The King Is Dead, Long Live The Emperor!

Chapters

Ding Dong...
Who's The Boss?
The Grand Tour
Under New Management
Time Travel Makes My Head Hurt
Sound The Feasting Horn
Interview With A Changeling
Cold Blooded
Number Nine
Shimmering Radiance
Tough Love
The World Turned Upside Down
PREPARE FOR UNFORESEEN CONSEQUENCES
What's The Story, Morning Glory?
Down The Rabbit Hole
Wheels Within Wheels
Behind The Mask
Between Today And Tomorrow
No More Mister Nice Guy
Hic Sunt Monstra
Nightmare...
Four Minutes
The Crystal Cancer
The Wager
Monsters Are Closer Than They Appear
Escape
The Legendary Blade
In The Grasp Of The Wicked
Yes, The Situation Is Now That Bad
Do I Not Destroy My Enemies When I Make Them My Friends?
Revelation
On The Origin Of The Species
Forming Connections
To Sleep, Perchance To Dream
The Tragic Art

Ding Dong...

"What in Tartarus is that?"

As last words go, King Sombra's were somewhat generic, but quite appropriate, given the situation. In the last moments before his spectacular demise, he had been standing upon the balcony of the Crystal Palace, admiring his handiwork. The Crystal Ponies were suffering nicely, their hatred, fear, and despair filling the Crystal Heart with the power he would need in his bid for world domination. It would take weeks, possibly even years, but he could already feel his considerable powers growing even further with every whimper of fear, every moan of despair, and every snarl of loathing from his subjects. "Yes, please hate me more," he thought to himself, "Your enmity serves only to make me stronger."

A shadow abruptly fell over the sorcerer, interrupting his thoughts, and he looked up to see something descending upon him at an incredible speed...

Force equals mass times acceleration. The object in question was a young adult changeling, nineteen years of age, with a mass of seventy-five kilograms (approximately 165 pounds for those who dislike metrics), moving at two hundred meters per second (to put this in perspective, an arrow shot from a bow can go between 150 and 250 meters per second). An object of that mass, and at that velocity, has a lot of force behind it. More importantly, this changeling, realizing that impact was imminent, was using the technique commonly known to changelings as "burning love" to strengthen its carapace in order to prevent itself from being damaged by the sudden stop at the end at the end of his descent... and as everyone knows, love is the anathema of hate.

The net result, for a unicorn sorcerer who was so filled with dark magic that he could barely be considered a pony anymore, was the equivalent of being hit by a small-scale, pony-shaped kinetic strike. Had the wizard been allowed even a second to prepare a defense, he might have survived the surprise bombardment, although he would likely have been critically injured as a result. The force of the impact slammed the wizard down, through the solid crystal of the balcony, and then all the way down into the ground, far far below. His body shattered when it hit the ground, killing him instantly. The last thing that went through King Sombra's mind was that this should not be happening. That for a mighty wizard as himself, this was in no way a fitting end...

...And in another timeline, it was not his end. Instead, he would meet his end a thousand years later, at the hooves of an alicorn princess and the citizens of the Crystal Empire. And in another, he was banished eternally to the realm of shadows by a wise-cracking mule armed with a magical kazoo. And in a third, he suddenly saw the futility of his selfish actions, reformed, and became one of the greatest rulers to have ever lived, eventually ascending to an alicorn prince. And in a fourth... he won, conquered all of the world, and died a bitter, dissatisfied old stallion, since even after taking over the world, he was still unhappy. There's a limitless number of alternate timelines, each one containing a different set of results for the actions that those within take. These alternate timelines primarily exist because scientists and wizards everywhere will not stop poking the fabric of reality with the equivalent of a sharp stick, just to see what happens. Attempts to travel through time have ended up with two mutually exclusive methods of moving back and forth through the oceans of ages... in addition to more alternate timelines than there are particles of matter in any one universe.

The first method is one that was pioneered, in one universe, by Starswirl the Bearded. We can call this the 'safe' method. It allows one to move backwards through time without being able to change the events of the past. Any attempt to create a paradox will only result in the traveler returning to their own time. Useful for seeing what has happened in the past, but not for much else, unless you like stable time loops.

The second method allows for one to change the past, but at a cost: The trip is one way. Upon reaching the past, a split occurs, creating a 'Prime' universe, where events proceeded as normal, and an 'Alternate' universe, where the time traveler's mere existence changes the course of events, and each action that is taken serves only to further the distance between the two timelines. If one tries to move forward in time at this point, they succeed only in moving forward in the 'Alternate' timeline, not the 'Prime'.

If Twilight Sparkle had used this method to move back to the past, there would be an 'Alternate' universe where the future version existed, as well as her past self, and a 'Prime' universe where she cast the spell... and was never seen again. For this reason, the first method of time travel is much, much, much more common. After all, in regards to the second, the 'unsafe' method, once it is cast, what everyone else sees is someone spontaneously ceasing to exist. Few are foolish enough to try it for themselves, after seeing a friend or loved one wink out of existence.

Thus, there are typically only three times when the second type of time travel occurs: One, when someone tests a time travel spell. Two, when someone uses this spell on something, thinking it to be a disintegration spell (a few civilizations have spawned billions of alternate universes, thinking that the time travel spell was a disintegrator. It can be rather sad to find out that your particular alternate universe came into being because someone was just too lazy to take out the trash one morning). And three...

The third is when a series of natural and supernatural phenomena collide in order to create a momentary rift in the space-time continuum. This typically involves incredibly powerful energies, like nuclear power, gravitational distortions, or the power of love.

It is said that love conquers all. This is quite true: The magical energy of love is capable of ignoring all manner of factors, including time and space. Love laughs at mere distance, and farts in the general direction of such a meager concept as years, or even decades. That is simply how love rolls... and if you try to question it, love will mare-slap you for talking back to it.

So, when a changeling, prowling the Starswirl the Bearded wing of the library in Canterlot Castle, was struck by the love sphere of doom while standing in the exact spot where Twilight Sparkle had cast her own time spell weeks earlier, he was ejected, not from the castle, but from our timeline as we know it. He was hurled through a temporal rift, from the modern age to a time one thousand years ago, when Equestria was a wild and dangerous place, and a great many terrors threatened the land.

And within thirty seconds of Pandinus Imperator's spectacular arrival in the past, there was one less terror to be found, and the world was no worse for it.

Atop the Crystal Palace, the Crystal Heart sat within its hiding place. King Sombra had placed the royal relic here in order to keep it from being found by his subjects/victims. While the equine sorcerer possessed the means of defending himself from the relic's power, it was best not to take any chances in it falling back into the hooves of his subjects, since it took a great deal of strength to endure the relic's power, and if the Crystal Ponies ever found a way to amplify its power further, Sombra might not have been able to withstand it. The tyrant had gone to spectacular lengths to ensure the heart's protection...

...But few spells are able to survive the destruction of the caster.

Upon the death of King Sombra, the relic promptly fell from its perch, and bounced. Once, twice, thrice, then hurtled over the edge of the tower, down to where the utterly defeated sorcerer and the utterly confused changeling now sat, rendered near-invisible by the dust raised by their landing. The priceless artifact fell neatly into the changeling's lap.

...This would be the last time that pure, random chance would work completely in the changeling's favor. With this one absolutely random piece of luck, he was now officially overdrawn from the dumb luck bank, and would have to spend years paying back the balance. All good things that would follow would be due either to his own hard work and effort... or complete and total misunderstandings by himself and/or others...

Pandinus Imperator (he would not object to being called 'Pan', although no one really called him anything that could be repeated in polite company. Not even changeling polite company) looked down in horror at the wreckage of what was once a pony. Normally, he would hesitate to use that term, but in this case, 'wreckage' was the appropriate word: The poor unfortunate beneath him had shattered like fine china, and now lay in pieces. More startling, however, was the realization that he had just annihilated someone of great importance: How else would you explain the crown and regal robes amongst the fragments of pony on the ground? Pan had the feeling that he had just landed, literally, in more trouble than any changeling had any right to be in.

The changeling's impact had raised a huge cloud of dust that was finally clearing. Pan's desperate hope that no one had noticed his accidental smashsassination (if that wasn't a word, it soon would be, since that was exactly what had just happened) of this VIP was unnoticed was promptly dashed by the dozens, neigh, hundreds, of ponies suddenly surrounding him.

The ponies around him looked... sad. Depressed, morose, utterly down-trodden. It probably had a lot to do with the slaver's chains and manacles around their necks and legs. But... that made no sense. There was no slavery in Equestria, so far as he knew. In fact, there had not been a single documented case of slavery for centuries...

...Not since...

One of the ponies spoke, his eyes wide in shock. "King Sombra," he said, his voice trembling in disbelief, "is dead..." A king? Pan had just offed a freakin' KING!?!

...Pan was so beyond dead.

Before Pan could say anything, offer an explanation or apology, or maybe just point and shout, "Oh my goodness, what is that!" and leg it, the ponies began cheering, many of them bursting into joyous tears. It seemed that the king might not have been that popular...

As if by magic, the chains and manacles that bound the ponies were falling off, disintegrating before the heavy steel could even hit the ground. The ponies began capering about, cheering wildly, clearly glad to be rid of their heavy bindings. As the equines celebrated, Pan looked around for the first time, and took in his surroundings...

This city had clearly seen better days. There were signs that this place had once been a paradise, but the realm was now covered with grime and dirt. Worse, the buildings, seemingly made of fine crystal, were peppered with jagged formations of an oily looking black mineral that hurt to look at for too long. It looked as though the city had been in a state of decline, and had been for a very long time... and yet...

As he watched, it seemed as though the buildings were... righting themselves. The strange substance was... evaporating. The dirt and grime remained, but that was nothing a good scrubbing couldn't fix...

But why? How? This made no sense...

Suddenly, he noticed a glow of brilliant blue. He looked down to see he was holding what seemed to be a heart, carved from crystal, radiating light with a steadily growing intensity. Something seemed to be happening here: There must have been some kind of link between the city, this heart, and these ponies...

One of the cavorting ponies suddenly turned and pointed right at Pan, then exclaimed, "Look! He holds the Crystal Heart!"

Suddenly, Pan found himself the center of attention. The ponies were now staring at him in awe. The silence that followed was... awkward. The changeling had never liked being the center of attention. After a moment, one of the ponies approached cautiously, then asked, his voice trembling, "Milord, might I please have the heart, so that it may be restored to its proper place?"

Without a word, the changeling hoofed over the object. Apparently, this big chunk of rock was a pretty big deal.

The pony took the heart, then quickly rushed over to someplace behind Pan. Turning his head around, Pan saw the pony place the Crystal Heart atop a pedestal beneath a massive crystalline formation, which upon further examination, the changeling realized was a palace. Pan could not help but think to himself, "How did I not see that earlier?"

The instant the strange hunk of crystal was placed upon the podium, the radiance seemed to intensify a thousand-fold. The crystalline structures that made up the city began to glow in response, and perhaps more spectacularly, so did the ponies themselves. Their bodies seemed to change, seeming to go from flesh and blood to some sort of crystal. The effect was... dazzling. And then suddenly, a massive rush of love energy filled Pan as well.

Oh no...

Every so often, a changeling is born with a 'defect'. Not a true disability like blindness, muteness, or the like, but simply something that normally does not happen with other changelings. In some of the high houses, like Pan's birthplace, House Scorpion, those defects can be much more common. The aristocracy had a much smaller gene pool, and allowed nobuggy from the commoner class to enter. This meant that some genetic conditions that were quite rare elsewhere would spring up three or four times a generation. Pan sometimes had privately wondered if this was why there were so many sociopaths in the aristocracy. Not all defects are physical, after all...

Some changelings could have more than one defect... like Pan did. Pan's main 'defect' was that, when he absorbed love energy, his entire body would glow a bright pastel blue. It was incredibly embarrassing, not to mention a terrible handicap for a changeling, since the glow actively prevented him from disguising himself. From what he understood, the glow was caused by a full body blush. He flushed involuntarily when love energy entered his body, and the glowing effect was brought about because some property in his blood made it glow all the time. In a normal changeling, either of those qualities could be managed: A blush didn't normally show through a disguise, and glowing blood was only a true problem if he sustained an injury. Combined, however, it meant that his body would immediately drop a disguise and shine bright blue when he absorbed love. Not a good thing to have happen if you were supposed to be an infiltrator.

That wasn't to mention the fact that Pan had a commoner's skill set of intensifying his physical attributes through love burning, instead of casting spells like every other aristo (Although Pan didn't really think of it as a defect: Mind magic freaked him right out, and even if he could cast those spells, he wouldn't have wanted to). That was why he'd been in the invasion force, rather than waiting with the other aristocrats: His family had literally disowned him and kicked him out into the army, considering him a lost cause. As if it was his fault that he was born that way...

Anyways, Pandinus Imperator was now mortified to find that he was glowing like a Hearth's Warming tree in full view of hundreds of ponies. Pan had expected laughter, but instead...

The ponies began kneeling. All of them. Even the little colts and fillies.

Pardon his Griffin, but... What the pluck?

Author's Note

Pandinus Imperator, the Emperor Scorpion, is among the largest known species of scorpions in the world. Unlike many scorpions, its venom is no more toxic than a bee sting, and it prefers to instead use its powerful claws to take care of most threats. Like most scorpions, it glows a bright, pastel blue under UV lights. It is rather popular as a pet.

Oh, and as to the title of this chapter...

Who's The Boss?

"What just happened?"

Fifteen minutes later...

Pan was now sitting on a throne in the Crystal Palace, wondering what in the flying flock (Pardon his Griffin) just happened. It had happened so quickly, he hadn't been able to follow all of it. The ponies had suddenly started kneeling, swearing eternal fealty to him, and proclaiming him their emperor (Well, Pan's last name did translate to 'Emperor', but he was almost certain that was a coincidence). It made no sense. What the pluck (Pardon his Griffin again) was going on?

And the worst part was, he was still radiantly, brilliantly blue. The Crystal Heart seemed to be generating love energy non-stop, and as long as the flow kept going, he couldn't stop glowing. Apparently the locals liked it, but it was still incredibly embarrassing for the changeling.

After a moment, a rather skittish looking pony walked in, looking slightly embarrassed. "Milord," the pony said, looking a little nervous, "may I have your permission to enter?"

Pan nodded, then made a beckoning gesture. Maybe now he could get some answers.

The pony approached, then gave a full court bow (Who does that, these days?), then said, "Your majesty, I am Pen Stroke, royal chancellor of the Crystal Empire. I fear that your subjects were rather... excited earlier, and in their joy at their regained freedom, they neglected to confirm a few details with you. There are a number of things that I need to ask, if it is not an imposition."

Nodding, Pan said, "I have no problem there. Do you mind if I ask a few questions, as well?"

The stallion, sporting a white coat spotted with brown, knelt, then said, "Not at all, your majesty. I am at your disposal. What would you like to know?"

Pan said, "No, no, you start. A question for a question." Twenty bits said that question number one would be 'What is your name?'

He would have won that bet. "What is your name, your majesty?"

Smiling, the changeling said, "Pandinus Imperator."

Raising his eyebrows, the earth pony asked, "Truly? Your last name is Old Equestrian for 'Emperor'?"

Chuckling, Pan said, "Yes. My parents had high hopes for me, I think." A pity he'd come nowhere near living up to them. "My turn. What is this place?"

With a gesture, the pony said, "You stand in the Crystal Palace, within the Crystal Empire, home of the Crystal Ponies." After brief pause, Pen Stroke smiled, and said, "We're rather big on crystals here, your majesty."

Pan laughed aloud, then said, "I gathered that much." The Crystal Empire? Strange, the changeling felt like he should recognize that name...

Pen Stroke cleared his throat, then said, "I, uh, asked you two questions, so feel free to ask another, your majesty."

There were so many things that he wanted to ask, but the changeling decided to ask the most important one. "Why is everypony so happy that King Sombra is dead?" Pan had an inkling, but he felt like he should get confirmation on that...

With a shudder, Pen Stroke answered, "King Sombra took control of this kingdom several moons ago. I will spare you the gruesome details of all that he did in that time, but he... did away with the royal family who had ruled here previously, then forced every pony in the kingdom into slavery. While he was one, and we were many, he had in his possession powerful magic which took our free will away and forced us to obey his every whim, as well as to take away any memories we had of the time before his rule. Since his first action, upon entering the kingdom, was the theft of the Crystal Heart, we had no means of resisting him. In fact, we could not even imagine a world where he did not rule over us, where we could be free." After a moment, he added, "That is, until you destroyed him and returned the Crystal Heart to us, your majesty."

This Sombra fellow sounded downright nasty, if that's what he'd done. No wonder that his death had sparked what sounded like a massive party amongst the Crystal Ponies. It was strange, that name was ringing bells, but Pan couldn't say where he'd heard it last.

The crystal pony asked, "What manner of creature are you, your majesty?"

Pan was tempted to tell the pony the truth, but decided against it at this point in time. While the changeling was almost certain that the ponies here had never heard of changelings, it would be best if he didn't risk it yet...

"I am an existence like none other," Pan said, grinning. "Make of that what you will."

Pen Stroke seemed surprised by that answer, but after a moment, he nodded and said, "I understand, your majesty."

After a moment, the changeling asked the really important question. "Why am I the emperor?"

Pen Stroke chuckled, then said, "Well, that is a simple question with a complicated answer. First, it is a long held tradition that any hero who saves a realm from a tyrant is granted dominion over the kingdom he has rescued. Of course, that is true only if the rightful ruler is no longer available. If the true sovereign still lives, then the hero is made royal heir through marriage to the eldest princess, or prince, if the hero is a heroine." After a moment, the chancellor cleared his throat, then added uncomfortably, "Or vice versa, if the hero or heroine swings that way. We try not to judge."

That was practically storybook now, but Pan understood that a reward like that had been the tradition in ancient times. The changeling was starting to get a sinking feeling here...

"Second, there is currently nopony with a legitimate claim to the throne. Sombra's... purge of the royal family was absolute, as he did not want anypony who could challenge his reign. There does not remain in this world a single pony with even a drop of royal blood, so far as we know. Without a true ruler in place, the city would soon fall into a violent war over the throne, at a point in time when what we truly need is unity, not division."

Pragmatic, but acceptable. Besides, a civil war could easily end up putting another tyrant on the throne, and while it was unlikely that they'd be worse than this King Sombra scumbag, you could never be certain. In this kind of situation, the pony who might take the throne would probably be the most vicious murderer in the kingdom, instead of the best administrator...

"Third," the pony stated, "and perhaps the most important, is that your coming has been prophesied, or at least, many of your subjects believe this to be so. The founder of the Crystal Empire was, as you described yourself, a being like none other, and while there are no true renderings of his appearance, it was said that he would glow with an inner light when the Crystal Heart was filled with the love and hope of the ponies of the realm. Legend tells of his having gone on a pilgrimage of some sort, vowing to return if the Empire was ever in danger, before leaving the kings and queens of old to rule in his stead. While I admit that I am somewhat skeptical, your obvious radiance is proof enough to many that you are the Crystal Emperor, or at least his heir."

Well, that was surprising. Admittedly, Pan's 'defects' certainly seemed to coincide with this legend, but then, that was just glowing. Plenty of creatures out there would glow under the right circumstances. It didn't mean anything, really. If a firefly had flown down Sombra's throat and choked him to death, they'd proabably be hailing the firefly as the new Crystal Emperor instead. Ponies were like that: They often sought some sort of deeper meaning to random events. Changelings, meanwhile, understood that life was random, and often cruel. After all, if it wasn't, why would there be changelings? A creature with a face that inspires nightmares, but requires love to survive? In what world could that possibly make sense?

Pen Stroke cleared his throat, then said, "I have one final question, your majesty. What is it that you have planned for the Crystal Empire?"

Pan looked at the pony, and after a moment, the changeling said, "I don't plan on becoming the next King Sombra, if that's what you're wondering." The pony gave a visible sigh of relief. "As for what I have planned to do next, the jury is still out on that. I'll get back to you."

The crystal pony knelt, then said, "I understand completely, milord. I admit, this has been a somewhat sudden change for all of us. In truth, the entire city will be reeling from Sombra's demise for quite some time. While we had heard that the princesses Celestia and Luna were on their way to liberate us, none had dared hope that they would succeed in defeating Sombra. Now that he is dead, it will take some time for the kingdom to regain its claim as the greatest city in Equestria."

Suddenly, everything clicked: The Crystal Empire, the Crystal Ponies, King Sombra, all of it came together. It was like looking at what seems to be a random scibble on the wall, and suddenly realizing that it was, in fact, a written language, and one that you had been reading your entire life...

Pan had been a good student, and one of his teachers had given the young aristo a brief lesson on the history of the Crystal Empire. The Crystal Empire was a city that had existed a thousand years ago. King Sombra had conquered that city single-hooved, then ruled it with all four iron hooves stomping on the rights and freedoms of his subjects. The princesses came to liberate the city, but because they'd lacked the strength to slay the king outright, and had instead sealed him away, the tyrant had responded by banishing the city to a place beyond time. But now...

...Now, history has changed.

Through some bizarre contrivance, Pan was now in the distant past. Sombra was dead, and all the superglue in the world would not put him back together. The princesses, at the absolute height of their power and ready for a ferocious battle, would be coming here in a very short time. They'd be surprised to find that the city was no longer enslaved, and was now celebrating the death of the worst pony in history. The fact that the universe had not blinked out of existence implied that a paradox had not occurred, but that meant, with history having been changed once, it could easily be changed even further.

That could end up being very good, or very, very bad...

"My final question," Pan began, after a moment, "is, what will happen if it turns out I'm not up to being the 'Emperor' of the Crystal Empire?"

Pen Stroke nodded in understanding, then said, "Such a thing has happened before, milord. Many heroes of humble origins have turned out not to be all that great at running a kingdom afterwards. A council of advisers is often recommended, in order to keep you appraised of the state of the kingdom, as well as to aid you in working out the correct path to take in running things. Still, a life of raising wheat or apples seldom prepares a pony for the harshness of realpolitik. If it turns out you are unable to handle the running of the kingdom, you will still have the gratitude of your subjects, provided you've not done something truly unforgivable. You'll be expected to turn over the crown to somepony more capable, if you prove you are not up to the task, and a more fitting reward will be assigned to you."

"But that will be later, when things have settled down a bit," Pan guessed.

"Precisely."

"And..." Pan began hesitantly, "what happens if I do end up making a royal mess of things?" At the pony's confused look, the changeling added, "I mean, if I make the kind of mistake that my subjects won't forgive?"

Pen Stroke said, without any trace of irony, "State funerals are extremely expensive, milord, so let's try to avoid that." Clearing his throat, Pen added, "That having been said, I will tell you that you will not be in this alone. I, as well as the other ponies of the Crystal Empire, will do our absolute best to ensure that this kingdom will pull through this time of instability with a minimum of upheaval."

Minimum, right. That means that the locals were expecting at least a little bit of fur to fly, Pan thought pessimistically. After all, reason number two for why he was sitting on the most important chair in town was because they were wanting to avoid a civil war. This meant that, within just fifteen to twenty minutes of the city's liberation, factions were probably already forming. Nobles were sharpening their lances in preparation for the days to come, while they began hatching schemes to see if this newcomer had as firm a handle of the crown as Sombra did. There was no doubt that in the near future, Pan would be tested, and tested harshly, by those who sought the throne. If the changeling messed up, and the factions in question smelled blood in the water, the sharks would gather, and sooner or later, somepony (Somesharky? Is that a thing? If it wasn't, then it should be) would decide that the fastest way to take power was to remove the changeling's head, followed by the head of every other contender.

If it had been a pony here, they'd probably use their detailed knowledge of their own history and/or advanced technology to secure their possession of the throne, or maybe just use the power of love, friendship, and/or rainbows to bring everypony together. Ponies had this incredible gift for solving problems in the most bizarre ways possible.

Pan was in no way a pony. He had only a vague grasp of the history of Equestria, and his species had very little actual technology themselves. They were practically stone age in comparison to even the ponies of the Crystal Empire. As for friendship and rainbows, Pan was pretty sure that was solely a pony thing. Love was a useful tool, but the changeling's only experience with it was using it to enhance his own abilities. However, he was a changeling, and changelings were good at adapting. If his continued survival was based solely upon keeping the locals happy, while at the same time getting the city back up and running, then he'd start with the basics.

Time for a party.

"First order of business," Pan said, smiling, "is that we get my subjects fed and happy." Looking at the chancellor with a half-smile, the changeling asked, "How long would it take to prepare a victory feast large enough to feed the entire city?"

Pen Stroke seemed surprised, but rallied quickly, then said, "We could have it done by this time tomorrow. Our reserve food supplies are not as great as they usually are, but the pantries of the palace itself are filled to the brim. King Sombra spared no expense for his own meals, even if what he gave his own subjects was little better than gruel. The farmers, meanwhile, believe that they can have the fields sown with seed within five days time, and a full crop of crystal berries ready for harvest within twenty-five days afterwards. Barring an unexpected plant blight, food won't be a problem, even if we hold a massive feast every day for a week."

The changeling nodded, then said, "Good. Be certain that we'll have enough for a royal banquet for when the princesses arrive, but feel free to use whatever is is available to give my new subjects the best meal they've ever had. Any performers in the city can, if they feel up to it, put on a show, and can be expected to be recompensed by the crown for their hard work. The day after tomorrow, I want my subjects well-fed, happy, and ready to work on getting this city back up on its hooves. And let them know that, this time next year, we'll hold another celebration just like it."

With a full court bow, Pen Stroke, "Your will, milord. With your permission, I'll begin making the preparations immediately."

"Ah, before you do," Pan said, stopping the pony from leaving, "would you be so good as to have somepony sent to give me a tour of my palace?" The changeling had a busy day tomorrow, and he'd rather not spend half the night trying to find his bedroom.

With a smile and a nod, Pen Stroke said, "My son has detailed knowledge of the castle's layout. I am certain that he shall be happy to guide you."

The Grand Tour

"Right this way, milord!"

Pen Stroke's son, Gold Coin, was beyond happy to guide the changeling about the palace. In the last thirty minutes, Pan had received enough love energy from the Crystal Heart to keep him going for the next ten years. Gold Coin, on the other hoof, met that amount, and then doubled it, in ten seconds flat. Hero worship is a powerful thing.

The little crystal colt, an earth pony with a silver coat and brilliantly bright gold mane and tail (If you need to be told what his cutie mark is, you obviously did not pay attention to the name), was a bundle of energy, love and otherwise. The little fellow could not stand still, and was practically pronking with every step. It was hard to believe that only half an hour before, he had been in chains and in abject misery.

"Here is your bedroom, milord," Gold said, grinning cheerfully. "We're getting the fresh linens prepared for you, and will have them in place by nightfall."

The room in question was... spectacular. It was larger than most houses that the changeling had seen. It was incredibly, unspeakably clean, the kind that requires somepony having come in every day for the last ten years and polishing everything. Several massive windows let in the sunlight, and the room was filled with obviously valuable furniture. The four poster bed alone could have held twenty changelings, and given them space enough to spread their limbs and wings in all directions. This was a bed built for alicorns. The entire room was a vision of extreme, unspeakable opulence.

...It's good to be the king. Better to be the emperor.

Having seen the location of his bedroom, Pan was ready to see the rest of his new home, and was about to say so to Gold, when he noticed the wistful expression on the young colt's face as he stared at the bed. It seemed that, regardless of the species, and regardless of the era, children were the same all over.

"You want to jump on it?"

Gold Coin looked up at the changeling, and after a moment, a sad look crossed his face and he said, "I cannot. It's not allowed."

A thoughtful expression crossed the changeling's face. "I'm pretty sure," Pan said, a slow smile blooming on his features, "that if I say it's allowed, then it's allowed."

The colt's expression became one of pure and unfiltered surprise. "You mean..."

Nodding, Pan took on a regal pose, then said, in an exaggeratedly formal voice, "I, Emperor Pandinus Imperator The First, Ruler of the Crystal Empire And All Who Doth Dwell Within, do hereby grant you permission to go jump up and down atop the royal bed like a little madpony for the next five minutes."

Gold Coin gave a court bow, happily exclaimed, "Yes, milord," then leapt, clearing the distance between the doorway and the bed in a single, seemingly impossible, bound. Upon landing, he promptly began to enthusiastically obey his emperor's order. Pan, on the other hoof, sat back and watched the youngster give the bed the a serious once-over, a bemused expression on the changeling's face.

A moment later, a maid walked in with the fresh linens, and saw the colt bouncing ecstatically atop the bed, the new emperor watching, smiling. Noticing her, the changeling turned and said, "Extremely important emperor business in progress. Please wait a moment."

The maid, a crystal pegasus who was, at the very oldest, fourteen years of age, giggled. She said, "Certainly, milord."

After his five minutes was up, Gold hopped off of the bed, then returned to the emperor with a bow. "Thank you for that, milord. Are you ready to resume your tour of the palace?"

Nodding, Pan said, "Certainly. Please lead the way." Nodding to the maid, the changeling added, "Thank you for your patience. Carry on."

The maid gave a curtsey, giggled again, then walked over to the bed. When the colt and the changeling left the room, the maid was humming merrily to herself as she placed the linens upon the bed.

"Are you alone?"

Wild Wing, secret agent of the princesses, currently disguised as a maid, nodded, touched a small stud in one ear, and said, "Yes, your highness. I have a report to make. You will not believe what has happened today."

"Here are the royal baths, milord," Gold Coin said, a few minutes later. "Hot water is pumped into this room via a complex mechanism connected to a natural hot spring deep beneath the city. If you desire a hot bath, one can be prepared for you anytime, day or night. Please bear in mind," he added as an afterthought, "that while the smaller washing tub can be prepared within five minutes of your request, the grand bath requires close to half an hour. The good news is, once the grand bath is filled, enchantments placed within it will keep the water heated for several hours if need be. A cold bath is also available, and can be completed in half the time."

Now this was an impressive sight to see. Pan had seen bath houses in various kingdoms throughout his time with the swarm, and this one could have easily fallen in the category of 'luxury' baths. The 'washing tub', as Gold put it, was roughly the size and shape of an extra large hot tub, and the grand bath... well, it was basically a small swimming pool.

More impressive still was the craftsponyship of the entire affair. This had obviously been built, not just to impressive the locals, but foreign dignitaries as well. The floor, walls, and ceilings were covered in an impressive mosaic pattern of small crystal tiles. The amount of work that would have gone into building this was staggering, given that this was one thousand years before what Pan considered the modern era.

Gold Coin added, "We also have servants available to assist you in washing yourself any time you please, as well as to assist you in dressing yourself when you are done. Some forms of royal regalia and court dress can be incredibly difficult put on by yourself, and the staff is willing and able to aid you in cleaning any and all hard to reach areas." Clearing his throat, Gold added, in a tone implying he was reciting this from memory, "The bath servants are not here to provide any services beyond that. If you have any special needs that you wish to have met, please notify the chancellor. He will make the necessary arrangements for you." The colt was now visibly blushing. "While we would never dream of telling you what to do, it is recommended that you exercise good judgement in any romantic liaisons you may pursue. Illegitimate children can cause a number of problems later down the line." Gold's face was now bright red.

Pan would be blushing himself, if he wasn't already bright blue due to his 'defect'. This was not a conversation he'd planned on having with a young colt today. Seriously, a six year old had just told him, formally, not to hit on the staff, that if he wanted to have a flank call made, all he had to do was notify the chancellor, and that he should try not to knock any mares up that he wasn't married to? The chancellor really should have mentioned that himself, instead of having his son do it. Not cool. Well, it was a different time, he supposed. Children grew up fast in the past. "Well, that's more than enough on that subject. Do we have a wine cellar? I could really use a drink right about now."

Much more relaxed, Gold nodded, then said, "Certainly, your majesty. We'll head over there now. The royal tapmaster will be happy to oblige us."

Most changelings don't drink. It's not be cause they can't (While they lack the ability to digest solids, they can still ingest liquids), but because alcohol is very difficult to obtain, given their migratory nature. There are no changeling vineyards, and no changeling breweries (There was a changeling meth lab once, but it was stopped abruptly when it was discovered that crystal meth makes a changeling's head explode. No, that's not a metaphor). What spirits they desired had to be stolen. Pan's role, in the time after an invasion had succeeded, was to raid the wine cellars and taverns for good booze so they could celebrate the victory properly. Naturally, he'd always kept the really good stuff for himself. Booze helped him forget about his personal issues, at least for a while...

Anyways, due to this , Pan had seen a few wine cellars, but this one put them all to shame. The cellars beneath the Crystal Palace was stocked with hundreds of massive kegs of beer, bottles of fine wine, and casks of much more exotic liquors.

"They have all thirty-two flavors," Pan said, with a voice tinged with awe.

A massive pony, sporting limbs as thick as tree trunks, and a dark brown coat with a close cropped, cream colored mane, and carrying a keg nearly as big as he was, stepped into view, then said, "Milord, if somepony claims we only have thirty-two types of spirits within these halls, I will call them out as a slanderer. There does not exist, in Equestria or anywhere else in the world, a collection that can come close to rivaling our own." Extending his foreleg, the giant said, "Malted Barley, Royal Tapmaster, at your service, milord."

Pan shook the massive hoof, and said, "Pandinus Imperator. It's a pleasure to meet you, Malt. Now, I am in need of a drink." The changeling suddenly realized something that he'd nearly forgotten to do. "Ah, while I do so, though, there's a ritual I need to observe. Do you happen to know what Sombra's favorite was?"

The tapmaster's expression turned thoughtful as he said, "I think I know the ritual you speak of, milord. I'll return with the bottle you'll need shortly." With that, Malted Barley turned and disappeared into the depths of the cellar.

Looking up at the changeling, Gold Coin asked, "What ritual, milord?"

With a faraway expression on his face, Pan said, "Where I am from, it's commonly called 'pouring one out', but you'd probably know it as 'libation'. Think of it as an offering for the good will of the one who is no longer here. It's typically done in memory of the dead."

The colt's expression of disbelief was priceless, as he asked, "And you're going to do it for King Sombra?" Gold Coin's tone implied that this was one of the stupidest things that he had ever heard.

Given that, only an hour ago, King Sombra had been making this colt's life a living Tartarus, his reaction wasn't surprising, but...

"Someone should," Pan said, his expression solemn. "You're a little young to understand it, but... well, it's a tradition. A very, very old tradition. It's normally done in memory of friends or loved ones, but some it is often done in memory of enemies as well. My father used to do it any time one of his foes passed away." The changeling silently added, Although he'd typically say, 'Here's something to wash my piss out of your mouth' when he did so. Changeling aristocrats were not a refined lot, nor were they very nice...

"Anyways, it's said that the ones who are gone get to drink the liquor that is poured out for them in their name," Pan concluded, nodding at the tapmaster, who was returning with a pair of goblets and a bottle of wine. "Maybe it's just superstition, but it's one I try to observe whenever I can. And I doubt anypony else will pour one out for him. Since I was the one who killed him, it's only right that I do the honors."

The crystal pony nodded, then poured a generous serving into one of the goblets. With a solemn expression, Malt handed the goblet over, and said, "Sombra was a monster, and the world is a better place with him gone, but I will admit, he knew his spirits. This is a bottle of wine from the Gryphus vineyards. Very hard to get, the griffons almost never export it, and typically only give it as a gift to royalty. This one was sent to the old king as a wedding gift. It's, well, it's the very last one we have. Sombra drank the rest, and was probably saving this last one for a special occasion."

The Gryphus vineyards would be practically legendary in Pan's time, mainly because, about a hundred years from now, a terrible war would break out, and the vineyards would be destroyed during one of the bloodiest battles the Griffin Kingdoms would ever see. Some sort of magic had been unleashed over the course of the battle, poisoning the soil, or perhaps cursing it, so that grapes would never grow there again. Anything else grew just fine, but whoever had worked the dark spell had wanted to rob the kingdoms of their most famous product. Nine hundred years later, only three bottles remained, and nopony was going to drink them, ever. If Pan had possessed some way of taking this bottle back to the modern age, he could probably sell it for more money than he could imagine... and Pan had a great imagination.

Pluck it, it would be a hundred years before the vineyards would be gone, and he was an emperor now. If he wanted to, he could go personally to whoever the king of the griffins was right now, and buy as many bottles as he could carry. Besides, Pan couldn't help but wonder if this would be as good as it was said to be.

Pan took the offered chalice, then said, "I pour this out in the memory of King Sombra," he began as he emptied the goblet on the floor, his expression and tone still solemn, "who died before his time, although many would argue it was nowhere near soon enough. I hope they serve beer in Tartarus, because if they don't, I doubt you're going to get another drink anytime soon. Either way, savor it." After the changeling finished, the tapmaster refilled the cup with a grin. Pan grinned in return, then said, "Because I know I will." Pan emptied the entire cup in one go. Silently, he added, I'm not sorry you're dead, Sombra, but I am sorry that I'm the one who killed you.

The wine was... good. Very good, although not quite as spectacular as legend made it out to be. Pan had tasted better. Not often, but once or twice.

The tapmaster indulged as well, then said, "As I said, he had good taste. I'm more of a beer pony myself, of course, but I know good stuff when I taste it." With a raised eyebrow, the pony asked, "Are you truly planning on holding a great feast for the entire kingdom tomorrow, milord?"

News travels fast, it seems. "I certainly am," Pan said with a nod, then added, "And while I wouldn't ask you to donate anything truly irreplaceable to the proceedings, I would consider it a favor if you made certain that a plentiful supply of our best made it there." It wouldn't do if they didn't have enough spirits to go around.

Grinning, the crystal pony said, "I'd be happy too, milord. If there was ever a time for celebration, it's now. I've already got a dozen barrels in mind, and I can have another dozen brought up, just in case we need extra."

With a nod, the new emperor said, "Make it so." Hearing a loud grumble, Pan looked down at the young colt, who looked a little embarrassed. With a chuckle, the changeling asked, "I'm guessing the kitchens will be our next stop?"

Nodding, Gold Coin said, "Aye, milord. That is, if you don't mind."

"One moment," Pan said, then grinned, grabbed the bottle out of the tapmaster's hooves, then emptied the entire bottle in a long pull. The older pony gave a whistle of admiration when the changeling finished. Best not to let good wine go to waste, and as Malt said, he was a beer pony. "It's been a pleasure meeting you, Malt, and I expect we'll be seeing each other often."

"Likewise, milord," the pony said, with a serious expression, "I'm always glad for the company. Come by anytime."

The two shook hooves, and the changeling turned to the colt, and said, "Lead on."

A few minutes later, when Malted Barley returned with a rag to clear up the offering, the pony was surprised to find that the pool of spilled wine was gone. After a moment, he shrugged, and decided that somepony, probably one of the maids, had already come and cleaned it up...

"Special delivery for you, sir."

Sombra looked up from the report that he was reading. His conquest of Tartarus had been a farce, honestly. Stick a master of fear and hate in the prison built especially to punish the most wicked and dreadful beings in existence, and you've got a recipe for disaster, at least for anything that got in his way. There was more hate here than there was anyplace else in the world. It might have been dicey if something had happened to his horn, but his power had remained, even now. While it would take a very, very long time for Sombra to escape, the tyrant already had plans in motion. Time moves slowly in Tartarus, though: In the world of the living, only an hour had passed. Here in Tartarus, it had been several thousand years, and it would take ages uncounted for him to break free...

One of the... 'things' that server as jailers (It would be impossible to describe these creatures, and even attempting to do so would cause you to have a severe aneurysm. They looked almost like GAAAH MY BRAIN!!!) carried a goblet of wine. The tyrant, surprised, took it, then asked, "Where did this come from?"

The creature said, in a voice that sounded like razors cutting through silk, "Someone up there poured one out it your name, sir."

Sombra took a sip, then, surprise and delight forming on his face as he recognized his favorite wine, he took a deeper drink. After a moment, he looked down at a small tag that was attached to the goblet. Sighing happily, the tyrant said, "I needed that." As he took his time enjoying his first drink in millennia, Sombra looked thoughtful. After a few minutes, the dread lord admitted, "I should probably get him something, by way of thanks..."

Dark and evil Sombra might be, but he at least understood the concept of gratitude, and anyone who would pour in his name a cup of wine worth ten thousand bits per glass deserved something back for the trouble...

The rest of the tour went by fairly quickly, although it did take up the rest of the day. After they were done, Gold Coin led Pan back to the emperor's new bedroom, then gave a deep bow, stating, "That completes the tour of the Crystal Palace, milord. It is late now, so it is likely best if you retire for the evening. My father will send somepony to wake you in the morning."

Pan extended a hoof, then said, "Thank you for showing me around. I greatly appreciate it."

Grinning cheerfully, Gold said, "It was a pleasure, milord. If there is anything you need, feel free to call upon me, or upon any member of the staff. We are here to serve."

As Pan got himself settled into bed, he couldn't help but marvel at the drastic change in his luck. Just twenty-four hours ago, he was a social pariah: The aristocrats had rejected him because he could not do magic, while the commoners would have little to do with him, because he was a born and bred aristo, magic or not. Neither fish, nor fowl, nor good red herring. Now, suddenly he had ponies kneeling before him, calling him the emperor. They didn't care who his parents were, or what natural abilities he had. It was... incredible. He liked it here. He wanted to stay, and not just because he was getting the royal treatment. It was because, for the first time in his life, he was accepted...

All he had to do now was get this kingdom up and running, make sure the nobility didn't think he was some kind of pushover, and gain the princesses approval of his continued reign over the city.

How hard could that be?

Author's Note

Pronking
Libation

Under New Management

"What manner of creature is that?"

Luna studied the image that their agent, Wild Wing, had sent them, concerning the one who had struck down King Sombra. While the two were resting in a cave in the Crystal Mountains, Celestia had decided to contact the spy, hoping for an update on the situation, and maybe a clue as to where the Crystal Heart might have been hidden. They certainly had not expected the most recent piece of news.

Wild Wing had been in place prior to the conquest, but her role had been intended for simply keeping an eye of the nobility of the Crystal Empire. Instead, within a week of her arrival, the pegasus had been thrust headfirst into a nightmare scenario that nopony could have predicted. Luna made a note to herself to recommend Wild Wing for a promotion. The things that the young pegasus had gone through went above and beyond the call of duty.

Luna looked over to her sister as she considered her answer to Celestia's question. Luna had once read Starswirl the Bearded's Monster Almanac from cover to cover, and she had never seen anything like this creature. It seemed as if a pony had somehow merged with a giant insect, added wings and a horn, then added a pair of fangs for good measure. The fact that the creature's chitinous exterior was a luminous blue only deepened its strangeness. And that was leaving aside the holes in its legs...

She briefly considered if it could indeed be an amalgamation of two or more different kinds of creature. While certainly possible, she supposed (Hippogriffs were proof of that), being able to deduce the parentage of such a bizarre creature was beyond the younger alicorn's ability.

"I could not say, sister," Luna said, admitting defeat. Suddenly, inspiration struck her as she added, "There are a multitude of lands outside of Equestria, however, and not all of them are named, let alone explored. This creature could be from such a realm."

Celestia pondered that. "I would not dispute such a conclusion. The world is vast, and its inhabitants diverse." After a moment's consideration, she said, "However, that would still leave the question of its intentions. The most recent creatures to come from outside of Equestria were Tirek and Scorpan. While Scorpan redeemed himself, and aided us in defeating his brother, that does not change the fact that originally, both of them came here with dark intentions."

Giving that the consideration it was due, Luna tilted her head to one side and thought. After a moment, she tapped her chin with one hoof, then said, "Well, we can theorize all we want, but the only thing that will bring us any closer to the truth would be to go there ourselves." Studying the image again, she pondered the strangeness of such a creature. And yet...

Sighing, Celestia dismissed the image of the new ruler of the Crystal Empire, then said, "You are right, Luna. We could spent all night puzzling over all of this, but the truth is that we will know nothing for certain until we arrive at our destination tomorrow. The good news, at least, is that we are unlikely to have a fight on our hooves the moment we arrive." With a shrug, she said, "Given the week we've had, even a brief respite is welcome."

Luna nodded, then said, "The first thing I would like when we arrive, if possible, would be a nice, long bath. I swear, I have never felt as tired, nor as filthy, as I do now." A subtle hint of irritation infiltrated her tone as she said this. Celestia, for all that she had done her fair share of the 'heavy lifting', looked absolutely spotless, and did not show even the slightest sign of exhaustion. Luna, on the other hoof, looked as though she'd been smeared with dirt and grime, and when she had seen her reflection in the ice of the cave wall, she could see visible bags under her eyes. Her entire body ached. She was in sorry shape. It was almost as if all of the dirt, the fatigue, every last misfortune that should have stuck to Celestia was transferred to Luna instead.

It was wrong to feel that way, but Luna could not help but be jealous of her older sister...

Chuckling, Celestia said, "I could do with a bath myself, sister. We'll see if we can make that happen. We should arrive early in the morning. We'll see how things go from there."

That night, the emperor dreamed...

He was surprised to find himself sitting at a desk. There was a chair opposite him, and he got the immediate impression that there was someone, or something, on the other side. It was strange, but he could not make out any other details. In fact, he couldn't be certain that he was sitting in a chair, or if there truly was a desk in front of him. Instead, there was just the impression of a desk. It was like how, in dreams, you never saw details unless you actively focused on them...

"I am not often in a position where I find myself completely at a loss for an explanation." The chair swiveled around, and Pan saw the one who spoke. He was tall for a unicorn, with an ash gray coat and soot black mane and tail. His eyes were a deep red. Surprisingly enough, he did not seem angry. It took a moment for Pan to remember where he had seen this individual last. The last time he had seen this pony, those eyes had been wide with shock, a second before they had collided.

...Pan was now face to face with King Sombra.

The tyrant continued, stating, "You are a mystery. Those that dwell in Tartarus keep records on every creature that exists, and even they are mystified by you. As far as the universe is concerned, you literally did not exist until earlier today. Care to explain that?"

This was a dream. It had to be. As such, Pan saw no point in lying. "I came from the future. Or maybe just a future. I'm pretty sure that, by killing you, I changed history. Sorry about that."

An eyebrow raised, Sombra said, "Remarkable. I'd read everything there was to read concerning time travel theory, including the rather amusing treatise on the concept of 'The Trousers Of Time', but I never imagined that I'd come across a true time traveler. I must admit, I am shocked. However, that does answer the question as to why you didn't exist yesterday."

Pan, rather nervously, asked, "Am I going to exist tomorrow?"

Chuckling, Sombra said, "Yes. Even if I did not feel indebted to you for your little offering earlier, there is very little I could do to you here, except possibly scar you mentally." Suddenly, there was a loud blaring noise, like a fire alarm going off. "Blast, one moment please."

Sombra abruptly reached behind him, then pulled out an overly large umbrella and opened it up, covering both the changeling and himself. Not a second later, there was a rather large downpour. The rain that fell was rather yellowish in color, and had a rather distinctive smell. Not certain if he could believe it, Pan asked, "Is that really..."

