about it. He said he worked at storage warehouse thirteen which holds some of the goods for the festival, at least so I’m told. One of our special constables from Ponyville just sort of suggested that if the food or drinks were tampered with then the situation would be out of control.”

“That is quite the theory, Sergeant. I do appreciate being kept in the loop about this horrible situation but if you will excuse me,” He was rising from his desk once more and trotting towards Shrike, motioning for her to leave the room. “I do have many, many concerns on my plate at the moment. There is a town to govern and a festival to organize.”

“That's just it, Sir.” Shrike stopped and looked into the eyes of the mayor, the eyes that still made her uneasy. “We need to stop the festival until we can be sure that it's safe... the public could be in danger.” The sergeant stood her ground and a small twitch caught at the edge of the mayor's cheerful smile.

“Now, now, Sergeant Shrike, there is no reason to panic. You said yourself that this is only a hunch, a theory. If we were to close down the festival for every single hunch or theory or bad feeling, then it would never go forward. It is tomorrow or never I am afraid Our weather service has a series of overcast days and rain planned for all next week, I can practically see the storm clouds on the horizon. The public is simply dying for the festival to go ahead and we must keep the needs of the common ponies above our own.” Shrike found herself being shoved from the office. “Now if you please, Sergeant. I am a very busy stallion and I simply must get my paperwork done.”

Shrike blinked as the door was closed in her face. She was so shocked she only stood blinking dumbly for a moment before she turned and slammed her hoof against the wall in frustration, leaving a small dent in the plaster. Again she had been brushed off, again a door had been closed in her face. “Not bloody fair...” She mumbled as she stormed down the stairs. The bitter cynicism taking hold in her heart again “Bet he would have listened if I was a stallion... or a bloody captain...” Shrike ignored the workponies in the square and made her way back to the guardhouse, desperately wishing she had a cup of Trusty's coffee to drown her anger. Shrike, to full of loathing and pent up anger to care where she was going, walked right past the post office without a second glance

“...So I turn the burner down when it turns golden brown? Well that explains the fires then.” Jammy chuckled while Pinkie Pie bounced beside him as they walked towards the warehouse district.

“Once all this crazy stuff is done, you're gonna have to bake me a batch of your double chocolatey chip caramel cookies, they sound super duper awesome.” The pink party pony said as she paused before the door to storage warehouse number thirteen. Jammy levitated the key into place and unlocked the double doors. Pinkie nudged it open with her rump which earned a nervous chuckle from the gangly unicorn.

“It would be a pleasure, Miss Pie. Alright then, last warehouse for the day.” Jammy's horn sparkled to life, casting a gentle glow around the crates of sarsaparilla and other bottled sodas which were neatly stacked along the walls. “Hmm... looks like all we've got here are the drinks for tomorrow...” The flickering light of his horn cast long shadows through the stacks of crates before illuminating the figure who stood in the long hooded red cloak.

“Meddling little guards, a pity, I had hoped to escape today without spilling any blood... personally.” Slowly the figure turned and flashed a predatory smile that gleamed white in the shadows of his hood, Pinkie Pie shuddered. Jammy took a step between his pink charge and the cloaked stallion.

“Nopony is getting hurt today... except maybe you if you resist arrest.” The purple unicorn kept his eyes plastered to those of the cloaked pony, speaking softly. “Pinkie Pie, grab the bell on my belt and ring it.” The pink pony gave a nod and drew closer, looking over at Jammy for the hanging bell. Jammy felt a gentle tug and for a moment he turned his eyes down to his pink friend.

In that instant it was over. Pinkie Pie's eyes widened and she flopped back onto her haunches, looking up at the cloaked figure. The pink pony reached up and touched her cheek, in the pale light which crept in through the high windows she saw the stark contrast between her pearly pink coat and the ruby red drips of blood which had splattered there. Her blue eyes drifted up again and took in the scene. The solid spike of steel which had been strapped neatly to the assailant's fore-hoof had embedded itself past Jammy's armour. The purple unicorn still had a look of shock on his face which slowly faded as the light fled from his eyes and he slumped to the warehouse floor.

“A pity..” The cloaked stranger said simply as he wiped the blood from his blade and set it back in position, hidden away.

“You..... killed him.” Pinkie sputtered out softly, her eyes overflowing in tears as she stared, eyes fixed, at her newest friend who lay in a slowly spreading pool of his own blood.

“Of course I did, my dear. I told you I would. It wasn't unnecessarily painful if that is any small consolation.” The stallion adjusted the hang of his hood and sat down, well away from the pool of blood. “You look like a bright young lady... do you want to know why I am doing this? The potions and the monsters?”

Pinkie had never felt terror like this before, never before had she seen life snuffed out in an instant before her. Her mane and tail had deflated and now hung limp over her, her usually colourful tones had become muted. Her senses drank in the sharp metallic tones of blood. She trembled and gulped before nodding.

“I am doing this for you... well for all ponies really... to free you all from the shackles of the monarchy... I must first prove that they are powerless to stop this loss of life.” The stallion paused and shook his head sadly as Pinkie began to tremble and cry. “Oh my dear... my apologies... this is far above your head isn't it... very well... but I can not have you following me.”

As he slowly stood the fear flowed back through Pinkie's form, her eyes grew wide and she shook her head quickly. Her voice barely came out as a squeak as the stallion reached below his cloak and slipped some gleaming metal onto his fore-hoof. “No, no my dear... no sense in denying it... it is time to sleep, little pony...” He wound a hoof back and smiled warmly down at the pink pony. Pinkie slammed her eyes shut tight awaiting the end of everything she had known, instead she felt the impact against her temple and then everything went black, she slumped to the floor in a heap. The cloaked assassin let the brass horseshoe drop from his hoof to clatter to the floor beside the dead guard and the unconscious filly before he put on his finest smile and slipped away into the shadows of dusk.

Shrike sat at the table with the other guards and the new special constables. Nopony spoke , the only sound was that of mugs being lifted and their contents being swallowed. There was the faint smell of cider in the air, Shrike would never normally allow for drinking in the guardhouse, but today was different, today was a dark day. For a moment her eyes lifted and she watched while the pink pony was carefully led away by Rainbow Dash, she had begun crying again and the Rainbow-haired mare had insisted she seek some rest.

“Still can't believe it... I mean... guards leave because they retire... but... never like this...” Trusty looked down into the swirling contents of his cup and gave a shudder. “Not since Comet and that was an accident... night patrol in the rain... lightning ran right through him...”

“It t'ain't right...” The orange earth pony spoke up. “Ponies don't kill ponies! It's tha biggest law in all Equestria... passed down by the lips a Celestia herself.” Applejack tipped back the rest of her cup and looked around at the assembled ponies.

“When I find that pony... I swear... I’m gonna-” Shooting Star began, wringing her hooves together before Shrike stamped a hoof on the table solidly to cut her off. Star's mug jumped from the impact, turned once on it's end and clattered to the table spilling it's contents where it fell.

“You'll what? Kill him too? Two wrongs don't make a right, Star.” Shrike leaned back a little and looked up at the ceiling before letting out a sigh. “We are out of our depth. Brass horseshoes are one thing, we get thugs with them from time to time but hoof blades are barred by royal decree. This is the work of a trained and well funded psychopath. We're just four guards and four young mares... we aren't trained to deal with this... and the mayor wouldn't even stop the festival. We're a bloody joke to these ponies.” Shrike cleared her throat when she realized that everypony was staring at her. “Look... being a guard only works because we... we sort of magic a little policepony in everypony's heads... that says 'If you do bad things, you're in trouble.' as long as we can keep up that illusion we are invincible. The second some crazy idiot realizes that a guard, taken unawares, dies the same as any other pony... the spell is broken and we're nothing but a social club with fancy steel clothes.”

“You can't be giving up...” Twilight Sparkle spoke up for the first time since they had found Pinkie Pie unconscious and Jammy far worse.

“Miss Sparkle...” Shrike sighed, “We aren't soldiers... we're guards... we keep the peace not fight monsters. It's taken all we have to hold them back one at a time. I can't imagine the chaos it would cause if there was a whole town full of rampaging monsters. I can't ask anypony to stand on those streets tomorrow, it's a death sentence.”

“We gotta fight, Sarge...” The soft voice of the large stallion to her left cut through her frustrated haze, she turned her eyes up to Boulder. “Jammy was my friend... my only friend... I say we fight like he would have wanted us to.”

Shrike looked around the table at the assembled ponies, each nodding in steely resolve before her eyes fell on Trusty who only grinned. “Let's do this one for Jammy, eh Sarge?” The green unicorn reached a hoof out and gently laid it atop her own. All Shrike could do was grin.

“You're all mad... brave as anything, but bloody mad.. Alright... we call this a night here and now... I want everypony to get a good night's rest and be up and awake before dawn. We meet here and get kitted out properly.” There was a round of nods and Shrike downed the last of her drink. “Alright then... you're all on leave until morning... use the time while you can... might not get another chance.”

The guards and ponies left to go about their business. Despite how awful her night had begun, she felt proud. She was leading again, she had a cause to fight for and she felt the fire in her blood like she had all those years ago when she first joined. She could almost picture the old sergeant passing over her shiny new badge. How it filled her with pride to hold the little copper shield in her hoof and look over the inscription 'To Protect and Serve'. It was the biggest turning point in her life, when she went from being Shrike the part time weatherpony to Shrike the guard.

She slipped out of the guardhouse and was about to head back home when Trusty stepped out from behind a waiting wagon and gave Shrike a sad smile. “Sergeant... before you say anything, I know you told me to keep my hooves to myself... more than once...”He began and Shrike bit her lip gently. “But you don't expect us all to make it out... you're expecting it to be our last stand...”

“Trusty... we have to be realistic... this is more than we can handle on our own. We need to be ready for the fact that we might not be coming home tomorrow night... this could be the end of it...” Shrike spoke softly as Trusty took another careful step closer and put up a hoof to silence her.

“Look... if it is the end... if we're not going to make it... then... I need you to know how I feel...” Shrike's heart began to beat faster as Trusty stepped close before her and rested a hoof softly on her cheek. “It's not just flirting, Shrike... it never was... I loved you from the moment I saw you in the recruiting line... and if I’m gonna die tomorrow I want you to know that I still love you... all these years later... in spite of all the times you've shot me down.”

Shrike couldn't hold it back any longer. She had always known how he felt but to hear the words, to watch as he laid his heart bare to her was too much. She cried, silently but unashamedly, letting her emotions run free for the first time in a long time. “I'm sorry...” She whispered.

Trusty gave a nod and took a step back, looking over his shoulder. “I suppose I should let you be... I've said my piece...” He stopped when he felt a soft tug on his tail followed by the gentle pressure of a warm body pressing against his side.

“I'd like your company tonight...” Shrike whispered, not believing the words had come from her own mouth. “If it's going to be my last night alive... I think I should let this handsome stallion know that I feel for him what he feels for me... all these years later... I just hope he forgives me.”

Both mare and stallion turned, looking into each others eyes for only a moment more before they pressed close for a kiss, a kiss that had been a long time coming.

The silvery light of predawn shone off the early morning dew making the town glisten like it was fashioned from crystal. In the town square stood four guards and four young mares. The fillies from Ponyville having accepted a few pieces of armour that had fit more or less, though everypony looked unprepared for the consequences of the day.

The workponies were already setting up for the Baking Expo amid the sound of carefully poised orders of the stallion in charge. Shrike turned to look at her ragtag squad and grinned. “Alright... all of you ponies stick with me. I need to give the mayor one more chance to close down the festival before we do it for him.”

Shrike turned back and took a breath to steady herself before trotting towards where the mayor stood issuing orders about what stalls or vendors would be set up where. He looked neat and tidy as always, prim and proper. Shrike cleared her throat and put on her no nonsense face once more. “Mr Mayor?”

The stallion looked over and rolled his eyes. “Oh not this again... Sergeant Shrike... we can not stop the festivities because of this circumstantial evidence so if you would please get out of the way.” He turned back towards the workponies.

Pinkie Pie froze, scratching her chin, she whisperedto Twilight. “That sounds familiar... I don't know where I heard that voice before.” Twilight tried to nudge Pinkie Pie and get her to be quiet while Shrike said her piece.

“Mr. Mayor!” Shrike said with force, the mayor turned with exaggerated slowness to face her once again, “We have strong reason to believe that the refreshments have been tainted by the potion which has been affecting select ponies in town these past few weeks. It is in the best interest of safety that we halt the proceedings until we can be sure it is safe.” Shrike puffed up her chest as much as she was able, the mayor rolled his eyes again.

“Sergeant... I appreciate your interest in public safety.. Goodness knows we are grateful to you and your squad for rounding up these isolated cases of madness, but I am afraid I must ask you to step down. I am relieving you of duty for the remainder of the festival.” Shrike's jaw fell and the assembled ponies stifled a gasp of shock. “This festival is for the benefit of all ponies, Sergeant.” The mayor smiled warmly.

Pinkie Pie froze up again and nudged Twilight more urgently. “I know I've heard that voice before, Twilight this is important!” The purple unicorn looked at Pinkie Pie and then back to the mayor with a bit of annoyance.

“I... I can't let you do that, Sir... I have a duty to perform...” Shrike stuttered, one hoof reaching up to touch where her badge hung.

“So we are at an impasse...” The mayor sighed gently “As a duly appointed representative of the city I am hereby terminating your service with us. Your badge please Miss Shrike?” The mayor put out her hoof expectantly. Shrike reluctantly unclasped her badge and looked down at the tarnished brass and the inscription which had filled her with pride and duty. Squeezing her eyes shut tight she passed it over to the Mayor. “Thank you Miss Shrike, really such a pity .” The mayor trotted away shaking his head and making a tsking sound, leaving a bewildered Shrike staring at her hooves.

The guards turned to their leader and Pinkie Pie gasped loudly, grabbing the nearest pony, who just happened to be Twilight, and whispering harshly in her ear. “It's him... I’m positive... I know his voice... it was him!”

Shrike rounded on Pinkie Pie and looked deep into her eyes. She looked for any hint of falsehood but found none, all doubt was washed clean as Pinkie opened her mouth and spoke nine soft words. “It was him, the pony who killed my friend.”

Rage began to boil up in the ex-sergeant, she looked back towards the mayor as he trotted away and then up to the sky. The weather team had left a partly cloudy day to help ease the warmth of the sun for the festival goers. With a grin a plan began to form. “You lot... I’m not in charge anymore... but I’ll be damned if I’m letting this bastard get away with whatever he's planning.” She turned her gaze to the rest of her friends and each gave a nod in turn. “Alright then... Dash and Star... get up there and smash as many clouds together as you can, pull them in from wherever you can and make sure they're full of rain. I want this festival spirit drowned before it starts. If any weatherpony tries to stop you then flash them your badge and tell them to get indoors or better yet, tell them to lend a hoof.”

The two pegasus ponies saluted and took to the air at speed, Shrike's grin turned to the rest of her team. “Now... we've got plenty of help here... six ponies against one middle aged stallion, even if he's trained and armed the odds are on our side. We're going to find the mayor and put a stop to this.” There was a chorus of agreement and Shrike reared up before turning and charging in the direction of the mayor's office.

The office door caved inward under the force of Applejack's hooves, soon the ponies stood in the spacious room staring at the stallion as he pulled the last buckle in place and examined the heavy iron blades which sat ready to spring at any moment. “Ah... Miss Shrike... I had hoped you would all join me... that's why I let that little pink pony live, I thought it only a matter of time before she recognized me.” Pinkie Pie snarled in anger as Twilight placed herself between her and the mayor as he continued. “As servants of the general populace you should appreciate what I am trying to accomplish.”

“Wiping out a whole town? What good could that possibly serve?” If Shrike hadn't been fighting mad before, she certainly was now. The guards spread out gradually as she pawed at the floor and let her wings spread to their fullest extent.

Shrike stopped her advance when the mayor laughed, deep and resonating. He paused to wipe a tear away from his eye before turning his icy grin on the grey pegasus. “Oh my dear... one town? No, no, no, most certainly not. This is just a test... the true target is Canterlot itself. Dear Celestia's city will be in flames. Her guards helpless to stop the carnage and all eyes will turn to her.” His grin turned much darker. “ 'Why could you do nothing?' 'Why don't you stop this?' 'Why would you let this happen?' They will all plead in the streets and finally they will all see what I have seen from the beginning, that the monarchy has outlived its usefulness. That Celestia is nothing more than a greedy fat creature, gorging herself on our praise and adoration.”

It took a quick grab from Applejack to stop Twilight from rushing in to beat the mayor senseless with her own hooves. He only chuckled. “When she has been stripped of her crown by her beloved public... Then shall responsible government step in to ensure a fairly run Equestria.”

“No government run by you could be 'fair, we will put a stop to this, right here... right now.” Shrike narrowed her eyes and took another step closer. “This is your last chance... end this now. There are six of us and only one of you.”

All humour fled from the mayor's face, he set his jaw with a grim kind of glee, for the briefest moment, his eyes blazed green. “Then perhaps you should have drafted more recruits...” Faster than anypony had any business moving, he lunged. Shrike barely had enough time to shift her body to the side. Her eyes flashed back to his position but he was moving again. He struck Twilight and Pinkie Pie like swatting flies and the pair of mares sailed through the air and struck a bookcase solidly. They were soon joined by a green unicorn as Trusty was flung like a discarded rag doll to land amidst them in a heap. Shrike could hear the cries of the purple mare as she tried to stand on what must certainly have been a broken leg.

Boulder reared onto his hind legs and brought both fore-hooves down using every ounce of his strength but the unnaturally fast pony was already in motion, already dodging and delivering a staggering kick to the blue stallion's midsection. Applejack had slightly more luck as her back hooves lashed out with, what must have been, years of practiced skill. There was a crunch as hoof met flesh. The mayor staggered back as Applejack sagged and landed solidly on her stomach. The grim visage of pain gripped her features as she dragged herself further from touch. For a brief moment there was a glimmer of armor below the mayor's clothing. Any guard could tell you how painful it is to buck steel.

Spurned on by the damage to his friends, Boulder swung again and this time his hooves did connect with force, the psychopath was sent back several steps. His grin had not wavered though, Shrike could see his breath was slightly laboured. The ex-sergeant crouched and sprang hard, driving her fore-hooves with every ounce of strength she had. She connected with his shoulder and could feel the damage being done though admittedly to herself as well.

The next sound sent a chill down her spine, she back-winged as hard as she could manage. The metallic click of a blade slotting into place filled the air before he swung. She could feel as the tip gouged a slim line in her armour but she was in the clear in time. The mayor received another punishing blow from the blue stallion but this time Boulder wasn't prepared to dodge. The arc of the blade carried it downward and bit deeply into his shoulder.

He bellowed in pain and staggered backwards, landing firmly against the wall. The mayor stood panting, still grinning and carefully wiping the blood from his blade. Shrike grit her teeth and dropped back onto her hooves. “There is no way anypony could be that fast or that strong... you dosed yourself didn't you?”

“But of course...” He grinned and took a step closer to the pegasus. “What would be the point of having a potion to empower ponies... without perfecting it for my own uses. No madness or foaming rage, simply the power to topple goddesses.” He lunged forward again. It was a split second maneuver and Shrike didn't have the option to dodge. She reared onto her hind legs and struck out with a hoof. Her blow was perfectly on target gouging viciously into his eye.

Her smugness at injuring her opponent was short-lived as she let out a gasp and shuddered. A quick glance down told her that a heavy blade was puncturing her armour and had imbedded itself in her side.

Both opponents stumbled away for a brief moment, Shrike gasping for breath as the pain seared through her. It was worse than she had experienced in all her long years. She forced herself to breathe, trusting the adrenaline in her system to carry her through till the end. She felt so very out of breath.

The monstrous pony before her shook the stars out of his eyes and looked at the former guardsmare with a half grin. His left eye already beginning to swell closed. “That would be a collapsed lung... rather hard to breathe isn't it... but sadly, not fatal....” He advanced and Shrike noticed his slight limp, their punishing blows were having an effect. Or maybe his potion was fading... She shifted away, trying to weigh her options. “I am afraid this is the end... you have given me nothing but trouble and I will not shed a tear for your passing.”

“I won't let you... hurt any more ponies.” Shrike breathed, spotting her chance and grinning just a little. “This is my town... and my friends. You made the biggest mistake of your life when you brought this hell to my doorstep... but I only have one thing to ask.”

He smiled sweetly and settled onto his haunches for a moment. “And what would that be my dear?” Shrike grinned wider.

“Can you fly?” Before he could react she dug in her hooves and plowed into the stunned pony at speed, using everything her wings could give her to propel her and the mayor towards the large window overlooking the square. He had no purchase in the open air, all he could do was struggle as the glass shattered and the pair plummeted from the third story.

Shrike felt a titanic tug at the last moment and she stopped nearly dead in midair as the other pony sailed onwards. She watched with a grin as he landed, stomach up, onto the bronze statue of Princess Celestia standing proudly on the marble pedestal in the center of town. He had only a moment to muse about his position as he looked down to the metal monarch's life-sized horn which now jutted in its entirety from his chest. He chuckled a moment more and slipped out of existence.

Shrike felt the burning in her side and the world beginning to grow dark. She was sure she had lost a lot of blood and the persistent pelting of the rain wasn't doing much to staunch the flow running down over her flank. She looked down to the cobblestones and mused about why she wasn't falling but the gentle floating of unicorn magic was easing her back towards the window before she could ponder it for long. She turned her tired eyes and saw a green unicorn, helmet missing, with his scruffy blue mane swaying in the breeze. It was the last thing she saw before her various body parts lined up and cashed their cheques. Not caring about her dignity at the moment, she passed out cold.

“Sweetheart... hey... Shrike you need to wake up now.” The voice softly tugged the mare from her slumber and she blinked her eyes up at the stallion who leaned over her. His eyes sparkled happily and he leaned close to rest a warm kiss against her lips. “Hey... you were starting to worry us... again.”

Shrike blinked at the kiss and slowly took in her surroundings. She was home, resting in the warmth of her own bed with the gentle glow of the afternoon sunshine resting on her cheek. The only pony around was Trusty. “How long...” She managed to croak softly before struggling upright. In an instant she wished she had just stayed on her back. A lance of pain shot through her side and she snapped her eyes shut tight.

“Whoa whoa, easy now. You've only been out a few hours. You got a nice patch job from the doc but it's still going to be sore for a few weeks.” Trusty gave a little grin and slowly helped her into a more comfortable position. She couldn't help but notice the tears in his eyes.

Carefully she reached a hoof up to brush one away and he responded by clutching her hoof softly to kiss along it and mutter softly. “Damn glad you're awake... and damn glad this whole thing is over... heh... you did it...”