Sighing, the tyrant said, "Yes, that's from ponies urinating on my grave. Just as every drink poured in the name of the deceased is sent here, so to is every drop of urine released on a grave sent down here for the one it is spilled on. Tartarus is funny like that." With a wry chuckle, Sombra added, "I'm rather glad I was not in any recognizable shape. Had I been in one piece, I imagine they would have buried my face up with my mouth open, and I'd be forced to drink something I would rather not know the taste of."

Looking apologetic, Pan started to say, "Look, I'm sorry I..."

"It wasn't your fault," Sombra interrupted, looking, if anything, slightly embarrassed. "I could see, even before we collided, that you had no control of your flight. I should have teleported, or raised a force field, or really just anything other than standing around like a fool when I saw that something was about to hit me. It was an accident, and holding a grudge over something like that would be childish."

Sombra sighed again, then said, "The reason I'm here is because I wanted to give you some information. You did me a great kindness earlier, and I wanted to pay you back for it."

Pan nodded, then said, "Alright. I'm listening."

The tyrant cleared his throat, then said, "You are going to encounter several problems within the first days of your rule. Some of them are mundane, and you are should be well equipped to deal with them. Other threats," the former monarch continued, "are a bit more difficult, being more magical in nature. I cannot say I know what all will come against you in the days ahead, but there is one threat that I know you will be faced with, and it will be a threat to both you and the kingdom both. It's something that I, unintentionally, set in motion: The first threat to Equestria, the one that came before there truly was an Equestria, has caught the scent of my magic, and is approaching with all possible speed. Winter is coming. Be ready to drive it back, or there will never be a spring." The unicorn's eyes narrowed, and he said, "This makes us even. What happens next is in your hooves."

His expression softening, he added, "However, if you feel you need more advice, I would not be against you pouring out a bottle in my name sometime. I prefer wine, although I would not object to brandy, or even rum. But no whiskey or beer. I simply cannot stand the stuff. Oh, and if you could do something about the 'weather', I would consider it a favor." Chuckling, he added, "Good luck."

And with that, Pan awoke.

Pan woke to the sound of the Crystal Ponies singing his praises. This was not a metaphor: They were actually singing a song about him, and how great he was. It was kind of catchy, admittedly. He realy ought to have expected something like this: You give a pony a tune and a reason to celebrate, and they will start a spontaneous musical number. They were funny like that...

Long live the greatest Emperor,
Who slew the evil Sorceror!
Brave Pandinus Imperator,
The kingdom's great liberator!

And that was just the chorus. It seemed thatt here was no end to the number of verses. As Pan slowly rose from bed and stretched the kinks from his limbs, his subjects sang verse after verse, detailing their new ruler's many qualities. They dedicated three verses to his incredible good looks (Wildly exaggerated, to be honest with you), five versus to his incredible strength (He could burn love to match feats like that, but normally it wasn't all that impressive), and three to his courage (Well, he had done some pretty reckless stuff when he was sufficiently hammered). He was feeling pretty good about himself by that point. And the song kept going on and on and on...

He noticed that somepony had deposited a bottle of of wine in a bucket of ice beside his bed. He vaguely remembered requesting that from a passing maid before he had tucked in for the night. While some would argue that it was too early for drinking, Pandinus Imperator was of the opinion that time had no bearing on good spirits. Popping the cork off, Pan took a long pull...

...And nearly spit it out all over the room when the Crystal Ponies began singing, in unison, about their new leader's unmatched... 'virility'.

His subjects were using a lot of metaphors, thank goodness, but anypony who was old enough to have any sort of knowledge about that kind of thing would immediately know that when they were singing about his 'long and powerful lance', they were not singing about jousting. The line about him being a match for twelve, either one at a time or all at once, certainly wasn't about his prowess as a fighter, either.

If the changeling were not still in a state of permanent blush, he was certain that he would be brilliantly blue from hoof to head. Instead, his glow brightened about two notches. There are some things that you should not hear from an entire city, sung in unison.

Oh sweet, merciful heavens, if the princesses heard that...

Celestia was laughing so hard that she could barely fly straight. Luna, on the other hoof, didn't see what was so funny. In fact, it was rather intimidating, hearing about how mighty a warrior this new emperor was. She should have realized that he must be strong, having destroyed King Sombra in a single blow, but this defied belief! Still, the Crystal Ponies seemed pretty happy about their city's new leader. She supposed that having a protector so fearsome must be a great relief...

With an exasperated sigh, Luna turned towards her sister and asked, "What in blazes is so funny, sister?"

Celestia looked over at Luna, her expression surprised, then suddenly broke into even greater mirth. It took her a little bit of time for her to regain her composure. When she finally got her composure back, she asked, "Do you remember that talk we had when you came of age?"

How could she forget? It was one of the most mortifying moments of her life, having Celestia explain the 'facts of life' to her. Celestia had brought 'visual aids' that Luna would gladly have paid money to unsee. There had been a quiz at the end, and Luna had failed it twice, requiring Celestia to go over the material all over again. But what did...

...Oh.

Luna began blushing as she began to get the joke. Well, if you could call it a joke. Fighting the mounting embarrassment that threatened to overcome her, she asked, "Why would they be singing about that in public? And why would anypony write a song like that?"

Celestia, still giggling, said, "I think that the song writer wanted to get on the emperor's good side Stallions like to be complimented about that kind of thing. As for why they're singing it, it is set to a rather catchy tune, bawdy or not." After a moment, she laughed and asked, "I wonder what will happen to whoever wrote it?"

"Tell whoever wrote that song that they are now the royal minstrel, and have her brought to the palace, post haste," Pan said to Pen Stroke a few minutes later, after he'd made his way to the throne room and requested the chancellor be brought to him.

Pen Stroke, confused, asked, "Truly, milord? I thought that you would be shocked by her brazen verse?" The fact that, until a moment ago, the pony had been humming along implied that, brazen or not, Pen had been enjoying the song immensely.

"I am," the emperor admitted, "but I am also gravely concerned as to what she might do if I were to leave her at large, or worse, get on her bad side. Subject matter aside, it's clear that the bard behind this has a gift. If nothing else, I can ask her to write songs about my enemies."

This got a good laugh out of the royal chancellor, who nodded, then said, "I'll take care of it. Ah, I should let you know, Celestia and Luna have been spotted. They'll be here shortly. We'll need you to prepare to receive them."

Celestia and Luna touched down just in front of the entrance to Crystal Palace. Luna did her best to keep her discomfort from showing: Her wings were painfully sore, as was most of her body, to be honest. This week would likely go down in history as the most unpleasant she had ever experienced...

As she and Celestia walked in, escorted by a quartet of local guards, she was surprised to hear what sounded like an argument further down the hall. One of the speakers was the Royal Chancellor, Pen Stroke, whose voice she recognized, having spoken with him on many occasions in the past. The other, given the context, must have been this Pandinus Imperator, the new ruler...

"Milord," the chancellor said, clearly upset, "I must insist that you put on some form of the royal regalia before you meet them."

"They've flown far too many miles," the other said, "to be kept waiting on my doorstep while you dress me up in something uncomfortable and impractical."

"But milord," Pen Stroke insisted, "for propriety's sake..."

"Propriety," the other said, anger rising, "can kiss my gloriously radiant imperial flank!" After a moment, there was a sigh, followed by, "I'm sorry. That was hardly kind, especially after you've been so good to me. I guess that bottle of wine is starting to go to my head. Look, we've agreed that we're not holding the coronation ceremony until it's established that I'll be here for the long haul, and that'll be at least a year from now. When that time comes, you can dress me with all the regalia you want, and I promise, I won't complain about any of it, no matter how heavy, hot, or just plain ridiculous it may be. Until then, if I must wear something, then stick a crown on me. Anything beyond that is just showing off."

"...Very well, milord. I suppose that you have a point," Pen Stroke admitted. "Propriety should not be put before common courtesy, especially during such unusual circumstances. I do have a crown you can make use of, although it is a bit heavy."

After a pause, the other said, "Not bad. It's a little too grand for just walking about in the city. I'll need to see about something a bit more modest for the feast tonight, but this should do for now. Alright, if we're all set, please announce me. Oh, and please keep it as short as you can. I'd rather not keep the princesses waiting."

Pen Stroke strode into view, cleared his throat, then proclaimed, "Presenting his Imperial Majesty, Pandinus Imperator The First, Ruler Of The Crystal Empire And All Who Dwell Within!"

Then the creature stepped out, a modest crown of silver and gold atop his head...

Pan was pretty sure he had the regal look down, even if he didn't have much practice with it. Still, he felt that he would make a good impression on the two princesses. Maybe it was just the crown, but he swore that when he saw himself in the mirror, he looked taller, and a littler broader, than he had the day before...

The changeling stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the princesses. He was shocked to see that, while Celestia looked just slightly winded, Luna looked like she'd just barely survived a natural disaster... then had been thrust headfirst into another, and then a third afterwards. She honestly looked like she was nearly ready to fall over.

Pan had understood, in a general way, that Luna and Celestia had fought Discord and Sombra within a week of one another, along with other threats in between. However, reading of such things was one thing: Seeing the end of what such battles could do to a pony afterwards is quite another. It was clear that the two princesses had experienced the week from Tartarus, although Celestia, being the older and more experienced of the two, was bearing the strain better than her sibling.

Pen Stroke had prepared a short speech for the changeling to recite, in order to 'officially' greet the two princesses. Pan mentally tossed it aside, and simply said, "I gladly welcome you to the Crystal Empire, your majesties. Please, come inside, I will have the royal baths prepared for you." Turning towards Pen Stroke, the changeling said, "Prepare a privacy screen to separate the normal and grand bathing areas, and get the staff up there, so nopony will make any comments about 'propriety'. Prepare a hot bath in both: I'll take the normal bath. The princesses can make fully use of the grand one."

Pen Stroke, clearly shocked by this sudden deviation from protocol, asked, "Are you certain, milord?"

"Look at them," Pan said, "and tell me if they look like they're in any state for a welcoming ceremony."

Glancing over at the two princesses, Pen Stroke nodded, then said, "I understand: I suppose that propriety can kiss both of our flanks today. I'll make the necessary arrangements." The chancellor made a series of gestures to a nearby guard, who rushed off.

Luna was blushing visibly as the strange creature decided to dispense with the traditional speeches and whatnot, drop everything, and see to the needs of both herself and her sister without any ceremony whatsoever. While normally a stickler for protocol herself, Luna had been dreading the next hour, at least, as all of the necessary formalities were observed. Instead, the 'necessary formalities' had been thrown out the window. Luna wasn't certain if she should be shocked, or if she should applaud the new emperor's consideration for his guests. The younger alicorn wondered if she'd ever have the courage to do something like that...

Looking up to her sister, Luna noticed that Celestia had a slight smile on her face. "Well," the elder alicorn said, "just when you think you've seen everything..."

"So," Pan asked, as he reclined in his bath, sipping wine from a goblet, "I take it you've had something of a rough week?"

A privacy screen wide enough to divide the entire room had been brought in (It was nice to know that Pan was not the first one to think that having one was a good idea), and a dozen attendants were standing by, ready to take care of any request that the emperor and his guests might make. Since this was the first bath Pan had taken in weeks, he was definitely enjoying it, and the fact that he could have any drink he desired brought to him with the wave of a hoof was a nice bonus.

On the other side of the screen, Celestia, chuckling, admitted, "Yes, you could say that. It seemed as if every dark force on the planet had decided that this was the week to come to Equestria and start causing trouble. I can honestly tell you that my sister and I were dreading the fight with Sombra."

Luna, a bit more stern, added, "If my sister and I were fresh, and had not had to traverse the frozen wastes that separate the two lands, we would not have been overly worried. Sombra is but one, and as great as his power is, he would be no match for the two of us working in tandem. Even after so many harsh battles, I think we would have persevered. However, the city's isolated nature, normally its greatest defense, worked in Sombra's favor after he took over. The fact that his conquest took place during the winter meant that the mountain passes were closed, preventing the use of armies or royal wizards to unseat him until spring. Even my sister and I would find the journey harrowing. Even now, in spring, the way is difficult."

Celestia sighed, then said, "The fact that the city is so difficult to reach is why, even though it is part of Equestria, it has required its own sovereign ruler since ancient times. The citizens cannot wait for a minor functionary to request instruction from my sister or myself when danger threatens the safety of the realm. Still, even though the city's ruler has always been considered royalty, the king or queen has still considered a vassal to the Equestrian throne."

That made sense: Even during the spring, the journey from the closest city to the Crystal Empire would through unforgiving territory. The invention of the train would probably help mitigate that, but if the journey had to be made on hoof or wing, it would take many days, especially if cargo had to be carried. In such a situation, somepony had to be on hoof with absolute authority, to make certain that any crisis that came up was handled quickly and effectively.

At the same time, the underlying message the two were relaying was perfectly clear: You might be a king, or an emperor, but you still called the princesses your boss if you knew what was good for you.

Well, Pan wasn't about to pick a fight with the lady who told the sun when to get out of bed in the morning, or the one who told the moon and stars what their bedtime was. Grinning, Pan said, "I see no reason why that should change. The Crystal Empire is one city, while Equestria is a large nation. It's perfectly clear which one should reign over the other. The only reason I hold the title of emperor is because my subjects decided that it should be so. Given that the last king they had was Sombra, they clearly felt a change was in order."

There was an impression of a sigh of relief being made on the other side of the screen. After a moment, Celestia said, "Quite understandable. After the events of the last few moons, I doubt that your subjects would want any reminders of the tyrant's reign." After a moment, she cleared her throat, and added, "We have a great deal to discuss with you, Imperator, concerning the future of the Crystal Empire..."

"Please," the changeling said, still grinning, "call me Pan. None of us are wearing our crowns right now, are we?" The crowns of both the emperor and the princesses were currently hanging on a hat rack by the entrance. That had been Pan's idea: He'd stated, rather clearly, that this was a title-free zone. They were not going to discuss matters of state in the baths. Not now, and not ever, if the changeling had his way.

Chuckling, Celestia said, "Very true, 'Pan'. As I understand it, you've planned a rather grand feast for this evening, so you'll be busy for the entire day. We can hold off discussing the future of your reign for now. Beginning tomorrow, however, we will have a great deal to discuss."

Nodding to himself, Pan said, "That's fair. You're both welcome to join in the festivities, of course." Thinking on what he knew of the past, he added, seemingly almost as an afterthought, "In fact, feel free to stay here for as long as you wish, afterwards. Take a chance to unwind, gather your strength, and the like. You've more than earned the right to some rest and relaxation." His brow furrowed as he tensed for the answer. This was it, the moment of truth...

Seeing Luna today had caused Pan to have what might be called an epiphany. While he lacked all the details, he had a sneaking suspicion as to what had happened to Luna in the original timeline: Celestia and Luna had the week from Tartarus, and after defeating King Sombra, were forced to make the long, miserable journey back to their castle. Celestia, being older and more weathered than Luna, endured the journey just fine. Luna, on the other hoof, did not, and immediately required rest. However, celebrations were thrown in their honor, and Celestia was not able to refuse attendance. Luna would wake up to see and hear the ponies of their kingdom celebrating and praising Celestia's glorious victory... without a single word of praise to Luna. Luna, feelings hurt, would believe that Celestia was stealing all the glory of the last week for herself, in spite of Luna having put herself through Tartarus to aid Celestia in her time of need. The envy and jealousy within the younger sister would corrupt her from within, and as a result...

Nightmare Moon would be born.

Celestia, still weakened from the events of the last week, could not match the rested and fully-powered Nightmare Moon, and would be forced to use the Elements Of Harmony to seal her younger sister into the moon for a thousand years. Et cetera, et cetera, and so forth.

If Celestia got word of Pan being from the future, naturally the alicorn would ask why the changeling had not done anything to prevent this terrible tragedy before it happened. Odds were, if Celestia didn't like the answer, Pan would not be long for this world. Therefore, if Pan wanted to keep his position secure as the emperor, and wanted to keep from getting thrown into the sun by an angry alicorn, he'd have to do something to keep Princess Luna from becoming Nightmare Moon...

...And the only way to do that would be to keep them both here, where he could do something to mend a rift that neither of them realized was forming.

After a pause, Luna said, "Your offer is most gracious, Pan. However..."

Celestia interrupted her younger sister, saying in a thoughtful tone of voice, "You know, Luna, the two of us are overdue a holiday, and I am certainly not in a hurry to brave the frozen wastes again. After the week we've had, I doubt anypony would begrudge the two of us some time to ourselves. Say, two weeks?"

Luna made a thoughtful 'hmmmm', then said, "As tempting as it may be, I am uncertain if we could risk it. What if something were to befall Equestria in our absence?"

Celestia chuckled and said, "I know a few spells that will allow us to keep in contact with the staff back at the palace, so we can keep fully informed regarding any sudden developments. If something does come up, I am certain that Pan would be happy to assist us in preparing a long range teleportation spell."

"I would be happy to help in any way I can," the changeling said, a smile beginning to form on his face. Nightmare Moon, as far as Pan knew, was the last major nemesis that Celestia would face during this time period. He was confident that there would be no major interruptions during their stay...

Celestia cheerfully said, "Thank you. So, Luna, if there are no further concerns?"

After another thoughtful 'hmmmmm', Luna said, "I cannot think of any other objections that I could raise. And I will admit, I am also hesitant to throw myself back out there." After a moment, she said, "Very well, I accept."

Celestia, her tone quite cheerful, said, "As do I."

Grinning, Pan said, "Splendid."

Author's Note

The Trousers Of Time are a concept used by Terry Pratchett. They're metaphorical trousers, naturally. The idea is, when time travel is involved, there's a chance that the timeline may split like a pair of trousers: one entrance, two exits. Going down the wrong leg of the Trousers Of Time can have rather grave consequences, just like they have with Pan.

Time Travel Makes My Head Hurt

"Why do you think he wanted us to stay here, sister?"

The two princesses were examining the chambers they would be using during their stay in the Crystal Empire. It was a fairly standard check: The two princesses doubted that the new ruler had done anything to the guest rooms since he'd arrived, but the didn't mean that King Sombra might not have put any number of nasty surprises in place.

Celestia, using a spell to check for any eavesdropping spells, shrugged, then answered, "There are several very good reasons that come to mind. He might want our assistance in getting the kingdom back up and running. I wouldn't blame him: Sombra made a royal mess of things here, pardon the pun. While the crystal ponies would be able to get most things fixed within a few weeks or moons, a little alicorn assistance might reduce that to just a few short days. Pan may also want to use our presence here to help in solidifying his position as the ruler of this kingdom: The nobility would be hesitant to challenge his rule directly while you and I are here. Just being present implies that we approve of his continued rule, and that we'd consider an attack on him to be a challenge to our authority."

Finishing her own check for any possible traps in the beds and other furnishings, Luna added, "Or he may simply be trying to be nice?"

Celestia laughed aloud, and said, "It's rare for you to be playing the angel's advocate, sister. Yes, I admit, that is a possibility. Unlikely, but possible. He seems to be a decent sort, but his mettle has not yet been proven. Good is one thing, but soft is another. If he doesn't have at least a little steel in him, he may be deposed well before his coronation next year..."

Luna, surprisingly, felt bad about that. Pan definitely seemed to be kind and generous, regardless of whatever his species might be. It would be a pity to lose him before they had gotten to know him better. "Then it might be a good idea to help him prepare for the challenges to come, wouldn't you agree?"

Celestia raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Oh, and will you be asking him out to the Grand Galloping Gala next?"

Luna blushed bright red, and Celestia chuckled. "I jest, Luna. I would not be against aiding him in securing his rule and keeping the nobility on a leash. However, before we do anything of the sort, we have to make absolutely certain that he's exactly what he seems to be. I will not trade one tyrant for another, and I definitely will not place a pony-eating monster as the ruler of the most isolated city in Equestria. I would not want to leave this place in Pan's hooves until I am certain that I will not be coming back here next year to kick him off the throne for devouring our subjects. More importantly, we have to make certain he's fully qualified for his role as emperor: We cannot hold his hoof if he's going to be the ruler here. The fact that this kingdom is unreachable for half the year, in and of itself, means that the one in charge must be able to handle any crisis that may appear all on his own. If he plans to keep the crown, he must recognize that, in the end, its weight is his alone to bear."

Luna examined the softness of one of the beds and said, "I understand, sister." She could not argue with Celestia's logic...

That didn't mean she had to like it.

Pan looked at the latest bottle of wine as he sat upon the throne, then said, "I should probably stop for now. Send that one back to the cellars with my thanks to Malted Barley."

The servant nodded in understanding, then left with the bottle in tow. Pen Stroke breathed a visible sigh of relief. Chuckling, Pan asked, "Thought I didn't know my limits, chancellor?"

Blushing slightly in embarrassment, the pony admitted, "I was beginning to become concerned, yes. You drink a great deal, milord: You've imbibed half your weight in spirits since you woke up this morning, and noon is more than an hour away."

Sighing, Pan admitted, "Yes, I'll admit, I've been overdoing it a bit. I've been in the habit of consuming as much alchohol as I can, whenever I have it on hoof. Since I have enough liquor to fill a lake now, I should try to control myself better. And I should definitely try to keep at least somewhat sober until the celebration is in full swing. On that note..." Pan paused, closed his eyes, then concentrated. For a few seconds, he burned love to increase the effectiveness of his liver, burning the majority of the alchohol out of his system.

There was a startled gasp from the chancellor and the other assembled crystal ponies. Opening his eyes, Pan asked, surprised, "Is something wrong?"

Pen Stroke, startled, said, "For a moment, milord, you turned green."

Eyes wide in surprise, Pan asked, "Really? I didn't realize that could happen..." Of course, Pan had never tried to burn love while he was glowing like this. After all, that would be wasteful, since burning love is normally reserved for emergencies. Pan would normally never burn love just to reduce his level of inebriation, but since he was getting love non-stop...

Wait... he'd never tried changing his appearance while he was glowing, either. Of course, love absorption is normally a very brief process, just touching the horn-like extension on a changeling's head to the horn or forehead of the drainee, or the more gentle version where the drainee just sort of sends the energy your way. But now that Pan had a constant supply coming in, maybe it would be possible to experiment and see if he could change his appearance while he was glowing. Glowing is just emitting light, and what is an illusion but the bending of light?

"It's nothing to be concerned about," Pan said, with a dismissive wave. "When I use some of my abilities, it seems my radiance changes temporarily."

Pen Stroke nodded in understanding, then said, "I will keep that in mind, milord." After a moment, Gold Coin ran in, carrying something on his back. Carefully picking up the item, a small chest, the elder pony said, "The item you requested is complete, milord." Opening it up, Pen Stroke revealed its contents.

It was a very simple item, little more than a thin circle of silver, large enough to fit upon a changeling's head. At one point on the ring was a blue sapphire, obviously intended to be set upon the forehead. While it would be quite valuable to the common pony, it was relatively inexpensive to reproduce if this one was ever lost. Essentially, this would be Pan's 'walking around' crown. Well, more of a coronet, really...

Chuckling, Pan said, "Your jeweler works fast." He'd requested the item only an hour ago.

Bowing deeply, Pen Stroke said, "It was a simple design, and in truth, the king who reigned before Sombra had similar tastes, although his preferences ran more towards gold and diamonds. The most difficult part was convincing the jeweler that you didn't want anything more ostentatious. I had to tell him three times that it definitely had to be silver, not platinum, and that you wanted a sapphire, not a blue diamond."

"Of course," Pan said, nodding with a wry smile, "Most kings wear the most expensive things imaginable. Well, there may come a day when I'll feel comfortable wearing enough bits to buy a small city, but I'd prefer to keep modest, at least until the city prospers again. Besides, I doubt that the majority of my subjects would be able to tell the difference between silver and platinum, let alone a sapphire and a blue diamond." Clearing his throat, the changeling asked, "And how go the preparations for the celebration tonight?"

"They're going quite well," the chancellor said, brightening significantly. "We were most fortunate to have a skilled celebration planner arrive just this morning. Miss Nannette Cream Pie has proven to be more than up to making the preparations needed."

"Please, call me Nana. Everypony else does."

An earth pony strode into the throne room, smiling brightly. While her coat was banana yellow, and her mane and tail pure white, those bright blue eyes and that poofie mane style were very familiar. His jaw dropping, Pan asked, "Pinkie Pie?"

Giggling, Nana Cream Pie asked, "How did you know my gram-gram's name?"

It took a few minutes to get the throne room cleared out, and a bit longer to convince Pen Stroke to leave as well. When the room was finally cleared, Pan decided that it was time to get some answers.

The answers he got were weird...

"So," Pan said, having difficulty following what he'd just been told, "you're from one thousand years in the future, but not my one thousand years in the future."

Nana giggled and said, "Yup. I was told that you came from around the same time I am, but because you went back in time, you changed what the world is like a thousand years from now. At least, that's what Morning Glory told me."

Making sure he remembered correctly, he asked, "And Morning Glory is your time's Element of Magic?"

Nodding vigorously, the earth pony said, "Yup, and I'm the Element of Laughter."

That much he understood pretty well. Of course the equivalent of Pinkie Pie in the future would have the same element. "And you were sent back why, exactly?"

"I was sent back," Nana said, still smiling, "because in the future, I was in the past. It's a time-wimey loopie-woopie. I was sent here because I was here, so I am here."

Pan decided not to examine that too closely. If he wanted his head to explode, he'd just do some crystal meth instead. "...Right. But wasn't there something you were told to do? Was it because you were supposed to plan the big celebration today, or because somepony in the future wanted me to have a headache?"

"Well, the party planning was just because it's kind of my thing," Nana admitted, "and the headache is just kind of a bonus. The real reason I was sent here was because I needed to give you a really important message."

Curious, Pan asked, "And that message would be?"

Her expression deadly serious, Nana Cream Pie said, "Princess Luna wanted me to tell you that, when you wake up tomorrow morning, try not to scream too loudly."

"I don't suppose," the changeling asked, "you could explain what I shouldn't scream about?"

"Well, I could try," Nana answered, "but if I did, I'd probably be sent back right away. The time travel spell Morning Glory used doesn't allow for paradoxes-es-es-es. Es."

Nodding, Pan said, "I understand. When you get back, thank Princess Luna for the warning. I don't know if it will help, but I do appreciate it."

Saluting, Nana said, "Kay-Oh-Dokie-Doke!"

"Ummm, not that I'm in any hurry for you to leave," Pan began, "but how long until you go back?"

Grinning, Nana said, "I'll be gone before I finish this..." And she vanished in a flash of bright light.

"...Sentence," Pan finished helpfully. Well, that was surreal, and worrying. But at the same time, it was kind of nice to know that Equestria would still be there in a thousand years, even if it would be different from the way it was...

Sound The Feasting Horn

"We are gathered here today to celebrate the end of slavery."

Pan grinned as he addressed his subjects, all of which were looking up at him with expressions of adoration. If love energy had a physical impact when delivered, then the moment he had climbed up on to the podium to give this speech, he'd have been beaten to death. As it was, the outpouring of love from his subjects verged on a physical force. The sheer, unbridled abundance of it was mind-boggling. He was getting more, each second, than the swarm had ever succeeded in getting when they had conquered a city-state. The changeling was beginning to wonder if there was an upper limit to how much energy he could hold, and if so, what would happen when he reached it.

Nana Cream Pie had outdone herself, (More than likely, anyways: It would be hard to say for certain until he saw another one of her parties, but if this was a half-flanked effort, then that pony going all out was a sight to behold), with the preparations for the party. Streamers, bunting, confetti, and more were present in glorious excess. This was the party that a party would go to, if parties could party. The entire affair was so festive that it was nearly absurd. The only thing that outshone the decorations was the food.

Pan had requested a meal fit for a king, large enough to feed the entire city. He had not quite realized how tremendous an undertaking that would be, but the palace cooks had risen to the challenge with a repast that could have satisfied every king in the world, all at once, along with their retinues and extended families (and even their illegitimate children, which would likely have been legion). The princesses themselves were seen licking their lips as they gazed upon the massive feast before them.

"King Sombra is dead and buried, but his legacy is that the city is currently a shadow of its former glory. Tonight, we feast, we celebrate our freedom, and we prepare ourselves for the road ahead... for tomorrow, we will begin the long and difficult task of restoring the Crystal Empire."

There were nods from the assembled ponies. It would have been nice if the entire city had magically been returned to what it once was, but they understood that magic had its limits... and when those limits were met, you rolled up your sleeves (if you had them) and got your hooves dirty. After all, if magic could do everything, why would anypony need to do anything?

"When the snow fully clears from the mountain passes, merchant caravans will arrive, looking for goods to trade. While we may not yet have much to give them, they will leave with what we can spare. More importantly, they will carry a message to the rest of the world: The Crystal Empire Is Alive!" There were cheers and applause to that announcement.

"I promise to be here with all of you, every step of the way. While I may not be plowing the fields, scrubbing the windows, or sweeping the streets, I assure you that I will do my part and more. We are all in this together. It will be my goal to make certain that by this time next year, the Crystal Empire will shine as brightly as it did before any of you heard the name Sombra. And the year after that, it shall shine brighter than ever before in its history."

The cheers of the ponies grey much louder, and out of the corner of his eye, Pan saw the princesses nodding in approval. While the changeling didn't know for certain if it was possible, he was certain that everypony here would work their hardest to make it so.

"With that said," Pan said, chuckling, "let the feast begin. Whether you are common-born or noble, you may eat whatever you please, and however much you wish. Regardless of birth, tonight, we are all equal in our joy at having regained our freedom!"

The cheers escalated further, and the ponies assembled stomped their hooves in joy, loud enough to rattle Pan's teeth. In short order, the cheers turned into a single word, repeated over and over again...

"Imperator."

Bowing, Pan stepped down from the podium and the feasting began.

Urchin really didn't pay much attention to the big blue bug and his fancy speech. Regardless of whatever he might say, she was pretty certain that her lot in life wasn't going to be improving any time soon. No parents, no home, no friends, before Sombra had come along, she'd been searching rubbish piles for food to eat, and in many ways, the tyrant had been an improvement: While the gruel wasn't very good, at least she'd gotten three meals a day. Now she couldn't even be guaranteed that much...

Struggling to reach the tables through the crowds, the small crystal unicorn muttered angrily under her breath. "Sure, everypony, let's hold a big feast to the return to the way things were, where the ponies with the right parents lorded over everypony else, and the poor ponies without anyone to look after them were lucky if they didn't starve..."

At least under King Sombra, everypony was equally miserable.

"Well, this won't do at all."

Urchin was startled to feel a hoof on her back, and was abruptly lifted off of her hooves. Whipping her head around to see who had grabbed her, she was shocked to see that she was being held up by the new emperor. Grinning, the bug placed her upon his back and walked through the rapidly parting crowd. "I saw you were having trouble getting to the tables. Let me walk you over."

"Here we go," the giant glowy blue bug said, once they reached a table covered with more food than Urchin would have thought existed in the whole entire world. Pulling out a plate, the emperor asked, "Well, young lady, what would you like?"

Looking out at the massive spread, she almost felt like crying. There was just so much! There was no way she could try all of it, even if she took just a tiny bite of each! She pointed to a tray heaped with what looked to be some sort of fruit slathered with honey. That looked really good. The emperor took a good-sized (well, for a filly of five years old, anyways) portion and put in on the plate, then asked, "What else?"

Wait, she could have more? What madness was this? Urchin pointed to another scrumptious-looking item at random, and the emperor repeated the process. Thrice more he fulfilled her request, then said, "Alright, I think that should be enough for your first trip up here. The night is young, and there's plenty for everypony." Wait, was he saying... she could have more? INCONCEIVABLE!!!

Turning away from the feast to end all feasts (at least to a filly of five who had never had much more than a half-eaten apple), the emperor said, "Now, why don't you point me over to your parents so I can walk you over to them?"

"I... um... don't have any," Urchin said, sadly.

The bug's voice sounded quite surprised as he asked, "Then who has been looking after you?"

"Me," Urchin answered, "for as long as I can remember."

The emperor stopped in his tracks, then muttered to himself, "That simply will not do." After a moment, he asked, "What's your name?"

After a moment, the filly said, "Everypony calls me Urchin."

"I didn't ask for what everypony calls you," the big bug said, "I asked for your name."

After a few seconds, she admitted, "I don't have one..."

The emperor began moving towards where he, the chancellor, and the princesses were seated, and as he did, he said, "That's something we'll need to fix, then. First things first, though: Let's get you seated and eating. You are way too light for a filly your age, and the only cure for that is food, and plenty of it. While you do that, I need to have a chat with my chancellor. It seems that I've got a bigger job ahead of me than I thought..."

"Pen Stroke, a moment of your time, please?"

Celestia's eyes widened as Pandinus Imperator walked up, a brownish filly sitting upon his back. The filly was holding a plate and digging into her meal with surprising enthusiasm, as though this was the first real meal she'd had in a long time... and given her gaunt appearance, it very easily could be so.

Pen Stoke's expression was one of pure shock... which was something that continued to surprise the princess herself. Pen had always seemed an unflappable sort. In fact, he'd always been rather stuffy, and a serious stickler for protocol in all situations. Now, however, it seemed he was wearing his emotions on his sleeve. Maybe it was just because of the fact that, until just a day and a half ago, he had suffered under the yoke of a terrible tyrant, or perhaps the new emperor and his unconventional behavior was having an effect on the crystal pony, but the earth pony was a great deal less formal than before...

Celestia found that this was something she heartily approved of.

"I found this young lady, unattended and struggling to reach the tables," Pan said, his expression stern. "After helping her get her fair share, I inquired about where her parents might be. I was shocked to find that they were no longer among the living." His expression sorrowful, the insect-like creature continued, saying, "Were it Sombra's fault that she was an orphan, that would be terrible enough. However, I was horrified, simply horrified, to find that this was the way it had always been for her. That even before Sombra came here, she was reduced to digging through refuse piles for sustenance, with nopony extending a helping hoof to her."

Pen Stroke cleared his throat, looking clearly embarrassed, then said, "I do imagine that would be something of a shock to you, milord. However, I am uncertain as to why you seem so upset. Such a thing should be beneath your concerns."

Pan's back had turned momentarily as he placed the small filly in the chair that had been reserved for him, and when he turned back, Celestia was taken aback by the expression upon the creature's features. It was as if somepony had just asked him why kicking puppies would be considered a bad thing. After a moment, Pan cleared his throat, then asked, in a voice all the more terrible for gentle it was, "Really? Are you truly so heartless? What if you died and your son was left in such a state? Or the child of one of your friends? Could you truly remain so blasé then?"

The chancellor was clearly taken aback. After a moment, Pen Stroke regained his composure and admitted, "Forgive me, milord, I had not even considered it in those terms."

A half-smile formed on the creature's face as he said, "I am the ruler of this city, chancellor. That means I am responsible for the lives of all who dwell within. To put it another way, every colt, filly, and foal in the city is my 'child'. Every pony is my 'friend'... and I am shocked to find some of my friends and my children are suffering even now. So, here's what is going to happen."

Pointing at the filly, who was still merrily consuming a meal fit for a princess, Pan said, "That young lady sleeps in a warm bed tonight. That will be your responsibility. See to it. I don't care if she has to share the room with your son, with your wife, or with the princesses, but she gets the best we can provide."

Nodding, Celestia said, "I would not be against allowing her to bed in the royal guest room tonight." The alicorn had long held a soft spot in her heart for youngsters.

Moreover, Pan's attitude was, in many ways, one that was similar to her own: While she had made significant strides towards improving Equestria as a whole, young colts and fillies, often the orphans of war or the squabbles that broke out between noble houses, were often found roaming the streets. Celestia had recently introduced the concept of the 'orphanage' to Equestria, but it was slow going in getting them properly established...

Pan nodded towards Celestia, silently mouthing 'thank you' to the princess, before turning back towards the chancellor. "In the morning, we'll start working out what can be done for her, going forward. She needs a name: She's not even been given that much. We will also begin working out the best way to handle other ponies who are in situations like her's. Where there is one, I am certain that dozens more can be found. We'll go over the details tomorrow, about how to fund it, and where the children can be placed, but this is something we will be dedicating time and effort to, understand?"

Pen Stroke, his expression thoughtful, said, "I understand, milord. I will make it a priority."

Pan looked around, and after a moment, asked, "Where did Luna go?"

Celestia, a little uncomfortable, admitted, "My sister told me that she would be returning to our chambers after she'd eaten her fill. While she is feeling much better than before, she is still weary. The last week has left her in much worse shape than I, and I assure you, I am feeling every second of my age right now."

Pan, his expression one of grave concern, said, "I should go make certain that she made it there safely."

Pen Stroke, his expression suddenly concerned as well, asked, "You fear something may happen to her?"

The creature's tone was evasive as he said, "I doubt anything currently in the city could hurt her. Still, she is my guest, so for my own peace of mind..."

Celestia, her expression neutral, said, "In truth, I'm half-tempted to bow out myself, but there are a few ponies that I need to speak with tonight with before I turn in." Her expression grew grave as she said, "However, I will admit that I am worried about her. This last week has been a nightmare, and were her aid not absolutely necessary, I would have felt better leaving Luna with overseeing the kingdom while I took care of things. She is not quite as experienced as I am, and while the last week has helped to prepare her for the future, I am gravely concerned that..." She stopped herself before she said something more. "No, it is probably nothing. Still, feel free to make certain that she is alright. I'll see to it that the little one gets tucked into bed tonight."

Nodding in thanks, Pan said, "I am grateful, your majesty."

Celestia smiled, but inside she was gravely concerned: She found herself liking Pan a great deal, but the more he seemed to be a fine upstanding individual, the more she worried about what would be revealed when the other horseshoe dropped...

Golden Grace watched the emperor depart, his expression unreadable. He looked over to his cousin, Scarlet Wake, and asked, quietly, "And that is the one you want to challenge for the throne?"

Rolling his eyes, the red unicorn said, "Please. He's only one creature, and whatever else he may be, he is no alicorn. I could overthrow him tonight, if I had a mind. He sleeps with no concern towards his own safety: I've heard that there's not even a guard on his door. An assassin could slip in and out and get the job done in less than a minute. From there, it would be foal's play for the two of us to take over."

This time, the bright yellow unicorn rolled his eyes, then said, "And by dawn, we'd be swinging from the highest tree in the city. You fail to see the bigger picture, cousin. He has, in just a day, cemented his position, at least amongst the smallfolk, a feat that ensures that he has a level of protection that makes him proof against such a feat."

"Bah," Scarlet said, his tone dismissive, "what good is that? Why would I care what a bunch of farmers and bakers think?"

"Those farmers and bakers," Golden said, annoyed, "outnumber your personal soldiers a hundred to one, and I doubt that you'd find your retainers willing to turn their lances on a crowd containing their friends and family members. Besides, you'd be amazed at the damage a pitchfork or a rolling pin can do in the hooves of somepony who has used one all their lives. If the entire city marched upon your manor, you'd find yourself alone and defenseless while an angry mob tore you to pieces. Same as I." Sighing, the golden unicorn said, "He is a hero, Scarlet. He saved the city from Sombra while you, I, and the other nobles were too busy arguing over who should be king after we unseated the tyrant. Our own pride and arrogance held us deadlocked, while the city suffered under his cruel reign, and the commoners are unlikely to forget that anytime soon."

Scarlet snorted, then said, "You saw the same thing I did: Sombra's defeat was an accident. The 'emperor' had no control over his descent. He was lucky. He has no true claim to the throne."

Golden Grace, irritation entering his voice, said, "He defeated, on accident, the wizard that would have taken both the princesses to defeat... and you would risk seeing what he could do to you or I on purpose? I want no part of it, cousin."

His eyes wide in shock, Scarlet asked, "Seriously? You were anxious to take the throne when Sombra was still sitting upon it."

Taking a long drink from his cup, Golden said, "And if the new 'emperor' proves unworthy, I will endeavor to separate him from it. However, the princesses are here, and seem to support his claim to the throne. Any attack, no matter how oblique an approach one might take, would pose far more risk than reward. I shall wait and see if he can deliver on his promise of restoring the city to its former glory." With a long weary sigh, he continued, "In truth, after having been separated from my holdings for so long, I am in no way eager to risk losing them. My vineyards alone will be months, if not years, in recovery. If you think you can overthrow our new ruler, that is your business, not mine. I will take no part in it, cousin... and if you ever speak of this again, I will go directly to the princesses. Now, begone. You are spoiling my wine with your ill humor."

Rolling his eyes, Scarlet drained his own cup, then stormed off, angry.

Still, Golden Grace had a point, he supposed: If he wanted to take the throne from the emperor, he'd have to be subtle. If Imperator had the support of the commoners, unseating him would be a risky proposition: Any visible evidence that indicated that Scarlet had tried to unseat the king could result in... painful consequences. However, if Imperator were to lose that support through his own actions...

A wicked smile grew across Scarlet's face as a plan came to him.

This could work. This could definitely work.

Pan didn't have a real plan yet, the situation was still too unstable for that. However, he now had an opportunity to get close enough to Luna, without her sister present, so he could start 'defusing' her. He had a fairly good understanding of why she would become Nightmare Moon: The perceived lack of appreciation for all her hard work and effort would drive her to the madness. However, if she did begin to feel appreciated...

Spotting the alicorn, flying rather slowly, Pan drew up beside her . "Good night for some air," he observed.

Luna, an eyebrow raised, said, "I suppose it is. You do much flying after sunset?"

Chuckling, the changeling admitted, "I've done more than my fair share. There's a lot less traffic after night falls."

Nodding, the alicorn said, "I've noticed that. So, what brings you out here?"

Pan said, "I heard you were leaving early. I thought I'd escort you to the palace."

"Well, that's quite gentlecoltly of you," she said, then added, "Not that it's needed, but it is appreciated."

Nodding, Pan said, "Of course. I was thinking, though, we've not really had a chance to talk, and I know that you and your sister have a lot of questions about me. If you're not in a hurry to turn in, I was thinking I might answer a few of them."

Luna, surprised, said, "I'm not prone to going to bed early... and I definitely would like to get a few things cleared up."

Winter had reached the outskirts of the Crystal Empire. While the overwhelming love of the Crystal Heart kept him from entering the city, that was of little concern to him. Even now, Winter could feel hate seeping from the residents within. Not much, and definitely not the overwhelming source he had scented earlier, but enough to sire a few offspring to help him prepare for a true feast.

There was something within the city, a scent that was intoxicating to the one true king. It was like the aroma of a meal that was beginning to come to a boil. Not quite hate, but what you might get just before hatred is born. Winter was intrigued, and could not help but feel himself drawn to it.

For now, Winter, The One True King, Father Of All Windigos, He Who Would Freeze The World, would wait, and use the power of ice and snow to prevent anyone from leaving the city. When the time came, this beautiful hatred would come to fruition, and he would drink deeply. His power would grow...

...And then nothing would stop him from entering the city itself.

Author's Note

Interview With A Changeling

"Where would you like to begin, your highness?"

Luna and Pan now sat at a small table, set upon the balcony that overlooked the city, and the great celebration still in progress. Pan had indicated that he was rather pleased with the repair work: You couldn't even see hole that had been made when he had struck down King Sombra. The street below was still damaged, but the emperor indicated that there was talk of erecting a statue there.

The two sat with a table between them, a bottle of wine and two glasses their only company. Luna was not in the habit of imbibing spirits, but as Pan had said, this was a night for celebration: A glass or two was only proper.

Luna pondered what she should ask first. There were so many things she was curious about, but she was uncertain of where to start. Celestia would probably have known exactly what to ask, the younger alicorn thought more bitterly than she would have liked...

After a moment's thought, she finally settled on the simplest question. "What are you?"

With a perfectly calm expression, Pan said, "I'm a changeling."

An eyebrow raised, Luna asked, "What is a changeling?"

Tilting his head to one side, Pan said, "I'm surprised you've not heard of us. A changeling is a creature that is sustained and empowered by the energy generated by the love of other creatures." Chuckling, he added, "Oh, and we can alter our appearance at will. It's a cosmetic change, though: Whatever we look like, we're still a bug-pony underneath."

Luna rubbed her chin in thought, considering what he'd just said. It sounded too... outlandish to be a lie. But it was difficult to put a frame of reference around such a fantastical creature. It sounded almost like...

Verbalizing the thought, she asked, "Like a windigo?"

Luna was taken aback by the expression that crossed Pan's features. It was the type of expression that might have crossed Celestia's face if somepony had stated that she and King Sombra were in any way alike. "No. Nothing like a windigo," Pan said, his tone icy enough to freeze even a windigo's blood.

"Forgive me, I did not mean to offend you," Luna said, after she regained her composure.

Pan let out a long sigh and said, "I should apologize. It's just..." He paused, and it took a long time for him to find his voice again. "Just the act of comparing a changeling to a windigo is considered a grave insult amongst my kind. If there was ever a creature that could be considered the antithesis of a changeling, it is the windigo. A changeling seeks love, a windigo, only hatred. While changelings are creatures are flesh and blood, windigos are immaterial spirits, little more than floating scraps of petty malice and spite. While a changeling might be compelled to behave... cruelly, in order to ensure its own survival and the survival of others, a windigo does what it does because it wishes for more power, and because it enjoys the suffering of other creatures. Whenever windigos and changelings encounter one another, the apparitions never hesitate to try and destroy us, nor we, them." Taking a sip from his glass, the... changeling smiled, then said, "But enough about such things. This is a night for celebration. Please, ask another question."

Luna pondered things for a moment, before asking, "Where did you come from?"

Pan smiled and said, "It is difficult to explain it. The best way I could probably put it is that I am from a tomorrow that will never come."

After a moment, Luna gave a loud 'hmph', then frowned and said, "If you don't wish to answer the question, you can just say so."

Abashed, Pan said, "It's nothing like that, your highness. It's just..." The changeling's expression became one of deep concentration for a few seconds, then asked, "Have you ever heard of a treatise called, 'The Trousers Of Time'?"

"It's a rather obscure work by Starswirl The Bearded," Luna said, now utterly confused. "The wizard postulated that there were two methods of time travel that were possible. One of these allowed the traveler to go back in time and return safely, but the traveler would be unable to change the past. In the other, changing history was possible, but would result in a one way trip, as it would cause the timeline to split, creating a timeline where the traveler changed the past, and another where things occurred as normal. Lacking a better metaphor, he described it as being like a pair of trousers: one entrance, but two possible exits. Using the wrong method would create an alternate future, severing the traveler from his or her route home. Thus, the wizard concluded, when one attempts to travel into the past, they should be careful not to go down the wrong leg of the trousers of time." Luna's eyes widened in surprise as she put two and two together.

"You get it, I see," the changeling said, nodding.

"You're certain you heard all of this correctly?"