“Feels like I did...” Shrike groaned and shook her head before batting at the green unicorn. “And enough of that mush you great big softie...” Try as she might she couldn't hide the smirk on her lips. Slowly she snuggled back into the warmth of the bed and of the stallion at her side. “Mmm... so why do I need to get out of bed again?”

“Oh!” Trusty suddenly looked a little panicked. “ Princess Celestia is waiting in the festival square, she wants to give you a medal or something.”

Shrike blinked for a moment then leaned up and began to nibble softly on Trusty's ear. “Tell her I’m busy...” The green unicorn turned several shades more red and coughed gently.

“It's... it's not... I can't... not get you...” His resolve slipped slowly before he pulled his head away with a grin. “I gave you an order ma'am.”

“An order...?” Shrike replied flatly and Trusty grinned even wider.

“The mayor fired you... which means I’m the chief of police until we can find a replacement...” the stallion held a hoof to his chest smugly indicating her old badge clasped to it, “They found it on the mayor when they were, uh... extracting him.” Shrike sighed before wiggling away as much as the pain in her side would allow. Swallowing her pride and accepting the gentle help from her lover to get back onto her hooves.

Carefully the pair made their way to the door and once it was open Shrike had to blink at the bursts of colour which shone from every home and every archway. The whole town, or very nearly that, stood in the streets outside her home and each cheered as the grey guardsmare took tentative steps down the stairs from her front door. The crowd parted and every mare and stallion bowed their head in appreciation as Shrike strode slowly towards the square.

Ponies who she had barely seen or had barely known clapped their hooves and said their congratulations and thanks. She was awestruck. With a few more stumbling steps she reached the town square and was quickly overwhelmed in a crowd of her friends. Every remaining guard as well as the four mares from Ponyville nearly suffocated the grey pegasus in a group hug.

“My little ponies, give the poor sergeant some room to breathe.” A nearly angelic voice cut through the clamour and slowly the group separated to look upon the Princess of ponykind in the flesh. Shrike tried to remember a time she had seen Princess Celestia in the flesh and found she couldn't. Doing the respectful thing, she bowed with a visible wince.

“Princess...” Shrike tried not to sound like she was in too much pain but failed miserably, Celestia stepped closer and carefully helped her stand once more.

“My brave little guard... there is no need to bow. Especially if it makes you suffer.” Celestia smiled and Shrike couldn't help but feel her spirits being lifted. The princess looked at the assembled heroes of the day and then back to Shrike. “So my faithful student tells me you are a true hero. A mare willing and able to win the day despite overwhelming odds... is this true?”

All Shrike could do was blush and cough nervously. “Just doing my job, Your Majesty...” She mumbled and Celestia chuckled.

“From what I recall of the code of guardponies, I did write it after all, is that you are meant to keep the peace and assist ponies in need... not leap out of windows and defeat monsters.” She looked back at the ponies from Ponyville and smiled.

New-found friends Dash and Star stood proudly side by side. Applejack stood between the impressive shape of Boulder and the grinning bundle of energy that was Pinkie Pie. Both learning hard lessons about the nature of life and the value of sacrifice. Twilight Sparkle who was using a little magical help to stand on her newly mended leg, had learned first hoof the deepest meaning of friendship. Celestia turned her eyes back to those of the mare before her.

“You have done a great thing here today, saving the lives of many ponies.” Celestia began speaking gently but paused when Shrike lowered her eyes.

“Not all ponies...” The former sergeant sighed. “We lost a good stallion... a brave stallion... and nothing can bring him back. We're not looking for glory or to have our names in the record book. We just want to do our job and be thanked for doing it...” Shrike couldn't help but see a little movement in Celestia's personal guard as the large pegasai looked back and forth between themselves.

Celestia looked to the sky as if deep in thought. “Then recognition you shall have...” Celestia raised her voice and the crowd fell silent in an instant while the living goddess spoke. “Ponies of Equestria, on this day I usher in a new holiday. A holiday to honour those brave mares and stallions who work tirelessly to keep your streets safe. For if they admit it or not, they are all heroes in their own right and on this day and every year hence, they will be honoured on this Day of Heroes!”

A cheer rose from the crowd and Shrike smiled just a little, looking back at her green stallion who could only shrug and maintain his usual grin. “And furthermore... I confer on you the rank of Captain, with all privileges and rites there afforded. And... if my memory serves me that would make you-” Celestia began but was cut off by a soft whisper from Shrike who looked wide eyed up at the princess.

“F-first... female captain in centuries...” The grin couldn't be wiped from her lips as Celestia nodded.

The princess leaned close and whispered in her ear. “You deserve it.” Shrike did her best not to squeal like a schoolfilly as Princess Celestia waved her horn in the air and a shiny new badge with 'Captain' inscribed upon it swirled into existence. Celestia stood back up to her regal height and looked at the assembled townsponies and guards.

“Let the celebrations begin!” her words were nearly drowned out by another cheer which rose enthusiastically from the crowd.

Shrike sat back as the food and newly purified drinks flowed and ponies of all ages danced in the streets. Some of Celestia's personal guards strode without their helmets on, laughing amongst themselves or enjoying the relaxed atmosphere.

Twilight and the other fillies from Ponyville sat around the princess, sharing stories about their brief time as guards. Shrike smirked, she had let them all keep the badges under the promise that if she needed them again, they would all come running.

Her attention was drawn away as a battered tin cup was set on the table beside her. She looked up to Trusty who snapped off a textbook salute. “Captain.” he couldn't stop himself from grinning.

“At ease...” She smirked in return and sipped her coffee. “Hmm... your coffee is still awful, Sergeant.”

“I love you too, Sweetheart.” He replied with a grin as always.

The End

Part Three

Ponies At Arms
Part Three

By: GearheartHound

In every universe there are dark days, days when you struggle to find the bright side of anything. Even in the magical land of Equestria where citizens love, laugh and play even on the bleakest days of the calendar. Today was just such a day. It was raining for the second day in a row and the air was growing colder. A single unicorn stallion looked out the window of his accommodations at the droplets of water sliding down the other side of the glass. He cradled his coffee cup tenderly in his telekinetic grasp and sipped it without much enthusiasm. Across the small table from where he sat was an empty place and a full cup of coffee going untouched, he had poured it for his marefriend as he always did, but this morning she wouldn't be joining him... he chocked up a little at the thought.

It's not your fault Trusty. You did what you had to do. It could have been a lot worse if you weren't there. All the words of the doctors and the nurses, of Shooting Star and Twilight Sparkle. Of all the ponies who had escaped yesterday with only bruised feelings. But deep down Trusty knew that he had failed. He hadn't caught her when she fell.

He drained his cup and closed his eyes, just taking in the sound of the rainfall and trying to smother his thoughts before they rose up and dragged him down any further. He could just feel the edges of his consciousness being tugged softly by sleep when there came a knock at the door. With a sigh he rose to answer.

Standing in the hallway of the small Canterlot hotel in which he had been granted a room for his much needed rest, Fluttershy stood sheepishly with a singleCanterlot Guard Constable who looked as implacable as always. Fluttershy looked like she had been crying on and off and she clearly wasn't getting the sleep she deserved. “Ummm... Sergeant Trusty... they sent me to get you... ummm that is... if you want to.” She looked down and scuffed a hoof softly on the floor. He could see the guard trying to hold back the desire to give her a hug and tell her that everything would be alright.

“I’m not much use sitting here, Fluttershy...” Trusty smiled and left the room, closing and locking the door behind him. “Lead the way!” He managed a cheerful smile, knowing full well which way he should go. The long path to the hospital was burned into his memory from the long walk he had taken away from the most occupied ward the night before.

Nopony spoke as the trio walked down the empty streets, moving from one awning to another to avoid the worst of the rain. Finally they reached the large white building. Almost out-of-place in the beautiful architecture of Canterlot. A large cube made out of white stone, efficient and clean were the feelings it conveyed, as well as the nagging feeling of unfriendliness.

“I’ll leave you to it then if that's alright Sergeant?” The Canterlot Guard gave a little bow and Trusty nodded to him. “A pleasure to meet you Miss Fluttershy.” He bowed a little too deep, hiding his reddening cheeks before the pegasus left at speed. Fluttershy watched him go and smiled.

“He seemed... nice.” She smiled gently and Trusty could only chuckle before finishing their little journey to the ward which had been commandeered by the Trottingham Guard.

Trusty was never a fan of doctors or of hospitals. He even avoided Dr Greenfield's little two room clinic in Trottingham if he could help it. He closed his eyes and steeled himself as best he could before he pushed the door open and took a good, long look around the room. The girls from Ponyville were spread around the room, some looking after little tasks or trying to kill time. Shooting Star was in the process of retelling her aerial battle with the gryphon to an eager Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. Twilight was reading, as he expected, and the white unicorn Rarity was sitting at the bedside of AJ who looked half awake with all her bandages on and some rather nice painkillers no doubt running through her.

Trusty felt the breath catch in his throat as he looked over to Constable Boulder who was separated from the others by a white curtain. A mask on his face supplied him with air. Each corner of his hospital bed supported a host of bright helium balloons in every colour, shape and size one could buy. It brought a little smile to his lips but then Trusty remembered what the nurse had said. Severe trauma to his face with many small fractures. It's a miracle he didn't die instantly. Trusty let his eyes close while his hooves carried him forward, when he reopened them he was standing beside the last bed in the room, he dared not look.

“She'll be alright, lad...” Came the deep voice behind him as Lord Captain Drussard limped slowly to Trusty's side. “Lost a lot of blood and took a blow to the head but she'll live. That doctor pony said she'd be up by day's end and fighting fit in no time.”

Trusty let his eyes open and looked down at Shrike. She looked peaceful. Were it not for her chest rising and falling slowly he would have sworn the mare was dead and gone. “I won't be, Sir...” The green unicorn managed in a hoarse whisper. “I failed her... I should have been faster... should have done something...”

“We all have our regrets... some far more than others, but we can't let them consume us. And to be honest... it was too fast to block... far too fast. I fell for the same trick myself the last time Fiona was free,” Drussard limped closer. “This time, though, she was well rested and ready to tear ponies up to get what she wanted but far out of practice. When I met her before, she was fighting fit and a lot younger, it took the lives of five officers and the efforts of dozens more before she was captured. Had to nearly kill her to do it, in retrospect perhaps we should have.”

Trusty sighed and knelt down, reaching a hoof out to take Shrike's gently. “Have you ever loved somepony? Watched out for her for years... then all of a sudden you nearly lose her twice... watch her life dwindle away.”

“As a mater of fact yes...” Drussard sighed and patted Trusty on the shoulder.

“What did you do?” Trusty looked up in surprise at the much older stallion who only chuckled.

“What do you think I did, Lad? I married the filly. Keep calm and soldier on, as my old sergeant used to say. You can't have anything without both the good and bad.” Drussard straightened up and looked towards the door for a moment. “That being said... I have been granted some leave to rest and recuperate and I intend to take it at home. I have a little some of the aforementioned 'good' to enjoy.” Both Captain and Sergeant bowed their heads and the older stallion left. Trusty turned his eyes back to Shrike who was beginning to stir.

“Horseapples...” She groaned and let her eyes flutter open. “Second time this happens and I still wake up to your face... must be something wrong with me.” She managed a little smile and Trusty leaned close to press his lips to hers in a much wanted kiss. It took a gasp and the noise of shuffling hooves to draw their attention away from the embrace.

Princess Luna walked slowly into the ward, looking at the guards and the assembled Elements of Harmony. Twilight was on her hooves in an instant and standing beside the indigo alicorn. “Princess Luna! We weren't expecting you.” Carefully Trusty helped Shrike back on her hooves, she was a little shaky standing but very insistent that she not be laying down in the presence of royalty. She, nonetheless, leaned heavily on the green unicorn which he wasn't minding in the slightest.

The Princess smiled at Twilight before leaning away and letting loose a truly impressive yawn which she completed with a shake of her head. “Oh, my apologies... we have... I mean, I’ve just not been getting much sleep. I have come to speak to all of you.” Her eyes surveyed the room as anypony who could walk clustered before the Princess. Her eyes stopped, however at the bed surrounded in a shroud. “Oh no...” She whispered, true heartache creeping into her words as she pushed past the other ponies and stood at the bedside of the recumbent Constable Boulder.

She snatched up the medical board hanging from the end of the bed and bit her lip as she read it over. The guards and Elements of Harmony crowded closer around Princess Luna as she set the board back in its place. “The damage is too delicate for healing magic...” She whispered and closed her eyes tightly. “This is horrid... this is monstrous... had I known I would not have-” She stopped herself and turned back towards the waiting ponies with a look of desperation on her face.

“These are dark days and even darker times which have fallen on Equestria, monsters have been roused and set to work on their dark tasks and ponies suffer for it. This will not stand.” She stomped a hoof on the marble for emphasis, “Captain Shrike, I have a new mandate for your stalwart troops.” Luna turned her burning emerald gaze onto the grey pegasus and Shrike did her best to stand at attention.

“I am placing you personally in charge of the investigation into these terrible events,” Luna continued, her wings unfurling as her anger and frustration began to mount. “Use any resources you see fit, all of the Royal Guard are at your disposal for the task. This is a royal mandate, this is my word and my oath as Princess of Equestria. Justice will be done and these terrible events will come to a rapid close. For the duration of Captain Drussard's respite I am granting you his rights and privileges.”

Every pair of eyes turned to Shrike who looked like she was trying desperately not to faint. “You can count on me, Princess...” She managed with a grin.

Trusty looked at her and tried his best to whisper “Are you sure Sugarlump? You were basically in the reaper's hooves not twelve hours ago”

Shrike in reply a little louder than was necessary and staring the Princess in the eyes “I said you can count on me”. Luna nodded softly in approval.

“Good. Now, I have come with information about the mastermind behind this that we have gathered from that wretched gryphon.” The Moon Princess waved her horn and drew a nearby table closer to lay out what she knew.

Captain Shrike sat still at the desk in her room, looking down at her new badge laid upon it. She half expected it to sink through the desk under the weight of all the responsibility it held. It was an ancient design incorporating both the sun and the moon, Luna had personally found it in the archives for her. Since she wasn't a Lord, or even a Lady for that matter, she couldn't take up Drussard's title so one had been resurrected for her. The inscription read, Knight Paladin.

In a few short months she had gone from a Sergeant, never dreaming she would ever be promoted, to the mare who outranked all of the guards of Equestria save for Celestia's right hoof pony, Captain Drussard. Despite the almost routine savage beatings, she was waiting patiently for the other hoof to drop. There was no way she could be this lucky. There was no way the world could heap this much good onto her and not present a bill. Shrike sat trembling with her eyes glued to the ancient silver shield. Her mind was a whirl of chaos, How in Celestia's name am I going to manage all this. I can barely keep three ponies in line much less... she looked over briefly at the latest status report from Captain Tempest of the Canterlot Guard Hall. Four hundred and fifty-six...

“It'll be alright, Sweetheart... you'll see.” She felt the soft nuzzle against her neck and instantly the worry slipped away under the relentless warmth of the breath against her coat and the gentle affection of the stallion behind her.

“I should have dug my hooves into you years ago. Shouldn't I have, Trusty?” She whispered which was met with a chuckle.

“Oh I’m nowhere near good enough for a mare of your impressive station, M'lady.” He breathed in her ear and earned himself a swift hoof to the shoulder.

“Stop calling me that.” She chuckled playfully and slowly stood, giving her wings a stretch. “Ooooh... I’m never going to get over being this sore. Why am I the constant target of kicks and claws and everything else that's been landing on me lately...” Shrike turned to look at the green unicorn who's eyes were looking downward, his usual grin was absent from his lips. “T-Trusty? What's the matter?”

“I’m not good enough, Shrike... I’m just not.” He began with a sigh, scuffing his hoof against the floorboards as he let his mane fall over his eyes, hiding them from the concerned mare. “I should have been there to catch you, more than once. If I could have yanked you back then you wouldn't have those scars on your neck or ended up half dead for a day.”

Shrike stepped close as she could and rested her lips softly on his forehead just below the horn. “You're plenty good enough.” She turned his head up gently to regard her. He saw the anxiety in her eyes, he could tell this wasn't what she wanted to her, he managed his usual grin albeit for just a moment.

“If you say so, Boss... who am I to argue?” He chuckled softly until Shrike cuffed him sharply on the shoulder.

“Quit it! You've been gloomy ever since we got back from the ward. What I would like right now is to pretend that I’m not a guard for just a bit. For one morning I just want to be Shrike waking up next to her Sweetheart Trusty... think you can manage that?” The pair sat in silence, looking into one another's eyes. There was so much that Trusty wanted to answer with, so much that he had to tell her about what was eating him up inside, but he bit his tongue, he knew it wasn't what she wanted to hear, at least not at this moment.

“I think... I need a coffee...” He finally muttered and rose to his hooves, shuffling to the door of the Canterlot hotel room and leaving without a further word.

Knight Paladin Shrike was not a happy mare and it showed. Her wings stood up from her back and trembled as she walked down the ranks of the assembled guards. Her voice boomed off the rafters of the Guard Hall thanks to some magical help from Twilight Sparkle.

“My rank stands as Knight Paladin, which puts me one step below the Lord Captain in the chain of command. I will personally be heading up the investigation into the anti-monarchy group responsible for two failed assassination attempts and numerous other offences.” She eyed the pegasai and unicorns which formed the core of the royal guards. Each and every one stood at attention though she could see the beginnings of nervousness.

Shrike wasn't the biggest mare out there and it was clear that most of these big lads had trouble with the fact that she was the one in charge. “I know I’m not what you expect, but I will be referred to as Captain. Not Miss... or Ma'am... or, Celestia help you, M'lady...” She earned a few stifled chuckles from the ranks and her eyes drifted to her own guards as well as the assembled Elements of Harmony, they each looked so full of pride. Applejack, well on the road to being her old self once more, and Rainbow Dash standing in full armour with their badges proudly displayed. Pinkie Pie, in keeping with her usual lack of interest in procedure, was wearing her badge as a clip in her unruly mane.

“The Dark Lady , as she likes to call herself, is smart and well funded. She could be hiding anywhere and nopony we have yet captured has seen her face. She was quite capable of arranging for a dangerous criminal to be released from prison as well as funding experiments that turned ponies into living weapons.” Shrike began to walk up and down the ranks of armoured ponies, looking each in the eye as she passed.

“Her supporters are initiated into her inner circle by murdering an innocent captive pony. Her trusted agents are trained killers who are fond of hidden armour, brass horseshoes, and easily concealed hoof blades.” There was a chorus of muttered comments and shock in the ranks. “I have lost one guard to this Dark Lady's plans and we have one of our finest lying in a hospital ward in a sleep the doctors tell me he is unlikely to wake from. I will not loose another life to this bloody unicorn!” Shrike slammed her hoof into the marble floor. The amplification spell turned it into a thunderclap which startled Shrike for just a moment before she continued on.

“All guards are to travel in pairs or in threes if at all possible, anything suspicious is to be dealt with instantly. Arrest first, apologize later. We cannot afford to let one of her agents walk the streets. Any questions?”

There was a hoof raised in the front row and Shrike noted the badge of a Captain. She nodded to the pegasus who cleared his throat. “Captain, what are this Dark Lady's targets?”

Shrike took a breath and looked to the marble floor for guidance, it wasn't forthcoming. She closed her eyes and shook her head slowly. “Us. Her targets are my fellow Trottingham Gguards and myself, the friends and families of the Elements of Harmony and the Princesses indirectly. She can't make Celestia bleed so she is attacking what she cherishes.” Shrike turned back to eye the other Captain who's face betrayed a moment of concern. “We begin immediately. Kick over rocks, stick your noses where they don't belong, make them have to fight for every ounce of secrecy they think they have. They have attacked us and we've defended ourselves so far but I’m sick and tired of getting my flank trampled into the dirt. Starting right now we take the fight to them. Guards dismissed!”

With a thunder of hooves the halls emptied save for the ponies at her back. Shrike felt the tingle of magic leaving her throat as her voice returned to a normal volume. She wouldn't dare tell her guards or her friends but speaking in front of a crowd always made her legs feel weak. “Well there... I got them moving. Sending hundreds into the jaws of death...”

“Oh I wouldn't say death, danger perhaps, but not death.” A voice filled the chamber behind Shrike and she paled, slowly turning to behold the Solar Princess standing beside Shrike's friends who all did a very good job of not bursting out laughing.

“H-how long...?” Shrike managed, her eyes wide.

“Oh, just before Captain Tempest asked his question.” The Princess supplied and her friends finally gave up trying not to laugh, nearly rolling on the floor with mirth at Shrike's discomfort.

“It was quite a rousing speech.” She turned to the laughing ponies and smiled a motherly kind of smile which drew the attention of everypony. “Now, my little ponies, I must have a word with your Knight Paladin in private. I'm certain you have plenty to organize.”

Shrike tried to contain her blush as Celestia walked slowly towards her and motioned for her to follow. They left the room with the laughing ponies behind as they began to walk through some of the many halls of the castle. The grey pegasus watched the Princess out of the corner of her eye. She had of course met the Princess before but they had spoken for but a minute at most.

“That really was an impressive speech.” Celestia spoke and Shrike coughed softly, blushing once more.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” She muttered stiffly and the Princess laughed.

“You have earned a few rights and privileges for your work, Knight Paladin. One of which is the privilege of ease in my presence. So with that in mind, be at ease.” Celestia turned her head toward Shrike and smiled gently. The grey pegasus felt her spirits lifted in an instant thanks to Celestia's magic. Being in her presence now was like being wrapped up in the warmest fluffiest blanket sitting cozy by the fireside.

“Thank you, Princess.” She smiled in return and Celestia began her slow walk again.

“Do you know much about genealogy, Shrike?” The Solar Princess continued the stroll through the castle halls.

“Not so much, It's sort of a hobby of the wealthy, isn't it?Proving their lineage and that kind of thing?” Shrike looked up at the paintings lining the walls of this hallway, she had noticed them lining many hallways but had paid them little attention. Ponies from long ago looking back at her from their ornate frames. Her eyes lingered on the face of a unicorn who looked like the quintessential wizard right down to the flowing white beard, except his cloak and hat were studded with bells for some reason.

“It's a hobby of the wealthy because it's a hobby of mine. I have been alive for a long time, my little pony and I have seen the rise and fall of many families of ponies over the long years. I keep watch over the lines of commoners and nobles. Of villains and heroes and occasionally I find history repeating itself.” The Princess stopped and pointed with a delicate hoof towards a stone bust which sat in a small alcove along the wall. “What do you see, Shrike?”

Shrike looked carefully at the stone and blinked. It was like looking at a sculpture of herself. The sour expression on her face, the short mane, and the way her jaw was set in determination. She could imagine standing before a sculptor and muttering for him to hurry up because she had anywhere else to be. “W-who is this?” She breathed softly.