Celestia's expression was incredulous. Thankful that the orphan (who was on her third trip to the grand feast, and Celestia was delighted to see that 'Urchin' made the cutest faces and noises while she stuffed her little face) was too preoccupied with her meal, she had pressed for information about the new emperor from the pony who had spent the most time in his presence.

She was not prepared for this, though...

Pen Stroke nodded, his expression carefully neutral. "I listened through a hidden entrance to the throne room. My curiosity was piqued when he insisted on total privacy when speaking with Nana Pie, and could not resist the opportunity. Unless they were both intending to play some manner of prank upon me, which I find unlikely, it appears that both of them are travelers in time. The only difference being that, while Miss Pie could not change the future, our new emperor can, and has done so in a dramatic fashion."

Celestia rubbed her chin in thought while she considered the implications of that. It sounded improbable, and yet...

"Then, you know what will happen in the future?"

Pan shook his head and said, "I know what might have happened, in a very general way. The problem is, I was not a history buff, so my knowledge of the past is less than ideal, and much of it is about events elsewhere in the world. I might know a few important dates, like when and where a battle might occur, and who won, but not necessarily what may have caused the battle, or why it was won or lost. More importantly, since I've already changed one thing by killing Sombra, other things are going to change as well. The further from that incident we go, the less accurate my knowledge would be, even if it was perfect at the beginning."

This was bordering on very dangerous territory now. He'd decided to be completely honest with Luna tonight, hoping to win her trust so that he might have better luck in preventing her from becoming Nightmare Moon. Pan had taken a gigantic risk, however, in revealing the specifics about his race: He had fully expected Luna to pick up her chair and start assaulting him with it, or just plain blast his face off with a spell, when he told her that he was a changeling. The fact that she was totally ignorant about his kind was worrying, but it wasn't something he could explore in detail just yet...

"A pity," Luna admitted, "but I suppose that cannot be avoided." Luna took another long pull from the bottle of wine. He wasn't certain when she had finished her glass, or when she started drinking directly from the bottle, but the stuff was surprisingly good, so he couldn't blame her. Golden Grace's vineyards produced a fine crystal berry wine. Pan had never tasted anything like it. It was terribly strong stuff, though: After only a glass, Pan was feeling a little tipsy.

"So," Luna asked, a smile playing across her features, "what do you know about what would have happened to me? Did I get married first, or Celestia? How many kids would I have had?"

Suddenly very nervous, Pan said, "As far as I know, Celestia hasn't gotten married. In fact, as far as I know, she may still be a virgin a thousand years from now." This was approaching the most dangerous territory of all...

Luna laughed aloud. "Ha! Now that surprises me," Luna said, her voice slurred slightly. It appeared that alicorns were not immune to the power of alcohol. The wine was doing a masterful job of removing her inhibitions, which was impressive, given how many of them the normally straight-laced princess had. "She's had stallions panting after her flanks since she started filling out. Either she doesn't swing that way, or she and her paramour are very good at keeping it a secret."

Nodding slowly, Pan admitted, "Maybe. I'm not the type to speculate about that kind of thing."

An eyebrow raised, Luna asked, "And me?"

Gulping, Pan admitted, "The same."

Luna's eyebrows raised, then her eyes narrowed as she asked, "And why would that be?" When Pan made to repeat his previous comment about not speculating, Luna cut him off, saying, "Don't. I can already guess: Miss Sunny Cheeks decided that if she wasn't going to get any, I couldn't either." Now obviously irritated, she added, "That is just so like her: She keeps me under her hoof so that she can get all the glory to herself. She'll say it's something like 'Oh, it's for the good of the kingdom, Luna,' or 'There's nopony out there good enough for you, Luna,' but it'll really be just because she doesn't want me getting that particular itch scratched before she does." She gave a cute burp, then tried to take another pull of the wine bottle. Regrettably, it appeared that she'd emptied it. Tossing it away, Luna sighed, and said, 'I would give anything, ANYTHING, to get out of her shadow, if only for a day."

"I won't pretend to know all the reasons why things turned out the way they did," Pan said, trying very hard not to tell a flat out lie (It's true, he didn't know for certain all the events that transpired to cause Luna to become Nightmare Moon and be banished for a thousand years), "but I know for a fact that your sister cares about you a great deal."

Sighing, Luna said, "I know, I know, she's my sister, and she cares about me. But you know what? She is just insufferably perfect. She's what every pony thinks of when they think of the perfect mare. Even me." Looking at Pan with an irritated expression, Luna said, "I bet even you think she's perfect."

Pan, suddenly glad nopony could see him blush, said, "Actually, to be honest with you, she's really not my type. At all."

Luna's jaw dropped, then she said, "You're kidding. I mean, have you seen my sister?"

Chuckling, Pan said, "Oh yes. She's twice my height, and three times my weight... at least" Luna chuckled at that. "She should really let up on the cake before her cutie mark starts stretching. And she's so... motherly. I swear, she acts like she wants to bake everyone cookies, and maybe read the world a bedtime story before she tucks it in. I mean, there's nothing wrong with that, she'd make a great mother, I'm sure, but..." Pan made a disgusted expression, then admitted, "Kissing her would feel like kissing my grandmother."

Luna let out an overly loud laugh (She was very clearly drunk now) at that. "Yeah, I can see why that would be a problem." Her expression turned sly as she asked, "And what about me?"

Pan was about to answer when he realized something: He'd never actually, you know, looked at Luna as a pony before. He'd never really looked at Celestia that way, either, but that was because, well, you know, power of the sun, able to vaporize you in a heartbeat, so big that it was likely that she'd crush you under her weight, but Luna...

She was...

...

Pan noticed that suddenly, the room was much, much brighter than before. Giggling, Luna said, "Oh, so that's what happens when you blush." Another sly look came across her face as she said, "You know, you've changed history once already." Standing up and walking towards Pan, she added, her voice breathy, "How about we see how many times you can change it tonight?"

Before Pan could voice an objection, Luna planted her lips on Pan's. The changeling, no longer thinking clearly, as he was definitely feeling the wine himself...

...kissed her back.

Celestia gently tucked the little orphan into her royal bed. The princess wasn't planning on sleeping in it tonight, as she needed to get a few questions answered by the new emperor.

A chance to find out what may happen in the near future could not be ignored, and the longer this potential source went untapped, the more likely it would be that the information would be rendered useless...

Suspecting that the emperor had retired to his bed, she approached his chambers... and stopped abruptly as she heard what could only be Luna... giggling? Sneaking a peek into the room, she was startled to see Luna trying to pull off her harness, her crown and shoes already upon the floor. Her current task was somewhat impeded by the fact that she was busy giving a passionate kiss to the emperor, but it was clear she was not going to be deterred. Pulling back into the hallway, Celestia considered her options. She could, and probably should, go in there and stop them, but...

Well, Celestia had not heard her sister that happy in quite some time, and what was going on in there definitely sounded consensual. Sighing and returning to her chambers, Celestia decided that it would probably be best if she let Luna have her fun tonight.

After all, Luna was so repressed, so straight-laced, Celestia honestly worried about what would happen if her sister ever did lose her monumental self-control. Hopefully, this would help Luna in loosening up a bit...

Cold Blooded

"It should be just beyond the cliff edge here..."

One thousand years, give or take a decade or so, forward, in the 'prime' timeline.

Pandinus Imperator and his younger brother, Androctonus Bicolor, were doing a little bit of scouting. Young aristos weren't supposed to leave the swarm, but that wasn't about to stop the two hatchlings from going out on a little adventure today. Lessons on how to be a 'proper' aristo could be almost painfully dull, so the two would occasionally sneak out and do a little exploring on their own. Since the swarm was preparing to attack a nearby city tomorrow, they agreed it might be a good idea to see the city for themselves...

It was rare for the two to agree on anything: They'd been arch-rivals since the younger changeling had turned four, and they bickered about practically everything, It was sometimes joked that if Pan said the sky was blue, 'Andy' would have immediately said it was red. The fact that Pan, being the eldest, was the current heir to the highest seat in House Scorpion, made their rivalry all the more bitter: Pan's tendency to glow when given love put nine-year-old's claim to the throne in jeapordy, and if Pan lost that claim for any reason, including death, the title would transfer to his eight-year-old brother...

As they reached the overlook, situated above a cliff a few miles away from the swarm's next target, both Andy and Pan's eyes widened in shock. Before them lay one of the most powerful of the city-states in the southern kingdoms, Nemea. It was the middle of high summer... and the city was covered in ice. As the two stared in amazement, they began to make out signs of movement in the city below...

His expression horrified, Pan said, "I'd heard that there was a civil war going on, but I never imagined that it would draw them here..."

Nothing drew windigos quite like a war, and a civil war would lure the apparitions like flies to honey. It was why so many different races embraced a policy of peace and harmony amongst themselves, and it was why wars between other nations were so rare. Sadly, like many carnivores, the Nemeans, being lions, were prone to vicious infighting amongst their own kind, as well as wars with neighboring city-states. It seemed that this time, their disharmony had drawn the most dangerous creatures in Equestria to their door...

The few residents still unfrozen were desperately trying to fight off the windigos. However, since the spectral beasts were intangible, the Nemeans were having no luck with either tooth and claw. The lions could freeze just as easily as any other creature, in spite of their fur being able to repel weapons of steel. A few lions were fleeing, desperate to escape the destruction of their city, indeed, the absolute ruin of their proud civilization, before it was too late. Since the nearest settlement was miles away, through the harsh, unforgiving desert, or on the other side of a sheer cliff, odds were that few would make it out alive. The fact that a few windigos were in pursuit of the refugees lowered the odds of survival even further.

Looking towards his brother, Pan said, "We need to get out of here, before..."

That was as far as he got before Androctonus pushed his brother off the edge of the cliff. So stunned was Pan by this act of betrayal that he nearly didn't get his wings open in time, and landed roughly on the ground far below... right in front of a pair of windigos that had been searching for other escapees.

Andy chuckled in wicked delight, watching his brother's plight from high above. While a commoner might be able to strike a windigo down easily by burning love, an aristo could do no such thing, and instead had to expend a tremendous amount of love energy (Enough to sustain a changeling for a full year) in order to ward off the spectral foes with magic. Pan had not demonstrated even the smallest trace of magical ability since the day he was born. Even better, Pan would, at most, have enough love to sustain him for just one year, so even if he suddenly developed some small measure of magical ability and defeated one, the other would surely do him in. The leader's seat of House Scorpion was as good as Andy's now...

And that was when Andy heard a ghostly neigh behind him.

His head whipped around, and he was stunned to see that a windigo had somehow gotten behind him while he'd been watching his brother. Taken completely by surprise, the young hatchling hesitated, and the windigo took the initiative. The ghostly fiend made a swipe at the changeling, and Andy lost his balance when he tried to dodge, falling off the cliff edge himself.

When he reached the ground, his landing little more graceful than Pan's had been, he was now startled to find that he was now back to back with the brother he had just betrayed, and they were both surrounded with by three circling windigos. While Andy had some magical ability of his own, he definitely didn't have the energy, or the skill, to dispose of three at once.

"So," Pan began, his voice oddly calm, "what odds would you place on the two of us getting out of here alive?"

Andy, his own tone clearly showing his fright, answered, "I wouldn't. We're utterly doomed."

Surprisingly, Pan chuckled, then said, "That sounds about right. Well then, there's no reason to keep it a secret anymore..."

Andy was startled to see Pan leap at the nearest windigo, his body wreathed in green flames. The nine year old hatchling collided with the nearest windigo, and the spectral fiend shrieked in agony as it was set ablaze by the power of love. As the first windigo shrieked its death wail, Pan leaped after the second one, planting both hind legs in the apparition's face, igniting the second as easily as the first. The third, seeing that its backup was now undone, knew that the tide had turned, and tried to run (or fly) for it.

Andy, not wanting to fight an army of windigos, cast a spell, sending a rope of energy out and lassoing the spectral stallion. Immobilized, Pan caught the final windigo and ended its struggles with a quick strike to the face. In less than a minute, the two brothers were able to take down three windigos.

...Not bad for a couple of kids, right?

Pan, turning towards Andy, asked, "You alright, bro?"

Andy, deeply ashamed, said, "Yeah. Thanks, bro." After a moment, he added, "I'm... I'm sorry, brother. I..." It was clear to Pan that he simply couldn't find the words to express his contrition: He'd betrayed his own brother, and a moment later, that brother saved his life without hesitation. What could he possibly say?

Meanwhile, the older brother knew exactly what to say. Laughing, Pan stated, "You're forgiven, bro. Let's get out of here. It'd be best not to hang around for another windigo to come by and finish what they started..."

Andy nodded, then, as they began walking, said, "Yeah. Good idea. I'm, ummm, surprised you never told me..."

Pan said, "That I could burn love for strength instead of cast spells? Yeah, I've known for... maybe a year now, I guess? Sorry for not telling you, it's just... when dad finds out, he'll disown me..." And probably force him into the army, if he was lucky. The fact that Pan would glow when he received love had made him ineligible for the role of an infiltrator, but the leader of a noble house really didn't need to do that kind of work. The fact that he had the same love-burning ability as a commoner, on the other hoof, made him ineligible for leadership as well: Too many would whisper about him being a commoner, or maybe even a halfling: The result of an aristo and a commoner mating, one of the biggest taboos in the swarm.

The leaders of the other high houses would demand Pan's head on a stake if they believed that for a second...

Shaking his head, Andy said, "I won't let that happen. I... I owe you, big time. You saved my life back there, even after I tried to kill you. I'll talk to dad. If nothing else, I'll tell him that having you as a bodyguard would be a definite advantage, since I can trust you better than anybuggy else to watch my back." Clearing his throat, he said, "You're my brother. I let my greed and ambition blind me to that. Never again."

Grinning, Pan raised a foreleg and, extending his hoof to his brother, asked, "Shake on it?"

With a grin of his own, Andy raised a hoof and said, "Yeah."

Just as the two touched hooves, a massive blast of ice and snow hit Andy, freezing him in a miniature glacier in a heartbeat. Pan, his hoof now encased in the same ice that had claimed his brother, was unable to pull free. Whatever had just taken his brother now had the older changeling at its mercy...

"I'm sorry," a voice said, its tone surprisingly gentle, "were you two having a moment? So sorry to interrupt..."

Pan turned towards the voice, and saw the ultimate nightmare of any changeling...

It was massive, on a scale that words had difficulty conveying. It was as tall as the cliff that the two changelings had recently fallen off of (A good sixty feet or more, he'd not had a chance to measure it), and just as broad at the shoulders. Its spectral upper body rippled with muscles that would have made a bodybuilder green with envy, while its hindquarters terminated in a ghostly tail. A crown, covered in jagged spikes and carved from ice, sat upon the abomination's head. A creature out of the oldest legends, or perhaps it would be better to call them horror stories...

Winter, The Father Of All Windigos.

The apparition chuckled wickedly and said, "Such a pity. I saw the whole thing. It really looked like the two of you were going to mend fences and build a bright future for one another. Shame that won't happen now." With no more than that, Winter slammed its hoof down upon the ice that encased Androctonus. The blow held enough force to make the ground shake. The horror raised its hoof, then examined the blue stain that the younger hatchling had made. "Not much potential in that one, sad to say, or I might have killed you instead. He barely had any emotion in him at all, and even if I killed you in front of him, he really wouldn't have felt too bad about it. Bit of a sociopath, really. But you..." Winter paused, and brought his head down to Pan's level, "You have a strong heart, filled with emotions both good and ill. That means you have the potential for a hatred that few can begin to comprehend."

Pan, still reeling from his brother's sudden death, swung his ice-crusted hoof as hard as he could, burning enough love to give the strike the power to shatter stone. It connected cleanly with the windigo's chin...

Winter chuckled merrily, not seeming to even feel the strike, and said, "That's the spirit. I enjoy seeing someone with a heart that craves vengeance, especially when I'm the one they want to get revenge on. The best kind of hate comes from those who bear you a personal grudge, after all."

Pan climbed up on the windigo's face and began mercilessly pounding the spirit's muzzle with all the force he could muster. Winter continued on as if he felt none of it. "You can pound me a hundred thousand times, and at your current level of strength, I won't even feel it. But you obviously want to kill me so badly it hurts, and there's not yet enough hate in your heart to make a real meal for me. So, I'm going to give you a chance at making something of yourself."

Winter flicked his head, sending Pan up into the sky. The hatchling fell, and was promptly caught by the windigo, who then proceeded to play 'hot potato', bouncing Pan back and forth between his hooves. While relatively gentle, each bounce was hard enough to knock the wind out of Pan, and his young wings were not up to regaining control while being handled so roughly.

With almost demonic cheerfulness, the windigo continued, "We'll play a game, you and I. Today, I will let you live. You shall go your way, and I shall go mine. Go forth and gather all the strength that you can muster, and when you feel you are strong enough to take me on, simply say, 'Winter, I am ready' three times. No matter where you are, I will come, and we shall do battle. Bring weapons, bring armor, bring armies if you want. Call me in the middle of high summer, atop an active volcano, or even on the surface of the sun: It won't matter one bit to me. I shall crush every ally, and every weapon, you have, on any battlefield you can imagine. Once I have proven to you that it is impossible for you to kill me, even at your full growth and at the top of your game, and once your impotent rage has caused your hatred for me to reach the peak of flavor..." The windigo stopped, and brought Pan up to eye level, then finished, the fiend's voice a malicious whisper, his eyes like twin portals into the depths of Tartarus, "I will feast upon your heart and drink your immortal soul."

Pan, his fury undiminished, bit down on the hoof that held him, trying to inflict even the smallest amount of harm upon his tormenter, but to no avail. Winter, if anything, seemed even more amused than ever before. "Yes, that's the spirit. Oh, but I should warn you: There's a time limit to this game of ours. You have until your twenty-first birthday to call me out. If you haven't done so by then, I shall assume that you have forfeit your chance at taking me down. And when that happens..."

The windigo's eyes narrowed, and Pan abruptly stopped, a sudden pain exploding in his chest...

"...My curse shall freeze you solid, and bring you to me, regardless of where you may have run off to. I shall then claim my prize." Chuckling wickedly, Winter said, "And I'll make sure that my curse will remind you, once a year, so you won't forget that you are living on borrowed time. Consider it my little birthday present to you. You are free to spend that next... hmmmmm... twelve years of your life however you like: You can either dedicate them to taking revenge on me for killing your little brother, or on taking what small pleasures you can, knowing your death is imminent. It's all one to me. Either way, I shall have a feast to remember for years to come."

With every word, the pain in Pan's chest grew and grew. It hurt like nothing he had ever experienced before in his life...

"Curse me for taking your brother from you, or for taking your life from you in twelve year's time. Curse yourself for being too weak to defeat me, or to cowardly to face me. Curse the world for having ever spawned a beast like me, or for allowing you to be born so weak and helpless." Laughing like a madpony, the windigo exclaimed, "Hate everything, with all your heart and soul, so that my feast will be all the sweeter!"

The pain reached a height that the changeling could never have imagined...

A thousand years in the past, the 'Alternate' timeline...

Pan sat up, suddenly awake, screaming in agony, the warning of trying to keep from screaming too loudly forgotten. Distantly, he heard Luna moan, saw her clutching her head out of the corner of his eye, but at that moment, the pain from Winter's curse overrode his every thought and instinct. He screamed until he ran out of breath, and it took all of his self-control to keep from screaming again after he inhaled. Teeth grit, one hoof clutching his chest, he held on while the pain began to slowly diminish.

It is so easy to lose track of time, he thought. Happy birthday, Pan, you're now twenty years old. You have one year left before Winter comes to kill you, and it seems that, even a thousand years in the past, in an alternate timeline, you will not escape your tormentor.

Sombra had said that 'Winter is coming'. Pan, horrified, was suddenly struck by the realization that the warlock was not referring to a season...

Luna, her expression gravely concerned, asked, "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

Catching his breath, Pan said, "It was nothing. Just an old wound acting up."

"What kind of injury could cause you to scream like that? Wait..." Looking around, suddenly confused, the princess asked, "What am I doing in your bed?"

Pan, surprised, asked, "You don't remember last night?"

Luna seemed to wrack her brain, and after a moment, began blushing furiously. After a moment, she asked, her voice tremulous, "Did we...?"

Finishing her sentence, Pan said, "Make the beast with six legs? Yes. Yes we did. Multiple times."

Luna, her expression one of horror, said, "We cannot tell Celestia about this."

Chuckling, Pan said, "Given how, um... vocal you were, I'm pretty sure that she, and the entire population of Equestria, are fully aware of what happened last night."

Her expression one of annoyance, Luna said, "I was not that loud."

"Oh please," Pan said, grinning broadly, "I'm certain that they heard you on the moon."

A small smile beginning to form on her features, Luna swatted Pan with a pillow and reasserted, "I was not that loud!"

With another chuckle, Pan said, "Oh please, you were like..." With a perfect duplication of Luna's voice, the changeling proclaimed, "'This is the traditional Royal Canterlot Orgasm! It is tradition to moan using the royal 'OH!', AND TO USE THIS MUCH VOLUME WHEN EXPERIENCING OUR CLIMAX!'"

Giggling, Luna admitted, "Okay, maybe I was a little bit too loud. But in my defense, I was pretty drunk... and you were doing a pretty good job on your end."

Still grinning, Pan said, "Well, I admit, I didn't mind the noise. It's good to know I was doing things the right way: I've never actually done this before."

"Neither have I," Luna reminded him, "but for a couple of amateurs, I think we did a pretty good job..."

They'd gone at it five consecutive times, each time more energetic, and more passionate, than the last, before Luna had finally admitted that she was tired, not to mention sore (That kind of action uses a set of muscles that most ponies do not exercise very often). Shortly afterwards, both of them went to sleep... until Pan's nightmare had brought him back kicking and screaming into the waking world.

Pan gave a half-smile and said, sincerely, "It's a wonder the bed held up, honestly." He'd have to thank Gold Coin for testing it out. Looking up, he chuckled, and added, "The chandelier is still swinging, though."

Looking up, Luna confirmed that this was so, then giggled and said, "Alright, so odds are, Celestia is probably fully aware of what we were doing last night. What do you wish to do?"

"Right now? Well," Pan thought for a moment, then said, "unless you want to go another couple of rounds, we should probably go back to sleep: I have a few important duties to take care of in the morning, and you have a few things to take care of as well."

Luna seemed to give the matter some serious thought, then said, "I think sleep would be best. I don't think I'm ready to do anything like tonight's activities while I'm sober... At least, not yet," she added, shyly. It appeared that the inhibitions that normally restrained the alicorn were returning in full force. Well, it had been fun while it lasted...

"Agreed." After a few seconds, Pan said, "Ummm, look, tomorrow..."

Luna, a small smile on her face, said, "I'll talk with my sister. I cannot say for certain what her reaction will be, if she is not yet aware. I doubt she will call for your head, and even if she does, I will talk her out of it. Deep in my cups or not, I was the one to initiate last night's 'festivities', after all." Her expression more serious, she continued, "Regardless, I fear you have made your position more precarious than before: After what has transpired, Celestia will insist on answers regarding every mystery that surrounds you. Bad enough that you currently hold the title of ruler of the Crystal Empire, but now that you're... well, now that you're my suitor, that means that your character will be held under even closer scrutiny than before. If you and I were to be wed, you'd have a say equal to my sister and my own in the running of Equestria, and Celestia will not allow a tyrant to hold a voice in our kingdom."

A half-smile on his face, Pan asked, "So, you'd be willing to marry me?"

Luna, her expression and tone equally stern, said, "Tradition demands that the one I give my virginity to be my husband." Her expression softened as she admitted, "The fact that thus far, I have found you to be a fine, upstanding individual... and quite energetic in bed... may also be considerations, so yes, I suppose I have no current objections to marrying you... provided that this is your true character, and not some manner of elaborate ruse." Her eyes narrowed, Luna asked, rather coldly, "I don't think I need to say what will happen if this does turn out to be an elaborate trick, do I?"

Gulping, Pan said, "No, no you don't. I've got it. Either measure up to your standards, or die screaming."

Luna, smiling gently, said, "Oh, don't worry about that: After what you did for me last night, if I have to kill you, I'll do it as painlessly as possible. It's the least I can do..."

Death loomed on the horizon. Either Winter's curse would claim his life in one year, or Celestia and Luna would find him lacking and wipe Pan off the face of Equestria in the next few days, or Pan would mess things up in a spectacular fashion, causing the Crystal Ponies to come for his head at some point in time in-between. Normally, the changeling would have wanted nothing more than to curl up in a ball and mutter, 'Doomed' over and over again until the end came. However, the prospect of imminent death can do wonders in regards to banishing fear. If you were going to die no matter what, then what was the use of being afraid? Better to enjoy what time you had, just in case it turned out you were wrong. Where there's life, there's hope. Pan said, confidently, "So I just need to prove to you and Celestia that I'm worthy of being both an emperor and your husband, or I get thrown into the sun. That's a pretty tall order, but I've always enjoyed a challenge."

Winter was intrigued like never before: While the source of pre-hate seemed to be dialing things back a bit, something else was taking its place. Just a few moments ago, a source of pure, unrelenting hatred had flared, brighter than a thousand suns... and all of it had been directed towards Winter. Though only a few seconds long, it was more than enough to tell the king of the windigos that someone in the city bore the icy king's mark: A seed planted some time ago was going to bear fruit very soon. The spectral stallion licked its pale lips, thinking of the meal ahead: Either one of those meals would be a feast like nothing he had tasted in ages, but combined, they would be enough for the dreaded specter to be able to cover Equestria in a winter a thousand years long...

Author's Note

Here's the revision, what I'd originally planned before a bit of medication mismanagement caused me to make a major error in judgement.

Number Nine

"So, I take it you had a pleasant night?"

Luna blushed bright red at Celestia's question. The fact that the princess of the sun had a knowing smile on her face when she asked it made it clear that she was not referring to how well Luna slept (She slept like a foal, thank you for asking)...

The morning had gone well enough, she supposed. She and Pan had discussed a few minor trifles, and after wishing each other a pleasant day, the two had parted, so that they might take care of their respective duties. A short walk later, she had reached the balcony, lowered the moon, then made her way to the royal guest chambers, and was immediately hit by her sister's rather embarrassing inquiry.

Rather than try and answer her sister's question with any amount of detail, Luna decided to simply nod, then changed the subject. "May I ask why a filly is sleeping in my bed?" It was rather curious, especially since said filly was none too clean. In fact, Luna could not say for certain if the filly was naturally brown in color, or if she was so dirty that it obscured her true color pattern. The little one was sleeping peacefully, a contented smile upon her face. It was, admittedly, rather adorable.

Chuckling, Celestia said, "Actually, she's sleeping in my bed. I had planned on spending the night interviewing the new emperor. Imagine my surprise when I found you and he were both engaged in intercourse of a different nature."

Blushing brightly, Luna again dodged the issue, asking, "And why is she in the palace in the first place?"

Obviously not fooled, but willing to play along, Celestia smiled knowingly, then said, "Pan found that she had no parents, and had been living on the streets since well before Sombra's reign. Moved by her tragic state, he decided to let her spend the night in the palace, and work out what should be done for her today."

That was... incredibly kind of him...

"Well," Luna said, her expression neutral, "I had a rather fruitful evening." After Celestia finished laughing, the princess of the moon continued, stating, "I was able to get several important pieces of information about Emperor Imperator, and his species. Would you be interested in hearing them?"

Suddenly all business, Celestia nodded enthusiastically, then said, "Definitely. I was able to get some information myself. We can trade notes before we step out for breakfast."

Pen Stroke's expression was one of pure and simple disbelief as he asked, his voice far louder than necessary, "YOU DID WHAT!?!"

Perversely thankful that his radiant glow hid the fact that he was blushing like mad, Pan admitted, "I bedded the princess last night." Thankfully, the two were alone in the throne room right now: The only thing that could make this worse was if the entire city heard about it.

Incredulously, the chancellor exclaimed, "You're joking! Princess Celestia did not leave the festival until late last night, and the castle staff would have noticed if she had not been in her room this morning."

His eyes narrowed, Pan asked, "Oh? And there's only one princess in Equestria?"

Pen Stroke's jaw dropped, and after a moment, the pony closed it with an audible click, then said, "I, ah, I did not consider that. When anypony says 'the princess', they generally mean Celestia..."

Sighing loudly, the changeling said, "In spite of the fact that she works just as hard as her sister? Right. Well, I suggest you begin correcting a few preconceptions, Pen: There is a strong possibility that she'll be my..." Queen? Empress? Would she want to stay a princess? Pan wasn't really sure. After a moment, he went with the safest option of, "...bride very soon. You might not think of her first when you think of a princess, but provided the events of the next couple of weeks go well, we may have a wedding this time next year, on top of the coronation."

After a moment, Pen Stroke cleared his throat and said, "I understand, milord. Before we go any further, however, there is something that needs to be addressed." Picking up an empty bottle that he had set on the ground when he had first walked in, the crystal pony asked, "Do you recognize this bottle, milord?"

While it seemed rather nondescript, Pan had a good memory when it came to wine bottles, and immediately said, "That's the wine bottle that Luna and I were drinking out of last night. Well, she did more drinking than I did: I had one glass, and she emptied the rest of it herself." After a moment's thought, he added, "I asked for a local vintage from one of Malted Barley's apprentices. Odd how he wasn't at the celebration, though..."

"I feared that might be the case: Malted Barley has no apprentices, milord. You've been deceived," Pen Stroke said, his expression now gravely concerned. "When I found this bottle an hour ago, I had noticed an odd smell emanating from it. I took it to be examined by an alchemist that I know of old, and had it tested. She was able to confirm my suspicions: This bottle was tampered with, the contents far different from what was advertised. The original label had been removed, for the sake of hiding the fact that it was a vintage with an older, and far darker, reputation. There was an ingredient in this wine that can be quite hazardous when ingested."

His eyes widened, Pan asked, "Poison?" While not concerned for himself (As a member of House Scorpion, the changeling had practically been bottle-fed poisons to the point that he could laugh off almost all save the most exotic toxins, and crystal meth, but that was a chemical reaction, not poison), Luna had been hitting that bottle so hard that even the legendary constitution of the alicorns might not be enough to shrug it off.

"In a way," the chancellor admitted, now seeming to be slightly uncomfortable. "The old king's grandfather was an ugly old stallion, and his wife was young and quite lovely... and was rumored in some circles to be rather promiscuous. In order to ensure that his wife would remain faithful, and that any fruit of their union would be his beyond a shadow of a doubt, he hatched a plan. He secretly applied a potion to a wine that he knew his wife drank once a year, in celebration of Hearth's Warming Eve. The potion was one that made it impossible for her to consider any other stallion as a mate, as well as made her rather... frisky each night for the year to come. It also ensured that it was impossible for her to leave the palace unless he went with her, as she could not bear to be more than a hundred hoofsteps from him at any given time."

Pan gulped, then said, "You're joking." That kind of thing was practically unheard of in the 'modern' era. Mind control spells and potions were extremely dangerous, and even changelings hesitated to use them, except when absolutely necessary. In fact, Celestia had put laws in place that heavily regulated their use. This was for the protection of both the intended targets, and for foalish amateurs who tried to use them: These spells could often go horribly, horribly wrong. Pan had read in a newspaper, just prior to the invasion, about a stallion who had cast the 'Want It, Need It' spell on himself, then walked into the mare's changing room at a summer swimwear fashion show. Sadly, he didn't think things through: 'Want It, Need It' causes an overpowering desire to possess, rather than simply a base desire to mate. Had only one mare been present, he might have simply spent the rest of his life chained to a wall (or a bed, had he not been fat and fairly ugly), but the changing area had been filled nearly to capacity with physically fit swimsuit models. Fifty supermodels at once would be far too much for even the most athletic stallion to handle, even if the mares had been willing to share (or willing to mate with an obese grease ball with a face that would have considered grotesque a compliment). Admittedly, the mares had ended up sharing, in a manner of speaking, but definitely not in a way the stallion had intended. The police found him in fifty very messy pieces an hour later.

But this was a different time, and such things were much more common...

Pen Stroke, his expression grave, said, "I wish that I was. After their son discovered what his father had done, the newly crowned king had demanded all of the bottles destroyed. I fear that one was missed..."

Having difficulty controlling the tone of his voice, Pan asked, "You mean to tell me that Princess Luna and I both drank a love potion?" While it wouldn't work on Pan (Again, epic level poison resistance is your friend), the average pony had little resistance to love 'poisons', and while no normal pony, Luna may very well prove to be susceptible herself.

Celestia was going to kill him...

Nodding, Pen Stroke admitted, "Not just any love potion, but amongst the strongest ever brewed... and so far as I know, there is nothing that can can be done to negate it."

For a few seconds, Pan considered the implications of this... then he took a deep breath, and...

"Well, I admit, that is interesting news," Celestia said, nodding. A creature sustained and empowered by love. Remarkable. Had she not heard it from Luna, and seen the emperor with her own eyes, she would not have believed it. She was about to ask for more information when she noticed something...

Concerned by her sister's change in expression, Luna asked, "Something wrong, sister?"

Celestia suddenly clutched Luna's face, and looked deeply into her eyes. After a moment, Celestia began to grit her teeth, then released Luna, her expression furious. Before Luna could say anything, Celestia pulled a small mirror from a nearby dresser and said, "Look yourself in the eye, and tell me what you see."

Luna looked into the mirror, and after a moment, her expression turned to one of shock as she saw what Celestia had noticed...

A small, pink heart in the middle of each of Luna's pupils... one of the classic symptoms of having consumed a love potion.

Unable to believe it, Luna asked, "But... but when?"

Celestia, angry, asked, "When do you think?" The princess turned around, made to storm towards the door, then stopped herself. Visibly trembling in fury, she said, "The only reason, and I mean, the only reason, that I'm not going to walk right up to Pan and rip his head off with my bare hooves is because there is a small chance that he was unaware of..."

Suddenly, she was cut off by a shout, one so loud that it caused the entire Crystal Empire to shake with its fury. It was a single word, but said with such emotion that even one who knew nothing of griffins could tell that it was a curse of the highest order.
"...PLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!"

"Okay," Celestia admitted, with a sad sigh. This entire situation was now a lot more complicated. "Maybe a better chance than I originally assumed. Still, there will be consequences for him, whether he was aware of this or not..."

"Drat," Scarlet Wake said, quietly but with feeling, as he read his spy's report that afternoon. The unicorn had been counting on the emperor's already impressive reputation for drinking spirits in high volumes to cause the creature to consume the entire love potion in a single go. Once consumed, it should have caused him to go into a rutting frenzy with the first mare (or stallion, if he swung that way) he saw afterwards. Unable to focus on anything other than mating with the target of his affections, the emperor would be kicked off the throne in short order. Instead, he'd shared the bottle with the princess, and while the emperor had turned out to be immune to love potions, Luna was not. While the potion was not taking effect quite as ferociously as it might have with a normal pony, the damage was done: For the next year, Luna and Pan would be an item, whether they wanted to be or not.

While relations were now tense between the Emperor, Luna, and Celestia, this meant that Luna was likely to remain in the Crystal Empire for an entire year, unless a cure to the potion could be found. The fact that the bottle had been found to be tampered with (Curse you, Pen Stroke, you meddling busybody...) meant that the royal trio would be on the lookout for another move like this one... and would be actively searching for whoever was responsible for the attempted poisoning of the new emperor.

However, while subtlety had failed, a more... direct approach would not. A wise noble makes certain that he has more than one arrow in his bow.

Turning towards his aide, Scarlet asked, "How long until the pawns will be ready?"

The aide, an utterly unremarkable beige unicorn named Nopony, shrugged, then said, "I'll need at least another two weeks, maybe three. While I have twenty young mares and stallions chomping at the bit to make their mark on the history of the empire, full indoctrination takes time. I can't risk setting them on their true mission until they're fully 'in', or they might turn on you." After a moment's thought, he added, "If you're willing to forgo training them on how to use weapons effectively, I can have them ready by the end of the week."

Nodding, Scarlet Wake said, "Do it. I don't expect them to be able to kill the emperor, especially with Luna dogging his every step. However, even incompetent assassins have their uses..."

Winter sat outside the Crystal Empire, an over-sized bowl of popcorn in its hooves. While he could not pass through the barrier yet, he could finally see everything going on within... and this was starting to get entertaining. As he chewed another mouthful (It didn't really give him sustenance, but it was more for the look of the thing), he admired the work of his offspring: Already there was a wall of snow surrounding the city more than twice the height of a pony. By this time tomorrow, it would be solid ice... and a firm foundation for the cage that would soon entomb the entire city, trapping both Luna and Celestia inside until the end of time...

In the meantime, he had dinner and a show.

Shimmering Radiance

"I do not think I have ever felt so angry in my entire life..."

Pan looked over at Celestia, and nodded in understanding. The two of them were waiting with Pen Stroke in the throne room. The two royals were standing by the balcony, the chancellor reviewing a few documents a little further back. Due to the drama of the morning, the first official piece of business, 'Urchin', had been delayed until that afternoon. Given that the little lady was absolutely coated in filth, Luna had decided to give the little one a bath after the tyke had finished her brunch, and then see about getting the little one a dress to wear for her official audience with the emperor. Pan had the feeling that this was, in part, an excuse to give the princess something to think about other than the fact that her heart and mind would no longer be fully under her own control for the next year...

...As well as give her older sister the opportunity to grill the changeling (figuratively, thank goodness) about what had just transpired. Thankfully, Pen Stroke had helped in calming the princess down (Pan had honestly thought that it would be impossible to reason with the princess, but the chancellor had managed to get through to Celestia. He idly wondered if the two had some sort of a history: The princess definitely seemed to listen when Pen Stroke spoke). However, when Celestia had first walked in, Pan had been almost certain that, with the look that was in her eyes, she was going to rip off Pan's head with her bare hooves, then parade around the town with it affixed to her horn as a warning to others...

After a moment's thought, Pan admitted, "I admit, I've only ever been this angry once before, and that took some doing."

Looking at the changeling, Celestia said, her voice rising in anger, "I don't know what you could possibly think..."

"I was this angry when my brother was murdered," Pan stated, cutting her off suddenly.

The princess, shocked, seemed at a complete loss for words. After a moment, she said, "I apologize. I didn't... Blast it, I let my anger get away from me." Her expression remorseful, she asked, "Did you ever find who did it?"

With a sad little laugh, Pan said, "Yes. I was there when it happened. I couldn't do anything about it, though. The one who killed him was... overwhelmingly strong, and I was only nine years old at the time..."

"My word," Celestia gasped, horrified. Her expression sorrowful she stated, "I... cannot imagine what that must have been like."

Looking out at his city, Pan kept silent for several seconds, then said, "Even now, I can remember the laughter of the maniac who took him from me. I swore, when I looked down upon what was left of my brother, that I would make that fiend pay for what he had done, no matter what it took. And his time will come, regardless of the distance now between the two of us..."

...Prime timeline, five years after the death of Androctonus Bicolor...

In the modern era, the number of beings who can be considered true masters of the mystic arts is quite small. Those who possess skills beyond a true master, the rare few who have attained a level of skill and power that defies all comparison, or even comprehension, are often called 'Sage'...

And even the mightiest of sages will bow his head in the presence of the Starsmith.

The legendary sage amongst sages who forged a fallen star into a lance so great and terrible that even Celestia and Luna fear to speak its name aloud, this near-mythological figure had long ago stepped out of the limelight. He had grown weary of every snot-nosed, jumped up fool with a title above baron walking up to him, demanding his precious time and effort for a trivial task that any half-trained apprentice could manage. He had also tired of having to fight off the armies of assassins, mercenaries, and fell beasts of the underworld sent to take revenge on him, or the wannabe overlords seeking to capture him and force him to work on their doomsday weapons or arming their death legions with unstoppable weaponry. While devastating armies with his mighty hammer had been entertaining in his youth, he was no longer so enthusiastic about ultra-violent battles to the death, and he went to amazing lengths to ensure that no one would ever find him again, so that he could practice his art in peace and seclusion.

...So you can imagine his surprise when Pan arrived at his doorstep, a rucksack full of rare metals on his back, and began banging on his door.

The massive, gloriously bearded and burn-scarred minotaur opened the door after fifteen minutes, when it was clear that Pan was not going to leave. Angrily, the Starsmith shouted, "Quit banging on the door, whelp, I'm trying to work in here!"

Panting heavily, exhausted from having to navigate a nigh-unclimbable mountain range to reach this secluded hut, the changeling said, "I need something made."

Looking down his muzzle, the smith said, irritated, "I don't make weapons anymore, kid. Get lost, and forget you ever found this place." The minotaur turned to leave...

"It's not a weapon!"

The minotaur stopped, then slowly turned and looked the changeling over. "I don't make shields or armor anymore, either."

Shaking his head, Pan said, "It's nothing like that."

For the first time, the Starsmith's expression became something other than an angry scowl. A half-smile forming on his face, he asked, "Then what is it?"

Pulling open the heavy backpack, Pan pulled out a scroll, and unrolled it. Showing the diagram inside to the Starsmith, he waited for an answer. He didn't need to wait long.

With a massive, world-shaking laugh, the minotaur said, "Incredible, kid. You have my attention. Come inside. I'll pour you a beer, and we'll talk."

"Ummm, I don't drink alcohol," Pan admitted, shyly.

With another massive laugh, the Starsmith said, "You do now."

Pan gulped loudly, then nodded. When the most legendary of magesmiths, who can transform a piece of meteorite into a weapon that can challenge the rulers of the heavens themselves, tells you that you will drink a beer, you will drink a plucking beer.

...Three days later.

The forge filled the small hut with heat, even now, six hours after the fire had been doused. It would be days before the blacksmith would be able to work with anything that was magical in nature, due to potential interfernce from the various rare and magical metals that he'd spent the last three days working with, but that was a small price to pay for building something so unique. The kid might not look like much, but he had a serious brain in that skull of his.

The Starsmith, admiring his masterpiece, chuckled. It really didn't look that impressive, now that it was completed. A small sphere, not much larger than an infant minotaur's fist. However, if you knew what was inside of it, and what it did, you'd be far more impressed...

...And terrified. With just a few minor modifications, this could be changed from a tool that would level a playing field into a weapon of limitless destruction...

"It's done, kid," the Starsmith said, nodding to himself. "Keep in mind, it'll do what you asked, but nothing more. I made absolutely certain of that: I may not have much to do with the world these days, but I'd rather not be responsible for destroying it, if it's all the same to you."

Pan, more than a little bit tipsy, nodded, then said, "Thanksh, shir. I really appreciate it."

Chuckling, the minotaur said, "No problem." He paused, then added, "And after you take care of that bastard, Winter, come look me up. I suppose I might be willing to take you on as an apprentice, changeling or not."

Pan took the object, then promptly swallowed it, moving it into his stomach pouch. "I'm honored, shir. But that's not going to be anytime shoon. I have about six years before I need to use it, and I want to be shure I enjoy the time I have, on the outside chance it doesn't do what I hope it does..."

Back in the Alternate timeline...

His expression softening, Pan smiled, and said, "But that's a discussion for later today. We have a great many tasks ahead of us. First, I want to get Urchin's situation taken care of: It would be unkind to keep her waiting to receive her name, having gone without one so long. Then you, your sister, and I will have talk a few things out. I think it's past time we cleared the air, and made a few plans. And this evening, we'll all have a word with the nobles about what happened last night." His eyes narrowing, he added, "I think it's time they learned what happens when they get on my bad side."

'Urchin', Luna was happy to see, cleaned up nicely. And her original suspicion was right: The unicorn was not naturally brown, but instead her coat was white, with a light dusting of freckles upon her face. Her mane and tail, however, turned out to be a pleasant hazel tone. After Luna had toweled off the young filly, the two made their way towards the royal wardrobe. It was just as impressive as Luna remembered it, filled with many a fine dress, as well as a number of royal vestments, including the robes of the kings of old. It did not take long to find a dress that would fit the little filly: There had been a number of princesses in the empire, over the generations, and they had ranged in size from thin to thick, and from short to tall. Selecting a lovely looking dress of green silk with that matched the filly's eyes, Luna was surprised to hear the girl gasp when it was presented to her. It took a moment for Luna to realize why...

This dress was worth more than this child would expect to earn in her lifetime... and in this room, there were dozens of dresses of even finer quality. Just the cost of the silk from one of the sleeves would be enough to feed her for a year, even if she ate like a glutton thrice a day. It was startling for the princess to realize just how great the distance between this filly and a princess was.

Perhaps she could try to do something about that...

Smiling down at the filly, Luna said, "Try this one on, little one. We want you looking your best when you get your new name."

Nodding energetically, the filly gently took the dress, then, after a moment's pause, asked, "Could you show me how? I've never worn one before..."

Luna could not help but smile more broadly as she answered, "I'd be happy to. And then, we'll see about some jewelry to go with it." The little gasp that the filly gave in response was the most adorable thing that the princess had ever heard.

Urchin had to admit, for the first time in her life, she felt pretty. She felt princess pretty, in fact. She had barely recognized herself in the mirror after her bath, and she'd not noticed how bad her smell had become until she'd been thoroughly scrubbed and perfumed. And the clothes! She was now decked out in a dress literally made for royalty, not to mention a pair of emerald earrings, and a green silk band around her neck with an emerald the size of a sparrow's egg at her throat. She felt like she should be sparkling with every step, or at least be shimmering. She could hardly believe that, just yesterday, she'd been digging in compost piles for food...

She was so lost in her own little world that she nearly collided with a young colt who had turned the corner. The look on the colt's face spoke louder than words how amazing the filly now looked. In spite of herself, and the fact that she shouldn't be anywhere near this shy, she couldn't help but blush a little bit at the attention. The colt's mouth was literally hanging open, clearly at a loss for words.

"Ah, Gold Coin, I was hoping we might run into you," Luna said, smiling. "This young lady and I were on the way to see the emperor. Do you know if he is still in the throne room?"

Having difficulty taking his eyes off of Urchin, Gold Coin nodded, and said, "Aye, your majesty. I was asked to make certain that all was well, and see if there was anything that you needed."

Smiling, Luna said, "How very courteous. Yes, all is well. Would you do us the favor of escorting us to the throne room?"

With an elaborate bow, the colt said, "Gladly, your majesty. Right this way."

He was kind of cute, Urchin admitted to herself.

Sitting upon the throne, Pan could not help but smile when Luna and 'Urchin' walked into the room. The little filly that Pan had seen last night, covered in dirt and smelling strongly of refuse, was now a distant memory. The young lady looked like she could easily be royalty, or at least nobility.

...Fitting, that.

Smiling, Pan said, "If I did not have Luna here to swear it was so, I would not think that you were the same filly I carried on my back yesterday. You look positively radiant, young lady." The filly blushed brightly, eliciting a chuckle from all gathered. "I've had some time to think on what should be done with you, and I've had a few minutes to talk things over with my chancellor, and putting our heads together, the two of us worked out a possible solution, in regards to where you'll be staying from now on."