“Wind Hawk, she was a guard like yourself, back in the years before stallions got it in their heads that we mares couldn't manage for ourselves.” Celestia chuckled, “A pity her statue can't be in colour, she had the loveliest eyes.”

“You've met her?” Shrike blurted out before she could stop herself. Of course the Princess had, she was well over a thousand years old. She had probably met Wind Hawk's grandmother.

Celestia just nodded and smiled warmly. “Wind Hawk was my Captain for many years before she retired. She still insisted on the title 'Lord Captain' despite her gender. She said that Lady made her sound like a... oh how did she put it? Ah, 'A stuck up noble with their face so far up their own flank they would need a map to find their way out'...” If Shrike was drinking, she would have spit her beverage all over the floor. In all her life she never expected to hear words like that coming from the Princess. “Hawk was tenacious, blunt, and loyal to Equestria above all else.”

“You said she retired?” Shrike looked back at the statue. The face there didn't seem to be a face that would deal with retirement well.

“She retired young, her forty-third birthday. At the time she was four month's pregnant and decided that she couldn't wear the armour anymore and her husband refused to let her fight unarmoured.” Celestia looked off into space, the mists of memory making her smile. “She retired to have a family-life. She was your distant ancestor... those of your line have been guards or protectors for a long time until Equestria fell into its current state of peace.”

Shrike looked back to Celestia then the statue again. “Why tell me this, Princess?”

“Because, Shrike,” The Princess began, laying a hoof on the shoulder of the grey pegasus. “You have within you the power to be just as great as Wind Hawk, you demonstrated that today and in the past. You have the instincts of a true leader and your ponies will follow you to whatever end. So lead by example, stand at the forefront and you will never fight alone.”

A grin began to spread over Shrike's lips, looking at the stone face of the past then to the Princess who smiled. She was about to speak up when the Princess cleared her throat. “Just remember, my noble Knight, that Hawk knew when to hang up her helmet and settle down. I've seen the job consume so many before. Even my old friend Drussard is childless.”

“S-so what should I do, Princess?” A trickle of her fear was coming back, her nervousness and apprehension about the future. Her thoughts drifted to her Trusty stallion and for a moment she wondered if her ancestor had fallen in love with her second in command as well.

“Be a guard, hold the law before you like a shield, let justice be the lamplight that dispels the dark. Just don't forget that beneath the armour, you are a pony and all I want from my little ponies, in the end, is to see them happy.” The Princess looked back the way they had come and smiled. “Come, lets get you back to your guards. I believe you have some work to do.”

The days fell away and slowly the cells below the palace filled with those who had forsaken the rule of the Princesses and embraced the calling of the Dark Lady. Day after day Shrike and her guards would rout the evil from the dark places and drag them into the light of day. But still, deep below the damp, city streets, in the blackness of the under-crofts, a figure seethed.

“T-t-the fourth cell has been taken into custody, Mistress... t-t-there were no escapes. Our numbers dwindle by the day.” A clerk pushed his glasses up his snout carefully and tried to hide his abject fear with a nervous cough.

“Do you think me blind? Or deaf? I have eyes and ears in every corner of this wretched country.” Her voice cut through the dark like fine silk wrapped around steel. “Have you prepared what I asked for?”

The clerk gulped and nodded, “The colt has been taken... we are holding him at a secret location, the note has been left where it should be easy for the father to find.”

“Excellent... ensure the foal is not harmed... excessively. In addition, you will pay a visit to Willow Hall and rouse the head of the household there. He is one of my assassins and he will eliminate one, perhaps two of the Elements or the Trottingham Guards, whoever seems weakest or least protected. It should provide ample distraction while we prepare the weapon. Speaking of which...” The voice took on an almost gleeful tone that made the clerk want to be sick. “Has our alchemist finished her little task?”

“Y-yes mistress... it is prepared to your liking and... and ready...” The clerk thought back to the test he had witnessed. The sight of anything red still made him tremble.

“You are dismissed... be gone with you.” The voice commanded and the clerk scampered for the stairs, tripping over his own hooves. As his hooffalls trailed away, the Dark Lady turned her eyes to the mirror which stood proudly against the wall shrouded in shadows. “Soon... soon it will all be complete... just some loose ends to tie up and I will be free to walk in the daylight once more.” She began to laugh, not a laugh full of mirth or joy. It was the sound of near madness and imposable cruelty.

Pinkie Pie couldn't remember a time she had felt happier. Her kitchen was buzzing with activity, mixers were mixing and ovens were baking and everything was going smoothly. There wasn't a thing out-of-place or running low. She had everything she could ever need in her little kitchen and today she had a piece of the puzzle that had been missing.

“Ha! Got it done and not one fire. How's that for cooking, Miss Pie?” The warm voice of her newest friend reached her ears and she felt her cheeks turn red as the purple unicorn stallion floated a cookie, fresh from the cooling rack and still warm, to her lips so she could take her customary 'All-at-once' bite.

The flavour was perfect but unplaceable, she knew it was special because he made it. She savoured each and every chew before swallowing and grinning wide. “We make an awesome team, Jammy! There's nothing we can't cook.” Her energy returned full force and she danced around the kitchen, followed close by the stallion who laughed. She would run a little further away and he would chase to catch up, little by little getting closer until Pinkie stopped and he caught her in a hug. Pinkie could feel her heart soar and her cheeks flush. She knew full well what the feeling meant and the thought made her giddy with nervousness. She shouldn't be flirting with stallions this much or, more appropriately, at all.

She wiggled away so he could give chase once again which he did with a grin. Pinkie turned to get his attention and tripped, with a crash she upended a bowl of whipped cream which sailed through the air and splattered against his chest. Both ponies laughed at the mess and at each other before his hoof scooped up a glob of cream and he threw it with skill at Pinkie Pie.

As soon as it splattered her cheek, everything changed. It was dark and this wasn't her kitchen anymore and furthermore it didn't feel at all like whipped cream. It smelled coppery and ran hot down her cheek. With a shaking hoof she reached up and gathered a bit of the offending substance. The harsh red of blood contrasted sharply with her pink hoof.

Pinkie gasped and looked up quickly. Standing before her was her friend. His body looked so very pale with his eyes looking out into space, the deep gash in his armour still drooling blood slowly as he wavered in place. “J-jammy.... no... no... you were fine... you were OK and now you're not?”

“Just that quick...” His lips opened and he spoke. “Sorry we didn't get a chance to bake Miss Pie... would have loved that.” Slowly his eyes focused and he looked down at the pink pony who struggled to stand.

“But you never get hurt... you always make it out alive.” Pinkie stuttered as the stallion reached down and helped her to her hooves.

“Guess my luck finally ran dry.” He smiled a little and Pinkie began to cry.

“Why did you have to die? Why did my little Pinkie world have to get broken like that?” She grabbed his shoulders and tried to shake him but he was as immovable as a rock. Her tears coming unashamedly now as his hoof rested on her back. “We never... got the chance... it's... it's not fair...”

He lifted her chin gently and looked into her eyes, the smile still on his lips before he leaned close and gave her the lightest, gentlest kiss on the cheek. In a rush it was over and Pinkie Pie was awake in the bedroom of the hotel suite they had been put in, looking at the far wall and shaking. Her mane and tail were straight as could be. She reached up and felt her cheek, it was cold with tears but soon her eyes overflowed once more and the pink pony wailed.

Pinkie buried her face in her hooves and shook with sobs, not noticing the door open or the figure walk in. Shrike stepped to the bedside and laid a hoof softly on Pinkie's side. The pink pony jumped a little but calmed when she saw it wasn't some strange pony. “Are you alright, Pinkie?” Shrike whispered and took a seat beside the bed as Pinkie shook her head, her straight mane swaying slowly.

“N-no... no I’m not... I keep dreaming about... about Jammy and it hurts so much.” Pinkie rubbed her chest and sniffled, her shoulders shaking as she fought to control her tears. “I haven't seen a pony die before...”

“Neither have I, until recently,” Shrike sighed and reached over to turn the bedside lamp on, dispelling the darkness around the room. “Jammy was a good friend and a good stallion... he died in the line of duty.” Shrike took a breath and smiled just a little. “There are only a few ponies in modern times that have died in the line of duty, their armour is on display here at the palace.”

Pinkie's tears slowed to sniffles as she listened, Shrike gently held her hoof. “He died to save you, and all of us. Without him I doubt we'd be here right now. He stopped Trottingham and even Canterlot from being destroyed and because of his actions he's... well he's a hero. And there are going to be fillies and colts for hundreds of years who grow up hearing stories about him.”

Pinkie finally smiled, just a little smile, but it was still a smile. Shrike patted her foreleg gently and stood. “That's the ultimate responsibility of our badges, Pinkie Pie. We're on that line between defending the values of our homeland and being prepared to sacrifice everything for them.”

“Would you? Sacrifice yourself I mean...” Pinkie asked softly, looking at her Special Constable badge on the nightstand.

“Yes I would... so would Trusty and Star... Rainbow and Applejack... even Boulder would. We're guards... even your friends are taking the responsibility to heart. But I promise I’m going to make sure that it never comes to that again... are you going to be OK?” She asked, looking back towards the hotel room door.

Pinkie nodded and smiled with a blush. “Sorry for making a big Pinkie mess of myself...”

“Don't worry about it, Pinkie Pie... anything for a friend, right?” Shrike smiled and Pinkie snuggled back into her bed, turning the bedside light off. Once the sound of hooves had died away in the hall she reached out and picked up the badge from where it was resting. She cradled it in her hooves and looked at the shiny brass. She ran the tip of her hoof over the words 'Special Constable' and the alicorn etched into the badge centre. “I suppose being remembered forever is good but what about my other friends... what can I do to help them?”

“Don't worry Pinkie Pie, you can be a hero too... you can save the lives of all your friends... I know you can.” For just a moment it looked as if the badge answered the pink pony before she drifted off to sleep.

The next morning was cold but the sun was still shining happily down on Canterlot. Pinkie Pie was hopping down the street in a very specific direction. She shouldn't have slipped out alone but she wanted to surprise her friends with some donuts from Pony Joe's. She drooled a little thinking about biting into a fresh eclair or maybe a jelly donut... ooh ooh maybe one with sprinkles. She giggled to herself as she pushed the door open with her nose and bounced in.

“Pinkie Pie, my new best customer.” The unicorn behind the counter exclaimed with a smile as he waved his horn and tied up another fresh box for the customer at the counter. “Come for a couple more boxes for our ponies in uniform?” He chuckled. “Words been getting out about my place thanks to your friends.”

Pinkie laughed and bounced up to the display case, looking at the selection of fresh donuts of every description. “Hehe yeah, who knew guards loved donuts so much!?!” She beamed before she pressed her nose to the case. She watched with a patient eye as the very best were selected and boxed up in an assortment she had tailored to fit the likes of all the ponies she was spending so much time with.

Once she had her prize she counted out the bits on the counter and thanked the beige unicorn with a kiss on the cheek before bouncing away back the way she came. The weight of the pastries in their boxes sat comfortable perched on her back and she thought back to the various selections.

Rainbow Dash was always more of a muffin mare, she liked her carbs but when pressed she always picked the chocolate glazed. Applejack went for the apple fritter, obviously. Twilight Sparkle generally picked a nice sour cream glazed. Rarity and Fluttershy preferred a cruller. Sergeant Trusty preferred dark chocolate, mocha if Joe was doing them that day. Shooting Star was a fan of lemon cream filled anything. Shrike liked hers plain dunked in coffee. Which left the donut which sat alone at the end of the morning. Though not technically a donut, the cinnamon roll was Boulder's favourite. Without meaning to she then thought about the donut that was no longer purchased, the one that would have been sugar-dusted and jam-filled. It was as if she had shoved a pin into the balloon that was her heart.

Pinkie stopped and looked down at her hooves, sniffling gently. “It's not fair...” She was beginning to lament her woes when she paused, her left hindleg was wobbling while her right foreleg began to pinch along all her joints. She cocked her head to the side and blinked. “Somepony's gonna try and hug me? Where did that come from?” no sooner did the words leave her lips than strong forehooves grabbed her shoulders and yanked her hard down the nearest alleyway, the box of donuts cast aside in the commotion. In the shadows, away from prying eyes, she found her back pressed to a wall and a foreleg against her neck.

“Don't scream,” A gruff voice spoke from behind a cloth tied to hide his face. “It'll all be over soon.” Pinkie's eyes went wide and she began to tremble before a noise filled the narrow space between her and the masked criminal. A mechanical click followed by the sound of metal sliding against metal. Once heard and never forgotten, the unmistakable sound of a hoof blade sliding into place.

Something snapped and a grin spread over Pinkie's lips, her coat seemed to darken ever so slightly. The stallion paused as he felt a tapping on his shoulder. He turned his head fast and blinked as he stared into the blue eyes of the pony he was holding to the wall, suddenly standing behind him. “Hi!” she beamed before winding back and delivering a punishing hoof to his cheek which sent him staggering.

The assassin looked back at the wall and to the bag of flour which was resting on the ground where the pink pony had been. Something was very wrong here. The assassin looked back to the alleyway and the pink pony standing on her hindlegs a short distance away. “You know what I love? Parties!” she took a step towards the stallion who was making sure his hoof blade was locked in place. “You know what I love about parties? The dancing! I'm a really good dancer.” The assassin looked down at his weapon and then back to the alley. The pink pony was gone. His heart beat harder in his ears and he gulped.

Pinkie stood beside the stallion and swung her hips against his, and just like at Gummy's party the other pony went flying, though this time she was actually trying to cause harm and the masked pony struck the wall so hard it knocked bricks loose.

He struggled to his hooves and took up a fighting stance, blade at the ready as the pink pony advanced slow. “Wow, you must be wearing that hidden armour my friends were talking about. That's no fun.” She pouted cutely before twitching, her eyes looking more furious than they had been in a long, long time. “How am I supposed to hurt you when you have armour on?”

He jabbed his bladed hoof forward quick as she got into range and she dodged like he wasn't even trying. She grasped his foreleg and pulled with a strength that nearly made him wet himself like a little colt. She swung him like a baseball bat and his steel shod hooves kicked up sparks upon the wall as he tried to slow his momentum before his body impacted a stack of old crates. She still had hold of his foreleg however and refused to let go until she heard a sickening crack.

The assassin cried when she finally let him go. He hadn't cried in years but today his eyes overflowed, he looked at his limp foreleg and reached up to tug his mask down. “W-what are you?”

The pink pony pulled herself up to her full height, her mane had lost most of its curl and hung over her shoulders “ I am Pinkamena Dianne Pie, my childhood was spent lifting boulders. I don't like being Pinkamena, I prefer being Pinkie Pie. Pinkie Pie is nice and happy, Pinkamena wants to break your other legs too. You should have thought twice before messing with my friends! Because now I gotta go and beat the sprinkles out of your friends! But first...” Pinkamena trailed off and leaned down, her eyes murderous before all at once she twitched and a smile appeared on her lips, her coat was several shades lighter and her mane had more curl.

“Ooh I gotta get my donuts,” The stallion blinked, it was like two different ponies sharing the same space. He watched her bounce away and retrieve the boxes which was against the wall of the nearest building miraculously undamaged. When she slipped back close she was still smiling.

He tried to back away but her voice changed again. “Oh no... you're not going to run. Dead or alive, you're coming with me.” The stallion whimpered and the pink pony giggled happily before grabbing his cloak collar in her teeth and dragging him along, limping on this three good hooves, like he weighed nothing at all.

Shrike blinked and looked at the pony who was trying to stay as far away from Pinkie Pie as possible. “How did his leg break that badly?” She asked flatly and the pink pony beside her shrugged with a giggle.

“I dunno...” She smiled and bounced on her hooves a little. Shrike looked at the pink pony and raised an eyebrow. The assassin, who happened to be a minor noble and fencing champion, had been dragged in, quite literally, babbling about somepony named Pinkamena who was going to kill him. Pinkie Pie had just giggled and said he was silly.

Shrike nodded to the Sergeant who was hitched to the white carriage with its barred windows. His companion gave a flick of magic and the doors bolted closed to take the criminal away. Shrike turned again to Pinkie and smiled, reaching up to pat her on the shoulder. “Well done, Constable.”

Pinkie stood at attention and snapped off a salute before descending into giggles again and bouncing off to find her friends. Shrike just shook her head slowly and turned to Trusty who had been woken up by the early morning commotion as well.

“Marvellous isn't it? Assassins now... what's next, poison?” She sighed and the green stallion took a step closer and laid his head against her cheek.

“Shrike... this is getting out of hoof... really out of hoof. I bet that assassin was sent out to kill one of the Elements, one of the weaker ones. What if there's another coming for Rarity or Fluttershy... Neither of those ponies can fight worth a darn... How long is it going to be until one comes for us. We got lucky this time because, for whatever reason, that pink pony is harder than a coffin nail and can fight like a bloody soldier.” Trusty sighed and Shrike pulled back, raising an eyebrow.

“You think Pinkie Pie beat him senseless?” Shrike chuckled a little but Trusty sighed.

“You saw it as well as I did, Sweetheart,” He looked back in the direction the carriage had left in. “He was terrified of her and the leg wasn't just broken... he had armour and braces on and the straps were snapped before his leg went. Now that scares me... don't get me wrong. I love all the girls like sisters but I won't be getting on Pinkie's bad side anytime soon.”

Shrike rubbed her eyes and flopped back onto her haunches. “Bloody hell... well there goes my sanity for the morning.” She looked up at the green stallion and pouted. He coughed and looked away.

“Sorry Love... guess we don't get to sleep in after all.” He took a careful seat beside her and leaned against her a little. “How about we pick up and go to the ward, I bet that's where Pinkie's gonna have breakfast set up.”

“I suppose...” Shrike took a moment and looked up at the cloudless blue sky. It reminder her of the skies at home and for a moment she thought she could see a dusty orange pegasus with a little grey filly trying to keep up. Shrike put the thoughts of her mother on hold and cleared her throat. “Trusty... I need to ask you something.”

“Whatcha need, Captain?” he asked and Shrike chuckled.

“No... not Captain right now, I’m off duty... I just,” she thought of every way she could broach the subject. Hey Trusty, wanna have a few foals while the plumbing still works? Or how about, Hey Trusty, want me to give up on the job that's been my destiny since time in memorium so we can both get flank deep in diapers? She sighed and shook her head slowly. “No... it's nothing. Nevermind.”

“Hey...” He turned her face to his and looked into her eyes with concern. “What's eating you? It's gotta be something or you wouldn't have brought it up.” Carfeully he ran his hoof through her mane and Shrike let out a soft sigh, leaning into the attention. “You can tell me... can't be worse than some of the things that have been running through my head this morning.” He chuckled and Shrike rolled her eyes.

“Trusty... you're so very good at ruining moods.” She grumped before the stallion pulled her closer and planted a kiss against her ear, whispering gently.

“Tell me...” Shrike shivered softly and blushed despite herself, she was sure that her wings were popped up fully by now.

“Have you ever thought about... starting a family?” She asked tentatively and the green stallion paused his attention before laughing.

“Ha, it sounded for a second there like you said you wanted to start a family.” He chuckled nervously and Shrike cuffed him in the shoulder again.

“I’m serious! I just... maybe we should while we still have time...” She offered gently and her stallion stopped dead, blinking a little and staring at Shrike. “T-Trusty?” He didn't answer, only blinked. She could feel the sting of tears creeping into her eyes. “Trusty!” The green unicorn kept still and Shrike felt her anger mounting. “Oh fine! Fine... buck this and buck you!” She struggled to her hooves and walked away, flicking her tail to snap it neatly on Trusty's nose. “I’m going to work. Talk to me when you're in uniform, Sergeant!”

The flick did a good job of getting his attention and he scrambled to his hooves, stuttering and blushing bright red. “Shrike! Shrike wait!” She walked faster, ignoring him, “Shrike! Yes! Yes I do want to!” He yelled at the top of his lungs and the pegasus stopped dead in the street, not turning around.

Trusty caught up and stepped around to face her, her eyes were downcast and she wasn't moving a muscle. “Shrike... of course I want to, it just caught me by surprise. It's honestly the last thing I expected to hear from you.” He managed a chuckle and Shrike looked away, blushing.

“I’m still a mare behind the badge, moron...” She sighed and scuffed a hoof on the path in front of her. “I’ve just been thinking about something the Princess told me. That I should be a guard but not forget that I’m still a pony underneath... and most mares my age have a foal or two and a husband or hell... even a wife these days. I just have the job and you...”

“I’m not good enough?” Trusty asked with a smile and Shrike hit his shoulder again.

“That's not what I mean and you know it. I don't want the job to eat me alive...” Slowly she felt the tug of magic and blushed as Trusty held her close as he could, pressing his lips tight to hers heedless of who could be watching. When he slowly separated, he was wearing his usual lopsided grin.

“You've got me, I’ll make sure nothing bad happens... and when this is all over we're going to buy a nice house back home and we'll work on all the other things. One step at a time” He laughed and Shrike did the same. Suddenly the future didn't seem all that bleak to her anymore.

Shrike coughed and tried to shake the stars out of her eyes, the mare on the floor beside her was rolling back onto her hooves. Shrike was growing less and less happy and getting a pair of hooves in her stomach wasn't improving her mood any, as if the chase through the winding towers after the royal blue pegasus wasn't enough. A scowl took the grey mare's lips and she lashed out with a forehoof. The blow struck just where she wanted, immediately below the other mare's left wing. The nerve bundle there made the royal blue pegasus' whole back spasm and she crumpled to the floor in tears.

“I know... I know...” Shrike stepped closer to the criminal and yanked her forelegs together to fasten the iron manacles. “The wings are always a cheap shot but you gotta admit... you double kicked me in the gut, now we're even.” The grey pegasus took a length of cord from her saddlebag and wound it around the base of both the other flier's wings, tying them together.

“You won't win... you can't win.” The royal blue mare spoke through clenched teeth and Shrike rolled her eyes.

“I’ve heard that a hundred times this week.” Shrike deadpanned and trotted to the window of the old, abandoned tower, scanning the skies and grinning. “looks like my help's here, wonder what kept them.”

“I’m not scared of you or your guards, you can imprison a hundred of us but you will never find the Dark Lady.” The pegasus shouted her frustration but kept in her place on the floor as Shrike took a step back from the window and a pair of armoured guards landed. Shooting Star hobbled a little and Shrike sighed.

“You went after your shoe didn't you, Star?” Shrike grinned and her younger Constable blushed, looking away.

“I like my shoes... she wrenched it loose and it fell into a waterfall.” Star coughed and took a few steps closer.

“Regardless, lets get little Miss-” Shrike was cut off as Rainbow Dash gasped and pulled her helmet off quickly.

“Cloudchaser?” She exclaimed and the eyes of the prone pegasus went wide. She scrambled back from the Rainbow maned pegasus like she was the most fearsome creature in the world. “Cloudchaser, what the hay is going on?!” Dash's anger was rising faster than her wings. The anger and indignation in her voice making the other guards shy back slightly.