Pulling out a scroll, Pen Stroke stated, rather formally, "After Sombra's purge of those who held a connection through blood to the royal family, a number of estates were left without an owner. Since these lands, manors, and titles are currently vacant, they revert back to the crown, until a suitable lord or lady can be found to take possession of them." Closing the scroll, Pen Stroke nodded, then added, "Plans are being drafted, in regards to what will happen to those empty holdings, and those plans are hardly relevant to this conversation. What is relevant, however, is that the emperor has, after a short consultation with myself, decided that one of those holdings, along with the estate and the title that goes with them, should be passed on to our young guest today."

The young filly's eyes widened in surprise. Grinning, Pan said, "I understand that you are a bit young to be expected to be able to run an estate all on your own. However, I am given to understand that, until you come of age, the the task of overseeing the manor and all of the holdings that come with it will be up to your guardian. This means that we just need to find you an able guardian to watch over you and your estate until you turn twenty-one."

With a theatrical sigh, the changeling said, "Sadly, I cannot fully take on the role myself. There would be talk if I were grant a filly lands and titles, then take her in as my ward. I would rather avoid that sort of innuendo. And I can't give the role to a noble, since the combination of their own holdings and yours would cause a serious shift in the balance of power amongst the nobles. I can't have that." Especially since one of them is a treacherous bastard who is going to regret ever having been born in the near future, he added silently. "A pity that there isn't somepony who would be willing to take on that role. Somepony who is above such petty concerns."

Pan was worried for half a second that Celestia would beat Luna to the proverbial punch, but the elder princess stopped herself just before she raised her hoof. While they'd not discussed this beforehoof, she was wise enough to see where this was going... and the slight smile and ever-so-subtle nod implied that she approved wholeheartedly.

Raising her hoof, Luna said, "I would be willing to take on that role. If I will be here for the next year, at least, I would not mind seeing to the upbringing of the young filly."

Nodding, Pan said, "Very good. Then that leaves only the naming of our newest member of the nobility." Turning towards the chancellor, the changeling asked, "Pen Stroke?"

Pen Stroke pulled out another scroll, then, after finding his place, stated, "The previous lady who held the title in question was named Shimmering Radiance. I doubt she would have minded our young filly taking on that name herself."

Chuckling, Pan said, "That sounds like a suitable name for a unicorn filly." With a nod, he turned towards the filly, then asked, "Does this all meet with your approval?"

Urchin, now Shimmering Radiance, had the look of a filly who had suddenly found out that not only was the tooth fairy real, but as her one millionth customer, had woken up to find a check for one hundred million bits under her pillow. Awestruck, she could only nod mutely.

"Then kneel." Once the filly had knelt, Pan smiled to himself. Moments like these, he reflected, were what made all the headaches worth it: Using the rank that he had fallen into to do something to make someone else's life better than it was. In a formal tone of voice, the changeling decreed, "Then by the power vested in me, I, Emperor Pandinus Imperator The First, Ruler of the Crystal Empire And All Who Doth Dwell Within, do hereby bestow upon you the name of Shimmering Radiance, and the title of Archduchess of the Grand Groves. Stand and be recognized."

As the newly christened Shimmering Radiance rose, Pan chuckled, then added, 'You know, I half expected your cutie mark to appear with that. Well, I suppose we'll have to wait and see: I'm certain that your mark will be impressive. We all have high hopes for you, young lady." His expression turning a little more serious again, he said, "Archduchess Shimmering Radiance, the princesses and I have a great deal to discuss in private. If you have no objections, we shall leave you in the care of Pen Stroke and his son, while we get a few things straightened out. I shall check on you in a few hours, as well as the princesses. Is that acceptable with you?"

Still too shocked to speak, 'Shimmy' could only nod mutely.

"Excellent," Pan said, nodding. He then turned towards the princesses and said, "With that important bit of business done, if nopony has any objections, we'll discuss the future of the kingdom in the royal council chambers. I am told that it is much more comfortable there. I'm also given to understand that there will be cake and tea."

Celestia brightened visibly at that, and even Luna seemed to be heartened by that bit of news. Both nodded in agreement, and once Pen Stroke and Gold Coin had left with Shimmering Radiance in tow, the three royals left as well.

None of them mentioned the fact that with this one action, Pan had essentially thumped the proverbial nose of all of the nobility in Equestria: By giving the highest possible rank in the nobility to a penniless orphan, he had essentially turned the established order on its head. Further, by granting guardianship of Shimmering Radiance to one of the princesses, he had ensured that, should anything happen to the filly, the wrath of not only the emperor, but also the princesses of Equestria, would fall upon the head of the perpetrator like a ton of bricks. That were on fire. And were clutched in the teeth of angry tigers.

He'd essentially told every noble in the Crystal Empire that the status quo was no more, and if they didn't like it, they could take it up with the ladies who make the sky move...

Tough Love

"Let's start with the most pressing issue first."

The three royals, Celestia, Luna, and Pan, were now seated comfortably in the royal council chambers. While the room still bore that name, there really wasn't a royal council anymore, and hadn't been for several generations. These days, the room was more or less an informal dining hall. When Pan had finished assembling his council of advisers, that would change. In the meantime, the plush chairs, fine antique table, and the walls adorned with majestic tapestries depicting the history of the empire all made for a more relaxed environment.

Celestia and Luna sat side by side, opposite Pan, and while Pan took a sip of tea, the two princesses did likewise, before nibbling on dainty little teacakes.

Celestia, an eyebrow raised, asked, "The most urgent being?"

Pan, his expression serious, stated, "The love poison."

Luna and Celestia, their expressions equally serious, both nodded in understanding. There were many elephants in the room today: Pan's past, the legitimacy of his rule, and more, but of all those metaphorical elephants, this one was the gigantic bull of a wooly mammoth that was tap-dancing on the table while playing the bagpipes. It would be impossible to concentrate until this one was discussed.

"I've asked Pen Stroke to devote as much time and effort as possible to the pursuit of a cure. The odds of finding a true counter-agent are small, however. The compound in the wine Luna drank was, in reality, a blend of several love poisons. While some of those ingredients have known cures, the substances needed to make those cures are extremely rare in the Crystal Empire, or even in all of Equestria. Pen did indicate that he would ask a friend of his to work on a partial counter-agent, but odds are, the only way to truly defeat the poison is to wait it out."

Celestia sighed, but nodded and said, "I expected as much. Love potions, or poisons, are extremely rare, and most are magical in nature. Such things are difficult to cure through ordinary means."

Luna, scowling, asked, "Well then, what can I expect to go through in the meantime? And for how long?" Her anger was understandable: Luna was a princess of Equestria, with power and prestige that few beings in Equestria could imagine, let alone hope to match. The idea that she no longer had full control of her heart and mind would be unbearable, even if it was only for a day.

Pan, keeping his expression carefully neutral so that he did not accidentally give offense (A smile, a scowl, ANY expression might be misinterpreted right now, and end with him splattered across the wall), stated, "Pen Stroke was able to locate a journal kept by the king responsible for the poison, and after a short examination of the contents, he located several entries detailing the intended, and observed, effects of the poison." After a brief pause, as he struggled to say all of this with a perfectly level tone and a completely blank expression, he stated, "The effects are as follows..."

"These shall be your quarters for the duration of your stay at the palace," Pen Stroke said to Shimmering Radiance, when they reached their destination a few minutes after parting with the emperor.

The young filly's mouth hung open in shock as she surveyed the room before her. It was clear that such opulence was beyond her wildest imaginings. Oddly enough, the chancellor felt himself smiling. The emperor had been correct, it seemed: It was strangely satisfying to lay such abundant blessings upon a child who had never had anything before.

"I understand that you are not used to such surroundings," the chancellor continued as he, the filly, and his son walked into the room. "Which will be why my son, Gold Coin, will serve as your liason with the palace staff while you are here. If there is anything you wish to see, any item that you require, or any place you wish to go, simply say so, and he will be happy to assist."

With a bow, Gold Coin stated, "I am at your service, your grace."

After a few seconds, the filly turned towards Pen Stroke, then asked, "So, just what is it that the emprah wants in exchange, guv?"

Surprised by the rather... unique method of speech that the young filly had, Pen Stroke hesitated to answer, but after a moment, he stated, "While his majesty has yet to state his specific reasons for doing so, I am able to hazard a guess. He feels beholden to you for showing him that, even with King Sombra gone, there was a serious problem present in the empire that required his attention, one which predated the dread king's reign."

"Yeah? Pull one of the others, guv," Shimmering Radiance said, her expression one of absolute disbelief, "they've all got bells on 'em."

The chancellor gave the filly a look, truly taking her in for the first time. While she might be only five years old, life on the street with nopony else to look after her had toughened the little filly considerably. In terms of the physical, she might be little more than a foal, but in terms of pure cynicism, she was older than Celestia and Luna put together and raised by a factor of a thousand.

"As I said," Pen Stroke stated, "the emperor has not given me a specific reason for his abundant generosity, and it is possible that he has another, more draconian, reason for your elevation. If such a reason exists, you should ask the emperor when you see him later today, and see how he responds."

Translation: Don't ask me, I just work here. Take it up with the bug in charge.

While she didn't seem satisfied with that answer, the filly accepted it with a nod. After a moment's consideration, she asked, "And what about the others?"

Pen Stroke, momentarily confused, asked, "Others?"

"I heard what the emprah said to you at the big to-do last night. He said that you were supposed to do something for the other urchins out on the streets."

"Oh, that's what you meant," Pen Stroke said with a nod of understanding. "I have taken steps towards the resolution of that issue. While it is unlikely that many of them will experience such a drastic elevation in status, I have taken a few steps towards fixing that particular problem."

Shimmering Radiance raised an eyebrow and asked, "And those are?"

Clearing his throat, unused to such direct questioning from one so young (Yet decorum demanded that he answer the inquiry of an archduke or archduchess, provided that the question was not regarding a classified issue), the chancellor stated, "Several noble houses lost their sole heirs during Sombra's reign, as well as their spouses, making the production of future heirs unlikely. Upon inquiry last night, the current heads of a few of those houses indicated a willingness to adopt a new heir from those less fortunate who have no home or family of their own, either through Sombra's actions, or from prior tragedies. Several craftsponies in the city are also in need of new apprentices, and were also willing to take in any youngsters who were found to have promise in their respective fields. In addition, upon Princess Celestia's suggestion, properties in the city currently without owners or occupants are being converted into 'orphanages': Boarding houses dedicated to the shelter, education, and care of orphans such as yourself, until such time as parents willing to look over them appear."

The filly seemed confused about that: It seemed that charity was a foreign concept to the young archduchess. Given that she had literally spent every moment of her life that she could remember digging through compost heaps and rubbish bins for food, without anypony extending a helping hoof, that was not surprising.

Saddening, yes, but not surprising. The emperor was right. We need to be better than that, the chancellor thought to himself.

Forestalling any further inquiries that the filly might have with a raised hoof, Pen Stroke stated, "While I would normally not mind answering your every question, your grace, I fear that I have a number of duties that require my attention, including the seeing to of the project we have just discussed. We can speak more on this later."

Translation: I like you, kid, but I've got too much on my plate today to play twenty questions with you.

After a moment, Shimmering Radiance nodded, then said, "Alright, guv."

The chancellor nodded, then said, "Splendid. Now, I should let you know, there will be a meeting this evening, a gathering of all the nobles in the empire. The emperor felt that would be the best time to present you to your new peers. My son will be happy to assist you in any preparations that you feel you need to make, but please be aware that you will be expected to attend at six this evening, so it would be best to be ready a half-hour before then."

The filly gulped visibly, then asked, "What will I be expected to do there?"

Smiling, Pen Stroke said, "For the most part, smile, give a curtsy to any pony you are introduced to, and look adorable. My son can teach you how to curtsy, and if necessary, how to smile properly." With a chuckle, the chancellor added, "I doubt you'll need any lessons on how to look adorable, though."

Pen Stroke was rewarded by a bright blush from the filly when she realized that last part was a compliment...

For the first five minutes of the explanation of what could be expected, Luna's and Celestia's jaws had hung open in shock. For the two minutes after that, Celestia had started grinding her teeth in anger, while Luna began visibly blushing in embarrassment. Then they switched for about two minutes, then switched back. For the remaining seventeen minutes, the two ponies traded anger and embarrassment almost like clockwork.

Finally, after a mortifying half-hour that had stretched Pan's ability to control both expression and tone to his absolute limit, he stated, "And at this moment in time, the symptoms are expected to last up to a full year."

Within five seconds of that statement, an event occurred that was practically unheard of in the history of Equestria. If the legends were true, then somewhere in Equestria, fifteen sparrows would burst into flames, a litter of kittens would abruptly die from their hearts exploding within their fuzzy little chests, and every first-born colt for the next fifteen generations would be born with cloven hooves and goat horns.

Because Princess Celestia had just cursed aloud.

"MOTHERPLUCKING SON OF A NAG!!!"

Pan was taken aback by this sudden explosion of profanity, as was Princess Luna. In all honesty, the changeling would have bet good money on the princess of the sun not even knowing that those words were curses, let alone being able to shout them aloud with such passion. But it appeared she did know those curses, and a great many more...

For the next five minutes, Celestia cursed with such intensity and with such eloquence that, by all rights, the world should have split open, and all the fiends in Tartarus should have come rushing out... then turned right back around and ran away, screaming for their mothers at the sound of Celestia's fury. The alicorn cursed in at least seven languages, only four of which Pan could identify, and of those he recognized, he didn't know what even half of those words meant... and the changeling had not led what most would consider a sheltered life.

When Celestia finally ended her tirade, Pan applauded, and said, "I echo that sentiment, your highness."

After a moment, Luna raised her hoof.

Pan asked, "Yes, Luna?"

Princess Luna, the Princess of the Moon, Diarch of Equestria, and one of the most powerful beings in the world asked, shyly, "What did you mean when you said 'Oral Sex'?"

"Ummm," Pan began, blushing brightly from embarrassment, his radiance increasing a couple of notches in response, "Do you remember the third thing we tried last night?"

Luna, blushing brightly, said, "Oh."

Celestia, her face a bright scarlet (Whether due to anger or embarrassment, or possibly both, it was hard to say), said, "Is there anything else?"

With a shake of his head, the changeling said, "Thus far, that's all we know. If there were more side effects, the old king either didn't feel they were worth mentioning, or was completely unaware of them."

Still, the ones that were known were bad enough: Luna would feel compelled to remain within one hundred hoofsteps of Pan at all times, and would become increasingly agitated the further away she was. There were other compulsions, some simple, and some complex, and not all of them could be mentioned in polite society. The worst part was, those compulsions would gain strength after the sun set... right when Luna was supposed to be performing her royal duties.

Celestia placed her hoof against her face, then very quietly said, "I know you're not to blame for this, Pan, but you must know that this will be an almost unbearable burden, for myself and for my sister both. The fact that we will have to be separate for the majority of the year means that there will be tremendous difficulty in coordinating the raising and lowering of the sun and moon..."

Luna added, "And there are at least a dozen other things that I normally tend to, which I will not be able to under these circumstances..."

Pan nodded, then said to both of them, "I do understand that, and I know that the answers to how those problems can be solved will not be easy to find. But as my father used to say, 'Problems do not get any easier by complaining about how difficult they are." He tended to say that whenever he or any of his siblings complained about a problem... typically either before or after he struck them across the face for voicing any sort of a complaint. Pan's father was not nice, even by changeling aristocrat standards...

Both Celestia and Luna nodded in agreement. "Indeed," Celestia agreed. "That is well said. And we do not have to come up with the answers today. We have the next two weeks, at least, to find the solutions." Luna echoed that sentiment. Now that they knew what they would be facing, they could start on making the problem manageable.

"Good," said Pan, smiling. "We'll discuss viable solutions tomorrow. For now, though, let's move on to a more urgent issue: This evening, there is going to be an audience, where I will be introducing Shimmering Radiance to the nobility of Equestria, and let them know that things are about to change. I would appreciate your aid in this: I have a few announcements to make, and I am certain that whoever poisoned Luna will get very upset about them..."

"Like this?"

Shimmering Radiance attempted the curtsey that she had been shown half an hour ago... and promptly fell on her face. A court curtsy is very difficult to perform for a quadruped. If Gold Coin had not insisted that the filly change out of her fancy new dress, she would likely have ripped it to shreds by now. As it was, her face was starting to get a little sore, even if the impact with the floor had been soft each time she'd fallen...

At least the colt wasn't laughing. If he'd so much as chuckled once at her difficulty, she would have slapped him across the face, and refused to continue. Instead, he'd kept his face blank, helped her up, then told her what she had done wrong that time, and encouraged her to try again.

It was so frustrating, though: 'Urchin', a bit-less pauper, was now the archduchess of the single largest stretch of territory in Equestria. She owned orchards, mines, mills, and more, enough that she was 'worth' more than half of the remaining nobility combined. Gold Coin had cautioned her that there would be a number of nobles who would soon be seeking to match her up with one of their sons or younger brothers, hoping to cement some sort of an alliance in the years to come. AND SHE WAS STILL ONLY FIVE YEARS OLD WITH NO MARK TO CALL HER OWN!!! She was so completely out of her depth now...

"You've almost got it," Gold Coin said, encouragingly. "If you keep all of your weight on your back left hoof, you shouldn't lose your balance this time. And you don't need to go quite so low: You're an archduchess, so you outrank everypony present, save for the princesses and the emperor. Just a short dip to each noble you're introduced to is enough. The emperor shouldn't be asking you to genuflect tonight, nor will the princesses, but if they do, you can do the same for them: It's your first night as nobility, so you're not expected to have it all down yet."

Shimmering Radiance nodded, then did as instructed. Incredibly enough, it worked.

"Perfect," Gold Coin said, smiling. "Now do it again."

Shimmering Radiance complied... and promptly fell on her face.

With a chuckle, the colt admitted, "Would you believe me if I told you that I did the same thing when I was learning how to perform a court bow? Keep working on it, though, and you'll have it. We've got a couple of hours left before you need to get ready. I'm certain you'll have it down perfectly by then."

Blushing, Shimmering Radiance nodded, and tried to curtsey... and got it right again.

Some ponies, after experiencing torture, humiliation, and brutalization, will undergo a radical change in behavior. The cruel become kind, the kind become cruel. Sometimes, that radical change would instead be in the intensity of their previous actions: The kind become kinder still, and the cruel, even more so than ever before.

...For Scarlet Wake, however, there had been no change in his behavior whatsoever: He remained a cruel, calculating, amoral sadist. Nopony often wondered what would truly happen if the red unicorn ever rose above the title of baron. Nothing good, that was certain.

The gray unicorn closed the door behind him, then steeled himself for his lord's 'playroom'. Were it not for the 'soundlock' enchantments upon the hallway, the screams within would be heard throughout the empire. Instead, so long as one of the doors was shut, nothing within the playroom (Torture chamber, nopony admitted to himself) escaped to the outside...

There are spells that can inflict agony unlike anything the body can normally experience, and can do so for hours on end. It's not difficult: Just by increasing the sensitivity of the skin sufficiently can turn even the feeling of open air into an agony beyond comparison. Scarlet Wake would spend days with a pony, listening to their screams as they lay tied to a bed, unable to do anything but suffer from the noble's magic... and would occasionally poke his victims, increasing their pain a trillion-fold.

Nopony opened the door, then waited a moment while his liege lord reduced the volume of his latest plaything's screams. Once the aide could speak without being drowned out, Nopony announced, "Two messages for you, milord. One from the emperor, the other one from your cousin, Golden Grace."

Scarlet Wake looked down at the latest in a long line of victims with an almost tender expression, then asked, "And?"

"The emperor has asked that all of the nobility assemble at the palace for a meeting tonight. He has endowed the title of Archduchess of the Golden Groves to a pony, and wishes to present her to her peers. He also intends to make several announcements regarding the future of his reign."

Scarlet Wake used a spell to adjust the level of pain his latest victim felt, causing the bound mare to shiver violently as her torture went from agonizing to excruciating, then asked, "And my cousin?"

"Golden Grace will be here in two hours, with a carriage to take you both to the palace," Nopony stated, trying very hard to ignore the mare's pleas for mercy. The only mercy here would be when she finally died from dehydration or malnutrition, and that was still days away...

Scarlet Wake gently caressed his victim's cheek, eliciting a wail of agony, then said, "Ah, my cousin, always thinking of me. Very well. You may go now. Close the door behind you when you leave."

As always, Nopony was just a little too slow, and the mare's tormented screams began just before the soundlock engaged. As always, Nopony wished that his grandfather had sworn allegiance to another pony. Any other pony. Even Sombra would have been an improvement over this...

A thousand years from now, a pony in Nopony's position could have turned in his master and would have hat nothing to fear. However, this was not that time. As a landless, commonborn unicorn, the aide had many things to fear: The laws were all on the noble's side, and if Nopony turned in his master, the commoner would face terrible consequences for violating the oath of fealty that his grandfather had sworn to Scarlet Wake's grandfather. Imprisonment would await him in the royal dungeons, and even if he escaped that fate, nopony would be willing to hire a known oathbreaker. His wife and three daughters would be without support, either way, and would be left begging in the streets, or worse, in order to survive. Even worse than that, however, there was a strong possibility that Scarlet Wake would face no punishment whatsoever afterwards, and would continue on as before, starting with Nopony's wife and daughters.

Nopony wished that he had not proven so competent, not only at seeing to his master's needs, but also at manipulating others with just his words alone. Twenty young ponies, practically still fillies and colts, were about to become pawns in Scarlet Wake's dirty little game, and there was nothing that he could do to stop it...

The World Turned Upside Down

"Are you crazy, or just evil?"

Pan couldn't help but chuckle at that question. He had just told the princesses the start of his grand plan for the evening, and needless to say, the looks on their faces were priceless. Celestia had performed a colossal spit-take, and Luna had spent the next several seconds trying, and failing, to give voice to her objections. Obviously, there were so many things she wanted to say that she couldn't work out which one to say first.

Not surprising, since Pan's first decree would fly in the face of traditions that went back centuries.

"Possibly," Pan stated, a half-smile on his face, "but let's work under the assumption that there is a method to my madness, rather than a madness to my method. Yes, I admit that traditions are important, at least when they first begin. But there comes a time when the traditions of old must be... re-evaluated, and if it is found that they are no longer in the best interests of the nation, they must be set aside."

An eyebrow raised, Celestia asked, "A noble sentiment, but what about the repercussions of this decree? Have you truly considered what the consequences will be?"

The changeling sighed sadly, then said, "There will be consequences, yes, but there would be greater consequences if I do nothing. The love poison was just an opening move: Whoever is behind that will have another plan set in motion as soon as he or she realizes that it has failed. If I know anything about this kind of mindset, each attempt to overthrow me will become bolder as the one responsible goes uncaught. If they are not stopped, and stopped quickly, then odds are, I'll not only have to deal with this one noble, but half a dozen others who are emboldened by his actions. By year's end, there could be a coalition, seeking to take me down, lead by whoever poisoned Luna last night." His expression turned stern as he concluded with, "I want every noble attending tonight to think long and hard about what will happen when I catch the one responsible for that, and what will happen to anypony who tries to emulate him."

Luna looked ready to raise an objection, having finally found her tongue, then seemed to reconsider. "The idea," she said, "may have merit. But are you willing to accept full responsibility for what may happen? I admit, if whoever is responsible for last night's attack possesses a rational mind, or at least the smallest shred of decency, they may be hampered by what you plan to enact. However, if they are not..."

If Pan could roll his eyes, he would. "Then whoever is forced to work under that pony would be suffering drastically, and would jump at the chance to escape that position," he stated confidently. "And if the perpetrator did try anything drastic to hide their crime, they would tip their hoof, and give themselves away. Either way, we win."

Celestia was fully capable of rolling her eyes, and did so. "I fear you may be underestimating your opponent. Still, the idea does indeed have merit, and had the idea come to me before now, it would be something I would have implemented." She gave a small smile as she admitted, "I would not have dared to make it into a law in a single night, though."

Chuckling wickedly, Pan said, "And that's just the first surprise that I will be springing tonight. There are still two more declarations I plan on making, and I promise you, that first one was the least spectacular of the three..."

That evening...

"Our subjects," Pan said, addressing the assembled nobles in the royal banquet hall with the royal 'we', "We have called you here tonight for several reasons. The first is to announce the appointment of a new member of our esteemed peerage." Gesturing to the little filly beside him, he announced, "It is our honor to introduce you to Shimmering Radiance, Archduchess Of The Upper Golden Groves." The former pauper gave a perfectly executed curtsey, gave a winning smile to the assembled peerage, and Pan was certain that she instantly stole the hearts of more than half of the nobility present.

"While she is young," Pan continued, smiling, "Princess Luna has decided to place our newest noble under her wing until such time as she has come of age, and is able to fully meet the demands of her new station. We feel that, by that time, she will be more than up to the task ahead." So if you don't like it, he thought to himself, too bad.

There was some murmuring in the crowd, and Pan allowed that to continue for a few seconds. The room was quite large, as was expected of a hall typically used for state dinners, but whispers carried quite well due to the acoustics of the chamber. There were over a hundred nobles assembled, not counting Shimmering Radiance, Pan, and the princesses, so even with the ponies trying to stay quiet, they made an almost deafening racket.

Pan raised a hoof, and everypony went silent. Oh merciful heavens, I am going to love being able to do that from now on, he thought to himself. He'd already noticed a number of abilities that being the emperor had granted him. Imperial Superpower Number One: The Royal Hoof Of Silence. He swore to himself that he'd try very hard not to abuse that... too much.

"We also have a set of announcements that must be made tonight." His expression stern, Pan continued in his best 'Emperor' voice, "Many of you have heard rumors of an attempt to poison our imperial self last night. Those rumors are true." There were a number of gasps at that. Some of them might have been feigned, but a great many of them were genuine. This was a pony kingdom, Pan reminded himself, not a griffin, naga, or a changeling court. Things like that were somewhat less common here, especially within the first three days of a ruler's reign.

"While it obviously did not work," Pan continued with a smirk, "we are not amused. Somepony amongst us has decided to attack us in the sanctity of the Crystal Palace, on the very night that we were celebrating the end of an evil monarch. Were it Sombra who had been assaulted in such a manner, we are certain that every pony here would find themselves on an executioner's block, or in a torture chamber. It is fortunate for all of you that we are not him."

Many of the nobles now looked incredibly nervous at that. The mention of Sombra had instantly cast a shadow over the audience. They didn't know what was coming now, but they knew it would be... severe.

"However, we are merciful, and it has always been our philosophy that those who commit wrongs must be made to account for their crimes, no matter how long it may take to do so. Thus, we do hereby announce a change to a policy that has been in place for generations, and has hindered the pursuit of justice for many an age."

The whispers began again, and Pan immediately used the Hoof Of Silence to stop them. "The perpetrator of this crime cannot be allowed to use law and tradition as a shield to hide from his just punishment. Thus, the practice where a vassal would be imprisoned if he should break his oath of servitude by reporting a crime that his liege lord had committed, including high treason... is no more."

The silence that followed was deafening.

"Furthermore, should one of the vassals that serve this traitor, or any other, should bring irrefutable proof of the commission of high treason, or crimes of an equally deplorable nature, we shall be certain to give a just reward to the one responsible for jeopardizing their life by bringing such evidence to light."

In the shocked silence that followed, Pan thought to himself, Well, that's the carrot. Now, let's show them the stick. "Further," he stated aloud, "the tradition of 'Only Following My Lord's Commands', the immunity granted to servants for following the orders of their so-called betters, is also no more. If it is found that the servants of this traitor, or any other, were aware of his treason, and continued to take part in it after this night, they shall be found as guilty of treason as their liege lord themselves. It is every pony's responsibility, whether noble or commonborn, to ensure the safety and security of the realm. The law will not protect those who abandon that duty in pursuit of personal gain, nor those who aid them in doing so."

The uproar that followed was tremendous, deafening on a scale that most ponies could not imagine. After a solid three minutes, Pan raised the Hoof Of Silence again, then said, "I understand that this flies in the face of tradition, but there is no better time than now to set the broken traditions of the past aside in pursuit of building a better tomorrow. New laws and regulations will be put into place shortly, both to protect those who bring charges of treason from retaliation... and to protect you, my subjects, from baseless accusations of the same. I assure you, there will be no summary executions in my kingdom, and the ancient covenant of 'King's Evidence' still stands. Those who commit crimes in the dark will be dragged into the light, and evidence of their crimes will be brought out for all to see. However, those who give false evidence to the Emperor's seat in pursuit of their own elevation will find themselves... permanently elevated by a length of rope around the neck, tied to a tree branch."

King's Evidence was an ancient tradition, and while it was true that turning King's Evidence held a number of advantages, the penalty of breaking that covenant was among the most severe there was: You lie to the king, and you would be hung from your neck until such time as you were dead. A brutal punishment that was no longer practiced in Equestria in one thousand year's time, but it did serve well to prevent false testimony in the current era.

There were nods of understanding from the assembled peerage: While many of them were still clearly displeased, the majority did not have anything to be afraid of, so long as the law protected both the commoner and the noble. Their vassals, in the main, loved and respected their liege lords, and at least half of those assembled, if not absolute paragons of virtue, were individuals whose worst vices involved shaving a small percentage off of the royal tithe, or keeping a private harem of willing mares (He was given to understand that one stallion in the crowd kept a private harem of thirty mares, all of them peasant born, and each of them more than happy to service him in any way he pleased for the rest of his life, in exchange for wealth enough to sustain their families for the next eight generations. Moreover, the stallion had given a genuine offer to wed the first one to bear his foal. Given that this started five years ago, and with no results yet, Pan suspected that the stallion may be sterile, but only time could tell for certain). Pan would not say that the innocent had nothing to fear, since the closest thing to true innocence in this room had just delivered a curtsy to the crowd, but he supposed that he'd be willing to overlook the smaller crimes, so long as their were no bigger ones hidden behind them.

"I have two more announcements to give tonight," Pan said, smiling. That first one had stunned them. The second one, he was certain, was going to shock them much further. And the third? It will rock their world.

It took all of Scarlet Wake's self-control to keep from panicking. Had Nopony been present, rather than spending the evening with his wife and children, the noble was certain that the aide would have immediately advanced upon the emperor, thown himself at the ruler's hooves, and publicly announced everything that that Scarlet Wake had done, and was preparing to do. Scarlet would need to take drastic steps to save his own hide. He'd have to accelerate the next step of his plans, and then remove Nopony and his family from the picture... permanently.

"The second announcement is that, due to the abundance of open spaces in the peerage left by Sombra's purge of the royal family, we shall begin searching the kingdom for individuals of merit worthy of those lands and titles now vacant. One's birth, wealth, or even current vocation, will in no way bar entry into the peerage. Merchant, farmer, carpenter, even a courtesan, any individual found to be of great merit may find themselves within your ranks by this time next year. The conditions for entry will be discussed in detail at a later date. For now, simply understand that Shimmering Radiance is only the first commoner to be elevated to nobility. We doubt that she will be the only one to do so."

"Further," he said, forestalling the general hubbub that would normally have followed, "those who currently hold titles will be evaluated, and based upon their merits, may find themselves elevated to higher station themselves. We should caution you, however, that those who are found wanting will be expected to shape up, or this time next year, you may find yourselves in a significantly different role than before. We have a great deal of work ahead of us, and any dead weight that tries to drag us down will be cut loose without hesitation."

There were a number of gulps around the room. While the number of indolent nobles in the city was small, they were present. Those who lacked the business sense to make the fertile fields, abundant natural resources, and the diligent workers in their respective territories turn a profit would quickly find themselves out of a job. The only way a noble could fail to make an abundance of wealth in the Crystal Empire was by not even bothering to try.

"We understand that this is a drastic change from the traditions of old," Pan stated, his tone formal. "However, what good were those traditions in the face of King Sombra?" There were a few murmurs of agreement at that: The fact that custom dictated that somepony amongst the higher nobility lead the citizens in revolt against the tyrant, and that pony would become the new king, had been used against them. The upper nobility were so busy arguing over who should be the leader of the revolution that it prevented them from starting one.

Pan had been surprised to learn that Pen Stroke had his ear to the metaphorical ground, listening to the voice of the street. The common ponies were most displeased with the behavior of the nobility of late, and there were definite whispers for a change. Were it not for the fact that Pan, who was not an Equestrian noble, held the crown, there would have been a bloody peasant revolt in progress. As it was, there were definite rumblings about whether or not there was truly a need for nobility these days.

...Which was why there needed to be a shake-up like this one. Otherwise, within half a year, there would be rioting in the streets, with nobles killing commoners, and vice versa. Given how many more commoners there were than nobles, the end result would be a foregone conclusion, but Pan would not have his first year of leadership marked by a violent bloodbath. However, if a new generation of nobility, selected from the common ponies, were to rise, it would help in preventing such an event from occurring.

Smiling, Pan continued, without the royal 'we', "It is my fervent hope that everypony who is here today will still be amongst us, this time next year. Bar one, of course." His expression almost beatific, the changeling stated, "If any of you have an opportunity to learn of the identity of this traitor, and bring it to my attention, I would find myself... incredibly grateful."

Now the traitor would have nopony to turn to for aid, to trust with his scheming: His or her own common servants would jump at an opportunity to turn the traitor in, for a chance at elevation to nobility. Meanwhile, the other nobles would jump at the chance to turn him in, in the hopes of gaining the emperor's favor: What better way to keep from losing your own rank in the nobility than to gain the favor of the ruler? In fact, many of them were likely thinking that catching the traitor would result in an elevation of position within the nobility. After all, there was still an Archduchy of the Lower Golden Groves available...

"Third," Pan said, a pleased smile upon his face, "we wish to announce our engagement to Princess Luna of Equestria." The princess in question stepped forth, confidently, and raised a hoof, showing the golden band, set with a massive diamond, she now wore. She blushed slightly, clearly not used to being the center of attention.

The crowd began to cheer. This meant that, rather than being an isolated city in the sticks, the Crystal Empire would become a major world power in the near future. After all, their emperor was now on the path to becoming true Equestrian royalty...

Earlier that day...

"You cannot be serious," Celestia said with a scowl.

"I am," Pan said, his expression carefully neutral. "Given the conditions of the love poison, your sister will spend at least every third night in my bed, whether any of us like it or not. There will be gossip about her electing to stay here for a year, that much is unavoidable. There would be even more gossip if she were found sharing my bed without any explanation as to why." Celestia blushed brightly at that statement, then nodded in understanding. "The exact nature of the poisoning last night is known only to a few, and those few are sworn to secrecy. I think that, for all parties concerned, it is best that nopony be given reason to believe that the poisoning worked on Luna when it failed to work on me. If only a few have that knowledge, it can be used at a later time to catch out poisoner. That said, what better way to curtail the gossip and speculation, and keep the nature of the poisoning a secret, than to give a perfectly reasonable explanation for it? One that would cause a radically different kind of gossip?"

Of course, there would be repercussions: If the marriage were to ever actually occur, Pan would become a true Equestrian royal with a voice equal to that of Celestia and Luna, something that has never happened before. The diarchy would suddenly become a triarchy, and a new player would enter the game of world politics. The balance of power in Equestria, and even the global, would be drastically changed forever.

...But only if the two of them were truly wed.

Her expression neutral, Celestia stated, "I admit, from a political standpoint, it is... viable. I dislike it, but, ultimately, it is not my decision." Turning towards her sister, Celestia asked, "Luna, the decision is yours. What say you?"

Luna gave this all a few minutes thought before she spoke. Her expression was, surprisingly, quite serene as she stated, "As a princess of Equestria, I have understood for the longest time that, whatever my heart truly desired, I would be required to do what was needed for the good of the kingdom. I accepted that the day I first put on a crown. Since I can no longer trust, for the next year, what my heart is telling me, I find that my course is no different than it was before. In one year's time, when the potion has worn off, I can choose whether the engagement remains, or if it should be called off, so I have no objections." Her mouth twitched into a slight smile as she added, "And I admit, I will enjoy watching whoever is responsible for last night's poisoning squirm when he realizes that his actions have served to make your claim to leadership stronger, rather than ruining it."

Ten minutes after the conclusion of the meeting...

Scarlet Wake seethed inside, but it was a testament to his self-control that he let none of it color his tone while speaking with his cousin. While the two of them exchanged inane pleasantries and discussed insignificant issues, Scarlet Wake adjusted his plans in his head. While Golden Grace would assume that Scarlet was an absolute incompetent when it came to political intrigues, the truth was much, much different: The only reason, so far, that Scarlet Wake was only a baron was because he'd decided that it would be much easier to raise his position to duke, or archduke, in one fell swoop, rather than trying to raise himself up, one rank at a time. Nopony would expect his sudden rise to prominence until it happened, and by then, it would be too late to stop him.

Political intrigue is, to a sociopathic sadist like Scarlet, not unlike a game of chess. The only pieces of any true value are the kings. Every other piece was just something to be played, and ultimately discarded, in pursuit of attaining your goal, defeating the opposing player. However, when a checkmate is no longer possible through skill, simply because your opponent is a superior player, the best course of action was to frustrate your opponent, to infuriate him to the point where he can no longer think clearly. In such a state, instead of playing at the level of a grandmaster, your opponent will play instead at barely the level of a novice.

It was only by the most narrow of chances that Scarlet Wake had evaded the executioner's axe tonight, and with three simple moves, the emperor had placed the baron in check. However, the game was still in its infancy, and Scarlet Wake already had a plan in mind. It would require a few simple adjustments to his plan, really. The timetable could, in fact, be accelerate. Instead of waiting for a week, the baron could make his next move tomorrow.

Scarlet Wake gave a little laugh, and naturally, his foolish dandy of a cousin thought that it was at a small joke that that Golden had made. How that moronic, foppish clotheshorse had managed to maintain the rank of duke, when there was so much bitter infighting amongst the higher nobility, the baron would never guess. Possibly, it was simply due to the fact that nopony viewed him as a threat: Golden Grace had never demonstrated even the slightest hint of ambition.

"How went the meeting, milord?"

Scarlet Wake turned towards Nopony, and said, with a serenity the baron was certain disturbed his aide greatly, "Oh, you know how it goes: A new leader wanting to show how long his foalmaker is to his new subjects. A great deal of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

Nopony nodded, then said, "Then it was exactly as you expected."

In truth it was anything but. However, Scarlet had not survived as long as he had without being able to maintain a poker face that would have made any cardsharp in Equestria envious. "Indeed. Any news?"

Nopony bowed, then said, "The Widowmaker has finally arrived, and is waiting in your study."

The Widowmaker? In all of the recent excitement, Scarlet Wake had nearly forgotten that he had summoned the master assassin. He had originally summoned the most famed glue-maker in all of Equestria in the hopes of eliminating Sombra. Now that the tyrant was gone, Scarlet Wake was tempted to simply send the Widowmaker away. However...

Nopony would need to be removed from play: He was in too deep to be allowed to live, and his betrayal would now be inevitable. While it would be regrettable to lose such a powerful piece, Scarlet Wake could not allow the aide to be turned, or that would be the end of the game. However, if Nopony were to simply drop dead, without any context to hide the reasons behind his removal, Scarlet Wake would just as well have walked up to the emperor himself and declare his guilt before all of the assembled nobles tonight.

But what if Nopony were not the only one to die?

"Very well. I shall see him shortly. However, I need you to set my plan in motion tonight, and have the pawns strike at noon, tomorrow."

"Milord," Nopony said, clearly shocked, "the pawns are not prepared. It would take days to convince them that the death of the new emperor would be for the good of the kingdom."

Rolling his eyes, Scarlet said, "I am fully aware of that. Instead, you will tell them that their target is Pen Stroke, the royal chancellor. The emperor relies upon Pen to do practically everything for him. With Pen Stroke either dead, injured, or jumping at shadows, Imperator's right hoof will be cleanly severed, and I can move much more freely. Understand?"

Nopony gave that some consideration, then admitted, "That could work. The chancellor is not well known to the common ponies, so I doubt that there would be any objections to his assassination."

"Good," the baron said to his soon-to-be-dead aide. "There is a wedding between two commoners tomorrow, at noon. When the emperor was informed of it at tonight's meeting, he made it clear that he would be in attendance. Something about it being a 'symbol of the rebirth of hope for the kingdom', and that he would be honored to be there. Give the pawns their marching orders tonight, make certain that they are well equipped, then return immediately to the manor. I do not wish to risk you being spotted in the city tomorrow." And I do not wish for you to hear anything of what the emperor has decreed tonight, he added silently. The city would be abuzz with the emperor's proclamations, come the dawn. Best to have Nopony isolated, until he could be safely removed tomorrow night.

Assassins are rare amongst ponykind, save in one subspecies, for many reasons. The hooves of the average pony make them ill-suited for the use of killing tools. True, an earth pony can snap necks with a solid kick, and a pegasus can kill a non-pegasus just by lifting a non-pegasus up to a sufficient height, then let gravity do the rest. However being able to do so without being caught in the act is very difficult.

...For unicorns, naturally, the opposite is true: The number of spells that can, properly utilized, drop any other pony dead are practically legion. True, spells that cause instant death on their own are practically unheard of, but using telekinesis spells to snap a target's neck, summoning and propelling a projectile at high velocity, or even delivering a poison directly into the bloodstream via teleportation, make unicorns extremely good at assassination...

And there was no assassin in Equestria more feared, or respected, than the Widowmaker.

There had been an assassin named the Widowmaker for centuries, sitting always at the very top of the world of assassins. There were many theories as to why: Some said that he or she was secretly an alicorn, the Prince or Princess of Death. Others whispered that the Widowmaker became an immortal after he or she had killed the grim reaper and then ate his heart, becoming a master or mistress of death in all of its forms. Some even dared to speculate that the Widowmaker was Atropos, one of the fates, the one who decided when and where a pony would die. A few, more reasonable ponies, simply stated that the title was one handed down from master to apprentice. The Widowmaker, they claimed, was simply a pony, as mortal as any other. Just one that was exceptionally good at killing, and exceptionally good at staying alive and not getting caught.

Whatever the reason for it, if you wanted somepony dead, and wanted to be certain that nopony would ever connect you to the deed, you hired the Widowmaker.

Scarlet Wake sat behind his desk and studied the cloaked figure before him. It was impossible to guess the age, gender, build, or anything about the pony before him. Even the height was questionable. In fact, it was impossible to tell anything, save that it was a unicorn. The baron twitched slightly when words entered his mind, unbidden.

You summoned me.

The words were not spoken, but instead seemed to enter directly into his mind, and if they sounded like anything, it was Scarlet's own voice. The Widowmaker left nothing to show who or what it was, not even the sound of its own voice. Anonymity, Scarlet Wake supposed, was the greatest defense an assassin could have. In truth, the baron had no interest in what lie behind the hood. For all he cared, the Widowmaker could be a wise-cracking mule armed with a magic kazoo, so long as he or she got the job done.

"I did," Scarlet admitted. "I had originally intended to have you assassinate King Sombra. I fear you're three days too late for that commission. Fortunately, I have another contract for you, one potentially a bit more challenging for you."

...I'm listening.

Pulling out a quill, an inkpot, and a sheet of paper, Scarlet Wake said, "I am making a list of thirty ponies that I need you to kill tomorrow night. The exact order will be left to you, as well as the how, but they must all die, and it must be clear that they were murdered, before sunrise. I would prefer you take the one named Nopony last. His death is an absolute necessity, but since he has served me well, I guess that I will not begrudge him a few extra hours of life." As he spoke, he scratched the quill against the paper, writing thirty little death warrants. When it was done, he held up the list. "These ponies are..."

I know exactly who they are, and how to find them.

"I... see," Scarlet Wake said, slightly unnerved. "Your price?"

Standard fee is ten thousand bits per head for nobles. Since each of these targets is commonborn, the fee is five thousand each... with a bonus payment of one hundred fifty thousand for wanting it all in a single night, and wanting it to look like a murder each time. That... complicates the job considerably. Payment must be made in advance. No negotiations. Do we have an accord?

Three hundred thousand bits. That was a princely sum, to be certain. It was more than two years profit from each of Scarlet Wake's holdings, in fact. Still, it was the price that Scarlet Wake had to pay for a professional job, and the ultimate reward would be well worth it...

Nodding, Scarlet Wake said, "Done. If you are interested in another contract, return the night after tomorrow night: I have further use of your services." Thankfully, he'd already gathered the funds the assassin was requesting over a week ago, in preparation for assassinating Sombra. Pulling open a drawer in his desk, he revealed a sizable safe. After a few seconds of work, he opened it and pulled out a bag. From there, it took several minutes to count out the payment. Once it was all arranged in neat stacks, it abruptly vanished.

Your contract is accepted.

And with that, the cloaked figure vanished as well.

Author's Note

Widowmaker was the name of Pecos Bill's horse, so named because no one could ride him, save Pecos Bill, and live. I honestly could not think of a more fitting name for a pony assassin.

PREPARE FOR UNFORESEEN CONSEQUENCES

"I admit, this takes me back."

Pan looked over at Pen Stroke, as the two of them sat side by side in the pews, the final preparations still being made for the wedding. While the new emperor had been offered a spot as the guest of honor, he had politely declined, stating that he was here more as an observer than anything else. He didn't want this to be about him, but rather about the first two ponies to be wed after the downfall of King Sombra. That was much more important to him. Following his example, Celestia and Luna had likewise declined.

The chapel was quite beautiful. While it may have been one normally intended for the weddings of commoners, Wheel Wright and Amber Waves (The groom and the bride, respectively), and their parents, had spared no expense in the preparations. Given that both bride and groom were the heirs of wealthy merchant families went a long ways towards explaining why this wedding could have outdone that of any other pairing, save perhaps a prince and a princess. The decorations, aided by large windows (normally shuttered, but on this day wide open to let in the sun and the warm spring air) on the second floor, made the entire affair... incredibly nostalgic for Pen Stroke.

Pen's son, Gold Coin, sat beside Shimmering Radiance, and the two were whispering to one another quietly. Given that the two would smother giggles every minute or two, it was clear that they were getting along well. On one hoof, Pen was glad for that, since it meant that his son had made a friend, when there were few, if any, ponies his age that he could talk to. On the other hoof, while the two were both of common birth, Shimmering Radiance was now of the peerage, and there would be talk if the two become too close... and remained so when they got older. But then again, the world was changing quickly now; so quickly, in fact, that Pen wondered if, by the time they came of age, a public relationship between a noble and a commoner might not be commonplace.

Pen Stroke reflected on the strangeness of it all: The chancellor understood that the emperor was from a time in the distant future (One thousand years... just the thought of it boggled the mind), so naturally, he would have a different view of the world, a different set of ideals, radically different from his subjects... and every day, it seemed that this new set of ideals was infecting his subjects. Just a moon ago, the chancellor would not have spared a thought, in regards to the suffering of orphans like 'Urchin' on the streets. Now, suddenly he could not believe that he had ever been so callous...

His expression curious, Pan asked, "Reminds you of your own wedding day?"

Nodding, Pen Stroke admitted, "Aye, milord. It was in a chapel, much like this one, that my wife and I were wed."

"You know," Pan began, "I have yet to meet your wife. Do you think that..."

"I fear that she has passed away," Pen Stroke said, unable to hide his sorrowful expression. "It was... two years after we were wed, a few days after the birth of my son. She worked as a hoofmaiden for the queen, and in all honesty, I'd like to think that she was the queen's favorite. Somepony poisoned a bottle of wine, from a famous vintage, that was intended as a gift for the royal family: Who had done so is anypony's guess, for an investigation turned up nothing, and this was well before anypony had heard the name Sombra. The old king, having already indulged deeply that day, had bestowed the bottle to my wife and I, in celebration of my son's birth. She had taken a sip, and I was about to do the same when..." The chancellor paused, having difficulty in saying more, then said, "What has happened, has happened, and it cannot be changed. I should not darken this day with such talk."

His expression dark, Pan asked, "You don't think that the same pony who tried to poison me...?" He left it hanging, but the chancellor could guess the rest of the question.

Pen Stroke almost dismissed the possibility out of hoof, seeming too unlikely, but hesitated. After a moment's thought, he said, "I could not say for certain, milord. The poisons used were radically different, and yet, similarities between the two acts are present, upon retrospect." Thinking back, Pen Stroke added, "There were only a few suspects in the case, and all of them were cleared of wrongdoing upon investigation. However, with the new laws you have made now in place, I cannot help but wonder what a few questions in the right circles might uncover..."

Pan, an expression angrier than any that the chancellor had ever seen on the new emperor, stated, "Look into it. Whether the two cases are related or not, you have my approval and my blessing." His expression turning sorrowful, he added, "I cannot say if having the one responsible brought to justice will give you peace, but I hope it will give you and your son some measure of closure..."

"I... thank you, milord," Pen Stroke said with feeling. While he had gotten over the passing of his wife, mostly, the thought of finally getting some real answers... it meant more than words could say.

A half-smile on his face, the emperor said, "We're friends now, Pen Stroke. You can call me Pan, I don't mind."

Pen was about to refuse, saying that such a thing was not proper... when suddenly, he was cut short by an ice arrow that struck him in the face.

There are some who question the effectiveness of arrows and crossbow bolts made of magical ice. Some might ask, why not fire instead? Others, why not just mundane metal arrowheads? Still others, why not enchanted metal arrowheads? The answers to those questions are easily answered.

Arrows of fire are capable of significant collateral damage: A single missed shot, and you could end up with an uncontrollable blaze or an explosion. If a fire needs to be started, there are much more reliable, and much less hazardous, means of ignition than shooting an arrow. Besides, setting somepony on fire is considered incredibly, intolerably cruel, even in an era like the one Pan now inhabited.

The reason why regular metal arrowheads are not used is simple, as well: Forcefields are commonly used in combat, and even a low-grade force field will repel most mundane arrows and crossbow bolts. More importantly, it takes considerable resources to make arrows and crossbow bolts (Wood, forged steel, and feathers may be easily obtained on Earth, but in Equestria, it is significantly more challenging to get them in the quantity needed to outfit an army), not to mention how hard it can be to craft such an object when your species lacks opposable thumbs. While magic can certainly help in that, such effort is wasted if the projectile is unlikely to have an effect.

Meanwhile, enchanting steel-headed arrows and crossbow bolts to be more damaging than normal is simply not cost-effective: The number of pony-hours necessary to outfit an entire army with arrows possessing such a potent enchantment is prohibitively expensive, on top of the difficulty of crafting the arrows themselves. In other regions, where the residents have hands, or the equivalent of them, the cost is lowered, but in Equestria, there are far more effective means of doing things.

Crafting arrows out of enchanted ice is significantly less difficult: The spell that can convert a one gallon bucket of water into a half-dozen deadly projectiles is very simple to learn and to cast, and barring desert regions, water is free and easy to come by. More importantly, when an ice arrow hits a force field or enchanted armor, it forms a solid block of ice... and each successive arrow will expand that block significantly. A volley of ice arrows can encase a target in a heartbeat, and if the target is merely armored, he will be rendered immobile until hypothermia ends him. With a forcefield, the target will be blinded, and can only escape by dropping the field, and even then, only if the ice enclosing him is not so thick that it can crush him if the force field gives. Worse, the weight of the ice creates a continuous strain on the caster, eating away at the endurance of the unicorn who maintains the spell. These facts, and others, make ice arrows far superior to most other weapons that can be crafted during this time period.

...To say nothing of how effective the arrows are on bare flesh.

Twenty archers, none of them older than their fifteenth year, were convinced by Nopony that a revolution was needed, to free the Crystal Empire from the grip of foreign powers (Like King Sombra, but also the princesses who had done nothing while the Crystal Ponies had been ruled by a merciless tyrant). The crystal unicorn had told each of them that the first step was to remove the chancellor: He was a traitor to his fellow commoners, who spent his days toadying to the princesses and the new emperor for the sake of his own ambition. While a few might have questioned this internally, none had spoken their doubts aloud, placing their trust in Nopony, assuming he knew what he was talking about.

Fortunately, nearly all of them were pathetically bad with a bow and arrow. Of the nineteen who had no experience, ten of them ended up launching their bows instead of their arrows, five of them ended up getting hit in the face with their own bows by accident, and four ended up either launching their arrows a pathetically short distance, or landing far from their target and completely missing the gathered ponies (Sadly, the punch bowl was not so fortunate, nor was the wedding cake. On the other hoof, this last arrow would end up inspiring the invention of ice cream cake centuries before it would have been created in the 'Prime' timeline).

...However, one of the ponies that Nopony had scouted was skilled with the use of bows and arrows, having in fact earned his cutie mark for it. Worse, as a true believer in what Nopony was preaching (due to having suffered greatly under Sombra's reign), there was no hesitation in his draw. He hit exactly what he aimed for... which was Pen Stroke's head.

Things would have turned very ugly, had the princesses not been there.

In spite of the problems that they might have had in the prime timeline, or may yet have in the alternate timeline, the two alicorns were exceptionally skilled when it came to coordinating their efforts. The sisters had, quite some time ago, established who should do what in a sudden emergency. Luna's immediate reaction to the sudden downpour of arrows was to place a force field over every pony present at the wedding. The archers, all on the second floor, standing in the open windows, would not be able to hit anypony else while Luna was protecting them.

Celestia, on the other hoof, commanded all of the ponies present to take cover under the pews (In case something happened to Luna's forcefield), then immediately saw to Pen Stroke. Time is critical when dealing with an injury caused by an ice arrow... especially when one strikes the head.

Having one's head encased in ice is not immediately fatal, but it can become so very quickly: With the mouth and nostrils covered in ice, it is impossible to breath, and unless one takes a deep breath before the arrow strikes, the injured pony can suffocate much sooner than normal. Given that Pen Stroke was desperately grasping at the ice covering his head, the chancellor was discovering that for himself...

Celestia immediately grabbed the crystal pony, held him with his face towards the ground, the used a spell to melt a hole in the vicinity of the mouth. Immediately after the water cleared out of the new airway with a splash, the princess was gratified to hear a gasp for air from the chancellor. Now that the most immediate peril was past, she began removing the block of ice that still encapsulated the pony's head...

Luna, on the other hoof, had steeled herself for a second volley, and was not disappointed: The attackers had almost immediately launched another attack, and while many of them missed where a pony would be standing, their aim was improving, and the force field was a very big target. More worryingly, a couple of the archers, a little more knowledgeable than the rest, had decided to simply throw their quivers at the force field, the end result being several hundred pounds of ice putting a constant strain on the barrier that Luna was working to maintain.

And the fact that Pan was screaming aloud while clutching his head did nothing to help her focus.

While he did not seem to be injured in any physical means, the expression upon his face made it very clear that he was in terrible agony. The scream, more like the despairing wail that one might make if they fell off of a cliff, and had no means of arresting their fall, was heartbreaking. Whether it was simply the compassion in her heart, or the love poison's influence, it was all she could do to keep from dropping the force field so that she could try to comfort him. However, her self-discipline was sufficient to stave off that impulse. After all, if she were to drop the field, both Pan and everypony present would be in terrible danger. As it was, she had only a couple of minutes left before the stress upon the shield became more than she could bear. Thankfully, she could rely upon her sister to pick up the slack shortly...

Celestia managed to remove the block of ice from Pen Stroke's head in what would probably be considered record time, if anypony had ever bothered to keep records of such things. While only time would tell what manner of permanent damage that the arrow may have done, his life was no longer in immediate danger. Turning her attention to the attack still in progress, Celestia took her role. When under attack, the two sisters had agreed long ago that, when the two are together, Luna would be the shield, and Celestia...

...Celestia would be the sword.

The princess of the sun released a wave of incredibly intense heat, straight upwards, causing the ice to instantly sublimate into steam. With the ice melted, Luna breathed a sigh of relief, and opened a hole in the field long enough to allow Celestia to exit and face the attackers... only for her to find that the archers were already fleeing. Having seen the expression on Celestia's face, and felt the furnace-like heat of her initial spell, the archers knew that they wanted nothing to do with her. Celestia tried to capture one, but there simply was not enough time: The attackers had thrown down their bows and arrows, and fled, the princess' capture spell passing harmlessly over the head of one of the fleeing ponies as he or she vanished out of sight. While the attackers were cloaked, the better to hide their identities, it would be the work of a moment to discard those garments once outside, and once that was done... it would be impossible to tell them from ordinary ponies.

Now that the attack was over, Luna lowered the force field, allowing Celestia to return to the ground. Once reunited, the princesses took stock of the damages. While nopony other than the chancellor was injured physically, the entire affair was clearly wrecked, and would need time to salvage: No wedding today, it seemed.

Pen Stroke had lost consciousness, and was shivering violently: The ice arrow was clearly having terrible aftereffects. Pan, on the other hoof, had finally stopped screaming, but now he simply lay upon the ground, his face slack and expressionless, his eyes empty and the bright glow that normally radiated from his body dim. Were it not for the fact that he were breathing, both Celestia and Luna would fear him dead...

Members of the royal guard burst in, their expressions stern. The emperor's decision to have them wait outside, not wanting their presence to spoil the occasion, and sincerely believing that nopony would dare openly attack the emperor in such a place, had prevented his guards from being present to respond immediately to such an assault. Still, even if they had been here, the attack had been too swift, and too devastating, for the guards to have done anything.

Picking up Pen Stroke gently, Celestia stated to the captain in charge of the guard squadron, "Take him immediately to the palace, and summon the royal physicians. He took an ice arrow to the head, and while he still lives, hypothermia, influenza, or even pneumonia may still be a threat. Have the royal baths prepared with heated water, and put him in up to his neck: He needs to be warmed, and warmed swiftly, or he may yet expire. I will check on him after the emperor is seen to."

The captain nodded, then, his expression gravely concerned, asked, "And the emperor?"

Celestia turned towards her sister, and saw Luna, shaking Pan gently and trying to get him to respond. After a moment, she said, "He's physically unharmed, but something has clearly happened to him." Her expression of concern mirroring the captain's own, she stated, "I cannot tell if he was subject to some manner of a magical attack, but he is clearly in some sort of stupor. We'll need to examine him, once we reach the palace, and find a way to snap him out of it."

Celestia, her expression worried, nodded in agreement.

Shimmering Radiance felt so useless right now.

The Crystal Palace was a flurry of activity for the remainder of the day. Guards were coming by every few minutes, with updates on the status of the hunt for the attackers. Sadly, the news was not good: No luck, thus far, on discerning their identities, nor in tracking down where they had fled to. The search would continue, all day and all night if necessary, but there were no real leads to follow...

The news concerning Pen Stroke was better, but still not great: Thanks to Celestia's intervention, the chancellor had survived the initial results of the arrow, and he was no longer suffering from hypothermia. However, he now had a severe illness, either influenza or pneumonia, either one of which might turn yet be fatal. Only time would tell if he pulled through. In addition, one of Pen Stroke's eyes had been severely damaged by the cold, and it was likely to never recover. There was a strong possibility that he would be wearing an eye-patch for the rest of his life.

And for Pan, things did not look good, either: Whatever sort of stupor now affected him, the new emperor was dead to the world. The princesses remained optimistic in their outlook, but both of them were worried. It did not seem to be the result of a magical attack, but some manner of mental trauma. 'Shimmy' heard the princesses discussing the issue when they thought nopony was listening. From what she could make out, the emperor's younger brother had been murdered, right before his eyes. While Luna could not confirm it, something the emperor had said (And how he had said it) in a previous conversation hinted strongly that the murderer might have been a windigo. The two alicorns believed that the sight of Pen Stroke having been struck by the ice arrow, right before the emperor's eyes, had acted as a trigger for this sudden change in his state, due to it reminding him of that terrible day. It was difficult to say how long he might remain in this state...

...And, barring some manner of direct intervention through magic, there was a possibility that the emperor might never come to his senses.

The sun was setting, and Shimmering Radiance felt totally out of her depth as she sat upon her bed and looked out her window at the Crystal Empire. If she were still Urchin, an orphan on the streets, forced to use her wits to survive, she would have had some idea as to how to act. There were ponies she might have asked for assistance, for some sort of guidance, in exchange for a bit or a favor to be repaid later on. While she might have been alone on the streets, and didn't have any real friends, she did know a few ponies, ponies who were very good at getting answers. But now...

...Wait. What really had changed? Just because they had given her a name and a fancy title, didn't mean that she was no longer 'Urchin'. The knowledge gained from living on the streets had not suddenly vanished into thin air. It just meant that she was Urchin, plus a large number of resources she never had before. She knew ponies, and those ponies knew other ponies. It was just that, up until now, she'd have been lucky to have a bit or two to buy assistance or advice from them. She'd been told that owning the Upper Golden Groves meant she had access to wealth that most ponies, even other nobles, would have difficulty in imagining. That kind of wealth can buy a lot of answers.

Jumping down from the bed and quickly running to Pen Stroke's room, she found Gold Coin, exactly where he could be expected: Sitting beside his father, his expression one of terrible concern.

After she had gotten the colt's attention, Shimmering Radiance asked, "Want to help me find out who hurt your father?"

His expression one of disbelief, Gold Coin asked, "How could you possibly do that, when the entire city guard cannot?"

A half-smile on her face, 'Urchin' stated, "Simple: We go and see the Lame Horse. If he can't tell us who did this, he can find out who can."

The colt, now clearly confused, asked, "Who's the Lame Horse?"

Rolling her eyes, 'Urchin' said, "Right, I forgot, you've spent your entire life in the palace, so you wouldn't know." Her tone gentle, she continued, "The Emprah, the kins and kweens, and the princessesseses, they rule over the topside of the city: The nobs, the folks who have money, and the like. The folk that laws actually help. The Lame Horse is the one who rules over everypony that the folks with the gold and silver hats can't help, or don't bother helping. The folks who cling to the underbelly of the city, desperately trying not to fall off. Beggars, mares of the night, even urchins like me, everypony who isn't anypony bows their head to him... and in exchange, they're protected. If the Lame Horse wasn't around, the 'underworld' of the Crystal Empire would be a whole lot more 'under', if you get my meaning."

Still somewhat confused, he said, "I... I don't think I understand. But, you're saying that he could help us?"

"For the right price, yeah," Urchin said, nodding. "But I don't know how to get at the money I'm supposed to have so I could pay him. Can you help me get it?"

Nodding, the colt said, "Yes, definitely. It'll take some time to get it, though: The banks have already closed for the night, and it would take days to make any sort of a serious withdrawal, even if they weren't." After a moment, he turned thoughtful and added, "However..."

An eyebrow raised, the filly asked, "However?"

Gold Coin walked over to a nearby dresser, and pulled a drawer completely out. Setting it to one side, the colt reached in, and after a moment, there was a click, and a squeak, like a small door opening. After a moment, he pulled out a bag, and after opening it, spilled a collection of beautiful gemstones and coins on the ground.

"My father told me where to find this yesterday, so I would have it if anything ever happened to him. There's supposed to be a quarter-million bits here. Will that be enough?"

Nodding, the filly answered, "Definitely." After Gold Coin had put everything back in the bag, she said, "I'll pay you back as soon as I can."

His expression determined, Gold Coin said, "I'm going with you."

Shaking her head, Urchin declared, "No way. You wouldn't last an hour out on the streets, Gold."

Undeterred, the colt stated, "My father made it clear that my duty was to make certain that no harm came to you, and that I see to anything you might need. I would not be able to face him if you came to harm out there."

The filly was about to argue, but then thought better of it: It might be best if she was not alone tonight. This kind of money could make a single pony a pretty big target. Besides, right now, all Gold Coin could do at the palace was watch and see if his father lived or died. Better he have something else on his mind, even if it might be dangerous out there. "Alright, but you do what I tell you, alright? We won't be in the palace anymore, but there are rules to follow. If I say to keep quiet, you keep quiet. If I say hide, you hide. And if I say run, don't look back. Got it?"

Nodding, Gold Coin said, "Understood. Let me leave my father a note, and I'll be ready."

Some might wonder at how a single pony would be able to handle thirty assassinations, in a single night, with each one being in a different location, each one miles apart. The fact that the contract requires that the target must be violently murdered would make things considerably more difficult, and for nearly any pony, it would be an impossible task. So, how could the Widowmaker hope to complete such a contract in one night? That answer to that question is simple.

Magic.

The Widowmaker was a master of three schools of the mystic arts: Teleportation, Scrying, and Illusion. Through the art of scrying, it was foal's play to determine the exact location of the target at any given time. Illusion would keep the assassin invisible, or even disguised as somepony the target knew, until it was time to strike, if such a thing was needed. And through the use of teleportation, it was very easy to blink in, end the target, and blink right out.

And there were so many ways to end a life through the use of a teleportation spell: Blink the head or heart a distant of three hoofsteps from the body, and you have a murder. Move the target to a place one hundred hoofsteps distance or more above the ground, or a shorter distance but over something that would certainly be fatal if a pony landed on it, and you have a suicide. There were other, equally devious means of using teleportation magic (Many a noble had spontaneously dropped dead after drinking poisoned wine that, surprisingly, had been poisoned in the moments between placing a hoof to the cup and raising it to their lips), but the result was the same: One corpse, with no need to get your hooves dirty.

Still, thirty murders takes a lot of energy, so the Widowmaker had a long night ahead of her. As the sun finally set over the horizon, she readied herself. It had always puzzled her how, while everypony was willing to accept the fact that two mares had the power to move the heavens at will, nopony ever seriously considered the possibility of a mare being the top assassin on the planet. And such a young mare at that. Still in her twenties, and she had enough blood on her hooves to drown a city...

...But the vast majority of that was noble blood.

A long time ago, she'd been an ordinary mare, a commoner with a new husband and stars in her eyes, but after a long, miserable chain of events, she'd wound up soaked in the blood of the noble who had murdered her husband, abducted her off of the streets, and tried to make her his. The previous Widowmaker, having been hired to kill the noble that very night, had looked at the seventeen year old mare with something akin to admiration, and had said, simply, "You'll do." That had been enough to start her on the path of the assassin... and it was one she enjoyed greatly. While it regrettably meant that on some nights, like this one, she had to kill a commoner or two, the vast majority of her time was spent killing nobles like the pig who had taken everything from her. If it had ever been about money, she could have retired by the end of her first year. She, and the previous holders of the title, had enough wealth by now that she could have bought any three cities that you could name. The Widowmaker did not kill for money, but instead because each one who bore the title needed an excuse to purge the world of as many nobles as possible...

"I simply cannot fathom it, sister," Luna said, her expression one of pure consternation.

Mirroring her sister, Celestia stated, "I am having difficulty in understanding this myself, sister. It is beyond anything I have ever seen before..."

Emperor Pandinus Imperator The First, Ruler of the Crystal Empire And All Who Doth Dwell Within... was a vegetable, or close to it. He sat upon the bed, staring at nothing. He breathed, and if you put a cup to his lips, he would drink, but asides from that, he might as well be a corpse. There was clearly no sign of physical harm, and while a curse was present upon his body, it was unrelated to his current condition. Whatever was wrong with him was psychological, not physical or magical... and any possible cure would be locked within the head of a changeling that neither princess knew anything about.

"I am at a loss. This is beyond me," Celestia stated, admitting defeat.

Suddenly, there was a flash behind them. Both princesses turned around, and saw, standing before them, a pony in a hooded cloak.

Both princesses were startled by the sudden intrusion. Being the first to gather her wits, Luna asked, "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

Pulling back her hood, the intruder revealed herself to be an earth pony, a mare still in her teens with a pink coat, a purple mane, and clear blue eyes. Her expression serious, she stated, "My name is Morning Glory, bearer of the Element of Magic." She gestured to a purple gemstone which rested on a chain around her neck, then continued. "I was sent here from one thousand years in the future, for the purpose of giving you some vital information. We need to talk."

What's The Story, Morning Glory?

"An Earth Pony cannot possibly be the bearer of the Element Of Magic."

The instant after the words left her mouth, Celestia knew that she had said the wrong thing, and used exactly the wrong tone. And yet, how could she not have said so? An earth pony, the bearer of the Element of Magic? Even after one thousand years, it would seem impossible, absurd even. And her tone, well... perhaps she could have at least tried to say it differently...

It was clear, however, that this was a sore spot for the mare who had just appeared. The pony's face flushed, and it was clear that she was struggling to keep from losing her temper... and failing. She was visibly gritting her teeth, but after a moment, she regained her self control... somewhat.

"You know, before you asked me to come here," Morning Glory said, each word stated very carefully, like somepony working very hard not to let her emotions color her tone, "you had warned me that you could be kind of insensitive, back in the day. I hadn't really believed it, having seen how you are in the future, but I guess that you've had a lot of time to work on it between now and then."

Celestia, blushing with embarrassment, said, "I certainly didn't mean to give offense. It's just..."

Her eyes narrowed, the earth pony interrupted with a bitter tone, "It's just that pinheads like you assume that the only magic that matters in the world is the kind that ejaculates out of that thing jutting out of your forehead."

Luna's and Celestia's shocked expressions at hearing that was perfectly mirrored by the pony who spoke it. Covering her mouth with her hoof, Morning Glory exclaimed, "Oh jeez, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it! I didn't mean it..." Tears welling in her eyes, she said, "I thought I was doing so much better..."

Placing a gentle hoof on the younger mare's shoulder, Celestia said, "It's quite alright. I did not think before I spoke, and neither did you. If you'll forgive me for my rude behavior, I'll forgive you for yours."

Now openly weeping, Morning Glory said, "Deal." Wiping her eyes with a hoof, she said, "I'm sorry about what I said. My birth-mother was a unicorn, and my dad was a pegasus. The fact that I wasn't born with wings, a horn, or both, well... it caused me a lot of problems, when I was little. I've got issues I'm still working on." Sniffing, she added, "I shouldn't take them out on other ponies, though."

Celestia, smiling, said, "And I should not have let my surprise get the better of me. You were right, I did make an assumption. I have seen enough of the world that I should understand that magic is not the province of unicorns and alicorns alone."

Luna, gently but still insistently, stated, "You said that you had something to tell us, young lady. While I certainly would not wish to be insensitive..."

Wiping her eyes again, then nodding, Morning Glory said, "It's fine. There's not a great deal of time, and there's a couple of things I need to tell you." Her expression more business-like, she looked over at Pan, then said, "Right now, our friend here has retreated to his 'Happy Place', and he's not willing to come out." Looking at Luna, the earth pony stated, "You'll need to go in and try to snap him out of it."

Luna, her expression startled, stated, "That... how would I even start?"

Rolling her eyes, Morning Glory sighed and said, "Right, I forgot, you've not yet added that to your list of royal duties. You'll need to use a spell to enter into his dreams. You can find the one you'll need at the library, here in the Crystal Empire. If I remember right, it's a blue book, with the title 'Dreamwalking For Beginners' or something along those lines. It'll be somewhere near the back, where the cobwebs are thickest. I recommend you memorize the spells inside: You'll be using them a lot in the future."

Nodding, Luna said, "Very well." Tapping her chin with a hoof, Luna said, almost to herself, "Dreamwalking... I could swear I've heard of that before."

Turning back towards Celestia, Morning Glory said, "And you'll need to contact Kokkuri-San, and ask him to pay you back for that favor he owes you. You've been hesitating to do so, since you were afraid you might end up without the ability to ask him a question at a critical time in the future. Stop hesitating: He's the only one in the world who can see what would have happened in alternate timelines, so he'll be the only one who can answer your questions about changelings. He'll end up owing you again, so don't worry about future problems: The current crisis is a big enough one to justify." A smile forming on her face, the earth pony added, "And make sure you ask him, 'Why won't there be any changelings?', that will throw him for a loop."

Celestia raised an eyebrow at that, but nodded and said, "I understand. But I can't help but wonder..."

"Why I can't just tell you everything? Funny thing about time travel," Morning Glory said, smiling, "While I can tell you where to find the answers you need, I'm not allowed to just give those answers to you directly. If I try to, I'll immediately zip back. The time travel spell has a lot of limitations set upon it. It's a better alternative than a one way trip, though."

"Yes, I imagine so," Celestia said, nodding. "Thank you for pointing us in the right direction."

With a chuckle, Luna asked, "Can we expect any more time travelers in the near future? I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but don't you have enough to do in your time?"

Morning Glory chuckled, then said, "Well, I'm here, in part, because it's a time loop thing. I'll be sent here, because I am here, because I was here. The time stream is weird like that sometimes."

Her expression more serious, she continued, "But I was also sent here to prevent any more interference from the future: One of the big rules on time travel is that you can only have three incidents of transit within a rolling one year period. Pan is the first, Nana the second, and I'm the third. No more travel will be allowed, either to this time period or from it, or to any point within one year, forward or back. There's a really good reason why we need that: There's a few folks in my time who would love to try and sabotage everything that Pan is trying to do here. A few ponies in the future are going to resent Pan for changing what they think should be the natural order of the world, toppling nobles off of their high chairs and elevating commoners to positions of power." Blowing a breath through her lips with a 'pbpbpbpbpb', she said, "It's stupid, and it's selfish, of them to try, but that's just the way some idiots are: They want all the prosperity for themselves, and aren't willing to share, even if sharing does make the world a lot better in the long run."

Smiling, she continued, "With me and Nana having taken up the two empty spots on the roster, they can't do that, even to create an alternate timeline. From now until halfway through the year, you're on your own, with nopony trying to interfere, for good or bad. Anypony who tries to change the timeline now will have to go back far enough that they'd have to deal with King Sombra, or far enough forward that... well, they'll wish that all they had to deal with was Sombra."

Nodding in understanding, Celestia said, "Thank you for looking out for us, then. And we're grateful for even this much guidance during such a terrible crisis. You may have saved the two of us a great deal of time."

Smiling, tears running down her cheeks, Morning Glory said, "No, thank you. Thank you both. When... when we first meet, I'm not going to be very nice, and it's going to take me a long time before I stop being angry at everyone and everything around me. In fact, I'll be going out of my way to be a royal pain in the flank to almost every pony I meet for the first two or three years after I meet you both. But in spite of everything, you're both going to put up with it... and I can't possibly say how grateful I am that you did."

And with that, she vanished.

Within a few minutes, Luna was inside the library, looking for the spellbook that she'd been told to find. While the library might have closed for the night, alicorn magic can make for a wonderful lockpick, in addition to a flashlight. Within fifteen minutes, she was able to locate the book she needed...

The sun finally vanished over the horizon, and the Widowmaker prepared to jump to her first target, when a scroll popped into existance before her. Firemail, one of the few methods of instantaneous communication in this age, was rare, but there were a few powerful groups who used it exclusively... like the Assassin's Guild, the organization that every assassin in the world owed allegiance to...

Even her.

Reading the message, she scowled, then ported back to her lair. Her client would not be happy, and there would likely be yelling, even after she returned the money and offered a discount. She hated being yelled at... especially by nobles she wasn't allowed to kill...

Yet.

There are only a few beings in the world who can consider themselves as powerful as Celestia and Luna. Thankfully, the majority of beings in that metaphysical weight class are spread out pretty far, and they have very few reasons to come into conflict. The vast majority of them are much too busy seeing to the needs of their subjects to cause problems in the other parts of the world. However, not all of these incredibly powerful beings are interested in ruling.

Kokkuri is a bit of a black sheep in the community of immortals. He wasn't interested in ruling, or in the struggle between good and evil. He considered himself above such things. Instead, he was interested in... causing trouble. He liked making mischief, and he had one of the most powerful tools in the cosmos for that task...

The Akashic Records.

The absolutely perfect archive for all knowledge in the cosmos. The holder of the Akashic Record would have access to everything that could and/or would happen in the past, present, and future, in addition to knowledge of what might have happened, had things gone differently, and things that can never happen. Kokkuri had won it from the previous owner in a game of shogi, having used an illusion to trick his opponent into misreading the outcome of the game. Just because you have an artifact that grants perfect knowledge, doesn't mean you'll be able to use it perfectly, after all. No one, pony, kitsune, or anything else, is perfect.

Possession of the artifact made Kokkuri an extremely dangerous individual to cross, but the kitsune was, thankfully, not the type who was quick to anger. He was far more interested in having fun, and disliked holding grudges (The few times he'd held a grudge, the downfall of his nemesis would become the stuff of legends). Celestia had won a favor from him a long time ago, having beaten Kokkuri in a game of chess (Kokkuri would not stoop to using the artifact to cheat at a board game). A single question answered, without lies or subterfuge, was Celestia's to ask for any time she pleased. This was an incredibly valuable thing to have, since while Kokkuri worked as an oracle, and would give an answer to any question asked, he did not always say the truth about what the Akashic Records revealed to him. He was not above lying just to mess with someone.

A sheet of paper before her, the necessary kanji written and symbols drawn upon it, along with a small coin, Celestia steeled herself. Kokkuri was not an individual to be taken lightly. The princess took a deep breath and prepared to speak the incantation necessary to call upon the legendary onmyoji...

"That won't be necessary, Sunshine. I'm already here."

Her head whipping around, she saw the kitsune in question, dressed in a kimono, holding a cup of green tea in his paws. He sat at the foot of Pan's bed, a half-smile upon his face. "I heard someone say my name," Kokkuri said, his Equine slightly accented, "so I thought that I might see what the fuss was about."

That was one thing that Celestia had always disliked about Kokkuri: His access to absolute knowledge made him incredibly, unbearably smug sometimes.

Hopefully, Celestia would be able to knock him off of his metaphorical high-horse today.

"I need to call in the favor you owe me," Celestia said with a frown.

An eyebrow raised, Kokkuri said, "That surprises me, your highness, and I am so rarely surprised. I wasn't expecting your summons for another century." His nine tails writhing behind him, he chuckled, then said, "How delightful. Something has changed the future, hasn't it?"

Nodding, Celestia admitted, "Yes, yes it has. Or rather, someone." Pointing at Pan, she continued, "Him."

Kokkuri studied the changeling for a moment, then said, "Interesting. There were not supposed to be any changelings for another, oh, twenty or thirty years. A time traveler, then. You don't see one of those every day."

Well, not normally, no, Celestia thought to herself. After a deep breath, Celestia said, "And that's why I've called you today. You're the only one who would be able to answer the question I have."

Chuckling, the kitsune said, "Oh, Sunshine, you cannot believe how grateful I am to you in this instant: You made me aware of something that has changed the future. I'll have to change several plans I made for the next few centuries, and let a few folks know that the predictions I made may no longer be valid. It'll be a lot of work, but you've let me know that I need to do it, and for that, I am pleased. So pleased, in fact, that I'll answer your question today honestly, and give you another honest answer sometime in the future."

Celestia relaxed somewhat inside: She'd feared that, by calling this favor in today, she might lose a valuable resource she might need at a later date. She made a note to herself that, when she first saw Morning Glory, a thousand years from now, that mare would be getting the biggest hug Celestia could give. After a moment, the princess nodded, then said, "Very well. This is the question I need answered: Why won't there be any changelings?"

The kitsune's eyes widened in shock, and then, with a gesture, made a scroll appear from out of midair. After a few seconds of studying it, he scowled, then said, "I wish I'd taken the opportunity to study the records before I came here, now that the future has changed. This was not something I was expecting to happen. Very well, you want the answer? I can give it to you. In order to do so, though, I'll need to tell you and Luna a story. Thankfully, she'll be back from her errand in less than ten seconds."

A moment later, Luna came in, carrying a book with her and panting for breath.

Kokkuri, looking smug, said, "Well, I haven't completely lost my touch, it seems. Just in time, your highness. Have a seat. Story time is about to start."

In the original timeline, the kitsune explained, King Sombra was not killed by a changeling, but instead lived, and fought the princesses when they arrived. Underestimating the power of his foes, and overestimating his own, Sombra ended up losing. However, since the princesses were too drained to defeat Sombra outright, the evil warlock was able to cast a parting shot that would be felt for a thousand years: He banished the Crystal Empire from time and space... along with all of those within.

But a few ponies, a few corrupt nobles, their retainers, and commoners who feared that the princesses would fail, fled the city in secret during the battle. While not all of them would survive the journey through the frozen wastes, most of them would. After reaching greener pastures, they sought to create a new settlement in a hidden valley within the Crystal Mountains, where they might live their lives in peace, unseen and unsought by the rest of the world.

However, this was not to be.

In ancient times, a pact was formed between the first Crystal Emperor and the crystal ponies: In exchange for the power of the Crystal Heart, which would be used to found their great city, the emperor's subjects would forever be bound to it. For all time, the relic would be their strength. While the Crystal Heart shined with hope and love, the ponies would experience a tremendous boost to their own innate powers. The earth ponies would be better farmers and better laborers than those in the rest of Equestria, the pegasai better fliers and manipulators of the weather, and the unicorns possessing greater magical potency...

But without the Heart, which had vanished with the city, the Crystal Ponies were suddenly drastically inferior to their counterparts in the rest of the world. The fields remained barren, no matter how well the earth ponies tended them. The weather did as it willed, no matter how hard the pegasai worked to change it, and even leaving the ground became a struggle. The unicorns struggled to cast even the simplest spells, and could only effect complex workings by uniting their efforts. They were now less than they once were, and their prospects seemed bleak.

Had they sought the aid of their fellow ponies, things might not have gone the way they did. However, shame at abandoning their fellow Crystal Ponies held some back. For others, it was pride, born from having spent their lives being self-sufficient in the most isolated city in the kingdom. And for a few... it was ambition: A small cabal of nobles thought that this was the perfect opportunity to begin a new kingdom, separate from Equestria, one where they ruled over their subjects without the restrictions inflicted upon them by Celestia and Luna.

These were not nice ponies, and any land they ruled unrestricted would be worse than anything Sombra could have envisioned. Instead of cruelty for the sake of power, these nobles sought power for the sake of cruelty...

These would-be tyrants could not rule over a kingdom of starved corpses. However, what could they do? One of the ponies, born a commoner and yet a sorceress of prodigal ability, theorized that, if the pact was what caused the ponies to lack the powers necessary to sustain their own kingdom, then the pact must be broken. After a few days of studying, she found the spell she needed, and prepared to cast it.

And thus began one of the most terrible tragedies Equestria has ever suffered. A magical pact, one that has been bound to a being from birth, and has been a part of the makeup of their race for ages untold, cannot be broken without consequence. When the unicorn cast the spell, aided by every other unicorn in the would-be kingdom, the result was disastrous.

Something vital, fundamental... elemental, was ripped out of these exiles when the spell was cast. They ceased to be ponies, and became something else, something monstrous. They no longer could eat food as ponies did, but instead fed upon the magical energy of love, but their twisted visages made them repulsive in the eyes of others. Worse, they could not sustain each other with their own love, no more than one pony can feed another their own excrement and expect them to survive. Worse still, the transformation rendered these new creatures unable to breed outside of their own kind, and would pass on the taint of their transformation to each generation that followed. The only true blessing they were left with was the power to change their appearance in order to deceive others, so that they might take on a mask of loveliness, the better to obtain the love they so desperately needed to live...

...And so that they could, at least for short periods of time, pretend that they were still ponies.

These new creatures would, at first, be known as The Changed. A very appropriate name, given their origins. However, as time went on, they were forced to leave Equestria for lands less prepared for their incursions, and The Changed slowly forgot their past, save for a few who worked desperately to make certain it would never be remembered. The rest of the world, ignorant of the truth, simply considered them monsters. Over the centuries that passed, The Changed would become known as changelings... a name both feared and hated all over the world.

"So," Kokkuri concluded, "that is why there will be no changelings in our timeline, asides from our friend here. By having been sent into the past, he destroyed King Sombra and has ensured that his 'race' will never be born: The Crystal Heart remains in place, and the ponies who would have tried to break the pact in order to survive now remain in the city, as happy and prosperous as before. Every pony here owes him a debt of gratitude. In this timeline, at least, the tragedy that could have befallen them has not." His expression saddened, the kitsune added, "But the price he has paid is that there will never be another of his kind in this world."

Luna, surprised to find herself weeping, asked, "Is there nothing that could be done for him?"

Kokkuri held up a paw, and said, "That is too broad a question for me to answer today. There are many things that could be done, both for him and to him, but it might be wise to wait until he is able to participate in the discussion before you make any major decisions. He may want to put in his two bits before you make any major changes to his morphology. What I will say is this: A pact, once broken, is difficult to repair. Difficult... but not necessarily impossible."

Celestia nodded, and said, "Thank you, Kokkuri. You've helped in answering a great many questions today." After a moment, Luna echoed the sentiment.

With a modest bow, Kokkuri said, "Think nothing of it, your majesties. I am happy to help my sisters in immortality in this, their time of need. Now, I need to be away: I have a great deal of work ahead of me, and a great deal of mischief to cause. Feel free to call on me when you're ready for your next question, Celestia, although I don't think it will be anytime soon." With a smirk, the kitsune vanished into thin air.

Celestia asked, her expression clearly concerned, "Are you certain you are prepared for this?"

Luna, her voice firm, stated, "Definitely. I have studied the text thoroughly."

The princess of the sun, still worried, said, "I know. But we both know that reading is one thing, experience is another."

With a small chuckle, Luna admitted, "Yes, I understand that, sister. Still, the principles are simple enough. The spell called 'Razputin's Doorway' will allow me entry into Pan's mind. While not truly asleep, he is close enough to dreaming that it makes little difference. From within his mind, I can find out what is going on inside his psyche, reflected by his dream, and perhaps find some clue to breaking him out of this stupor."

Nodding in understanding, Celestia gave it a moment's thought, then asked, "And should he awaken suddenly?"

"I will be safely ejected from his dreams with no harm done," Luna said, smiling. "And before you ask, nothing in his dreams should be strong enough to harm me. If I do encounter such a thing that can, the worst that can happen is that I am ejected from his mind. Regardless, I will proceed with caution."

"Alright. I will leave this to you, sister," Celestia said, smiling. "I am certain you are more than up to the task. I shall make certain that everything is alright in the palace while you are away. Stay safe."

"Hey, Pretty Penny," 'Urchin' said to the mare standing on the corner.

The mare in question was not very pretty now, but there were just enough traces of her former beauty to indicate that, in her youth, she was quite a looker. These days, though the one-time mare of the evening worked a considerably different business, she was still a 'looker' of a different sort: A pony who watched for the guards, and if any seemed to be coming, looking to raid the lair of the Lame Horse, she would give a signal before running for it herself. Of course, almost nopony in Equestria would try to cause a problem for the Lame Horse these days...

"Now I know that voice," Penny said, smiling, "but I've never heard it coming from a face like that one. You clean up nicely, Urchin."

Blushing, the filly admitted, "I've been hearing that a lot lately." After a moment, she asked, "Is the Lame Horse holding court tonight? My friend and I need to ask him for a favor."

Rolling her eyes, Penny said, "Of course he's holding court tonight, dearie: The new emperor makes a proclamation that turns the world on its head, then somepony tries to have him offed, of course the Lame Horse is going to have all of the Right Ponies assembled, so he can find out what's going on."

"Good to hear," 'Urchin' said, nodding.

Gold Coin asked, "Does the Lame Horse like the emperor?" 'Urchin nudged him to shut up, but it seemed that might have actually been a good question...

Laughing, Penny said, "I can't say yes or no, little colt, the Lame Horse doesn't confide in me. But..." For a moment, the 'looker' seemed thoughtful, then said, "But I don't think he hates the emperor. A ruler who actually admits that the common pony exists, who works to give homes to colts and fillies who ain't got none, and who plans on giving titles to folks as poor as me? If he's honest about all of that, I think the Lame Horse will tolerate him well enough."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T DO IT TONIGHT!?!"

The Widowmaker, unperturbed, simply stood there for a moment, then responded.

The Assassin's Guild has commanded that all contracts in the Crystal Empire be aborted immediately, and that no action be taken for the next three days, due to unusual circumstances. Since I cannot complete your contract as you had requested, I have returned your payment. If, after the freeze has lifted, you are still wishing the contract fulfilled, I will still be willing to take the job, at a discount, by way of apology for the inconvenience.

An eyebrow raised, Scarlet Wake asked, "And you take orders from the Assassin's Guild?"

I accept contracts passed on to me by the guild, yes, and if they request I not complete a contract, I listen. While I am capable of operating independently, I prefer to keep on good terms with the organization that could send over a hundred trained killers after me if I were to anger them. I would recommend you do the same: Unlike myself, you would not fare very well against such odds.

Scarlet Wake did not respond immediately, but rather took a moment to think on this. The fact that the guild had suddenly ordered all assassinations in the empire be stopped immediately implied that something was happening, or was expected to happen in the next three days, and until then, the guild was going to keep their hooves out of it. It was... understandable, he supposed: The guild was a political entity, and with how chaotic the current situation was, a wrong move could bring the wrath of the princesses down upon their heads.

This would require that Scarlet Wake change his plans drastically, but perhaps simply executing Nopony out of hoof was a bad move. The baron had panicked last night, due to the sudden and drastic change to policy that the emperor had put into place, and his only having evaded execution by pure chance had made him paranoid. Scarlet had feared that he had no means of keeping his aide silent, so he had intended to have him murdered, along with twenty-nine other aides amongst the peerage, the better to cover his tracks. But perhaps it might be better to keep Nopony alive. A competent aide is hard to find...

And since Nopony had a family, there were oh so many ways of ensuring that, even after he hears the emperor's decrees, he would be forced to remain under Scarlet's command...

"Very well," Scarlet Wake said, a smile beginning to cross his features, "I suppose that the operation I intended for you can be scrapped. Come see me in three days time, though: I am certain to have something in mind for you by then."

"Thank you."

"No, thank you," Golden Grace said to the one speaking to him through the mirror. "Had you not made me aware of Scarlet Wake's plans this morning, I would not have had time to contact the Assassin's Guild, and pay them to void all contracts before the Widowmaker struck. My one regret was that I could not hinder the attack upon the church today." A half-smile forming on his features, he admitted, "My secretary is very dear to me, and her loss would have been unbearable. I will need to make certain Scarlet Wake suffers for that." His expression soured when he admitted, "He has become something of a blind spot for me: I never really considered he might be a true threat to the kingdom, and if what you've told me is true..." He cheered up as he changed the subject, saying, "I admit, though, I was surprised to be contacted by you, of all ponies..."

Chuckling, King Sombra said, "When I return, and trust when I say that I will return, given time, I would like for there to still be an Equestria waiting for me, should I decide I wish to conquer it." His expression grim, he continued, "The new emperor is the one best able to weather the coming storm, but Scarlet's little attack, intended only to rattle the emperor, has proven far more successful than expected. Bad enough that trauma has left him unable to act for now: Guilt at having failed to prevent the deaths of so many innocents would have had a far more severe effect, I think. I will need him to come back, filled with vim and vigor, and unhindered by guilt or self-doubt. Otherwise, not only the Crystal Empire, but the whole of Equestria, may fall to Winter's grasp."

"In this," Golden Grace answered, "we are of one mind. And given that you expect your return to take a thousand years, I see no harm in accepting your aid in this... as much as I dislike you personally. An ally with your intelligence gathering abilities is nothing to be sneezed at." Taking a sip of wine, Golden Grace asked, "How fares the emperor?"

Sombra looked, if anything, grimmer than before, as he said, "I can only observe what happens within his mind, and while recent information has given me some context..." With a snort, he admitted, "I dislike admitting that I cannot understand something, but in all of my years in working with the minds of ponies, I have never encountered a psyche so... unique. I just hope that Luna can help him: There's every possibility that her presence may make things worse instead of better..."

"I shall trust that the princess will do what she can," the duke said, smiling, "I recommend you do likewise. In the meantime, I think I shall spring a surprise visit to my cousin's home... and bring my armsponies with me. I need to confirm a few things with my own eyes... and to pull Nopony and his family out of there if I can."

"Be careful," Sombra warned, "There is something deeply wrong with Scarlet Wake: He was willing to murder thirty ponies, twenty-nine of them uninvolved with his treachery, to cover up his crime, and had felt no guilt in doing so. While I may have done similar wrongs, I at least had the excuse of being tainted by dark magic. Your cousin has no such excuse, he is simply evil to the core. If you try to corner him as the Emperor tried to do..."

His expression deadly serious, Golden Grace said, "I appreciate the warning. I assure you, if I feel overt action is needed, I will not hesitate to strike him down. However," he continued, a half-smile upon his face, "I would prefer it not come to that. I have tried very hard to remove myself from the games of the peerage, so that I can watch things from behind the proverbial curtain without needless distractions: My brother and sister nobles are so busy watching each other, they do not watch for the truly serious threats... like you." Sombra snorted, but could not hide his grin. Chuckling, Golden Grace continued, "If I come back into the spotlight, the city will be defenseless against the next foreign threat. Better that the emperor takes care of this, once he recovers: It will make him look good to his subjects, and I can remain behind the scenes."

Down The Rabbit Hole

"I'm afraid I'll need to take your mask, miss."

Needless to say, Luna was surprised to find herself outside of a theatre. The transition from the waking world to the realm of dreams had, admittedly, been seamless, but in a way, that had served to make the switch from the bedroom to Pan's dream all the more jarring. Not a word of something like this had been mentioned in 'Dreamwalking For Beginners'...

The text had stated that, in dreams, you would only be able to see details if dreamer focused upon them, and anything considered unimportant should be blurry at best. And yet the entire theatre-front was so detailed that it may as well have been real. From the massive, glowing sign (How was such a thing possible without magic?) that proclaimed this to be 'The Masquerade Theatre', down to the sidewalk with little traces of dirt, and even litter (And strange pink spots of some manner of sticky adhesive), it appeared to be a perfect representation of the real thing. There was even a booth, in which sat a masked figure, the individual who just spoke.