“A friend of yours?” Star took a step closer to the cowering Cloudchaser

“She was... once I suppose.” Rainbow Dash scowled and kept her eyes glued to the fearful pegasus. “She used to live in Ponyville, worked on the weather team with me. I was the one who sent a recommendation to Canterlot so she could get her job.”

“Rainbow Dash! You don't understand. When the Lady talks about the future it's so bright, so wonderful-” Cloudchaser was beginning to cry before Dash cut her off sharply with a stomp of her armoured forehoof.

“I don't want to hear it! You know who I am? I'm Rainbow Dash, Best Young Flier in Equestria, Weather Controller for Ponyville, Special Constable by the orders of the Princess and an Element of bucking Harmony. You know what Element I am?” The rage of the sky blue pegasus was growing by the moment. “The Element of bucking Loyalty, that's what. You're a traitor and probably a murderer... you're less than garbage... you're less than manure as far as I’m concerned, Cloud. I'll make sure your sister knows just what you've been up to...”

Shooting Star reached her bare hoof out and touched Dash on the side, the sky blue mare twitched and blushed, looking away as Star spoke soft. “That's enough, Dash...”

Cloudchaser was crying in silence, staring with wide eyed at the middle distance, her whole body trembling. Mercifully the door to the tower room crumbled under the blow from Applejack's hooves and she stepped into the dusty space followed by Trusty. The restrained blue mare cried more under the disapproving eyes of the honest farmpony while she was hefted onto her back and taken from the tower. Dash looked out the window for a moment, listening while Star spoke in a hushed voice. All at once Dash was a rainbow streak vanishing into the distance followed close by Shooting Star.

Shrike blushed a little and smirked, shaking her head while Trusty stepped close. “Had my suspicions about our little Star.” Trusty chuckled.

“Seem to recall Dash saying she already had a mare to herself. Don't suppose you know who that might be?” The green stallion smirked and Shrike shook her head with a grin.

“You know how bad I am at guessing games like that. So how did the roundup... go...” She trailed off as her green stallion pushed her over onto her back and his face hovered above her stomach. “Trusty! Time and place!” She squeaked and tried to wiggle away before stopping when the green stallion pressed a hoof against her stomach and she tensed, drawing a breath sharply through clenched teeth.

“Holy Celestia this is gonna be a bad bruise... what the hay did she do to you?” Trusty stroked her stomach slow and Shrike continued to blush, being in a compromising position wasn't high on her list of wants and desires at the moment.

“Two hooves to the gut when I thought I had her pinned.” Shrike mumbled as her blush spread, beginning to enjoy the gentle petting as Trusty frowned.

“I can't say I’m happy that you're running after mares a decade younger than you.” He whispered softly and Shrike sighed.

“Trusty... it's part of the job... we've talked about this before. We don't lead safe lives. I'm going to get hurt on the job, so are you.” She met his eyes and the green unicorn looked like he was trying to stop a flow of tears. “Now stop petting my stomach and let me up so I can get checked out and get back to work.”

Trusty managed a grin, “What's the alternative?”

Shrike reached up and pulled him into a kiss softly before releasing him. “There's no alternative while I’m on the clock, you awful thing.” She cuffed his shoulder gently and rolled to her hooves. As her armour settled she winced and stumbled into Trusty. “Ooooh... that wasn't nice.”

“That settles it... I’m walking you right to the hospital.” His magic spread over her and she felt herself being pulled slowly as Trusty walked to the stairs and started his descent.

“I outrank you, Sergeant. I outrank your superiors... why are you suddenly a nursemaid, watching over me like a hawk?” Shrike followed with stumbling steps.

“Somepony has to, you don't do it yourself and I’m tired of seeing you in pain. And I don't give a damn about rank at this point... you and I are alone and unless you use the phrase 'I’m giving you an order' I will keep acting like a pony who loves you.” There was a hint of steeled resolve in the usually laid back unicorn's voice which was making Shrike smile a little.

“Sergeant, I’m ordering you to continue to be sweet when we have a moment alone.” Trusty stopped and shook his head with a sigh, smiling his lopsided smile and continuing on his way. He had no idea how he was going to tell her that the past week had been the hardest in living memory. That whenever she took a hit in a fight, he felt that pain in his heart. All he could do was put his cheerful smile back on and hope that Shrike would see what she was doing to him. While there was still time.

A pair of guards stood like a matched set of white statues, flanking the doorway to the medical wing which had become the reluctant home of the Trottingham Guards when they weren't flank deep in criminals, battling for their lives.

“How's your boy doing anyways, Storm?” The guard on the left piped up and his companion started a little.

“O-oh... he's fine... you know how foals are.” Storm began to sweat, smiling nervously as the sound of rolling wheels began to echo down the hallway.

“Nope, wouldn't know a thing about that.” The other pegasus snorted with a chuckle. They kept their eyes carefully forward as the sound of a cart came closer and closer. “They aren't expecting a delivery are they, it's just the big guy in there and he's not exactly in a position to sign for anything.” The slightly taller pegasus turned and took a few steps away from his post to look down the long hall.

Slowly a pony approached, an older dull blue mare with a greying mane and a woeful expression on her lips. Behind was a two wheeled wagon, the kind a pony would use to carry goods to market. The wagon was wrapped tightly by an oilcloth cover and her hooves bore no steel shoes. Her eyes met those of the taller guard and then looked past him to his companion, Storm.

The nervous father gulped and nodded as his fellow guard began to speak. “What business do you have here today, Ma'am?” The old mare looked down and sighed, giving a final defeated nod before the heavy hooves of a Royal Guardpony struck the side of the tall Pegasus' helmet and he crumpled to the marble in a daze.

“I’m sorry... I’m so sorry, mate... she has my foal... my little boy... I don't have a choice.” Storm tore his helmet off and the natural tones of his golden mane and eyes returned.

“W-why...” The other guard rasped, his eyes having trouble focusing on anything for long as the blue mare knelt beside him and jabbed a heavy looking syringe into his neck.

“What are you doing? We're just supposed to knock him out!” The guard, turned accomplice to murder raised his hooves to push the old mare away but the look in her eyes silenced him.

“Ve all have our orders, stallion. Zis iz mine.” She pushed the plunger on the syringe and the other guard gave a shuddering moan before he slipped out of the world of the living.

“Holy buck!” The accomplice stallion threw his hooves over his mouth and were it not for the ward changing his coat colour he would have gone a deathly pale.

“Help me get him into ze cart.” The old mare stood tugged the cover from her cart as the silently panicking stallion obeyed. With a thump the dead pony was heaved into the cart nearly upsetting a large barrel which had been the sole occupant of the card for the journey so far. “Careful! Be careful you, thick-skulled simpleton!” The old mare rushed over and steadied the barrel with a sigh.

“What is that? It looks like an apple barrel.” The other guard, his nervousness leaving him in near shock managed to whisper as the old mare hefted the barrel carefully.

“Zis iz a taste of ze future.” The old mare chuckled, a hint of madness creeping into her rosy eyes, and carried the barrel into the room.

A trio of guards walked through the cool marble halls of Canterlot hospital, metal shoes falling on the marble in an even pace save for one. Shooting Star was blushing under the glances of her Captain and Sergeant. “So... still haven't found that shoe?” Trusty was doing a good job of hiding his smirk and Star seethed.

“No... it fell over a waterfall. I have the armourers trying to build me one the same as the other.” Star spoke in a total deadpan voice and both her superiors snorted in amusement.

“How about Dash? Is she doing alright?” Shrike prodded the subject delicately and Star blushed slightly more.

“She's fine... angry but fine. She hates the idea of anypony she knows being disloyal. I guess Cloudchaser was a pony she saw a lot of potential in.” Star looked down at her hooves as she walked.

“And how about you and Dash?” Trusty spoke soft on the other side of her and the sandy pegasus stopped dead, looking up at the grinning faces of both her superiors.

“I... there's... there's nothing going on.” The older guards continued to grin and finally Star sighed. “She's cute but taken... besides I kind of have my eye on somepony at home.”

Shrike chuckled and patted Star on the shoulder. “Fine by me, Constable. Just don't wait as long as Trusty and I did.”

“They grow up so fast don't they, Captain?” Trusty chuckled and avoided a swat from the younger pegasus as she went on ahead. The sound of trotting hooves came around the corner followed by a white coated nurse pony.

“Captain Shrike, just the mare I was looking for. Princess Celestia has requested that your Constable be moved to a more secure location, the girls have accompanied him but I believe there are some possessions in the room that might need to be picked up.” The nurse smiled happily and Shrike gave a nod, the three guards walking past her and into the hospital room.

Trusty stopped by the door and began collecting a box with a few of his usual tin coffee mugs. “Seems a little odd to me, getting Boulder moved all of a sudden.”

“She mentioned it to me by a letter not too long ago actually, it's taken a little for the room to be set up. It's at the palace proper though.” Shrike stood and surveyed the room with a smile as Shooting Star approached the centre table and the large wooden barrel on it.

“AJ didn't leave some apples here did she? You don't mind if I have something while I’m on the clock do you, Captain?” Shooting Star looked back at Shrike who smiled and shook her head.

Star reached out with her unarmoured hoof and tipped the top of the barrel open. The wooden lid clattered to the table and a thin curl of smoke began to drift its way to the ceiling. “Oh this can't be good...” Star spoke gently and the other two guards turned their eyes to her.

All at once the world was full of light and noise, fire and pain. Shrike could feel the crunch of her armour striking the wall and all sound drained away. The all consuming ringing filling the ears of the grey pegasus as she tried in vain to struggle onto her hooves. After several wobbling attempts she gave up and flopped belly down on the floor. Everything seemed distant, faint and detached. She watched a few drips fall onto a smouldering scrap of paper before she realized that it was her own blood. She drew a shaking hoof over her muzzle and quickly looked up at the once clean hospital ward. The room was full of smoke and little fires crackled and spit happily, fueled by the splinters which the contents of the room had been reduced to. She swayed as somepony shook her shoulders and turned her over.

It was her Trusty, and for a moment she smiled before she realized his lips were moving. He was trying to talk but it sounded like his head was at the bottom of a well. He shook her hard again and the world came rushing back with sickening, cold reality. “Where's Star?!” Trusty tried to overcome the momentary deafness with sheer volume. “Shrike, I can't find Star! She was closest to the damn thing.”

Shrike rolled and struggled until she was standing, everything hurt at once. Her whole world was alive with pain. She grit her teeth and took a few steps towards the centre of the room. “Star!” her attempt at a yell ended in a coughing fit.

“What the buck was that?” Trusty wrenched his helmet off and sent it clattering to the floor, his right eye was beginning to swell closed with the flow of blood running slowly over it.

“Stinks like fireworks...” Shrike rubbed her throat for a moment and stumbled past the stunned unicorn.

“Thank Celestia the girls weren't in here... or Boulder. Where the bloody hell is Star?” Trusty shook his head to clear some of the stars before his horn lit up and began sifting through the broken pieces of beds and various other furniture. Shrike cast her eyes around the room and took in the utter devastation. The furniture was destroyed, part of one wall was beginning to cave in and the wall with the window had given up the fight to remain structurally sound and was simply a void out into the gardens below.

“Small miracles...” Shrike gave a groan and stepped close to the gaping void where the wall with the window was minutes ago. She pulled her helmet free and let it drop, looking down at the courtyard below the hospital window. “Trusty!” Her voice returned in full and she made a stumbling hop from the ledge, gliding down on her bruised and singed wings before tumbling to a painful stop on the grass. She struggled onto her hooves and limped to the side of a pony who lay in the grass and rubble, smoking from everywhere and shaking uncontrollably.

“Star...” Shrike reached out carefully and pulled the younger pegasus' helmet off slow as she could. Star looked up at her with eyes that could only be described as haunting. Tears soaked her blackened cheeks and blood pooled on her coat where pieces of table and barrel had impaled themselves in her skin. Shrike tried hard not to look at the marred limb which had been missing its shoe as she choked gently and brushed Shooting Star's cheeks slow and careful. Never before had she seen so terrible an injury and instantly it brought vivid images of the coal miners who walked on three hooves and a peg, victims of cave ins or pockets of explosive gas. “Oh Celestia, Star...”

Shooting Star began to cry in earnest, the momentary shock beginning to drain away. It tore deep at Shrike's heart to see her brave friend sobbing for her mother. The grey pegasus pulled Star's forehead against her neck gently as she could. “I want my momma.” Star managed before her whole body tensed. She let out a scream as a breeze barely caressed what body wasn't covered in warped or blackened armour

“Stay with us, Star...” Shrike shut her eyes tight and threw back her head, summoning up every ounce of authority she could muster in her voice. “Healer! We need a healer here NOW!” She could hear the hooves approaching at speed, the clatter of armour as more guards landed to render aid. She kept her eyes closed and spread her wings wide, sheltering her Constable as best she could while she whispered breathlessly in her ear. “Just hang on, filly... be brave... please.”

Shrike was glad her eyes were closed, she didn't want the other guards to see her cry.

Celestia wiped her eyes again and turned away from the pair of hospital beds. The comatose stallion who clung to life and the young pegasus who would lose a forehoof before the day was out, her brave ponies who would suffer by the will of the mysterious 'Dark Lady'.

“S-sulphur, charcoal and saltpetre...” Twilight Sparkle spoke soft and subdued, “A huge and dangerous amount of firework powder with a spell trigger to set it off. Oh Princess... is she,” Twilight gulped, “D-dying?”

“No... no, Twilight. She will live though I think her days of being a guard are over. She may even fly again... one day...” Celestia stepped past Twilight and into the hallway outside her chambers. Her own bedroom converted to a ward to house the targeted ponies.

“Princess, what should we do now? It seems the closer we get the worse this unicorn tries to hurt us.” Twilight had to trot briskly to keep up with Celestia's strides, the Princess trembling slightly.

“There is nothing we can do...” The Solar Princess walked faster and Twilight broke into a canter. “Too many have suffered at the hooves of this unicorn and I will have no more.”

“You... can't be giving up.” Twilight tried to step in front of the Princess and Celestia snapped her head down to stare at her student. The purple unicorn froze instantly at the anger welling up in the eyes of her mentor.

“Twilight Sparkle! I am a danger to the lives of my subjects!” Celestia was trembling, the fury in her eyes being tempered with true fear. “I can do nothing to stop these attacks, they can slip past my finest guards and find new ways of causing suffering and death. I feel the lives of each of my precious ponies and when one candle is snuffed out before its time, I bleed within. I will abdicate my throne if it means preserving the lives of you and the rest of my subjects.”

“No...” Twilight whispered gently, standing as firm as she was able. “Nopony will stand for that.” Celestia's eyes narrowed and Twilight summoned up every ounce of her courage. She desperately wished her knees didn't feel so weak.

“You dare stand against me?!” the Princess' voice raised further still. Paintings rattled against the walls and the hanging flowers began to wilt as the waves of heat rolled relentlessly from Celestia's shoulders. The might of the sun focused down on the purple unicorn who felt so very small.

Twilight began to shake, tears rolling over her cheeks as her mind whirled through everything that could happen at this point. From banishment to her mentor simply waving her horn and reducing her to ash. She felt the weight of the brass badge which hung from her neck and more importantly, the weight of the duty which hung in her heart. “Yes... I will stop you from making a mistake even if it means I never see my friends again or even see another sunrise. Equestria wouldn't be Equestria without its Princesses. I have faith in you... and in my friends.”

Celestia's eyes softened and she scooped Twilight up in a hug, trembling as she whispered in the purple unicorn's ear. “Where did you learn such courage? You have surpassed all my expectations for you, Twilight. You've grown into a potent spellcaster and a truly courageous knight. I wish I could summon up your ancestors and let them see the heights their line would reach.”

Twilight did her best to contain her blush, which wasn't very well contained at all, she trembled softly just as her teacher did. It took a gentle cough to draw their attentions to the alicorn who stood with a slight smirk on her lips. “I do hope I am not interrupting you two. But I believe I have found something that should interest you both.” Celestia coughed nervously and released her student who was sheepishly trying to look anywhere so long as it avoided the gaze of both princesses. Luna's smirk faded and she turned, beckoning the other mares to follow her. “We have located our mysterious alchemist... and you are not going to like this.”

Twilight stood patiently in the hallway outside the chambers of a pony she had known well. The old mare from a little village on the other side of the Canterlot mountains had been the most memorable of her many teachers at Canterlot University. She remembered her voice and that distinctive accent well as she fretted over a potion which wasn't coming along right or occasionally muttering foul language under her breath when Twilight ended up with her mane singed. What she remembered most about the blue earth pony mare was the look in her rose coloured eyes when Twilight passed her alchemy exam at the very top of her class.

The purple unicorn looked up briefly from her in-depth study of the lines in the marble floor as the white stretcher was wheeled out with the unmoving shape beneath it. Miss Briar Wormwood, respected teacher and learned researcher. Of all the ponies Twilight knew, she thought she was the least likely to be anypart of these dark times.

“First rule of assassination... kill the assassins.” The soft voice of Princess Luna spoke to Twilight's right. “Stabbed twice in the back at her desk. No apparent witnesses either though she kept a very thorough, and thankfully well-hidden, diary. In which she has confessed to several crimes committed at the order of our mysterious foe... all to ensure her family would stay housed and fed. She also had the good grace to proclaim the innocence of Constable Storm, who turned himself in earlier today.”

“It could be anypony couldn't it, Princess?” Twilight's voice betrayed the heartache which had been mounting ever since the ordeal began. “This dark pony finds a weakness and uses it to force you to betray your friends, your family, your country... anypony could be working for her.”

“We can't begin to jump at shadows, Twilight. I still have faith in our stalwart guards and your steadfast friends. They will win the day.” The night Princess looked over her shoulder at her sister who stepped from the old alchemist's rooms with her head held low. The darkest days of Equestria were growing closer and Luna hoped that Celestia had the strength to persevere herself, not to mention her dwindling champions.

The Elements of Harmony, minus the Element of Magic, sat still around the small table in Princess Celestia's sitting room. The cups of tea they had been provided had long since gone cold and the plate of donuts sat with only one missing. Pinkie Pie stared down at that missing donut which sat lonely on her napkin with barely a nibble taken.

“H-has anypony heard anything about Star?” The soft voice of Fluttershy barely broke the silence and was followed by a stamp of the hoof from Rainbow Dash which nearly upset her cup of tea. Fluttershy retreated behind her mane and let out a squeak which was verging on a sob.

“S-sorry...”The rainbow-maned pegasus slumped back more and returned her eyes to the wood grain in the tabletop. “S-Star... won't be flying anymore... she,” Rainbow shook softly and dug her hooves into her eyes in an effort to force the tears to stop. “I can't... I can't talk about this anymore, guys.”

“I’m sick and tired a seein' ponies I like gettin' dropped flank first inta tha grave.” Applejack tipped her hat slowly off her head and looked upon the badge which she had clipped to the hatband of her faithful cowpony headgear.

“We truly never belonged in this mess from the very start.” Rarity dabbed her eyes with a delicate napkin and looked forlornly at her friends. Rarity's words were met with soft nods of resignation. The Element of Laughter was still and silent, she didn't much feel like laughing anymore.

“I'm going home....” The pink pony slowly rose, her usually puffy mane now deflated somewhat, and turned her eyes to meet the gazes of her remaining friends, they hadn't heard her speak for nearly an hour and waited with bated breath as she un-clipped her badge and placed it with care beside the donut. “This isn't an adventure anymore... this isn't fun or happy. I can't protect ponies from these kinda bad things. They turned fireworks into a thing to hurt ponies. Fireworks! What's next? Cake? Candy? Balloons?”

“Pinkie dear, I know you're upset but we can't just leave.” Rarity stood slowly as well but paled when Pinkie rounded on her and jabbed an accusing hoof in her direction.

“You said yourself that we don't belong here! You can't fight! Fluttershy won't fight! And everypony else is getting hurt or killed!” Pinkie's eyes betrayed a well of emotions Rarity turned her gaze to the floor.

Applejack was next to rise and her badge was next to be left on the tabletop. “Pinkie's right y’all. Ah'm a farmer through and through. My pappy and his pappy before him all the way back. I ain't a guardpony. It was fun fer a bit. Chasin' after bad ponies and fightin' fer law and order in Equestria but I got apples ta buck...” Without a further word, she shuffled towards the door and left the room, head hung low.

With the greatest care, Rarity followed, she never raised her eyes from the floor or made an effort to say her farewells. Fluttershy softly mumbled an apology and too left the room, her gentle sobs reaching the remaining two ponies. “So... just me then...” Rainbow Dash smirked a mirthless kind of smirk and turned her rose eyes up to meet the gaze of the pink pony.

Pinkie's eyes softened and she trembled slightly. “Dashie... please come with me. This is really too dangerous.” Rainbow snorted dismissively and leaned back to gaze up at the painted ceiling of the Princess' sitting room. Pictures from long ago gazed back at her, flights of pegasai locked in duels with the gryphons. The first of the weather workers summoning up storms to drive the dark and evil in the world back from where it came from. Her rose eyes lingered on the expertly painted portrait of Commander Hurricane and Rainbow's heart caught in her throat.

“I made a promise. No, more than that. I gave my word that I would fight to protect Equestria and I don't back down from that kinda thing, Pinks. I'm a pegasus, descendant of the first defenders of Equestria... I don't run.” Dash closed her eyes and sighed softly before she felt the gentlest of pressure resting on her lips. A contact she returned with care before the kiss was broken and the soft voice of the pink pony whispered in her ear.

“I need you to protect me...” Pinkie stifled a sniffle and sunk down, resting her head on Dash's shoulder where she could receive a gentle petting through her mane. Rainbow always told those who asked that she had a pony in her life already and only her closest friends knew who what pony was. Rainbow Dash bit her lip for just a moment before she hooked the badge off its chain around her neck and gazed at the polished brass.

The moment she had been given the shiny little shield seemed so very long ago but it had changed something. The Wonderbolts had always been her dream, from the very moment she was old enough to fly, but being given the badge and the weight of responsibility it held was something new, something bigger. She saw Shooting Star and Captain Shrike and realized that she could do that. The flight school drop-out could become a hero, could save ponies and punish those who stepped outside the law. She hadn't thought about the Wonderbolts in weeks.

“Dashie please.” Pinkie pleaded and shook Dash gently from her introspection. “Dashie you promised you would take care of me. I need you, Rainbow.” Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and trembled as she was torn between one kind of loyalty and another. Between her feelings for the pink mare and the weight of heroism and loyalty to the crown.

“Dashie...” Pinkie whispered and tried to dry her tears on Rainbow's shoulder to no avail. “I don't want you to die. I love you...”

The room fell into silence for a long moment before the calm was broken by the sound of the last Special Constable badge clattering onto the tabletop.