He was clearly a griffin, and was dressed in an odd black ensemble, with an oddly shaped hat: A tall cylinder with a flat brim at the base. It all looked strangely... dapper. The griffin's face was obscured by a white mask, a smile sketched in black upon its surface.

Confused, Luna responded to his request by asking, "What mask?"

"This one."

The figure reached out a clawed forelimb, took hold of her nose, and pulled. Something came off of her face, and for a moment, everything went blurry. When her sight cleared... everything looked larger... and the figure was holding a perfect replica of Luna's face.

"Give that back," Luna demanded, then abruptly placed a hoof against her mouth, shocked at the realization that her voice had changed. Her eyes widening, she looked around for somewhere she could see her reflection. On a discarded glass bottle she was able to confirm her suspicions: She was a filly again... and she was, bizarrely enough, wearing a crown, harness, and shoes like those that Celestia normally wore.

"Sorry miss," the griffin said, his tone surprisingly sincere, "but it's the rules of the house: Outsiders have to turn over their masks at the door. If you want to enter the theatre, you have do so as your true self."

Luna was not certain if he was speaking in jest or trying to insult her. "Are you saying," she asked, angrily, "that underneath my mature exterior, that I'm still just a filly?"

Chuckling, the griffin replied, "I don't know. Are you?"

Resisting an effort to grind her teeth (and it took far more effort than it should have), she took stock. Was she? All of her life, she'd stood in her sister's shadow. Practically from the day she was born, Luna had Celestia standing on a pedastal far above her... and the distance seemed to multiply daily. Even though Luna was a princess in her own right, having undergone her own trials and tribulations in order to ascend to an alicorn, the fact that Celestia had done so first, and with far greater speed, ease, and grace, had made Luna's own success seem strangely... hollow. And the fact that she kept measuring her own progress in comparison to that of her sister... and finding herself lacking, spoke volumes. While she hated to admit it to herself, maybe...

Maybe deep down, she never stopped being an immature little filly, trying her hardest to be like her beautiful, popular, perfect older sister...

She really didn't need a revelation like that on top of everything else she's been through this week. Still, there are worse things she could find out about herself. Steeling herself, she admitted, "Alright, maybe I am... a little."

Chuckling again, the griffin said, "Nothing wrong with being a child at heart, little lady." Pointing to a door, he added, "The entrance is that way. The show will be starting shortly. Take a seat anyplace you like."

The theatre was grand on a level Luna would never have imagined possible. A massive chandelier that would have been the envy of a royal palace ballroom illuminated the main theatre. There were hundreds of seats, each of them plush enough that any noble in any kingdom you could name would not object to sitting in one, so say nothing of the carpet. This was a theatre that could easily cater to kings, and it was packed nearly to capacity.

Every seat face a massive stage, which was currently obscured by red curtains. While a few noises could be heard emanating from behind, it was clear that whoever was behind them was still making preparations for the next performance.

There was exactly one empty seat in the entire theatre, and under other circumstances, she would have immediately taken a seat. However, given who her neighbor would be, none would blame her for hesitation...

"I never thought that I would see you here," Luna said, her brows furrowed in anger.

A smirk upon his face, Sombra said, "Well, believe it or not, I've always been a fan of the theatre." Tapping the seat next to him with a hoof, the tyrant said, "Have a seat."

Pulling herself up onto the cushioned chair, she asked, "And why aren't you...?"

With a mirthful chuckle, Sombra asked, "As cute as the button on a teddy bear's nose?" Laughing again as Luna blushed brightly, he continued, "Simple, your highness: For you and everypony else, I've been gone... what, three days? In Tartarus, it's been three thousand years. I've had a long, long time to come to terms with who and what I really am inside... and more than ample time to improve myself. There's a rather extensive library in Tartarus, with a number of self-help books. I've read all of them... twice. I had a lot of issues, and dark magic didn't help. While I do not consider myself reformed, I'll at least admit I am better than I was before my untimely demise."

An eyebrow raised, Luna said, "But Tartarus is a prison for monsters, not a way-station for the souls of dead ponies. How did you end up there?"

Rolling his eyes, Sombra said, "I made a deal with a very powerful being when I was much younger: In exchange for the ability to escape death once, my spirit would be bound in Tartarus for one thousand years while my body repaired itself. I thought it was a great deal, since I could do as I pleased without fearing the consequences of my actions, and after my death, I'd be gone long enough for any enemies I made to be long gone afterwards." Looking a little sad, he admitted, "What I failed to realize was just how long a thousand years can be, even under normal circumstances..."

Settling into her seat, Luna couldn't help but feel a little bit uncomfortable. This was one conversation that she'd never expected to have. Trying to change the subject, she asked, "So, you've been here longer than I have: What's playing?"

Sombra, looking a little more cheerful, pulled out a piece of stiff paper, a set of names and times showing. "You're just in time," he said, "for the classic tale, The Rise And Fall Of Avalon."

That really was a classic: The play was a reenactment of the founding, and downfall, of what was known as a legendary golden age for griffinkind, a time before the great sundering that divided the griffins into warring tribes for centuries. Avalon, the first united kingdom of the griffins, was ruled by the legendary Arthur, a benevolent ruler whose generosity and kindness to his subjects knew no bounds...

Luna's eyebrow raised as she began to suspect something, then immediately read the program for the plays that had come before. First, there was the saga of Ruggiero, the legendary griffin knight who aided his king in reuniting the fractured griffin tribes, creating the Griffin Kingdoms of the modern age. Then, there was the tale of the Clockwork Sage, a mechanical genius who created a mechanical weapon in order to save his homeland from a warlord's invading army, as well as a number of other ingenious gadgets and gizmos. After The Rise And Fall Of Avalon, the next play would be the Gray Lord, the political drama about a noble who fell from grace, then spent the remainder of his life in disguise,crafting an elaborate scheme to bring about the downfall of the one responsible for his undoing. Finally, there was The Starblade, the chronicle of how a young griffin, desperate to free his homeland from the grip of an evil immortal, took a fallen star to a legendary minotaur smith, in order to have it made into a blade whose power would shake the heavens themselves. All of these plays had a common thread...

"Our friend, Pan," Sombra remarked, "seems to have a fondness for griffin theatre... especially for the classics."

That wasn't the only thing that was ringing alarm bells in Luna's mind, though. Keeping her expression neutral with effort, she said, "I noticed. The tome I read concerning dreamwalking stated that nearly everything would be abstract here, unless it was important. Instead..." She gestured towards the audience, a griffin sitting in every seat, all of them unique, and so incredibly lifelike that Luna could not wonder if perhaps she really was in a theatre.

Chuckling, Sombra remarked, "I was surprised, myself. I have never encountered such a detailed mental defense before. I've seen minds organized into houses, mansions, even fortresses, but never a theatre. I admit, it's formidable."

Having difficulty keeping her cool, given that her mind was going a thousand miles per hour, Luna asked, "Defense? What defense? I mean, I literally just walked in through the front door."

With a snort, Sombra said,"As did I, after I was stripped of my outer shell... meaning that I would be defenseless if I were to attempt to do battle with him here. More importantly, if I had tried to enter here the way I was before my death, I would have been driven mad when confronted with my true self... or perhaps simply more mad than I already was. The only way in is to either lower your barriers and confront your own true nature, or try to break down the entrance through brute force. Given how detailed this entire construct is, it would take an attack of prodigious strength to break through." At Luna's confused look, Sombra explained, "The more detail is put into a mental projection, the stronger it is, both in offense and defense."

And given that Luna could count the individual hairs and feathers on the griffins in the other seats...

"Pandinus Imperator has an extremely disciplined, and potentially very powerful, mind," Sombra said, finishing her thought.

It made sense: The changeling was able to perform his duties, even after drinking enough liquor to drop a stallion twice his size, and only seemed slightly tipsy if he drank more than that. Moreover, even inebriated, he was able to come up with devastating political maneuvers with greater ease than even Luna and Celestia could, and the two princesses were no amateurs in that arena. All of that, and this massive theatre maintained in the imagination of the emperor, implied that Pan had an intellect to rival many of the greatest minds in Equestria. If he'd been born a unicorn, he might have been equal to Celestia or Luna in arcane talent...

Scowling, the princess asked, "That's all well and good, but what do we need to do to snap him out of his stupor?"

A smirk on his face, Sombra said, "We need to go deeper."

Now thoroughly confused, Luna asked, "I beg your pardon?"

With a sniff, Sombra explained, "Each layer of protection exists to prevent intruders from reaching his 'self', what you could consider the core of his mind, which is kept inside of the third layer. The entrance to the theatre was the first layer of defense: The only way to get through easily is to willingly render yourself defenseless, and confront what you truly are inside. Few would willingly do so, and fewer still could endure the revelation of their true nature, if they intended him harm. This theatre is the second: In order to reach the real Pan, you'll need to locate the entrance to his third layer, and the key that opens it. From there, you'll find his true self, and be able to work on getting him to wake up."

Looking around, Luna asked, "Where would the door be? And the key?"

With a sigh, Sombra admitted, "I've been trying to figure that out since he went into his stupor, and I am ashamed to say that I have no idea."

Gold Coin had expected many things inside the court of the Lame Horse: He'd expected rushes on the floor, if not bare dirt, and any furniture to be found would be old, splintery, and uncomfortable. He'd expected the room to be filthy. He'd expected the court to be made up of the most disreputable-looking wretches in the city, garbed in threadbare rags, if anything. He'd expected the Lame Horse to be old, dirty, unkempt, and horribly disfigured. He'd expected the entire affair to be a perverse mimicry of the royal court. And it turned out that he was wrong on every single count.

The floor was covered with a carpet that would have been fine enough to line the floor of the palace, upon which sat antique furnishings of the most incredible quality. Everything was clean to the point that every bare surface seemed to sparkle. While he could not testify to the reputability of the assembled members of the court, every pony present was clearly freshly scrubbed, and those who wore clothing were garbed in cloth both freshly laundered and well-maintained, even if it was of modest make and material.

The Lame Horse herself, however, was the most incredible surprise: She was young, perhaps two years younger than the emperor. If the rest of the assembled ponies were freshly scrubbed, then this unicorn was so clean that you couldn't imagine her ever having been dirty, so immaculately perfect was her grooming. And with the exception of a single crooked hind leg, she was beautiful, in a way that would require a thousand sonnets worth of poetry to describe. Sporting a pure white coat, with an elegantly braided golden blonde mane and tail, and blue eyes that twinkled with good humor, she radiated charisma like a miniature sun.

And more remarkable still... Gold Coin knew this pony.

Bowing low, the colt said, "Your majesty." From the corner of his eye, he saw Shimmering Radiance's eyes widen in surprise, then turned her head back and forth between the two ponies, confusion writ large upon her features.

Chuckling, the Lame Horse, Dream Charmer, daughter of the king and the last living member of the royal family, said, "No need for that." Flexing her deformed leg, she continued, "I was disowned long ago. Royal blood or not, this leg made me 'unfit' to be ruler... which is the only reason why Sombra threw me in the dungeons during his rule, instead of killing me outright."

The Widowmaker turned at the sudden knock on the door. Her lair, really just a room at a local tavern, was in one of the better parts of town, so she had little reason to suspect some foalish bravo was going to try and rob her, or worse. Still, why would somepony be coming here so late in the evening?

Checking to make certain that she had nothing incriminating in view (No chance of that: She'd burned the firemail letter well before she'd left to report to Scarlet Wake, and her cloak was already packed away), she turned to the door, and said, "Enter."

A guard opened the door, and after poking his head in, asked, "May I have a moment of your time, miss?"

An eyebrow raised, she asked, "What is it?" Why would a guard be here? Obviously he didn't suspect her true identity, or he'd be here with a brigade, and would not be anywhere near so polite...

Nervous, the guard said, "Well, miss, it's like this: The royal chancellor has taken ill after the assassination attempt today, and he needs a nurse to watch over him while he recovers. The royal physicians can't do it: There's been an outbreak of Burning Throat in the poor quarter, and they've gone to care for the quarantined folks, at the princesses' request. So, we need a nurse at the palace to look after Pen Stroke, but with what happened today, almost everypony local is suspect. But since you've only come into town last evening..."

A small smile crossed her features as she asked, "I'm not suspicious?" Ironic, that.

"Well," the guard admitted, "there's a couple of others, maybe, who would be less suspect than you are, under most circumstances. But a friend of mine saw you checking in the other night, and he noticed your cutie mark, so..."

Ah yes, her cutie mark, one of a bandaged heart. It had always seemed funny to her that her current line of work, at which she excelled, was so in opposition to her special talent. She couldn't blame the guards for their error: That mark proclaimed her to be a natural born caregiver, rather than a heartless taker of lives. It was all she could do to keep from bursting out in laughter at the absurdity of it...

The assassin being asked to play nursemaid at the palace...

"I suppose I might be available for a time," the Widowmaker admitted. After all, she had three days to kill... or maybe to not kill, given the circumstances. "I'll need a moment to gather my things."

"Of course, miss," the guard said, bowing low. "I'll wait outside. Whistle when you're ready, and I shall escort you to the palace."

"How gentlecoltly of you," the Widowmaker said, smiling warmly. She was rewarded by an almost luminescent blush from the guard, who promptly pulled his head out of the room and shut the door. After the guard left, she took stock: She could take everything she had with her, since she used only magic to perform her contracts. Even her cloak was perfectly nondescript and easily replaced at will. With a shrug, she pulled it out, tossed it into the room's fireplace. In less than minute, it was gone. She needed to buy a new one, anyways. Making certain that she left nothing of her few personal effects, she picked up her traveler's bag, and turned to examine herself in the mirror.

She had to admit, for a mare nearly thirty, she was still in remarkable shape (She did lead something of an active lifestyle, after all). Her dark brown coat and black mane were as well maintained as could be expected for somepony who had just come in from the road after a long and strenuous journey and had only had a day to wash up. Good enough, she supposed. She whistled, and after the door opened, she nodded to the guard.

Blushing, the guard said, "Forgive my manners, miss, I forgot to ask your name."

It had been a while since she'd used her real name, and it wasn't as if anypony was looking for her. Smiling, she said, "Tender Loving Care."

Wheels Within Wheels

"I think I know how to find the door and the key."

Sombra's head whipped around at Luna's sudden announcement. The two had been watching The Rise And Fall Of Avalon, and the play had just reached its spectacular conclusion. Luna had remained quiet throughout the performance (Although she had expressed disbelief at the fact that Sombra had wept openly during the final confrontation between Arthur and his illegitimate son, Morded. Well, he couldn't help it: That scene had always made him cry, even when he was a colt). It was clear that she had been deep in thought, puzzling over the riddle before them.

An eyebrow raised, Sombra asked, "Oh really? Do tell."

A smile playing on her currently youthful features, Luna said, "Well, think on it: We're currently inside of a theatre, one with a full audience and staff. Every member of the audience and the cast on stage is in incredible detail, as is every object here. I imagine that, if you went backstage, you would see that every rope, every mechanism, is likewise perfect."

Sombra nodded in agreement: Whatever else he may be, Pandinus Imperator loved this theatre, to the point that he had memorized every single detail, and used them all in the construction of his mental defense. The former tyrant was certain that there was a story behind all of this...

"I follow you so far," Sombra said, then made a gesture, indicating, 'go on'.

"And just a short time ago, I had a conversation with the griffin at the ticket booth," Luna said, her expression now neutral, "and I would have sworn that the individual I was speaking with was as real as you or I." Something implied that she was hiding something there. Sombra couldn't imagine what it might be, however...

With a chuckle, Sombra admitted, "That's not unheard of: Dream constructs, if enough detail is given to one, can be quite talkative. They can have personality quirks, nervous tics, and even a detailed backstory."

"So," Luna said, raising an eyebrow, "shouldn't the staff know where the door would be? And the key?"

Sombra's jaw dropped when he realized that she may be right. The idea of just flagging down a member of the staff and asking had simply not occurred to him: Having spent his life alone, doing things himself if he wanted anything done at all, and unwilling to trust anypony, had blinded the tyrant to the simplest option possible... Asking for help. "You may be on to something, princess," he admitted.

Flagging down an usher, Luna spoke to the construct, saying, "Good sir, my name is Luna, and I am a princess of Equestria. I was wondering if I might, perhaps, speak with the proprietor of this fine establishment, so that I could pay my respects for such a fine performance?"

The usher, a griffin like all the others, bowed deeply, and said, "Your majesty, I would be happy to. In fact, the proprietor has been expecting you. If you will please come this way?"

Luna turned back to look at Sombra, a smirk on her face. Chuckling, the former tyrant said, "Yes, yes, you solved the riddle, when I could not. Good for you. Go on, get things taken care of. I'll stay here and watch the next performance."

Nodding in understanding, Luna turned and followed the usher. With a sigh, Sombra felt himself relax a little. In truth, he'd reached the limits of his ability, just in having reached the second level. If he'd been within the Crystal Empire, he could have risked traveling into the changeling's third level, but with such tremendous distance between him and the subject, it was all he could do to maintain this solid a connection. If there'd been any resistance, he'd have been stuck at the entrance, looking rather embarrassed. Instead, he'd have to sit here, waiting to see if Luna could fix things here... or if her presence might make things worse...

Dream Charmer smiled, then said, "These are the names of the twenty ponies who took part in the attack." Unrolling a scroll upon the table she and the two younger ponies sat around, she continued, "Each of them is not quite old enough to be considered a full adult, and is of a family that, while considered of common birth, can be considered leaders of the community. Merchants, guild masters, high ranking members of the guard, and more."

Looking over the list with an increasingly horrified expression, Gold Coin gulped loudly. Shimmering Radiance couldn't understand why. After all, what did it really matter who their parents were? "What's the big deal?"

Gold Coin, looking up at her, said, "Each of these ponies took part in an act of sedition against the crown. Whether the target was the emperor or not, it makes little difference: A stray arrow could easily have struck him, putting his life in danger. That kind of crime has only one punishment: Execution."

Dream Charmer, her expression stern, said, "And if twenty young ponies like these were executed, you can imagine that their parents would be extremely upset, and quite understandably so. They'd likely be so upset that they might work, either together or independently, to end the emperor's reign. Worse, the blood on his hooves would sour the common pony's view of him. Where there was once a single cell working sedition against the crown, there would suddenly be many. Worse, each time one of those cells is destroyed, more will appear in response. It's a classic cascade effect. By this time next year, the entire city could be in open revolt against the emperor."

Looking at the list, Shimmering Radiance immediately was struck by something. A suspicion filled her mind as she asked, "Which one is the leader?"

The former royal admitted, "We don't know who the leader is, but we do know he isn't on the list. Whoever he is, he's been very careful to avoid having been seen coming and going: We have no idea who he is, where he lives, or what he does when he's not preaching sedition to his little cabal. I only became aware of his group yesterday, and we'd had no idea they'd strike so quickly."

Looking at the list with a half-smile forming on her face, the filly said, "I thought so. Whoever the leader is, I imagine that he's probably just a cat's paw, too." At the confused looks from the other two ponies, 'Urchin' said, "I grew up on the streets, where you either have to be strong to survive, or very sneaky. Just because I wasn't taught how to read or write, or know how to perform a court curtsy well, doesn't mean I don't know how to think: Isn't it awfully convenient that every member of this merry little band is from a well-to-do family? That each of their parents could make things very difficult for the emprah in response for their sprats getting the axe? Whoever came up with this wants them to be caught: These ponies were selected specifically because whoever is behind this wants an open revolt against the emprah." It made a terrible sort of sense: Even a pony like Shimmering Radiance, who knew nothing about combat, could see that the majority of the archers were ridiculously bad. Why? Because they weren't supposed to succeed, they just needed to commit the crime and get caught...

Gold Coin, his eyes widening in horror, asked, "What kind of pony would do that?"

"The kind," Dream Charmer said, her expression turning hard, "who would do anything to take the crown, even if it meant drowning this city in the blood of the innocent to do so."

"Exactly," Shimmering Radiance said, her expression grim. An idea was beginning to form in her head. After a moment, she smiled, then asked, "How hard would it be to get a list of their parents?"

Dream Charmer, a single, perfect eyebrow raised, said, "I could have it written up for you within half an hour. Why?"

Grinning, the filly said, "The emprah talked about King's Evidence the other night. That means that if they own up to what they did and point out who the leader is, the emprah can say no to having to nix them, right?"

After a moment, Dream Charmer nodded, then said, "True. However, these young ponies are at a point in their lives when they might feel that dying for their ideals might be a noble thing..."

Raising an eyebrow, Shimmering Radiance asked, "Do you think their parents will feel the same way?" With a chuckle, she added, "Just get the list ready. I've got an idea. As soon as the emprah wakes up, and he's heard my idea, we'll get everypony together, and have a little sit-down."

Looking over at the filly, Gold Coin said, "It's pronounced 'Em-Per-Or', not 'Em-Prah', by the way."

Looking mortified, Shimmering Radiance held a hoof to her mouth and blushed.

Chuckling, Dream Charmer said, "I think I understand what you have in mind. It might work." Her expression a little more serious, the mare added, "Now, we'll discuss what this information is going to cost the two of you."

The proprietor was a griffin, naturally, this one a lady wearing a mask with a frown. Rather than seeming angry, it looked... sad. The fact that teardrops were drawn on the corners of the eyes confirmed that this mask was one meant to depict a sorrowful expression. While it was difficult to say for certain, the odd garb that the griffin wore seemed to be expensive: The material looked quite fine, and it was of excellent quality.

The two were sitting in a rather unremarkable office. While the details were as fine as the rest of the building, something was visibly off: There were no personal effects here. This was a place where someone worked, but whoever did so, didn't visit this office often enough to give it that 'personal' touch. Luna felt her suspicions were now thoroughly confirmed...

Clearing her throat, the griffin asked, "So, what can I do for you, your majesty?"

An eyebrow raised, Luna asked, "How about we dispense with the subterfuge, Tragedy? I might not have immediately recognized Comedy at the front gate, but as soon as I realized that Pan was a fan of Gryphon theatre, I put two and two together. Seeing you here confirmed it for me."

Comedy and Tragedy are among the few beings in the company of immortals who are not considered true powers, normally. Their sphere of influence is confined primarily to the stage: Actors, plays, performances, scripts, all of this and more fell under their purview. They were not evil, but like Kokkuri, they could be mischievous at times, but were little more than a petty annoyance at worst. Finding the two of them here, nestled in the mind of a changeling, was surprising, however: Why would they have any interest in him?

The door opened, and Comedy strode in, chuckling. With a shrug, he said, "It has never been in our nature to be hidden, your highness. We are what we are: The stage is a place for drama, not secrecy."

Tragedy, her voice sorrowful, said, "And in all honesty, that is what has brought us to be here: Theatre will evolve, in the time between now and the time my brother and I came from... and we simply cannot keep up with it anymore."

With a sigh, Comedy said, "Stupid flocking screenplays. The ability for a play to be recorded once, then played a thousand times in a thousand different places, whenever anypony wants to see them? It is far beyond the ability of somebirdy like the two of us, who were born in an age where there might be two dozen true theatres in the entire world, and maybe two hundred actors, to keep up with. I've had the concept explained to me a dozen times, and I still can't wrap my head around it."

Luna, raising an eyebrow, asked, "So you chose an heir?" It wasn't unheard of: Immortality can be a burden, and for some spheres of influence, change can be sudden, dramatic, and difficult to follow, and if you can't keep up, you either have to find somepony who will... lest the power leave you against your will, which can be a potentially fatal experience. Luna and Celestia had the Moon and Sun, which were constant, so the two sisters didn't have to worry about such matters. King Ferdinand of Minotauria had Strength, which had many forms and definitions, but was not too difficult to comprehend and keep up with. Kokkuri's sphere was mischief, which was ever-changing, but the kitsune was a born natural at that, and was intelligent enough to keep up with his chosen calling. But for something like theatre...

Well, from the sound of it, things were going to be changing, and changing in a big way... and the two griffins were not dynamic enough to keep up with it.

Tragedy, surprisingly, chuckled, and said, "Yes, your highness. In the time to come, or would have come, this young fellow's father brought him to a theatre in the Griffin Kingdoms, in order to learn about playing a role to perfection. As an infiltrator, he was expected to be able to pass himself as whatever was needed. Besides, there is always an element of drama, of the theatre, in politics of any sort: As the future head of Scorpion House, he'd need to be able to hide his true thoughts and feelings at will, putting on a false face so that he could perform the various schemes necessary to keep his house in ascendence.

With a sorrowful sigh, she continued, "Pandinus Imperator fell in love with the magic, both metaphorical and literal, of the theatre. Put under the apprenticeship of a professional of note, and proving to be an attentive and enthusiastic student, within a year he became so skillful that he naturally drew our attention. Changeling or not, we know quality when we saw it, and the two of us agreed that he would be perfect for the role as our successor. We offered him the opportunity to become our inheritor, but he had to refuse, citing the obligations of his bloodline. As the heir to his father's house, he could not abandon that responsibility, even with younger siblings who could take on the role in his stead." With a sniff, she added, "We respected his decision, but we both could see into his heart, and knew that he was seriously tempted, being able to give up the ties that bound him, both as a changeling and as a member of a noble house, in order to pursue what we all knew to be his true calling. We told him that the offer would still stand if he changed his mind."

Comedy, sounding sorrowful, said, "Had we but known what would have transpired, we would never have let him return to the changeling swarm: Misfortune after misfortune struck him like the blows of an angry mob. It was discovered that, unlike both his parents, Pan could not use magic, casting serious doubts on the legitimacy of his birth. He would glow whenever love energy was given to him, shattering any disguise he put upon himself, so he could never be an effective infiltrator. Those two facts, put together, made it impossible to be the heir to his father's house, and had a third tragedy not struck, he would have taken up our offer without conditions within a year. But then, Winter, father of all windigoes, killed his younger brother. Pan, grief-stricken, and now marked for death upon his twenty-first birthday unless Winter was defeated, sought the two of us out, and made us an offer: He would take up the role of our heir, but in exchange, he wanted us to help him in avenging his brother."

Shuddering, Tragedy said, almost as a wail, "But what could we do? Winter is powerful, very powerful, and his realm is vast. Our sphere of influence is not one meant for battle, and is severely limited. In truth, we are amongst the weakest of the immortals out there... or so we thought. While we are powerful within a theatre, we sincerely doubted that Winter would willingly confront Pan in that arena."

Chuckling, Comedy said, "We brought all of that to his attention, and asked how he expected us to help. His answer was one that we never considered before, one that demonstrates, in its totality, his superiority to his future role in comparison to the two of us." After a look to his sister, the two of them, as one, said a single sentence.

"All the world's a stage, and all those who live upon it, merely players."

Chuckling again, Comedy said, "My sister and I are what some will come to call 'Old School': We are bound by certain trains of thought, and look at things in a certain way. We are... inflexible."

With a sigh, Tragedy said, "But he is young, brilliant, and has a new perspective that the two of us cannot help but to envy. We naturally agreed to his terms, and gave him the greatest gift my brother and I can give any creature who catches our eye: The ability to step perfectly into any role, at any time he needed to. The skills, knowledge, even the memories, of the character he plays are at his disposal, the better to let him play that part. Normally, it would be bound to a stage performance, but because of his unique perspective..."

"He can do it anywhere, anytime..." Luna said, her expression one of shock. There were any number of characters available in the world of theatre, both heroes and villains. Even if he could not cast spells, it meant that any ability, any piece of knowledge, that was attributed to a character in a play, could be called upon at will. The mechanical genius of the Clockwork Sage, the political acumen of the Grey Lord, the strategic brilliance of Ruggiero the Victorious... all of that, and more, would be at his disposal, any time he needed them...

And if he came fully into his role as the inheritor of the two immortals before her, he could become a power that would rival either Celestia or Luna...

Nodding, Comedy said, "Exactly. How else can you explain how anyone, even a trained infiltrator who grew up knowing how the game of politics was played, could so masterfully step into the role of emperor, and immediately begin making the nobility dance to his tune? To him, acting is as natural as breathing, and our gift gives him the ability to fulfill any role he needs to, even the role of 'Ruler'."

Luna, becoming angry, asked, "So it's all a lie? A deception?"

Tragedy, quickly shaking her head and waving a clawed digit, said, "No, no, no, not at all. At least, not in the way you are assuming. Yes, he is acting, Luna, but do not assume that acting immediately means that he is doing so with the intent of doing evil to his subjects at some point in the future, or that it immediately means that all that he says and does is fabrication. He may be playing a part, but his reasons for doing so are not born out of malice. Instead, it's out of love."

"The crystal ponies cast him in the role of emperor," Comedy said with a guffaw, laughing at his own puns. "They accepted him without hesitation, and poured their love upon him without question or condition. For someone who was ostracized by his own kind, due to his abnormalities and his lineage, and who is of a species normally not accepted anywhere, that is a gift beyond price. And so, since his subjects insist that he play the role of a good, no, a great king, he has decided to do so to the absolute best of his ability in gratitude... and thanks to our gifts, he will certainly do so." With a sigh, he added, "Well, he could, if he would snap out of this stupor he's currently in."

Tender Loving Care looked down at the sleeping individual she would be treating for the next three days. While much of his body was covered, both with blankets on his body and bandages on his face, there was still plenty to study, especially with a quick peek under the covers.

It was rare to see a spotted crystal pony: They tended to be monochromatic in the coloration of their coats. Still, taking in his overall build, his muscle tone, and his face (She'd honestly not expected him to have such a striking profile), she supposed he wasn't bad looking...

The pony's unbandaged eye snapped open, startling her. Were it not for her training, she might have flinched. Instead, she stood still as a statue and waited, a reflex that had saved her life a number of times in the past. After a few seconds, something happened that she honestly would never have expected...

He began weeping.

"Roundelay," he whispered, tears running down his cheek, "I cannot believe it. Am I dead, or dreaming?" He reached up a hoof to touch her cheek tenderly. "Either way, I cannot express my joy at seeing you again."

"Neither," she said, keeping her voice calm. "And I'm not whoever you think I am." Pulling his hoof from her face gently, she said, "My name is Tender Loving Care. You've been terribly injured, sir. I've been asked to look after you while you recover."

The stallion's breath caught in his throat, then after a moment, said, "I apologize. I... it seems that my eyesight is suffering somewhat. Everything looks a bit blurry. For a moment, I thought..."

Picking up a cup of water, and a small bottle of medication, Tender said, "It's quite alright. No harm done. You've had a very terrible day, and your eyes have suffered from your injury." With a chuckle, she said, "Since you're awake, it's time for your medication. I won't lie to you: It will be bitter."

The stallion, Pen Stroke if she recalled his name correctly, nodded, then said, "Of course. It wouldn't be medicine if it was not."

A few moments later, with the medication choked down, followed by a glass of water, Pen Stroke asked, "Have you seen my son? His name is Gold Coin, and..."

Picking up a note left on the bedside table, Tender Loving Care said, "He's not here, but I noticed that he left a message. Somepony named Shimmering Radiance told him that she believed that there was a pony who might be able to disclose the identities of your attackers, and he went with her to ensure that she returned safely." Having seen the reaction about to occur in the past, she knew exactly what she would have to do. Immediately putting a hoof on the stallion's chest, she said, "Oh no you don't, big boy. You're not going anywhere right now." Stallions can be so predictable...

Pen Stroke, feebly struggling against Tender's hoof, said, "But..."

"No 'buts'," she stated, firmly. "You don't have the strength right now to resist a gentle hoof on your chest. I sincerely doubt you could take three steps without falling flat on your face tonight, and I doubt you could defend yourself against an angry kitten, let alone any danger your son might potentially face out there. He specifically says in the note you're not to worry, and that he'll be back as soon as he can. If he's not back here by sunrise, then you'll have my permission to worry then, and I'll ask the guards to start searching for him. Until then, have a little faith: If either he or this 'Shimmering Radiance' thought they'd be in any real danger, they'd have asked for a guard to escort them."

After a moment, Pen Stroke sighed, then admitted, "You're right. It's just... with his mother gone, he's all I have left..."

So that must have been who that 'Roundelay' character was. Tragic: He seemed much too young to be a widower. He hardly looked to be any older than she was, honestly.

"Well," Tender Loving Care, the Widowmaker, said, "for now, just get some sleep. I'll wake you up as soon as he gets back."

Pen Stroke began nodding off before she'd finished the word 'sleep', and was snoring gently by the time she said 'back'.

Rubbing her cheek, where Pen Stroke's hoof had touched her, she wondered to herself how long it had been since anypony had touched her like that. The last time she could honestly remember was in happier days, before... well, no use dwelling on it. Still, it had felt rather nice...

"It's right through here," Comedy said, gesturing to the door that he had entered through.

Luna raised an eyebrow in surprise: The door in question was literally the door she had used to enter the office. This was the 'secret' door to the third level?

Tragedy, pulling out a simple-looking key from a desk drawer, said, "It's only the 'door' to the third layer of his mind when the key is placed in the lock. Otherwise, it's just an ordinary door to an ordinary office."

With a guffaw, Comedy asked, "Clever, isn't it? Who'd think that the secret, locked door would be disguised as an ordinary, unlocked door? Even if someone steals the key, they could walk right out and try every locked door in the building, without realizing that they had passed through the door they needed without any manner of impediment."

She had to admit, it was rather clever, put that way.

Slipping the key inside, then turning it, Tragedy said, "Once you're inside, you're on your own. Part of our agreement with him is that, while we inhabit his mind, we can venture no further in. I cannot tell you what to expect, save that it will be his essence, without masks, deceptions, or illusions. It is where he is both weakest and strongest. Be ready for anything." With a sniff, Tragedy said, "Try not to judge him too harshly: He has not lived an easy life."

Steeling herself, Luna nodded, then said, "Very well. Thank you both. If all goes well, when might I see you again?"

Chuckling, Comedy said, "Once he's completed his goal of defeating Winter, and stepped fully into his new role, we'll be able to leave this place. Until then, go with our best wishes, your highness: Our boy has a long road to walk, but we're glad that he's not walking it alone."

Letting out a long sigh, Luna said, "Right." And with no further ceremony, she stepped through the door into the deepest part of Pan's mind...

Behind The Mask

"What?"

Upon passing through the door into the third layer of Pan's defenses, Luna found herself immediately confronted by... another door. It was painted black, a gold star decoration upon it. Written in yellow ink was 'Pandinus Imperator', just beneath the star. Strange...

Looking to her left and right, she noticed that she stood now in a hallway. Similar doors lined the way to the left and right, but none of them looked anywhere near as important as this one. However, she couldn't help but wonder at the strangeness of all of this: She arrived at the third level, and was instantly at the place Pan was most likely to be found? Why would that be? It was almost as if...

Wait.

The usher she had flagged down on the second level had stated that the 'proprietor' had been expecting her. She had assumed that the one the usher was referring to was Tragedy, but what if it wasn't? Maybe, just maybe, it was established as fact in Pan's mind that Luna was coming... and that she was welcome here. If that was the case, then the changeling wouldn't be throwing any barriers in her path. Instead, he would be going out of his way to make her feel welcome.

Whether it was due to the love poison's influence, or something else entirely, Luna felt herself blushing at the thought that she was being invited here: Her inherent nature, and her position in Equestria, had often led to her feeling unwelcome just about anywhere, unless her sister came with her (The term killjoy had not yet been invented, nor had buzzkill, but if they had, the terms might have been whispered behind her back). The fact that someone, anyone, looked forward to her arrival, regardless of the reason, was new, but also quite pleasant... especially here, in Pan's 'Happy Place', as Morning Glory had called it, somewhere that the princess was certain that the changeling would normally never allow anyone to enter.

Raising a hoof, she knocked on the door, then asked, "Are you there, Pan?"

There was a moment of silence, followed by, "I'm here. Come inside, the door is unlocked."

Luna looked around in awe: She'd understood, on an intellectual level, that Pan was from the future, but until now, she had not realized just how much could change in one thousand years...

There were little items spread everywhere, many of them whose function she could not imagine. The few things that were at work, and whose function she could understand, should have been magical, but possessed no tell-tale flicker of the arcane. There was a mirror, lined with little glass spheres that contained a light that didn't flicker even slightly. But what, asides from a flame, magic, or the sun could radiate light like that? There was a small wooden box, upon which a black disc spun, while a needle ran across its surface. From a cone attached to the strange object, music could be heard. Such remarkable wonders were sitting here, as if they were nothing...

And most surprising of all was Pan himself.

Comedy had commented on how there was nothing wrong with being a child at heart. Obviously, Pan was of the same opinion. Since entering the dreamscape, Luna had been stuck as a filly. Pan looked to be around the same age as Luna's current state, or perhaps even slightly younger. It was difficult to say for certain: His race might have a different growth rate than a pony would.

But more surprising was the fact that he was no longer glowing. Instead, his carapace was a dark gray, bordering on black, and glossy, almost as though it had been recently polished. Kokkuri had stated that changelings were considered frightening by other races, and until now, she'd not seen it. Now that she had seen him in his default state, without the gentle blue glow that he had always radiated, she supposed that, to some, he certainly would be intimidating... but Luna thought that there was a certain charm to his unconventional appearance...

"So," Pan said, his expression business-like, "you're here to break me out of my stupor?"

Nodding, Luna said, "Yes. There's a lot going on right now, and your kingdom needs you. With Pen Stroke injured, if you remain in this state, there's nopony except me and my sister to keep things under control right now. If you don't wake up before dawn, we might have nobles trying to ensure you never wake up. And there are other reasons why I..." Suddenly blushing furiously, she corrected herself, "I mean, why we need you back in the waking world, beyond simple politics."

A sad smile upon his face, the changeling said, "I... I'm not quite ready yet."

Yet? Did that mean he was able to break out of this stupor at any time? "Why aren't you?"

His expression distant, Pan asked, "I assume that you spoke with Comedy and Tragedy?" Was he changing the subject, or was it somehow related? After she nodded, he continued, "Then you know what I have waiting for me."

Chuckling, Luna admitted, "Had Celestia and I not detected Winter's curse upon you when we were examining your body earlier, it would have been a terrible shock. Still, it was nice of them to confirm it for me."

Pan, shocked, asked, "And you're not...?"

"Worried? Angry? Afraid?" Rolling her eyes, Luna said, "Not as much as you might think. As terrible as Winter is, he knows better than to try and take my sister and I head on. When the time comes that you must confront him, you'll have both me and her in your corner. We'll get him to back down, and get him to remove his mark from you."

Snarling in anger, Pan said, "No. I don't want to make him back down. I want to kill him."

He really didn't know? Well, it really wasn't that surprising: It's not the sort of thing that Winter would advertise, and Comedy and Tragedy are so far out on the periphery of things that they'd not have heard. In truth, there were maybe only five or six immortals out there, outside of the Father Of All Windigoes, who would know what happened if Winter was killed. With a weary sigh, Luna said, "That is the one thing that you absolutely must not do."

Different spheres of power, like the Sun, the Moon, Love, Strength, Theatre, and all the rest, each one has different rules regarding what manner of powers their bearer will have, and how those powers are gained... and transferred. There are, however, three general methods by which one can gain the power of an immortal.

The first is Worthiness: Not all spheres have a bearer, and are ever waiting for the one who might be worthy of holding their power. Comedy and Tragedy had originally gained the right to the sphere of Theatre by being the best actors in the world in ancient times. Others, like the Sun and Moon, required more complex achievements. Regardless, any individual of great ability can become an immortal, under the right circumstances.

The second is Transference: Either the immortal who possesses that power willingly transfers their power to an heir, or the immortal becomes unworthy and the power abandons the bearer for a new host. For nearly all spheres of power, this is the only way for their power to change hooves, once it has found a bearer. However, for a few, there is a third...

That third method is Dominance: The immortal who bears the power is slain by a mortal. Normally, the murder of an immortal will cause the power to be transferred to a worthy mortal, not the killer. However, while rare, a few spheres of power require that the recipient of that power kill the one who previous bore it. Spheres like War, Destruction, and a few others... including Hatred.

"So you're telling me," Pan began, his expression one of disbelief, "that if I kill Winter, I'll gain his power, and his position?"

Shaking her head, Luna said, "Not quite: Winter's power is one of the few to hold a consciousness of its own, separate from that of the bearer... and when his power is passed on, the bearer's own mind is destroyed, replaced by the will of the sphere of Hatred. If you succeed in killing Winter's host, you will die... and Winter will live on."

After a moment's thought, Pan asked, "Then why can't you or Celestia kill him? I mean, if a mortal would end up inheriting his power, then an immortal..."

"No," Luna said, shaking her head again, "it cannot be done. There are certain rules that must be obeyed, even by ones such as my sister and I. One immortal must never kill another. If such an event were to occur, then the slayer's life would be forfeit as well." Her expression turning sly, she added, "However, just because we cannot kill Winter, does not mean that we cannot make his life incredibly unpleasant: My sister and I could seal him away, or place a curse upon him severely limiting his powers. However, I would prefer to save such an act for a last resort: Even one as terrible as Winter has a role to play in preserving harmony in this world."

Pan's expression of incredulous disbelief nearly made Luna giggle, but she restrained herself, and said, "Think on it: If the threat of windigoes was not a constant, how long would it be before war broke out? The unification of the three kingdoms of ponykind is still somewhat fresh, and some still bear the grudges of their ancestors. If the threat of imminent destruction suddenly were removed, there would be riots, blood feuds, and worse. The greater danger is that there are some rulers who, if the threat of icy annihilation were not a certainty, would lead their subjects in wars of violent conquest. As terrible as he is, even a monster like Winter is a necessity at times." After a moment, an impish grin crossed her features, and she said, "But if he ever became unnecessary, I assure you, I'd not hesitate to seal him away for all eternity, nor would a considerable number of other immortals I could name."

Sighing, Pan said, "I... suppose that there might be a point. But... why didn't Tragedy or Comedy tell me? For that matter, why didn't the Starsmith tell me when he..."

An eyebrow raised, Luna asked, "When he did what?"

"I may have... asked him to build a device that would allow me to defeat Winter," Pan admitted, sheepishly.

"How?"

"That's... surprisingly generous," Gold Coin admitted, after hearing Dream Charmer's price. "All you want is to meet the emperor? Nothing else?"

Smiling, the mare said, "Yes, that's all. Since my being disowned, I have spent the last several years working to enrich the lives of the ponies who, like me, have suffered due to the cruelties of random chance. Those whose only crime was being born to the wrong parents, to poor parents, or who had no parents at all." With a meaningful glance at Shimmering Radiance, she added, "Although,I am ashamed to admit, my resources are stretched too thin to reach everypony in the city. If the emperor is genuine in his intentions, I see no reason why he and I should work at cross purposes."

Gold Coin beckoned Shimmering Radiance close, and the two of them spoke in hushed tones. "It's a good deal," Gold Coin admitted, "but I can't make a guarantee that the emperor will agree to it."

'Urchin' said, "Well, all we really need to do is tell her we'll do our best to arrange it. If the emperor refuses, we really can't do anything... but let's be honest, do you think he'd say no?"

Nodding, Gold said, "Good point. We'll tell her we'll ask him." Turning towards Dream Chaser, Gold Coin said, "We'll do our best to arrange it, but we can't promise anything yet. What with everything going on, when we take this list to the emperor, he's going to be busy for a while."

With a graceful wave of her hoof, the mare said, "That's quite understandable. In truth, I will be quite busy myself for the next few days. After my business has concluded, and the emperor has settled things regarding the recent assassination attempts, we'll work out when an audience can be scheduled. All I ask is that you try." She spit upon a hoof, then extended it. "Deal?"

Gold Coin and Shimmering Radiance duplicated the act, and each shook their hoof with her. "Deal."

Luna was rolling on the floor, laughing aloud, unable to contain her mirth. Pan was having some difficulty in maintaining his composure as well. The plan that he had envisioned for the defeat of Winter was poetic justice embodied. A pity that he couldn't implement it, lest he destroy himself...

Pan had designed, and the Starsmith had built, a device that even a thousand years from now was only theoretically possible. A device that, if used improperly, could potentially destroy the world... but would be perfect for defeating a being like Winter.

An energy converter.

A device that could change any type of magical energy into any other type of energy. It held great destructive potential: If it was set to transfer, say, ambient magical energy into thermal energy, and given a wide enough range, it could turn a continent into a cinder in an instant, if not the entire planet. But Pan had not planned to do that. No, he had decided to go for irony instead.

Winter had made it plain that he planned on devouring Pan. The changeling had decided he would return the favor: The converter would, when utilized, transform hate energy into love. The emperor had planned on calling Winter out in front of the changeling swarm, activating the device, and treating his fellows to an all-you-can-eat buffet. Given that all of Winter's powers required hate energy to work, the father of all Windigoes would have found himself powerless as he was literally eaten alive.

It was a plan almost Discordian in its wicked ingenuity.

Regaining a little bit of her composure, Luna admitted, "It's very clever. Remind me never to get on your bad side, Pan."

With a last chuckle, the changeling said, "I think you'd have to work very, very hard to get on my bad side, Luna." After a moment, Pan said, "Given what you've told me, I'll have to take on Tragedy's and Comedy's role sooner than I planned. I had intended to do so after Winter was dead, but since that won't be possible, I suppose that I should move ahead with that: If I become an immortal, Winter won't be able to follow through on his threat without destroying himself."

Sighing, Luna said, "Hopefully it will be as simple as that: You can't take on the role of the Comedy and Tragedy from your time, who were fully ready to retire. Instead, you'll have to convince their selves from this era that you're worthy of their powers."

Nodding, Pan stated, "I know. The ones I brought with me lost the lion's share of their powers when we popped into the past: It's just as well, or else the magic of the theatre from the timeline I left behind would have been lost forever. I definitely wouldn't want that on my conscience. T and C are talking with their counterparts here, and have been since day one. Thing is, while the ones from this time were already planning retirement at some point in time, they'd not expected the opportunity to do so would appear so suddenly. It could be days, maybe weeks, before the ones from this timeline finish readying themselves for the transfer of power, and their adjustment to mortal life afterwards. In the meantime, I only have their blessing, and what skills I possess, to see me through what's going on right now... and I'm scared that might not be enough..."

Luna could not hold back her expression of disbelief. Up until now, Pan had seemed so confident, so... bold. To hear him admit he was afraid...

His expression sorrowful, he admitted, "That's why I'm hesitating right now. I thought it would be so easy, ruling over the ponies here. I've seen what the future holds, and the ponies of Equestria are... peaceful. Contented. They hold hooves, sing songs, and dance in the streets at the drop of a hat. This is not an exaggeration: I have literally seen it happen. I never considered for a moment that, even with Sombra dead, there were ponies whose hearts might be so wicked. Somepony out there is ready, willing, and able to commit murder to take the crown... and I've surrounded myself with ponies who could be caught in the crossfire." His expression grave, he continued, stating, "What if, instead of Pen Stroke, who might yet survive being wounded, one of those arrows had struck Gold Coin? Or Shimmering Radiance? What will happen when whoever is out there decides that the simplest way to get to me is through somepony I care about? What if they decide, instead of murdering one of them outright, they decide to kidnap somepony I care about, and send them back, a small piece at a time?"

After a moment's pause, he finished, his voice a whisper, "And how far will I have to go, what measures will I have to resort to, before I can stop him? What if, when I finally confront the pony behind all of this, I find that I have sunk to his level... or deeper? What if I become something that would make Sombra look like King Arthur in comparison?"

"Maybe... maybe it would be better if I never woke up..."

Between Today And Tomorrow

"Ow! What did you do that for?"

Luna glared down at Pan, her chest heaving from exertion and her hoof stinging from having just slapped Pan. She'd forgotten how sturdy that carapace of his could be, and how weak she was in the form of a filly, but she felt that it was necessary that she bring him back to his senses.

Trying, and failing, to keep the emotion from her voice, she asked, "Do you have any idea... any idea at all... how worried everypony is about you?"

Suddenly looking ashamed, Pan said, "I... I realize that. I'm... I'm sorry. It's just..." The changeling gulped, then took a deep breath and admitted, "I... I've never had friends before. I'm... so scared that something might happen to them... and that it will be all my fault."

An eyebrow raised, Luna asked, "Never? You've never had any friends before?" That was... unexpected. Pan was so kind, so generous, so... friendly. It seemed impossible that he would have never have had friends before now.

"Well," he said, correcting himself, "I guess Tragedy and Comedy count as friends, even if they are kind of distant: They're more like mentors, really. The other actors at the theatre weren't, since they'd have turned on me if they found out my true nature. And the Starsmith was sort of a friend, even if we only knew each other for three days. But, beyond that, no. After I was disowned and booted into the army, everybuggy avoided me as if I had the plague. And before that, my family was..." Pan stopped suddenly, then looked away.

Her eyes narrowing in suspicion, Luna asked, "Your family was what?"

Pan let out a long, long sigh, then said, "Of my entire family, which consisted of my mother, my father, my brother, and my fraternal twin sister, there was not a single one of them who could be considered truly decent, at least by pony standards. My mother, a member of another high house, bore three eggs for my father as part of an arranged marriage, then tried to murder him and all three of her offspring as part of a power play orchestrated by her 'true' house. My father killed her without hesitation, and purged two-thirds of the competing house in retaliation for their treachery." With a snort, Pan added, "If you looked up 'monster' in the dictionary, you'd likely see a picture of my father, strangling kittens while sitting atop a pile of changeling corpses. The only times he seemed to be happy was when he was either killing something, or when he was arranging the downfall of a rival. Beyond that, I never saw him demonstrate any emotion, even when I told him my brother had died."

Sorrowfully, Pan admitted, "My brother was my fiercest rival, and he attempted to kill me, in order to take over as the heir to the title of Lord Scorpion. Ultimately, he fell into the same trap he had pushed me into. While we both escaped, working together, Winter found us shortly afterwards, then killed my brother, and cursed me. And my sister..."

This was... beyond anything the princess had ever imagined. While she had known that in some places, there could be true monsters amongst the higher classes, it sounded as if Pan's family went above and beyond anything that she could have ever imagined. Afraid to pursue this line of questioning, but unable to stop herself, Luna asked, "And your sister?"

"Her name is Pandinus Magrettii, and the two of us were spawned in the same birthing. Since she was a female, she could only become the heir if both my brother and I died or were disowned. After my brother's death, she found out that I wasn't able to use magic," Pan said, "and told my father of it within five heartbeats of the discovery. While she did plead with my father to spare my life, it was only as part of a power play of her own: Within minutes of my father publicly disowning me, my sister struck him down, during the very ceremony where she was proclaimed his heir." With a grim little chuckle, he added, "The only reason she'd not struck me down as well was because of a little white lie I had told the rest of the swarm, that whoever killed me would be struck by Winter's curse in my stead. Since I was revealed to be without magical ability, and officially banished from House Scorpion besides, I was no longer a threat to her dominion over the House anyways: The precedents were clear regarding the rights of succession in that case, and besides, the aristocrats of the other high houses would never allow a 'commonborn' to rule a high house, even if I had been born an only child..."

"That is why I'm so scared of becoming something like them," Pan admitted, his voice strained. "It's because I am part of that kind of family, the kind that would not hesitate to destroy their own in order to gain power. Remorseless murderers, treacherous backstabbers, and scheming opportunists either contributed to my blood or shared it." Looking down at his hooves, sorrow written plainly upon his face, he continued, "Changelings are monsters, we've always been monsters, and we'll always be monsters. Who am I to think that I could be any different? That I could protect anypony I cared for? That instead of destroying everything around me like they did, that I could ever create anything meaningful here?"

Luna gently placed a hoof on Pan's shoulder, and said, "There's something that I need to tell you. I don't know if you'll believe it, but it's the honest truth."

Gold Coin and Shimmering Radiance were surprised to find Pen Stroke in bed, fast asleep, seeming little the worse for wear. More surprising, however, was the nurse that was tending to him. While she might not have been as immaculately beautiful as Dream Charmer, she was a definite knockout: She the sort of figure that most ponies would associate with a dancer, and the fact that she was a little dirty, a little disheveled, made her seem more... real than Dream Charmer. Most surprising, however, was Gold's reaction to her.

"Mama?"

Shaking her head sadly, the unicorn said, "That's twice today that I've been mistaken for a pony I've never met. I'm beginning to wonder if I might have had a twin sister I was never told of." With a polite bow, she said, "Tender Loving Care, at your service. I'll be looking after your father until he's feeling better." Looking at Gold Coin with a stern expression, she said, "I have to admit, I am a little disappointed: Vanishing all of a sudden while your father was so ill did no good for his peace of mind, nor his health. I promised that I'd wake him when you returned, but the chancellor needs all the sleep he can get..."

"I'm already awake," Pen Stroke said, with a weak chuckle, "and I do appreciate your concern, miss. We'll keep this short: It's well past my son's bedtime." Giving Gold Coin a look, the chancellor asked, "Were you able to find the identities of the assassins?"

The two youngsters nodded, and Shimmering Radiance said, "We did. We have a list of names, and an idea for how to use them. We'll give them to the emperor, and the plan we've got in mind, as soon as he's up."

The chancellor nodded, then said, "I wish you had waited until the morning to do this. There's not much to be done until after sunrise. The next time you two plan on going out this late, you had best take an adult with you, for my own peace of mind if nothing else. Now, to bed: You've got a big day ahead of you."

The two turned to leave, looking chastised. Before they exited the room, Pen Stroke said, "And well done. Both of you."

Golden Grace smiled as Dream Charmer entered his study. A smile on his face, he asked, "How did it go?"

With a giggle, the mare said, "Quite well, thank goodness. You were right, 'Urchin' did seek me out right away. Clever girl: She saw right away what Scarlet Wake was planning, and has come up with a rather... unconventional way of dealing with it." Easing onto a nearby chair, taking the weight off of her lame leg, she admitted, "Had I known how sharp a mind she had, I'd have sought her out and taken her in as my protege. Still, she's going to make the political world of the Crystal Empire, and probably all of Equestria, incredibly interesting when she matures."

Laughing aloud, he said, "Wonderful. Then we know who to turn to when we've both decided to retire." It was something that the two of them had discussed after Sombra's death: Golden Grace, even though he was in his twenties, understood that he would not be around forever, and he did wish to start a family with his fiancee in the near future: He would never be able to do so as long as the two of them had to maintain their double lives, since a member of the nobility and a royal heir would be considered extremely dangerous political entities. Hopefully, by the time this entire affair had resolved itself, the two of them would be able to prove they were no threat to the new emperor.

His expression turning more serious, Golden said, "We two mongeese will be leaving in the morning, my lady love, to spend a few days in the viper's nest. Are you ready?"

Dream Charmer's horn flared with magic, and her appearance changed. Where before there stood a sublimely beautiful lady, there was now a bespectacled, plain-looking mare who looked like she'd spent her entire life in a library: The royal heir had changed her appearance, through use of a spell, into that of Golden Grace's secretary, her cover for when she was not working as The Lame Horse. The only thing that the two had in common visually was that both shared a crooked hind leg.

"Ready," she said, grinning mischievously.

Pan's lack of expression after Luna had finished her explanation was even more worrying than his depression of just a few minutes ago. Learning that not only were his ancestors ponies, but that Pan could, potentially, become one himself was a revelation that likely had shaken the changeling to the core. It was clear that he was now in deep thought about something, but what could it be?

"When I awaken," he said, breaking the silence, "I will need to do some research: I have sneaking suspicion that I'll need to confirm. I cannot say if it is connected to the current situation, but it is something I'll need to verify for my own peace of mind." A smile slowly spreading across his face, Pan added, "In the meantime, I think that a change of character is in order."

Raising an eyebrow, Luna asked, "A change of character?"

Nodding, Pan said, "All this time, I've been playing the part of the good king, via King Arthur. Sadly, while certainly a good griffin, Arthur was terribly blind in a number of areas. He was too... naive. His inability to see any threat less subtle than an invading army was what ultimately led to the first united griffin kingdom being destroyed from the inside by his illegitimate son, Mordred. If I am going to rule over the Crystal Ponies and at the same time ferret out this traitor and bring him to justice, I'll need to take on a different persona. I'd like your help in picking out the right one."

After a moment, Luna nodded and said, "I''ll help any way I can."

Nopony looked at the two guards outside the door to his family's quarters within Scarlet Wake's estate. He asked, confusion clear upon his face, "What is the meaning of this?"

He had heard two members of the kitchen staff discussing a proclamation that the emperor had made, one that had changed everything: If Nopony were to inform the emperor of Scarlet Wake's transgressions, not only would the aide face no legal penalties for doing so, but he would be rewarded. He had planned to take his wife and daughters away this very night, and throw himself at the emperor's hooves, begging forgiveness.

But the two guards, who never had been station here before, now barred his path. Worse, these were amongst the worst guards in Wake's employ: a pair of hulking, brutish criminals only saved from the headspony's axe due to the baron having paid a significant amount to overturn the judge's death warrant, on the condition that the two served as Scarlet's enforcers. Both of them were murderers, and one of them was known to have taken a delight in murdering young fillies in front of their parents.

Nopony had a suspicion regarding what was happening here, and it was nothing good...

"Ah, Nopony," a terribly familiar voice said behind him, with a dreadfully cheerful tone, "Just the pony I was looking for!"

Turning around, Nopony saw Scarlet Wake advancing behind him, all smiles. Right away, the aide knew that something was wrong. "I apologize for the guards, but I feel that they are a necessity: The city is on edge after the assassination attempt today. Since I value your continued assistance during such trying times, I decided that I should place a pair of guards here at your quarters, for their protection." With each word, Scarlet Wake had drawn closer and closer. Now they were face to face, an unnerving prospect, given the baron's smile. Placing a comradely hoof on Nopony's shoulder, the Scarlet said, "After all, I know how precious your family is to you, and that you'd do anything to keep them safe... right?"

Nopony calculated the odds of being able to kill Scarlet Wake, plus the two guards, without getting killed himself in the process. The odds, sadly, were small: While Nopony was in very good shape for his age, he was past forty, and Scarlet Wake was half his age. Worse, while Nopony lacked any knowledge of combat magic, Scarlet Wake was something of a virtuoso in that field, especially in the use of pain spells. With surprise on his side, Nopony might have succeeded in landing a fatal wound, but that would leave the two guards, either one alone would be more than a match for the older unicorn. And if any of the three survived, Nopony's wife and daughters would pay dearly for it...

"Yes, milord, that is true," Nopony said, resigned.

"Wonderful," Scarlet Wake said, his grin almost manic in its cheerfulness. "Now, go spend the night with your wife and daughters. Be ready to get up bright and early. Golden Grace and his entourage have decided to grace us with their presence. It seems that he's a little bit worried about recent troubles himself, and has elected to marshal together our collective forces until these assassins have been brought to justice. I am certain that everypony will feel much safer once those traitors have been caught and executed."

Celestia gave a sigh, as she waited for Luna to reappear. The princess swore to herself that, after this, she'd never complain about having to attend another meeting of the Ministy Of Silly Trots ever again: After the last week, and the events of just the last forty-eight hours, she would have given her left hoof for an hour of boredom that didn't have any underlying tension to it...

With a sudden pop, Luna reappeared, looking none the worse for wear. Smiling cheerfully, she said, "Mission accomplished."

Stretching, Pan said, "Ah, jeez, was I really out that long? This is terribly embarrassing. A thousand pardons, your highness."

There was something off about the changeling. It wasn't something that Celestia could put into words, nor was it something that seemed sinister, but it was definitely there. The way the emperor held himself was subtly different from before.

Celestia, after a moment's hesitation, asked, "Are you alright, Pan?"

The changeling and Luna shared a brief look, seeming to smile at a shared joke that only the two of them would get, then Pan said, "I've never felt better."

No More Mister Nice Guy

"I admit, this one is my favorite."

Thirty minutes earlier...

Luna looked at the figure before her in surprise. The room that Pan had led her into was remarkable, to say the least. It was filled with incredibly life-like marble statues of griffins, ponies, and other, more unusual creatures, each one wearing a costume. At the base of each statue was a plaque, giving the name of the character, and in what play the character featured. And there were... thousands of them, at least. The room seemed to go on forever.

The one that Pan pointed to was a most remarkable character: Garbed in a costume comprised of various shades of gray, the griffin in question wore a mask of polished metal, crafted in such a way as to imply a slight smile. While the coloration of his garb normally implied a deep melancholia, the costume itself was arranged as a jester's motley, along with a belled cap. Without even checking the plaque, the identity of this character was plain: Chicot, better known as The Gray Lord.

Looking at Pan in surprise, Luna asked, "Your favorite? But he's a villain!"

With a shrug, Pan asked, "Was he?" At Luna's confused expression, he continued, "In truth, he was less the villain and more a second protagonist: The Gray Lord, both in reality and in the play that chronicled his actions, was never portayed as truly evil. While no angel, perhaps, he had plenty of reason to seek redress for the wrongs committed against him: He was doused in oil, set ablaze, and left for dead, simply for revealing the king's various infidelities to the royal court. Disguised as a jester, he spent five years working behind the king's back, fostering the coup that would ultimately bring about the king's undoing... only to meet his own demise within minutes of his success, at the claws of the prince, his best friend and the one many consider to be the true hero of the story." With a chuckle, he said, "While Chicot may be the 'villain' of the play, historically his actions would redeem him: The coup he engineered would herald a new golden age for the Griffin Kingdoms, with the death of King Artorias The First, who had, amongst many other nicknames, the Mad, the Cruel, and the Merciless, giving way to his son, Artorias the Second, who was known as the Kind, the Generous, and the Glorious."

Luna looked at the statue, then back at Pan. After a moment, she asked, "Were you thinking of using the Gray Lord as your new persona?"

Nodding, Pan admitted, "I was. It was while using this persona that I came up with the idea of 'turning the established order on it's head' in order to root out the traitor to the crown. The Gray Lord had never served as a ruler himself, but he understood court politics like no other individual in history, and had the king not nearly killed Chicot before he had reached his twentieth birthday, there's a possibility that the noble would have ruled the Griffin Kingdoms in all but name before he turned thirty." With a half-smile, he added, "And ruled it, name and all, before he was thirty-five. The main reason why I chose King Arthur over Chicot is because, for all his political brilliance, the Gray Lord was not known for his kindness. Then again, he was not known for his cruelty, either. The Crystal Ponies deserve a kind ruler after the horrors of King Sombra..."

A small smile forming on her face, Luna asked, "A kind ruler? Or a just one? One that would go to extraordinary lengths to right wrongs and punish evil?" Her expression turning stern, she stated, "A ruler too kind to do what needs to be done to save his kingdom is a ruler unworthy of the crown. A ruler should seek justice, for himself, and for his subjects, above all else."

Pan seemed thoughtful for a moment, then said, "You're right." Taking the mask off of the statue, Pan placed it upon his face and said, "With the dawn, the Crystal Empire will have a new ruler. While not the emperor that everypony wants, he'll be the one that everypony needs. The one... everypony deserves."

Sunrise...

Luna yawned, stretched, and smiled, a hoof against her lips. Last night had proven... interesting. With everything that had happened, she and Pan had not realized that they had reached the third day without... expressing their affections. While it would take an entire day for the compulsion to become unbearably strong (Impossible for even Luna to resist, she was given to understand), they had decided, after a brief discussion, to 'resolve' the issue now, rather than wait.

Rather than something as... extreme as last time, the two had decided to stick to what Pan referred to as 'tongue wrestling', an extended session of deep and passionate kissing. While Pan had indicated it was at the bottom of the list of things that would fulfill the compulsion, after a few minutes of it, Luna had to admit that it had gotten much more intense than she would have imagined. Had they not both been exhausted by the drama of the last couple of days, they would both have gone much, much further than that...

Pan was already out of bed, looking out the window, his expression a mystery. Luna cleared her throat to get his attention, then asked, "Is something wrong?"

After a moment, the changeling said, "Out there, somewhere, is at least one pony who wants to take the throne... and is willing to kill to do so. If they'd just come up to me and asked for it on day one, I'd probably have just given it to them and left: I never asked for any of this, it just kinda happened. I didn't have any real attachment to the ponies here, originally." Shaking his head sadly, Pan said, "And I would have been a fool for doing so. Now, after seeing what they'll resort to in order to gain the throne, I shudder to think of what will happen when they have it... Not to mention what they might do to keep it." The changeling closed his eyes, gave a long sigh, then said, "I changed history when I killed Sombra. That means I have a responsibility to make certain that change is for the better."

There are certain expectations one has when they hear the word 'bard' or 'minstrel', whether the one in question is male or female. They expect somepony tall, lean, perhaps even willowy, but definitely graceful. There's an expectation of radiant beauty if it is a mare, or of an almost effeminate handsomeness if a stallion. There's a definite expectation of long, silky hair and fine clothing that is immaculately kept. There should also be a hat with a flamboyant feather stuck in the hatband.

In truth, the only true prerequisite for a bard is the ability to make beautiful music.

Golden Tone, the recently appointed royal minstrel (The one who had written the incredibly memorable, unbelievably ribald, and surprisingly catchy song 'celebrating' the new emperor's greatness), would have laughed in your face if you had told her about those expectations. Short, stocky, overweight to the point of being called 'fluffy', and with a face that would consider homely a compliment, she looked more like a stereotypical cook than a bard. Her mane was cut short, only going as far down as her chin, and it could only be described as 'messy'. She rarely wore any manner of garment, since she was a messy eater, and a silken doublet would never survive her eating breakfast: In truth, it is claimed that grown stallions have run screaming from the sight of her devouring a pie. She'd never worn a hat in her life, preferring to keep her head uncovered. A dark brown coat with black mane and tail, with green eyes that twinkled endlessly with merriment, while she definitely seemed the likeable sort, nopony would have thought her to be one of the greatest singers in Equestria... up until she began to speak.

With a voice as sweet as honey, Golden Tone asked, "So, how is life treating you, brother-in-law?"

Pen Stroke often reflected on how strange life could be: When he had wed his wife, Roundelay, he had understood that she had a sister, and that sister was in fact an accomplished bard. He had not realized just how accomplished she was until he saw said sister performing at their wedding... and drawn an hour long standing ovation from the crowd afterwards: Golden Tone's music could make a statue stand up and cheer, and had once made King Sombra himself weep. Sadly, the tyrant had forbid her from ever singing in his presence again, but the fact that he had not struck her down was proof enough that the new royal minstrel had touched his heart in a way both deep and profound, if only briefly. The fact that all of that was packed in a body that looked out of place without a pie in one hoof and a mug of beer in the other was one of life's greatest ironies.

The greatest irony of all, Pen had always thought, was that Roundelay, in spite of her name, and her kind and generous manner, could not carry a tune in a bucket, regardless of her own incredible beauty...

With a weak chuckle, Pen Stroke admitted, "I suppose I cannot complain overmuch. I still draw breath, my son is safe, and my favorite sister-in-law has come to visit me. Who could ask for more?"

Chuckling, the bard admitted, "It's important to look on the brighter side of things, I admit." Looking over at Tender Loving Care, who was dozing in a chair, tired out from having been up all night, Golden Tone said, "I was surprised to see her here: Were it not for the horn, I'd have thought her my sister reborn." With a sly look, the minstrel said, "I don't suppose that's why you selected her, is it?"

Shaking his head, the chancellor said, "No, she was picked by others, due to being an outsider and having a talent for caring for others. Had I been aware of her existence, I would have been hesitant about selecting her: You know how others talk."

With a smirk, Golden Tone said, "Let them talk. She's a fine looking mare, and you're much too young to spend the rest of your life single. 'Sides, my favorite nephew needs a mother. When you're all better, why not see if she's available?"

Pen Stroke raised a hoof and prepared to voice an objection, then stopped himself. While he had, admittedly, not had those kinds of thoughts in some time, having seen Tender Loving Care last night had brought all manner of things bubbling to the surface. While his current state left him with no real libido, he could not help but reflect on how lonely he had been lately...

"I'll give it some thought," he conceded, then turned his mind to business. "Before the attack, the emperor gave me permission to reopen the investigation into Roundelay's murder. I'd like you to start making a few inquiries. While a few of the suspects had ironclad alibis, one or two of them were protected only by their rank, instead of real evidence."

Nodding in understanding, Golden asked, "Would you like me to start with Scarlet Wake? I know you've never trusted him."

Sighing, Pen Stroke admitted, "There are a number of questions I'd dearly love to ask him, but investigation cleared him of wrongdoing in the assassination attempt: While I suspect he is dirtier than a diamond dog den, in this matter he came out as clean as a whistle. My wife's murder was... amateurish. If Scarlet Wake had truly sought to kill the king back then, he'd have hired a professional to do the job."

The bard sighed, then asked, "Then where should I start?"

"Lady Midnight Black," Pen Stroke said, his eyes narrowing. "I suspect that the king was not the true target of that assassination, since the poison was so fast acting, and since the custom of the holiday we were celebrating on that dreadful day had the wife drink before the husband. Midnight had made no effort at hiding her intent of wedding the king, back when he was single. My suspicion is that she was hoping for a second attempt at capturing his attention by making the king a widower..."

"Well done, both of you," Pan said to Gold Coin and Shimmering Radiance, looking over the list that the two youngsters had brought him. "And you're saying that this... 'Lame Horse' will want to meet with me later on, as payment for this information?"

Pan, the two children, and both Princess Luna and Celestia were discussing the matter at hoof in the throne room. While there were other places the meeting could have been held, the changeling felt that it be best that such things be discussed here: According to both Celestia and Luna, the anti-eavesdropping enchantments in this room were better than anywhere else in the palace...

Gold Coin nodded and said, "Indeed, milord. That was the only thing asked in exchange. She turned down any number of bits we were willing to offer, stating that this was all she wanted from us."

Smiling, Pan said, "Easily done." Examining the list in detail, he noted, "You also included a list of their parents and closest living relatives. Dare I ask why?" The changeling sincerely hoped that they weren't expecting him to make an example of them. While the Gray Lord persona might be somewhat ruthless, he wasn't THAT ruthless...

"Well, about that," Shimmering Radiance said, smiling, "I had a bit of a plan: Given who their parents are, if they're executed for their attack yesterday, it would cause a lot of problems for you later down the line. More importantly, whoever is really behind this isn't on the list, and we need to track down the leader if we want to find out who is truly responsible. However, if you spare these assassins, but... 'interrogate' them, the parents won't be very happy. But..."

The next five minutes of explanation were interrupted, multiple times, by both Pan and the princesses laughing aloud. Even Gold Coin and Shimmering Radiance were giggling towards the end.

Grinning, Pan said, "An unusual plan. It's devious, wicked, and completely insane. I like it!" Looking over towards Gold Coin, he continued, "I know you'd rather be with your father while he recovers, but I fear that, at this moment, the number of ponies I can rely upon is small. I do not yet know who I would need to ask to get things done, and it will take me time to learn... time I do not yet have. Can you help me with this?"

Bowing, the colt said, "I am forever at your service, milord."

A half-smile on his face, the emperor said, "Forever is a long time, little colt, and I hope it won't take that long for your father to recover. Still, I understand your meaning. Very well: Assemble two groups of guards. One is to collect the assassins, the other, the parents. If any of the guards question why, simply inform them that the emperor needs to discuss an urgent matter with them. I will want both groups assembled, then brought to the palace through separate entrances, so that they won't see each other. I will want the assassins here at noon, no sooner or later: It will take that long to get everything set up here. The parents are to be assembled here half an hour before that. And I want it made absolutely clear that this is an imperial command, not a request: Refusal in this situation is not an option..."

Straight Arrow had never felt so utterly terrified in his entire life, and that was saying something, given that last week, he had accidentally bumped into King Sombra while working in the mines. The fact that the emperor had summoned the pony to the palace now, less than a day after the assassination attempt, certainly could not be a coincidence. The fact that all of his compatriots had been taken in as well spelled utter and absolute doom for them all.

...Still, he would not betray the cause. Their glorious leader was not here, and as long as he drew breath, there was hope: Though they die, the resistance lives on.

"I suppose you are all wondering why I've called you here today."

Say what you will, Pan had always wanted to say that to a crowd.

Sitting upon the throne, Pan gave a lazy smile while he took in the scene: The twenty assassins were young, so young that they could still be considered children. The thought that somepony could have convinced ponies so immature to try and commit murder was... horrifying.

"Each of you are suspects in the attempted assassination yesterday," he stated, without preamble. "While you can certainly deny it, if you wish, I can see that each of you has a bandage upon your forelegs. I imagine that examination would prove that those wounds are consistent with those from using a bow without wearing protective legbands." The assembled ponies all visibly gulped. Chuckling, Pan continued, "And perhaps more importantly, a note was dropped off here at the palace just an hour ago. This anonymous note indicates, in no uncertain terms, that each of you are responsible for the attack. I suspect somepony wanted you to be found right away..."

"You lie," one of the youthful assassins proclaimed, clearly angered by this. "These allegations are completely groundless!"

The lad in question was... soft-looking, as if he had never truly worked a day in his life, even when Sombra was making the lives of everypony else miserable. Pan reviewed his knowledge of the list, and while the exact name escaped him this second, he remembered that this youth was the son of a wealthy merchant: Sheltered, spoiled, probably never wanted for anything in his life. The changeling would have bet a thousand bits on what the next words out of the pony's mouth would be...

He'd have won that bet. His normally orange face bright red, the youth half-asked, half-shouted, "DO YOU KNOW WHO MY FATHER IS!?!"

Pan's normally blue radiance turned green, and he seemed to briefly be wreathed in flames. He vanished, elicting gasps from the assassins, and for a moment, a wicked and wild wind whipped through the room. An instant later, the emperor reappeared, directly in front of the pony in question (Not teleportation, but love burning: If you increased your speed by a million times for three seconds, then even if you were a turtle, you would move like a lightning bolt).

"I know exactly who your father is," Pan said, his voice dark with promise, one echoed by his nightmarish expression, his body still ablaze with green witchfire. "I know who your mother is, too, as well as the names of every pony related to you in the city, unto the fifth generation. If I were King Sombra, I would allow you to choose the order in which they were executed... and not only would you be made to watch, but you would be forced to hold the axe for each and every one of them."

The colt in question shrieked like a three year old filly, then tried to back away. Suddenly, the burning green light was replaced again with a gentle blue, and Pan said, "But I am not King Sombra. No, not even slightly. I am Emperor Pandinus Imperator The First, Ruler of the Crystal Empire And All Who Doth Dwell Within, and in no way have I proven myself to be a tyrant. Quite the opposite, to be honest with you. However..."

He flicker green for a moment, vanished, then reappeared back on his throne, obviously at ease and smiling beatifically, "...Even my patience has limits," he said, his tone light. "Now, I want a written confession from all of you, without exception, relating every detail of the events that lead up to the assassination, as well as the name and a full description of your leader. If you do that, then I will be merciful. Otherwise, I will have to take more... drastic action."

The response was immediate, and exactly as expected: Refusal. There were a few who shouted tyrant, a few who claimed that they would never betray the cause (What cause? Pan had been here three days, how could there be a cause so soon?), and a couple who claimed that neither threats of execution nor torture would make them lose their resolve. Sad to see, honestly, a bunch of kids willing to martyr themselves for a pony who saw them only as pawns in a greater game. If Pan could cry, he would have been moved to tears.

Still, he knew one thing that would break their resolve. "Very well," Pan stated, shaking his head sorrowfully, "Then I am left with no choice but to resort to more drastic measures."

With a gesture, Pan signaled Princesses Celestia and Luna. The two dropped the invisibility spell they had been maintaining, revealing themselves...

...And the parents of the assassins.

The shouts of defiance abruptly stopped, and inside, Pan smiled. Shimmering Radiance had it right on the money: There are few things that ponies at that age would truly fear. Death? Please, at that age, most ponies thought themselves as immortal as Celestia and Luna, and a thousand times more invulnerable. Torture? Ponies this soft didn't understand how terrible that could truly be, and by the time they did, they'd be scarred for life in more ways than one. Imprisonment? That would take a good long time to get through to them, if it ever did. No, for ponies like these, the fastest way to get to them was through their parents' disapproval.

Looking at the princesses, Pan said, "You know, I feel rather peckish. Do you, ladies?" The princesses nodded, smiling, and the changeling continued, "The princesses and I are going to step out and grab something to eat. We'll be gone about an hour. In the meantime, no one is to leave this room. Feel free to talk things out amongst yourselves, but please bear in mind that I don't want any hitting, and do try to refrain from using foul language, if at all possible." With that, Pan rose, and escorted the two princesses outside the room, and shut the door behind him. Almost immediately afterwards, the shouting began. The overall tone of the 'discussion' was 'WHAT THE PLUCK WERE YOU THINKING!?!' and mumbled responses that, even from this distance, Pan could tell wouldn't hold water.

Giggling, Celestia asked, "How long do you think it will really take?"

"Honestly," Pan said, chuckling, "I think it would be over and done with for most of them in five minutes. A few of them looked to be made of sterner stuff, but in the end, colts and fillies that age desperately crave their parents' approval, and up until now, they'd always believed they had it. Given that, now that they know they've lost it, they're going to fold like the proverbial busted flush."

Winter, watching the entire scene, was laughing aloud. This... Imperator had a certain sense of style that the windigo could not help but find enjoyable. While he still planned to freeze the Crystal Empire solid, and Winter now certainly had the power to do so, the immortal could not yet fully bring himself to do it yet.

Immortality can be incredibly boring sometimes, and for a creature like Winter, any opportunity for entertainment of this caliber could not be passed up. The drama unfolding here in the city was delicious, and given that the windigo had all the time in the world, he could let things continue on for quite some time...

Author's Note

Chicot
And yes, there might be some parallels between the tale of the Gray Lord and Code Geass. Maybe.

Hic Sunt Monstra

"I thought you were going to eat, not read."

Pan chuckled as he continued researching the books before him. He had to admit, the confusion of both Luna and Celestia was understandable, given that in the current timeline, changelings had never existed, and would never exist again after Pan. In a way, that made Pan a little sad, since that meant that, unless he decided to pursue becoming a pony, he'd never have little Pan-lettes of his own. But on the other hoof, it meant that the ones here who had fled the Crystal Empire in the 'Prime' timeline would get to live the long, happy lives, as would every one of their descendants, as ponies.

And that was why he was digging through books of heraldry: Because the high houses of the changeling aristocracy had started somewhere, and Pan was certain that origin was here, in the nobility of the Crystal Empire...

"I don't eat like a pony does," Pan admitted, as he copied down another coat of arms, then sketched an image next to it. "I absorb love energy from others for sustenance, so I'm actually eating all the time, due to the Crystal Heart, combined with the adoration of my subjects. While I burned through a noticeable portion of my stockpile with that little piece of theatrics a little while ago, I've still got enough to last for... well, unless I make a habit of shows like that, I'll have bigger concerns to worry about before running out of love energy: The sun going out, for example."

Her eyes widening slightly, Celestia asked, "You really have that much?"

Nodding, Pan answered, "Yes. I'd never realized just how much love energy can be found in a city this size, nor had I realized how big a difference there is between love freely given and love taken through subterfuge. Every hour of the day, I gain more love than I thought could be found in the world. I... I don't think there's a true limit to how much energy I can contain, but if there is, it's very, very high." Finding another candidate, Pan scribbled down another copy.

Luna, an eyebrow raised, asked, "Is that why you've been growing?"

Pan took a deep breath, then admitted, "It's a possibility. I've noticed that I've gained a bit of height, and muscle, since I've come here, when I should not be: Most changelings reach their full growth at fifteen, and I'm well past that point. At first, I thought that I was imagining things, but when Luna and I woke up this morning, and I realized we were both of equal height, I could no longer deny it." Letting out a sigh, he continued, "The problem is, normally only the queen gets this tall, with only a few notable exceptions. So is it a result of my stockpile of love energy, a result of my having become a member of royalty, or something else? There are no experts on changeling anatomy or biology, so your guess is as good as mine."

Nodding, Celestia said, "Given the... unique nature of your biology, I suppose that's understandable." Looking in interest at the notes that Pan was still in the process of making, the princess changed the subject, asking, "So, what is it that you are doing, right now?"

Finishing the sketch he was working on, Pan said, "Looking up distant relatives, you might say." At the confused look that both princesses gave him, he chuckled, then said, "Since changelings were originally crystal ponies that fled the city during Sombra's reign, it only stands to reason that there would be a direct correlation between the high houses of the changeling aristocracy, and noble houses here in the city. I'm checking the coats of arms for every noble house in the city, and noting which ones are similar to those that would have been used one thousand years later, potentially by their descendants."

After a moment's though, Luna asked, "While I can understand why that would be interesting to you, I am curious why you would elect to do that now, when you might be looking for clues to who sent those would-be assassins after you."

Pan, a half-smile on his face, stated, "I have a feeling that the two might be related. When I saw those youngsters a little while ago, nearly children, and thought about how somepony out there was willing to get them all killed just for the sake of discrediting me, do you know what the first thing that came to my mind was?"

Both princesses asked, "What?"

"That is not something a pony would do," Pan said, his expression neutral. "At least, not the kinds of ponies I saw in the world a thousand years from now. That kind of heartless action would be unthinkable to the equines I saw in the distant future." Frowning slightly, Pan added, "And to most commonborn changelings, such an action would be considered a terrible thing. But for a changeling aristocrat?" He snorted, then said, "Par for the course. In fact, something like this would be considered fairly tame."

Celestia, catching on quickly, asked, "So you're compiling a list of suspects, based upon what their descendants would be like?"

Nodding, Pan replied, "Precisely. Mind you, not all aristocrats were bad apples: Some of them could be quite noble, and served with distinction in the fields of infiltration, espionage, and even the military. But those were in the minority." With a sigh, he continued, "There was... I guess that there was some sort of mental problem in the aristocracy of the swarm, one that I think may have either been the result of inbreeding, or perhaps a hereditary defect that was present from the start, that caused the overwhelming majority of the aristocracy to develop severe sociopathic, or even psychopathic, tendencies."

"Forgive me if this is a foalish question," Luna interrupted, "but what is the difference?"

With a chuckle, the changeling said, "They're two difference flavors of crazy: A sociopath is an individual with a skewed moral compass. Things that you consider right or wrong would not seem right or wrong to them. They might find the taking of lives acceptable if it means reaching a goal. Mind you, a sociopath does have limitations: Killing person A, B, or C is fine, but killing person D, who is special to the sociopath, is completely unacceptable. Regarding this sociopath, it seems he places no value on the lives of commoners, but it's possible that he may place value on the lives of his fellow nobles, or maybe just his direct family members. That's just speculation, but we'll see..."

His expression turning more serious, Pan stated, "A psychopath is a completely different animal: They can be cruel, even violent. Even in ponies, they can behave in a predatory fashion, and they often crave control, power over others... and will go to any means to achieve it. Once obtained, they will not hesitate to use that power to inflict harm. What makes them especially dangerous is a tendency to attack first, rather than wait for a confrontation: Even a perceived threat is a target for violence. One of the biggest differences between the two is that unlike sociopaths, psychopaths tend to be bold, even fearless. A sociopath tends to be more cautious."

"Thankfully," he said, in conclusion, "I believe that we're dealing with a sociopath in this case: Psychopaths aren't afraid of direct confrontations, and this individual has gone to great lengths to avoid such a thing. Sociopaths feel fear, at least in regards to self-preservation, and yesterday's attack was definitely a fear response to my big announcement the previous day. I rattled him, and as soon as he gets word that I've caught his little assassins, and haven't executed them, he might have another fit."

Celestia, smiling, said, "Which is why you have the guards patrolling the palace and the surrounding area today, to catch any potential spies and assassins?"

With a toothy grin, the changeling stated, "Exactly. This time, we're going to take him completely off-guard." After a moment, Pan closed the book he was reading, then said, "My biggest concern is this: If the... mental problems present in the aristocracy from my time were not the result of inbreeding, then that would mean that there is an inheritable defect in one or more ponies here in the Crystal Empire. That means that, in addition to this sociopath, there's at least one psychopath present in the nobility here, possibly more... and birds of a feather are often found flocking together."

"I really do not have time for this, Midnight," Scarlet Wake said to his surprise visitor. "My cousin and his armsponies will be here within the hour, and if you are seen here, there will be talk." It was only by good fortune that she had not been seen before entering his office...

Lady Midnight Black was a mare with a black coat, black mane and tail, and golden eyes. Were it not for the fact that she was clearly a unicorn, she could easily have been mistaken for a pooka. Whether she was one or not, she definitely had an unsettling air about her, even if you knew nothing of her.

Scarlet Wake knew plenty of things about her, and while he would never admit it aloud, Midnight Black terrified him...

In a voice as soft as a serpent crossing silk sheets, the mare said, "I am here on behalf of Lord Scorpion, the leader of the Circle. Do you understand what that means, 'Lord Cockroach'?"

Gulping, Scarlet Wake replied, "I do, Lady Spider."

The Circle was a group of ponies who had... appetites like the one that Scarlet Wake had, cravings that could not be sated legally. It was an alliance of convenience between individuals who shared similar interests: They worked together to keep their activities hidden from the public eye. Some enjoyed the pain and suffering of others. A few were... carnivorous, and held a special craving for the flesh of sapient creatures. And then there were ones like Midnight Black, who liked to experiment with the foulest of dark magics, spells that even Sombra had not been willing to use...

Midnight Black asked, "Then you know why the Circle is upset with you right now, yes?"

"I assume," the stallion said, "it's because of the emperor's recent decree puts the Circle in jeopardy."

Her expression dark with fury, the mare stated, "Jeopardy does not begin to describe it. You may as well have tried to have all of our throats cut while we slept, you moronic buffoon."

Startled, Scarlet Wake asked, "What are you talking about? I mean, yes, we can no longer rely on our servants to keep quiet about our transgressions, but..."

Closing the distance between the two of them, Midnight Black pushed Scarlet Wake down into a chair, then said, "Listen very carefully, Cockroach, because I do not wish to repeat myself." While her tone remained whisper soft, it was clear that she was furious. "You think we of the Circle care about our servants betraying us? With enough bits, a servant will keep quiet about anything, regardless of what the emperor offers, especially if they willingly participate in our activities. No, it's the fact that all of us will have the crown breathing down our necks from this point forward. Within the week, we'll have royal investigators going snooping around our estates, evaluating us. Investigators who cannot be denied, bribed, or otherwise dissuaded from their duties without raising questions. What happens when they find something? Worse, what happens if we lose our noble status? How will you or I sate our appetites then?"

With dawning horror, Scarlet realized that she was right: He had not thought, until now, about what the emperor had meant by evaluation. He had assumed that it was simply a matter of turning a profit, but if it ran deeper than that...

...It was no wonder Lord Scorpion was so angry.

"Were it not for you, the emperor might have left us alone, but now?" Midnight Black took a deep breath, then said, "Now, we will have to remove him from the throne, princesses or no." Her eyes narrowing, she added, "Lord Scorpion has decided we must go on the offensive... and our first attack is going to be made today..."

His eyes widening, Scarlet Wake asked, "Attack? What attack? How? Where?"

The slightest ghost of a smile crossed her face as she said, "You gave us something to work with today: The emperor gathered your would-be assassins together just this morning, along with their families. He may decide to execute them right away, and if he does, that works in our favor. If he tries to interrogate them beforehoof, well..." She gave a quiet chuckle, then said, "I've sent one of my pets to deal with them, if they're still alive by now. There will be no way of hiding the massacre that will ensue, given how... enthusiastic my little Hugglefluff tends to be. Everypony will think the emperor is responsible, and when we announce our intentions, we'll have the entire city on our side."

Wait, she sent that THING to the palace? She may was well have stood up and shouted 'I am using forbidden magic and I don't care what you think!' in Celestia's face at the gathering the other day. Was she mad?

As if reading his thoughts, she said, "This is our declaration of war, Cockroach. We cannot survive under the new regime, so it will have to be... put down. Don't forget whose side you're on, because I promise you, the only thing the other side will have to offer you is an executioner's axe." With a chuckle, Midnight Black added, "And that brings us to your contribution to the war effort..."

"Lord Scorpion has decided," Lady Spider said, a terrible smile on her face, "that your task will be the elimination of the most prominent noble that could potentially oppose us: Your cousin, Golden Grace."

"Son," Sacred Trust said to his son, Straight Arrow, "I honestly cannot express in words how disappointed I am with you."

Straight Arrow didn't know what to say. He'd tried raising the arguments that the leader have given, regarding how the Crystal Empire would be better off if only Crystal Ponies were allowed inside of the city, but even to his own ears, they sounded hollow. To his credit, Arrow's father waited until the youth had finished, then explained how stupid all of that was, and why such a thing would result only in the city's destruction.

The short version was simply this: The Crystal Empire cannot produce everything that it needs. What did they lack? While, yes, they could produce their own food, those foods native to the city did not contain all of the vitamins and minerals necessary for long term survival, so the locals had to supplement their diet with foods from the rest of Equestria, or a number of vitamin deficiencies would eventually leave the citizens in poor health. Perhaps more importantly, the Crystal Empire had no salt whatsoever, and for health reasons, a pony needs at least one to two ounces of salt every single day to remain healthy, and that amount increases during the warmer months. While not immediately fatal, salt deficiency can cause a number of health problems, which over the long term can be potentially life threatening. Most importantly, the Crystal Empire had a very limited supply of medicinal herbs, so without outside trade, one good outbreak of Distemper Of Strangles, Rain Rot, or Swamp Fever, and half the city would be wiped out in less than a moon. There was also the plague, which used to run through Equestria at least once a century before a medicine, derived from a flower not native to the Crystal Empire, became available. One outbreak of that, and no medicine to treat it, and nine-tenths of the city would be dead in a week...

Isolation policies had been tried before, and had failed each and every time, for those very reasons, as well as economic issues: The Crystal Empire had a continuous food surplus, due to how fertile its soil was, but as mentioned, the foods produced did not equal a complete diet. Thus, that food was traded with the rest of the world. That food surplus was enormous, so much so that the ponies of the city could feed themselves for five years off of a single harvest... but without an outside world to sell it to, that would mean that the food would suddenly diminish in cost, and worth, drastically. Supply and demand: You can't sell what nopony is buying. Farms would close, merchants would go out of business, and their employees would be out of a job as well. Not just food merchants, but carters, tinkerers, smiths, jewelers, all the ponies who made a living sharing the unique goods of the Crystal Empire to the outside world would be left without a means of making money. Within half a year, the city would be filled with poor, jobless ponies. There'd be crime, riots, and worse as a result. The Crystal Empire relied on Equestria to buy that food surplus, along with the goods that the city, in exchange for the city's needs, and if that relationship was cut off, the entire system broke down.

Straight Arrow listened to all of that, his jaw hanging open, and then hung his head in shame. He was about to open his mouth, to express how sorry he was, to beg forgiveness from his father...

When he was suddenly interrupted by the sound of shattering glass...

Wild Wing had enjoyed the emperor's theatrics earlier today. Seriously, many of those colts and mares, in spite of being her own age, were spoiled, soft. Not a single one of them had ever set foot outside of the Crystal Empire, and it showed: They thought that their little city was the center of the universe, and from what they'd been saying to their parents, they'd thought that they'd be better off if they just cut all ties and turned their city into a fortress. Their parents remembered the last time that was tried, and why it had failed. While not all of them were as eloquent as Sacred Trust, each and every one of them was, in their own unique way, shattering those illusions.

Wild Wing's job was simple: Celestia and Luna had stationed her up towards the ceiling, with a nice little invisibility spell to keep her unseen, so she could watch and make certain that nothing happened to the assembled ponies while they were away. It was a simple enough job, boring really. There were guards on high alert all over the palace, ready to apprehend any spies trying to escape, as well as intercept any would-be assassins who might try to put an end to a potential source of intel. With so many guards on patrol, the Widowmaker itself would need to show up to be a threat.

That false sense of security was the reason why she was caught completely off guard by the... thing that suddenly entered the throne room by shattering one of the windows. It resembled a griffin, but it was... wrong.

The beast was massive, as well as both armed and armored. The majority of its body was clad in scale-mail, while its legs were covered in chain mail. Upon the head was a helmet, covering all but the beak and its eyes. Evil-looking, glowing red eyes, filled with malice. The beak, while razor sharp, dripped a vile black fluid that, even from the ceiling, stank of death. Its wings spread wide, the abomination made for a fearsome sight. Upon touching the ground, the beast drew a long, black blade, inscribed with runes that shone with a sickly green light, and let out a fearsome roar.

Any pony who has heard a griffon roar will tell you it is a fearsome sound. This griffon's roar was fit to stop the heart. It seemed almost as if all the pain, rage, and hatred in the world was contained within. In that moment, Wild Wing realized what was wrong with this creature, and that those present in the room faced something far worse than a mere griffon: They were now under attack by a wight.

There are laws in place against the use of magic upon the dead: True resurrection is believed to be impossible, but that has not stopped many ponies from trying to bring back their loved ones. If you pump enough magic into a corpse, you'll get something back, but what you get is often a cruel mockery of the original. The few times that somepony has 'returned from the dead' it was because that pony took steps to ensure that they did not die a true death, but rather kept some portion of themselves alive until their body was restored. Even then, those attempts did not always work properly...

Attempts to raise the dead have resulted in a total of five zombie outbreaks, twelve vampire lords who now require a good staking every century to keep them down, dozens of haunted houses, and one very surprised and confused mummy who was somewhat disappointed to find that her life after death was just more of this one (Mind you, after a few weeks of education, and about five hundred gallons of moisturizing cream, Princess Ebe has managed to adapt well to modern society, and is now one of Equestria's top supermodels in the 'prime' timeline. She's also still stuffed with sawdust, so if anypony comes across the canopic jars that contain her internal organs, she'd be really, incredibly grateful for their return). Trying the bring back the dead just causes too many problems, so research into that field, often called necromancy, has been made illegal.

The wight is a byproduct of research into resurrecting the dead, and in many ways, it was both a success and a failure: A wight possesses all of the skills that it possessed in life, as well as the memories. However, all of its emotions are gone, save one: Hatred. The reanimation process left out some essential part of the wight's heart, and so it is a creature possessed only by a terrible enmity towards the world around it. A wight hates everything in this world, and will slaughter anyone, even former loved ones, without hesitation. Spells exist that control such creatures, and without them, these creatures would go berserk, murdering all in their path in a spectacularly gory fashion.

These dreaded fiends possess strength, speed, and endurance beyond that which they had in life, in addition to the ability to drain the life force of the living to repair any damage it takes. On the battlefield, such monstrosities are known to wipe out dozens, even hundreds, before being put down.

Hugglefluff's master (Sadly, yes, that was his real name. It wasn't his fault, blame his parents) had sent the wight here in order to slaughter all of the ponies in this room. Having once been a skilled mercenary, now armed with enchanted armor and weaponry, he was more than ready to do the job.

...But he was not quite prepared for the flying kick that Wild Wing gave him before the invisibility spell upon her wore off.

Straight Arrow was shocked by the appearance of the monstrosity, as well as the sudden arrival of a pegasus mare (And... a surprisingly lovely looking one, no less), who immediately engaged the abomination in combat. While she was obviously no match for the wight, she was working hard to keep it occupied, weaving in and out of the range of the creature's attacks to keep it from pursuing the other ponies in the room. However, without assistance, she would likely tire quickly, and when she did, it would be all over for every pony here...

Straight Arrow was surprised to find that many of his compatriots immediately began fleeing, their expressions nearly mad with terror. Rather than trying to reach the door like they should have, they seemed to almost be trying to force their way through the very walls. Something about this creature had drained them of all reason, and left only absolute and total terror in its wake.

But whatever effect it had was not working on Straight Arrow or his father...

"Father!"

Sacred Trust, his expression grim, said, "I'm already on it, son." His horn glowing with power, the former soldier used his signature spell to summon a weapon...

An enchanted bow and arrows.

Taking the bow, and quickly readying an arrow, Straight Arrow took aim, and the instant he had a clear shot, he loosed. The arrow flew straight and true, and took the griffon in the wing.

The wight did not even seem to feel it, up until the arrow began to glow with a brilliant light. The abomination abruptly roared in pain, clutching at the projectile, but having difficulty in grasping it since the arrow burned at the slightest touch. A second arrow followed, hitting it in the thigh, and a third took out one of its eyes. However, while it was obviously in pain, it was clearly not slowed in any meaningful way. Still, when the fourth arrow was loosed, the wight raised a claw, and made a gesture. The arrow stopped in midair, and fell harmlessly to the ground. It seemed as though this beast possessed some measure of magical prowess, atop its already fearsome martial skills. Without some serious firepower, everypony in this room was as good as dead...

Almost as if summoned, the emperor was there, as were the princesses. While Luna cast a spell to bring a magical wall of energy between the wight and everypony else, Celestia began raining bolts of energy down upon the fiend. While none of them seemed strong enough to slay the beast outright, it definitely felt each blow.

It was the emperor who slew the beast, and in a spectacular fashion. He suddenly raised up on his hind legs... and changed. His hind and forelegs shifted, the holes normally present disappearing, and his limbs took on a form similar to that of a griffin, and his face likewise shifting into an approximation of a griffin's beak. Suddenly crackling with green witchfire, he sprang over the barrier with a fierce roar, then began attacking the wight with his claws.

When the emperor struck, steel scales of armor flew, and a nasty looking gash appeared on the griffin's chest, though no blood flowed from the wound. The wight, although surprised by the ferocious blow, rallied quickly, and tried to launch a counter-assault. Raising the dreadful blade over its head, the undead abomination struck the emperor with all the power it could muster...

The blade shattered over the emperor's head as if it was made of glass.

Pandinus Imperator struck out, again and again, at the now weaponless wight, forcing it back. After several seconds of furious combat, the emperor grasped the beast's head with one claw, its shoulder with the other, and with seemingly no more resistance than plucking an apple, ripped the wight's head clean off.

"I admit, I was surprised by what you did," Celestia said a few minutes later.

The throne room was abuzz with activity: The would-be assassins, previously more than willing to give statements, were now spilling their guts about everything, swearing vows of eternal loyalty and giving long and heart-felt apologies with every other sentence. Pan would have been flattered, were it not for the fact that they all seemed slightly... intimidated by him now.

Watching somebuggy rip a wight's head off with his bare claws will do that.

"The griffin transformation? That's nothing," Pan said, dismissively. "Changelings are able to change the configuration of our limbs in order to approximate those of other creatures. Most creatures with hands or claws have greetings that involve their use, and if we didn't have some way of changing our hooves, we'd be made the first time we interacted with others..."

In truth, that was why changelings had holes in their legs: Conservation of mass. In order to be able to mimic the claws of griffins, changelings needed less mass in their limbs than a pony did. Without those holes, a changeling in griffin form would have much heavier forelimbs that normal. And the face thing? Kissing a griffin when you didn't have a beak was another way to get made quickly.

That transformation was very useful on the battlefield: A griffin's body was made for battle, unlike that of a pony, and the claws made the use of weaponry a much easier task...

"Not that," Celestia said, "although it did surprise me somewhat. What I meant was how quickly, and how effectively, you sprang to your subject's defense."

A small smile on his face, Pan admitted, "I was somewhat surprised myself. Not by how well I took that thing down: I spent a good portion of my life stuck in the military, and I wouldn't have lasted long if I hadn't learned how to fight effectively. What surprised me was that my first instinct was to go in there and tear that thing apart before it hurt anypony. I mean, after a second or two, I would have done so on my own, but I was already on that thing before I even realized what I was doing..."

Luna, examining the wight's remains, said, "I've seen such an effect before in encounters with the undead. Every creature has a fight or flight reflex, and in an encounter against abominations, that reflex is immediately triggered. Whether that is a supernatural effect, or just a natural response to such a horrific fiend is debated in some circles, but either way, the result is that those who are easily given over to fear will immediately flee, while those with a courageous heart will immediately attack on instinct."

With a smile, Celestia said, "So I must congratulate you, Pandinus Imperator, on your bravery. Well done: I'd not have been able to defeat that wight so quickly myself, for fear of accidentally injuring one of the innocents here, but you took it down before it could hurt anypony here.."

A half-smile on his face, Pan said, "All in a day's work." Looking over at the abomination, the changeling's expression turned grim as he said, "Problem is, this isn't the end of it. Wights don't just suddenly spring into existence: They have to be created, and whoever created one could easily have created more. There could be an army of these things out there, and while that one was well-equipped, I doubt it was the cream of the crop: He was skilled, but if he'd been a true elite, he'd have wiped out half the room before we arrived, in spite of your agent's best efforts. There could be an army of those things, and whoever has that army has just declared war..."

"Thanks for the assist," Wild Wing said as she sat beside Straight Arrow. "I don't think I could have kept that thing distracted much longer if you hadn't jumped in."

Being this close to an attractive young mare his own age was not something that the stallion was used to. Straight Arrow, blushing, said, "It was the least I could do: If you hadn't been there, we'd not have had time to get the bow ready to fire."

Giggling, the pegasus said, "Well, I was just doing my job: The Equestrian Secret Service doesn't pay me to just sit on my flank when civilians are in danger."

An eyebrow raised, the earth pony asked, "You're a secret agent?"

Nodding, Wild Wing admitted, "Yeah. Not for much longer, though. Luna decided that, after all the trouble I went through here, what with Sombra and all, I'd gone above and beyond the call of duty, so I was not only up for a commendation, but for the 'brass ring': A title of nobility, a plot of land, and a full retirement, pension included. A pretty good deal: Most ponies have to work twenty years for that, and I earned it within the first year."

With a snort, Straight Arrow said, "Lucky. Odds are, I'm going to be spending the next twenty years, or longer, inside a dungeon cell..."

"Well now, I wouldn't say that," the emperor said, suddenly sitting down beside the young stallion with a chuckle. "You fought to protect your fellow ponies against a monster that had most of them mad with fear. That buys you a certain measure of clemency... even though, given your special talent, you were likely the one who nearly slew the chancellor."

With a gulp, Straight Arrow admitted, "Guilty, milord."

Nodding, Pandinus Imperator said, "Well, while I am not pleased about that, I'd like to think I know talent when I see it, and that everyone, regardless of who they are, or what they've done, deserves a chance at redemption. Today, my enemies declared war on the throne, and in the days ahead, I'll need brave ponies like you two, who will fight when they see those things, rather than flee screaming. While I can't offer you anything, young lady," Pan said with a chuckle, "I will be willing to offer you, young sir, a full pardon for your attempted treason, as well as something similar to what she has: In exchange for a term of service not exceeding twenty years, I'll grant you land, title, and a pension after your retirement. If you serve bravely and with distinction, I'll be willing to end your term of service early."

Straight Arrow nodded, then asked, "And the others?"

His expression neutral, Pan said, "Community service for most of them. They'll be spending a couple of days each week doing projects on behalf of their fellow ponies. There are plenty of jobs that are currently short on hooves and strong backs, so they'll be have plenty of work to do, helping in getting the city back in top condition. The two or three who didn't run, but didn't know what else to do in such an unusual situation, I'll see if I can't find something a bit better for them to do. The guard can always use a few new cadets, I'm told."

Nodding, Straight Arrow said, "Thank you, milord."

With a dismissive gesture, Pan said, "No thanks needed. Just be ready with a bow and arrows from now on: This is war, and you've just become my personal bodyguard. You are now officially the busiest pony in Equestria."

Giggling, Wild Wing said, "Second busiest. I'm not going to leave the service just yet, your majesty: This city was my home long before it was ever yours, and if you think that I'm just going to stand by while somepony who can do that..." She pointed at the wight, and then, with a look of fierce determination stated, "is running loose, you've got another thing coming."

Within an hour of the wight's defeat, a message was received by every member of the Circle, telling them of their assassin's failure, and that they should prepare themselves for war. While some of them would only be somewhat involved, given their lack of serious resources to contribute, each member would play their part, including Lady Spider and the Circle's leader, Lord Scorpion.

The war which would soon ensue would have many names in the history books: The War Of Shadows, due to the fact that, until its final day, nopony save those directly involved even knew that there WAS a war; the Winter War, due to the surprising involvement of one of the world's strongest immortals; the Bug War, due to the fact that the war was between the changeling emperor and the Circle, whose members each had given themselves a codename based on insects and arachnids; the War Of The Dead, due to the fact that the majority of the soldiers used by the Circle were undead in nature. But the name most commonly used is also the one most appropriate for this conflict...

The Three Day War.

Author's Note

The chapter title is based off of a Latin phrase often found on old maps that translates to 'Here Be Dragons', or 'Here Are The Dragons'. It was a reference to unexplored, potentially dangerous territory that no one had successfully explored before. The title translates to Here Be Monsters, or Here Are The Monsters.

Nightmare...

"So, the wight was defeated?"

Lady Midnight Black had always felt uncomfortable in the presence of Lord Scorpion. Since this was Lady Midnight Black, who routinely played games with the revived corpses of her enemies, and some of those games were of the 'Tickle Me' and 'Pick The Cherry Out Of My Mouth With Your Tongue' variety, it should speak volumes about how terrifiying Lord Scorpion could be. The pony was a massive brute, and enjoyed nothing more than bashing ponies to death with his bare hooves. When she stood in his presence, and he was making no effort to hide his bloodlust, Midnight Black felt closer to death than she ever did amongst her 'pets'.

And the fact that he could turn that terrifying bloodlust on and off like a switch made him all the more unnerving to those who knew his true identity...

The two were holding a brief conversation in the royal wine cellars. Since Lord Scorpion spent a considerable amount of his day here, and few, if any, ever came down here on anything other than business, it was the best place to hold a conversation undisturbed. The fact that the cellar was connected to a maze of hidden passages throughout the city was an added bonus.

Nodding, she admitted, "If by defeated, you mean that it was destroyed, then yes. But if you mean that, prior to its destruction, it failed in completing its true objective, you would be wrong. The creature was defeated in the presence of Princess Luna, and the blade it carried struck the emperor before the wight was vanquished."

Nodding solemnly, the leader of the Circle said, "Then the true objectives were achieved. Good. With any luck, two pieces on the opposing side will be removed. What of Lord Cockroach?"

Midnight Black sniffed dismissively, then said, "He's been given his test, and Lady Wasp will be in position to remove him, should he try to disobey us. If there was more time, I would have mobilized a squad of wights to infiltrate his manor to purge the staff, but I've arranged for it to be watched for now to make certain nopony leaves. Honestly, I expect he will rebel: The younger generation has proven time and again to be a disappointment. He might share our appetites, but he lacks the killer instinct to make him truly one of us." With a shrug, she added, "It is one thing to order a killing done, and another to do the deed yourself."

A slow smile spreading across his face, Lord Scorpion said, "Oh yes, I know that all too well." With a shrug that set his enormous muscles dancing, he continued, stating, "And the others have been told to make ready. I doubt that most of them will be able to contribute much to the war itself, asides from money for the war chest, but they will be necessary for the aftermath: When this is over, our faction will hold a voting majority amongst the nobility, and we can place whoever we please upon the throne... and Celestia will be unable to do anything to stop us, unless she wishes for the Crystal Empire to officially secede from Equestria."

The mare asked, more out of idle curiosity than anything else, "Any candidates in mind?"

With a snort, he said, "Were he to pass the test, Scarlet Wake would be a viable candidate: He might not truly be one of us, but he has proven skillful in keeping his true self hidden from those around him, and given guidance, he would make a formidable shepard for the masses. However, his ties to the last remaining member of his family makes him a liability. If he proves able to kill Golden Grace, he may have a future in our organization. If he fails... well, he knows far too much to be allowed to live."

"Understood." After a moment, Midnight Black asked, "Have you made all of the preparations necessary to relocate, milord?"

"Not quite," Lord Scorpion admitted, "but I expect to be done within the day. As useful as the royal wine cellars have proven to be, I doubt my identity will remain hidden much longer. Still, it has been quite pleasant, using the royal coffers to fund our... indulgences."

With a small laugh, Lady Spider admitted, "The irony was quite delicious. Still, all good things must come to an end."

With a rumbling laugh, Lord Scorpion said, "While the wicked live forever."

Few truly understand the nature of evil curses, the undead, and other works of dark magic, primarily due to the fact that the creation of such things has been illegal for time out of mind. While this means that it is very rare for one to actually come across a master of the black arts, it also means that, save for those with direct experience with such things, anyone who encounters these dark works will be caught completely off-guard.

Take wights, for example: The creation of a wight requires a sizable amount of dark magic to be injected into a corpse. Since energy can neither be created or destroyed, that means that, once slain, a wight's body will radiate dark magical energy for hours, or even days. For most individuals, this means that if you hang around a wight's corpse for too long, you'll start getting ill. There are documented cases where a warrior, too exhausted to move from slaying several wights, sat down to take a quick rest, and dropped dead within five minutes afterwards... then rose from the dead as a wight himself a short time later. More problematic is the fact that a wight can hold a monumentally large amount of dark magic, on top of what is used for animation, and with the right enchantments, that energy can be set to be channeled into a specific individual upon release. If one is in a state that makes them especially susceptible to dark magic, things will get much, much worse.

Curses are another interesting subject: While it is possible to cast a spell that will lay a curse directly upon an individual, such a spell creates a direct link between curser and cursee. This means that it is possible to track the caster, and if the caster is killed, the curse ends. However, there are ways of implanting a curse into a physical medium, a self-contained curse that will be both untraceable to its source, and extremely potent, provided you provide it with sufficient energy to be effective. If you're especially clever (And Lady Midnight Black is clever indeed), you can rig the curse to power itself off of the life energy of the victim, which will cause it to be effective until the cursed victim is dead... which is perfect if you intend to curse someone to death. Of course, once the curse finds its intended target, it will result in the destruction of the physical medium, but that's a small price to pay... if you're as fantastically wealthy as a noblepony, and don't mind losing a magical sword in the process of destroying an enemy.

Celestia, her expression one of great concern, asked, "Are you alright, Pan? You look a little... off." She, her sister, and Luna were standing guard over the wight's corpse while a a squad of guards were summoned to collect the wight's remains and take them away for examination. The would-be assassins had been dismissed, taken off to the guard's barracks to have official testimonies taken. It was important that things like that be done properly, after all.

Likewise, Straight Arrow and Wild Wing had left for the armory, in order to collect a bow and arrows worthy of the Emperor's new bodyguard. While the young pegasus' presence wasn't really needed, Celestia was not about to keep them apart: Few things were as powerful as teenage hormones, after all...

Rubbing at an upper foreleg absently, Pan admitted, "I'm a bit sore: It's been a while since I've gone full 'battle mode', and burning love that hard takes its toll. I'll be alright in a little bit." He'd mentioned before that, while no spell caster, he could use love to empower himself, but it was not something he did often. Still...

Raising an eyebrow, Celestia asked, "You, ah, glow green when you're burning love, right?"

Nodding absently, he said, "Right. Normally, it's blue, because my blood is that color, but when I'm using my powers, I glow green."

Her expression concerned, Celestia asked the bright green changeling, "Then why are you burning love right now?"

Looking down at his limbs in shock, taking in the green glow. Pan said, almost to himself, "Not good." His eyes had a faraway look to them for a moment, then he scowled angrily, stating, "Definitely not good: Something's trying to eat my life force, but my body is automatically replacing it by converting love energy: That's why I'm green right now. I think somepony just put a curse on me..."

Luna, surprised, asked, "You have experience with curses?"

With a snort, Pan admitted, "I've spent years living under Winter's curse. I've done some reading on the subject, hoping I could find a way to break it that didn't involve fighting him. Didn't work, but I learned a few things..."

"But when did you get cursed?" Celestia's expression of shock turned to one of anger as she realized, "The wight's blade!"

"Exactly," Pan agreed, growing concerned, "I should have realized when it broke like that: Enchanted blades don't break that easily unless they're meant to. Those twenty ponies weren't the wight's real target. I was..."

Luna, her expression growing increasingly concerned as the two were talking, said, "But you said that your body is using love energy to replace what is lost automatically, and you've been absorbing love non-stop since the day you arrived. So, this curse can't really hurt you... can it?"

Pan's expression grew distant again, then, his tone echoing the worry etched upon his face, said, "Normally, no, but... it seems like, the more it absorbs, the stronger the curse is getting, and the stronger it gets, the more energy it absorbs. It's a vicious cycle: The only way to keep the curse from killing me outright is to keep feeding it, but that's only serving to make the problem worse..." His tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth, he seemed to do some mental calculations. "Since we've been sitting here talking, it's consuming... ten percent, maybe eleven percent more per second? I can't say for sure, it's happening so fast. But to increase that much in only two minutes is bad. Given enough time... sooner or later, it'll exceed the amount of love I absorb, and then..." The catch the Celestia heard in the changeling's voice spoke volumes regarding the fear he was feeling. He might be putting up a calm front, although that may simply have been because the true terror of what he was facing had not yet fully set in, but he understood that his life was in very real danger...

Celestia, her expression stern, stated, "I won't let that happen. Let Luna and I take a look, and we'll see what we can do to shut it down."

Luna nodded, then said, "Right. I've got a bit of experience on this subject. As nasty as this one sounds, there's a number of ways to defeat a curse. I'll just need a moment to narrow down the right method." Luna's horn began to glow as she prepared to cast a spell, and then...

...And then suddenly she began screaming.

Celestia looked around, trying to see what was harming her sister. Pan, however, was the one who saw it first. Pointing at the ground with a hoof, the changeling drew the elder sister's attention to the source of Luna's distress: A black mist, previously unnoticed, was flowing out of the wight's body... and into Luna's.

In the space between one heartbeat and the next...

'Luna...'

The voice that sounded in Luna's head was both soft and sweet, yet also deep and dark, like chocolate and honey mixed together as one. It was the kind of voice that one might be willing to spend hours listening to. The kind of voice you'd imagine your ideal lover would have. And yet...

'Luna, your sister is holding you back...'

And yet there was just the slightest hint of an undercurrent to that voice...

'She's envious of you. She knows that, given the chance, you would surpass her in all ways...'

The most subtle of impressions...

'You could fly so much higher...'

That beneath that sweet, delicious flavor...

'If she were gone, you could have everything you've ever wanted...'

...there was a razorblade, hidden beneath the surface, ready to cut the tongue of the unwary.

'Kill her, Luna.'

"I refuse. Begone."

The darkness within Luna was struck mute by the princess' response. It had taken so long for it to get the chance to be heard, and she had refused without hesitation. But the darkness was so strong now, such a thing should not have been possible, and yet she had essentially given it a mareslap, one hard enough (metaphysically) that it had stung the darkness' metaphorical cheek.

It was all a matter of timing: If the darkness had struck just three days ago, when Luna was still weak, weary, and feeling horribly unappreciated, it would have had the princess hanging on her every word. It would have been over in seconds. But now...

...Instead of the easily molded clay of just a few days prior, Luna's will was now solid stone.

'But we could do so much better than her. If we were to just take down the sun, blanket the world in eternal night...'

"Then all life would end. The world needs the sun."

The voice hesitated at that. It was a supernatural embodiment of Luna's resentment, anger, and jealousy towards Celestia: Logic was not something that it was equipped to handle.

'But we could raise and lower the sun ourselves if need be...'

"Why should I have to? It's far easier when two can share the burden. Besides... I feel content in my current role."

Blast it, she was not making this easy. All of the little cracks in her resolve had been repaired, thanks to that blasted changeling and his interfering. Instead of feeling inferior to her sister, feeling unloved and unappreciated, Luna was now... complete. Whole. There was no longer an easy way in for the darkness to infect her completely. Forget a stone wall, Luna's mind was now sporting a barricade of solid adamantine. That was covered in razor wire. And was on fire. And was being guarded by angry tigers. That were also on fire.

A different tactic was going to be needed. If Celestia was no longer a useful target, then perhaps the changeling...

'Luna, Pan doesn't really love you.'

"He's never claimed to."

'And yet, you desire him.'

"Because of the..."

'No, you've desired him since the moment you first saw him. The potion is just an excuse.'

"...Maybe."

Jackpot.

'I could easily make him ours. He would never be able to resist our combined charms.'

"Maybe..."

'Just let me in.'

"No."

'Don't you want him, Luna?'

"I do..."

'Then why do you refuse me?'

"Because if he's going to be mine, I want it to be because of who I am, not because of whatever you are."

Drat. Well then, Plan C. If victory was not possible, then it was time to negotiate...

'You won't be able to help him as long as I'm here, and I'm already too strong for you to banish me.'

"I know. But I'm too strong for you to control me, else you wouldn't bother with trying to manipulate me."

'True. We are at an impasse. If we were to fight, we'd end up destroying one another. I certainly wouldn't want that to happen. After all, I am you, and you are me. So, I propose... a compromise.'

"...I'm listening."

'We'll each take what's most important to us: I'll leave your body, but I'll take the lion's share of your power with me. In exchange, you can keep your physical body, and I'll leave you just enough of your power that, in a few days, you'll recover to your full strength on your own. I'll find myself a new vessel elsewhere. Somepony who would truly appreciate what I have to offer...'

"...Very well, on one condition."

'Name it.'

"You leave Pan and my sister alone."

'...Deal.'

...Time continues.

Suddenly, an enormous mass of darkness erupted out of Luna with a roar fit to shake the heavens. The mass blocked the view of Luna for a split second, and when the the younger princess was visible again, Luna... had changed.

Where before her coat was a deep, dark blue, it was now a noticably lighter shade, and where her mane seemed to have contained a piece of the night sky within, it was now a normal looking shade of light blue. Strangely enough, she also seemed noticeably smaller and younger than before. With a gasp, Luna collapsed upon the floor, unconscious... or worse.

All of this was noticed in Pan's peripheral vision, as his attention was focused on the massive cloud of darkness that was filling the throne room. With a triumphant laugh, the mass proclaimed, "I AM FREE!"

That voice. No, it couldn't be...

The cloud escaped out the window, cackling triumphantly. Celestia looking in concern between the window the dark force had escaped from, and her fainted sister.

Pan shouted, "I'll see to Luna. You catch that thing before it can harm somepony!"

Nodding, Celestia sprang out the window without another word.

May future generations forgive me, Pan thought to himself as he took up Luna in his forelegs, breathing a sigh of relief as he felt a pulse at Luna's throat. I succeeded in preventing Luna from becoming Nightmare Moon... but I may have unleashed something much, much worse... with no means of stopping it.

Author's Note

Before you ask, yes, Luna did just revert to how she looked at the end of S1E2.

Four Minutes

"What just happened?"

Given that, until just a moment ago, Shimmering Radiance had been having an incredibly pleasant dream during her afternoon nap, her confusion was understandable. With no ceremony whatsoever, she was dropped from a five mile long table covered with cakes, pies and more into an office of some sort.

The office in question was surprisingly well-kept, like that of somepony who spent a lot of time there, and took care to keep everything in its proper place. There was also an almost overpowering smell of perfumes, colognes and more, which almost, but did not quite, cover up the distinctive odor of urine that permeated the room. Behind an antique wooden desk, the filly was surprised to see...

...him.

"I apologize for the abrupt summons, young lady," King Sombra said, "but I am afraid that there is not much time, and you're the only pony I can reach at this moment. I need your help to save the emperor."

Her eyes still wide with shock, 'Urchin' took stock for a moment: King Sombra just summoned a five year old filly to save Pan, the one who had murdered him? Can you count how many things are wrong with that statement? Her eyes narrowing, she asked, "Why?"

With a snort, the former tyrant stated, "At this moment, the Crystal Empire, neigh, all of Equestria, faces a threat far greater than anything you can imagine. Winter, King Of All Windigos, is camped outside of the city, and at his whim, all of the Crystal Empire and Equestria could be blanketed in an unending ice age. He has only stayed his hoof because he has found the emperor's actions to be interesting. If Pandinus Imperator dies, he'll lose interest, and he'll proceed with his plans unhindered." With a snort, he added, "My body will be restored in a thousand years, but it will be meaningless if I freeze to death within five minutes of coming back to life."

So, he was doing this for selfish reasons. 'Urchin' could accept that. "Alright," she said, easing back into the admittedly quite comfortable chair. "What's happening, and what do you need me to do? Oh, and how much are you paying me to do this for you?"

A small smile of approval crossed Sombra's face as he said, "A group of nobles who call themselves the Circle have conspired to place a death curse upon Pandinus Imperator. While Pan and the princesses recognize the threat of the curse, the only pony who could have realized the full extent of the threat is currently unconscious, and will be for some time."

Her eyes widened in disbelief, Shimmering Radiance asked, "What exactly is the problem here?" A death curse? That sounded bad. Really, really bad...

Sighing sadly, Sombra said, "The curse works in two stages: In its default state, it drains the life force of the victim until the individual in question is dead." Chuckling, the tyrant admitted, "The emperor's unique biology has bought him some time, and if the curse were to remain in its default state, he would have days before the curse could overpower him. However, the curse has a second stage, a failsafe, just in case somepony manages to figure out a way to stall it. After half an hour, it will change tactics, and instead of draining the emperor's life force, it will begin to stop his heart."

Her jaw dropping, Shimmering Radiance asked, "How... how long ago..." If there was that short a span of time, then the emperor could be dead before Shimmering Radiance got to him!

His eyes narrowed, Sombra said, "In this place, time moves differently, so we have hours, if need be, to ready ourselves. However, as soon as you awaken, you will have only four minutes to save the emperor. I'll be too busy elsewhere to walk you through this, so I must rely upon you to complete this mission on your own, with all possible speed, else all is lost."

Crossing her forelegs over her chest, 'Urchin' said, "Challenge accepted. What do I need to do?"

4:00

Springing out of bed, Shimmering Radiance immediately began readying the spell that Sombra had taught her during the dream. It was a teleportation spell, and sadly, it had a very short range. Due to her youth and inexperience with magic, it was limited to a range of only three body-lengths. However, it was very quick, very easy to remember, and used very little energy to cast. It wouldn't get her where she was going in one jump, but...

Poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof...

She wasn't going to be making just one jump today...

The dark force was getting properly peeved with the princess' persistent pursuit. It had understood that Celestia would be determined to capture and/or destroy the newly freed entity before it could do harm, but it was really getting annoying, having to dodge energy blasts like this.

However, while the entity promised she'd leave Celestia and Pan alone, Luna had not set any guidelines on what 'leaving them alone' meant... or for how long.

Time for the hunter to become the hunted.

3:00

Had Gold Coin been drinking anything when Shimmering Radiance appeared in front of him, he'd have likely spit it out all over her face, inventing the spit take centuries before its time. As it was, his expression would have been priceless, had the situation not been so dire.

With no explanation, or even a delay, the filly grabbed the colt, and with no further ado, they were off.

Poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof...

Celestia was taken completely off guard, when the mass of dark energy suddenly reversed its direction, and assaulted her. In less than a second, the... whatever it was had enveloped her. She could see and hear nothing, and within moments, she found herself immobilized.

And then she heard it...

'Celestia...'

2:30

Gold Coin and Shimmering Radiance were teleporting down the central stairwell of the Crystal Palace, moving from nearly to the top of the great structure to the ground floor. If they'd been moving on foot, it would be a trip of over half an hour at a walk. Instead, the breakneck pace they were moving at would have been almost suicidally dangerous without magic to assist them. But even at this speed, 'Urchin' feared that they might not make it in time...

Poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof poof...

Why were there so many stairs in the Crystal Palace? Honestly, it was simply atrocious. From what Sombra had told her, the tyrant had actually hated stairways himself: He could imagine nothing more irritating than having to go up and downs stairs for hours at a time...

For all her magical might, Celestia's mental defenses were not as air-tight as Luna's. The dark force had an all access pass to her memories, her most private thoughts, and was cheerfully pulling information from Celestia's mind to use against the elder alicorn. And oh, what an abundance of issues that she had...

'Oh, poor, lonely, pathetic Celestia...'

"Stop it!"

'All this time, you've been looking after your little ponies, and what do you have to show for it?'

"Stop it..."

'An empty bed each night. A sister who resents you for being better than her. Ponies who don't take you seriously. And after all you do for them?'

"Please..."

'You show them so much kindness. So much leniency. You give them everything you can... and they walk all over you! They violate the laws you made in order to protect them, and think themselves great. They toy with dark forces that could destroy them in a heartbeat, and think themselves so clever. They throw every act of kindness in your face, and laugh at how pathetic they think you are when your back is turned.'

"I don't want to hear this..."

'You hold the power of the sun. They should be thankful for every day you don't reduce their cities to ash! You are power beyond their comprehension! They should build statues wrought in the purest gold of your monumental visage, compose epic poems praising your magnificent beauty! Every other word out of their mouths should be praise for you, and only you! They should love you! Respect you! FEAR YOU!!!'

"Please... no more..."

This was magnificent. It was all so easy. Celestia, beneath that iron facade, was so weak inside that it was ridiculous. So abysmally weak, so long as you knew the right buttons to push So much power, in the hooves of somepony who never truly wanted it, but was too responsible to foist it upon another... normally. The irony was delightful. Just a little further now, and the dark force would hold both the power of Luna and Celestia...

'I could take it away from you, Celestia. All the power, the responsibility... the pain. Give me your power. I can use it far better than you ever could...'

"I..."

'You could settle down, find a good stallion to be your husband. Live a nice, simple life. You know, the kind you once dreamed about before all of this responsibility was forced down your throat. You, the perfect little scapegoat, the sin eater who was always forced to choke down the bitter taste of power you never wanted. The responsibility no one else was willing to shoulder.'

"i..."

'You could have a foal of your own. As many as you like, in fact. The one thing you've wanted all your life, but has been denied to you. Just give in, and you can finally be the mother you've always wanted to be...'

"..."

'All you have to do is...'

SURPRISE, MOTHERPLUCKER!!!

0:30

Finally at the base of the Crystal Palace, with only seconds left, Shimmering Radiance was exhausted. The first time she'd ever used magic, and she'd done the equivalent of running a marathon.. But they were here, with time to spare. One final jump, and both Gold Coin and Shimmering Radiance stood before the Crystal Heart itself.

Poof...

Panting, she said, "I, Shimmering Radiance, by the power vested in me as a citizen of the Crystal Empire, and as Archduchess of the Golden Groves, do hereby nominate Emperor Pandinus Imperator the First, Ruler of the Crystal Empire And All Who Doth Dwell Within, for full citizenship, and all the rights that come with it."

There was a deep hum, and the Crystal Heart began to spin in place. A few seconds later, a voice, soft and feminine, replied, "Your motion has been heard. In order for the motion to be carried, it must be approved by the current ruler of the realm, his chancellor, or another authorized representative, should neither be available at this time."

At a nudge from Shimmering Radiance, Gold Coin said, "I, Gold Coin, am the acting chancellor for the Crystal Empire while my father is ill. I give my approval for this motion." Turning towards the filly, Gold asked, "Now, mind explaining what's going on here?"

Before Shimmering Radiance could respond, the Crystal Heart suddenly released a flash of nearly blinding light.

The dark force fled, screaming, from Celestia's mind and body, badly injured. It had been blindsided, suddenly faced with two opponents instead of one. Celestia, once she had rallied, had suddenly transformed from a whimpering weakling into a ferocious assailant, bombarding the dark force with devastating blows. And as for the other...

...Who would have expected King Sombra to show up then and there?

Thankfully, Celestia was not pursuing, or the dark force might very well have been vanquished in short order. The alicorn was... unnerved, it seemed, after how close the darkness had come to claiming her...

*My apologies for the intrusion, your highness.*

"I'll forgive you for it, this time. Luna had told me a little of your involvement in recent events, but I'd not truly believed it until now. I am... indebted to you. That thing caught me off guard, and for a moment, the temptation to submit was almost unbearably strong."

*You are, in the end, only equine, your highness. I... succumbed to similar temptations myself once, and I was nowhere near as strong as you are. Had there been another to lend me a helping hoof... Well, life is filled with what-ifs.*

"Indeed." Celestia gave a long, weary sigh, then admitted, "I am too exhausted, mentally, to chase that thing down now. If it were to ambush me again, I do not think I could resist it."

*Leave it be for now. We were able to strike a mighty blow against it, together: It will need time to recover, to lick its wounds. I doubt that it could do much now until it finds a host... and in its current state, it would only be able to take somepony with no will whatsoever...*

"Very well. I shall deal with that abomination later."

*Good. Head to the palace, events are transpiring there that may require your assistance. I'll keep an eye on that thing, and inform you of any developments.*

"That will be most helpful. And Sombra?"

*Yes?*

"...Thank you. For saving me."

My pleasure.

0:01

Time fades even legend, and the origin of the Crystal Heart has been lost long ago. But its purpose remains: To safeguard the citizens of the Crystal Empire, and protect them from the dark forces that would do harm to them.

Dark forces... like curses.

Pan held Luna as she slept, the princess still not having regained consciousness. The changeling had taken the precaution of moving the wight's corpse to the side of the throne room opposite the two of them, but he doubted it was necessary: Whatever energy the wight had held had dissipated, having done its work. The changeling just wished that Luna would wake up, so the two of them could work out what had happened... and how to undo this stupid curse.

He had to admit, she looked incredibly cute like this. The changeling idly wondered if this was what she had looked like before she'd become an immortal...

Pan's thoughts were interrupted when he felt a sudden, stabbing pain in his chest for a split second, then it was suddenly gone, replaced by something else, something soothing. He was startled to find the sudden drain upon his life force and stockpiled love energy was gone in the same breath. And then, something else happened...

Winter felt a sudden shock as his curse was suddenly dispelled from Pandinus Imperator. While not truly painful, it was a surprising occurrence: It had been centuries since somepony had found a way to disrupt the curse that didn't involve suicide...

Still, the windigo was so enraptured by the newest player on the field that he was only momentarily distracted. This... dark force was incredibly interesting. For the first time in his existence, the father of all Windigoes licked his lips, not in hunger or anticipation of a feast, but from a lust of a different sort. If this was what love at first sight was like, Winter suddenly understood the emotion's appeal. He wanted this entity, not as a meal, delicious as it might be, but for radically different reasons.

Eternity is a rather long time to be alone, after all...

For the first time in years, Pan suddenly felt free of the burden of Winter's curse. It was as if a weight, one carried for ages, was suddenly off of his back. He could scarcely believe it. What had just happened?

Luna stirred suddenly, and opened her eyes. After spotting Pan, she rose quickly, her expression one of great concern. "Pan? Are you alright?"

Pan tilted his head to the side questioningly, then said, "I was going to ask you the same thing. You had us worried: Your sister only started chasing after that... whatever it was after I told her I'd look after you. We were both worried that..."

Before he could say more, Luna asked, "Are you certain you're alright?"

Chuckling, Pan said, "I've never felt better. Something just happened that removed the death curse... and took care of Winter's curse in the bargain. I'm not sure what, but I'm not about to question it. Why do you ask?"

"You... you've stopped glowing," Luna said, "And... your carapace is turning white."

Uh oh...

The Crystal Cancer

"So what, exactly, is happening to me?"

It had taken a little over two hours to get this meeting set up. Nevermind the fact that Pen Stroke was ill, and even with his caretaker willing to assist, it was slow going, getting him moved to the throne room. Nevermind the fact that, in order for King Sombra to be present, a full-length mirror had to be brought in. Nevermind, even, the fact that it took a lot of convincing to allow Sombra to attend this meeting, given that Straight Arrow, Gold Coin, Wild Wing, and Pen Stroke had obvious reasons to be distrustful of the tyrant. What made the setup take so long was the fact that the Crystal Heart had to be discreetly relocated from its usual place of honor at the base of the palace to here, in the throne room.

The sun was now setting, and the rest of the palace was shutting down for the night for the most part. But here, in this room, the fate of the city, if not all of Equestria, was going to be determined. Present were both of the princesses, the Crystal Emperor, the chancellor and his son, the chancellor's caretaker, Shimmering Radiance, Straight Arrow, Wild Wing, King Sombra (via the previously mentioned mirror), and the Crystal Heart.

This was the second strangest meeting that Pan had ever attended.

The Crystal Heart, its radiance flickering in time with its words, stated matter-of-factly, "Upon being made a full-fledged citizen of the Crystal Empire, you became eligible for all of the benefits that come with that status. In addition to the removal of all curses that have been placed upon you, there are additional perks to be considered, the most important being that you are now linked to this unit. You are currently connected to the Crystal Network, meaning that your body is now linked both to the Crystal Heart and your fellow citizens."

After a moment, Sombra, via the mirror, added, "And since you're now linked to the heart, a metamorphosis has been triggered." The image of Sombra shifted, his expression turning thoughtful, and after a moment, he said, "The closest parallel I can give for your current state is the Axolotl..."

Celestia, chuckling, said, "You may want to explain a little bit more, for those present who aren't quite as knowledgable on such an unusual subject."

Pan would have almost sworn that Sombra blushed, then the former-tyrant cleared his throat, then said, "Ah, yes, sorry, I admit it is a somewhat obscure creature. I'll explain: The Axolotl is an amphibious salamander that is found in only a single lake a considerable distance south from Equestria. It lives in an extremely isolated region, where food is quite scarce. This creature is unique in that it has a 'adult' form that it almost never uses: At some point in the distant past, this fascinating specimen's ancestors stopped developing into this 'adult' form, a larger salamander that no longer possesses gills, and instead continued to exist in its juvenile state for the rest of its life. This is considered a survival trait that may have been brought about by scarcity of food or other vital nutrients: A small juvenile needs less food than a larger adult. However, under very specific circumstances, that 'adult' state can still be induced. Essentially, the body 'remembers' that this adult form exists, and under the right circumstances, the salamander can still mature."

Pan, nodding, asked, "And by being 'connected' to the Crystal Heart, and the Crystal Ponies, my body has 'remembered' that I'm not actually supposed to be a changeling, but something else?"

"Precisely," Sombra said with a nod. "Now, this metamorphosis is proceeding... well, I want to say slowly, but most metamorphoses move at a much slower pace. Yours is moving at almost breakneck speed in comparison, but it is still taking time to progress. At your body's current rate of change, from what I can determine from here, the entire process will take seventy-two hours, after which... well, your body will be what it was always intended to be."

Wild Wing, an eyebrow raised, asked, "A crystal pony?"

"Partially correct," the Crystal Heart interjected, "but also partially incorrect."

Luna and Celestia asked, almost in unison, "What does that mean?"

The heart remained silent.

Sombra rolled his eyes, on the other side of the looking glass, then said, "You'll have to forgive the heart. From what I have learned in my research, it can be difficult to work with, even in the best of times, and these are hardly the best of times. Between the actions of certain ponies inside of the Crystal Empire, and my own... ill-advised activities, the relic is not in the best of shape."

"What," Pan asked, his obviously confused, "do you mean, ponies inside of the Crystal Empire?"

With a long, weary sigh, Sombra asked, "If the Crystal Heart were working properly, do you really think that a warlock like myself, heavily saturated with dark magic, could have entered this city? That the dark entity that you saw a short time ago would be able to thrive in this place, instead of instantly being destroyed? That Winter, who should normally be unable to come within miles of this city, would be camped out on your doorstep, feeding on hate energy? There is a cancer here in the Crystal Empire, a cancer named The Circle. That cancer is weakening the city's defenses, so that forces normally unable to dwell here are thriving. A cancer that will eventually kill this city if it is not dealt with."

Pan's expression turned serious as he asked, "And where did this 'cancer' originate from?"

Looking over at Celestia, Sombra said, "I think you might have a better idea than I do, Celestia."

Her expression one of great sorrow, Celestia admitted, "I do. I recognized the make of that wight's armor." Looking over at Pan, the elder princess said, "Unless I miss my guess, the Circle began fifteen years ago, after what is now being called 'The Black Feather War'."

Later immortalized in plays on both the equine and griffonic sides, the Black Feather War would, a thousand years from now, still considered one of the bloodiest wars ever fought on Equestrian soil. While the Griffin Kingdoms had long been at peace with Equestria, unrest had been brewing for several generations, practically since griffins and ponies first encountered one another. This unrest would eventually result in a full scale invasion...

The ruler of the Griffin Kingdoms, and the majority of his subjects, was elated to find, during maritime explorations of distant lands, a new race of sapient creatures that were friendly, peaceful, and happy to engage in commerce. Trade began immediately, and before long, the two races were amongst the closest of allies. However, there were some who, upon finding out just how abundant in natural resources Equestria was, thought that instead of being friends, the griffins should be masters, and the ponies their slaves... or perhaps just food. Part of this may have had to do with the fact that griffins were omnivores, and ponies were herbivores. Regardless of the reasons, for several generations, there was a faction in the GK that made it clear they thought that ponies were inferior, and tried to pressure their king into a war of conquest.

The king, naturally, refused, having a far better idea than the 'Black Feather' faction did of Equestria's true strength, but over time, the Feathers grew in influence, and in power. For generations, they secretly built a force to conquer Equestria. Once their hold on Equestria was secure and they had the wealth and power of the realm at their disposal, they planned to return home and seize control of the Griffonic throne for themselves. Finally, fifteen years ago, the Black Feather faction took to their ships and sailed across the ocean.

The war that ensued was a bloodbath on both sides. The invading griffins had superior strength, armor, weaponry, and unlike ponies (or the majority of griffinkind), they were more than willing to employ dark magic. Further, the griffins, due to the combination of their nature, and their history of internal strife, were far superior warriors than the ponies, possessing a great deal more genuine combat experience.

But being superior warriors did not make them superior soldiers. The Black Feathers had drastically underestimated the fighting spirit of ponykind, and while the ponies were peace-loving, they were not afraid to fight to protect their homes.

Equestria's standing army was easily twice the size of the entire invading force (and this included all of the camp followers that came with the Black Feathers), and when you take into account each settlement's militia, and the number of young stallions who would happily enlist in time of war, as well as the number that, in an emergency, be conscripted to serve, the army that Equestria could field was more than twenty times greater. Equestria's standing army is also considered the best trained and most disciplined in the world: There is just something in equine nature that makes them naturals at working together. The variety in the forces that Equestria could field was also a major factor: Pegasai brought vicious storms down, preventing the griffins from taking to the air; unicorns unleashed potent battle spells, raining destruction upon enemy formations; earth pony heavy infantry smashed their foes with sheer brute strength. And when Celestia and Luna took the field...

Well, it's a testament to the strength of the invading force that they were able to hold as well as they did in the face of such awesome power.

All of this put together meant that the two forces were equally matched. Over the course of one year, the Equestrians and the Black Feathers fought against one another, and while more ponies died in that year than had died in the last decade, the griffins could make no lasting progress towards a real victory. Even with Celestia's and Luna's involvement, the war was locked in a stalemate...

...until an army from the Griffin Kingdoms arrived, flanked the Black Feather forces, and, working together with the Equestrian army, annihilated the Black Feathers utterly. There was peace between pony and griffin again, the prerequisite 'much rejoicing' was experienced, and everypony returned home, hoping to rebuild their lives.

But very quickly, the princesses found that something had happened to their subjects.

It is unknown if it was simply the trauma of war, the influence of the dark magic unleashed upon the battlefield, or if the violent bloodshed had revealed to some ponies an 'appetite' that they'd never known they'd had. Regardless of the reasons, among the veterans of the Black Feather War were now psychotics, sadists, and dabblers in the black arts. Not all of the veterans were of this vile ilk, naturally, but nearly all of the individuals suddenly indulging in these villainous activities were either part of the army when the war was on... or had been victims of the cruelties inflicted by the Black Feather army whenever an equine settlement was captured.

A sickness had taken root in Equestria, and both Celestia and Luna were working hard to expel it as quickly as possible. While they were making great strides, there was still a long ways to go before the matter was fully resolved...

"Blessedly, the Crystal Empire had seemed to be completely devoid of such dark doings," Celestia concluded, "but it seems, now, that instead of being absent, it was simply hidden beneath the surface, festering."

Looking at Sombra, Pan said, "So, the presence of this... 'Circle' was what allowed you to enter the Crystal Empire in the first place?"

Nodding somberly, the former tyrant admitted, "Yes. The Crystal Heart was intended to protect the Crystal Ponies from evil outside influences. However, it was not intended to protect them from themselves." Sighing, Sombra added, "When the members of the Circle returned from the war, they were different from the ponies who had left. Some had developed a taste for sadism, having found pleasure in torturing prisoners of war for information. Some had a new-found urge to commit murder, acquired from fighting for so long on bloody, violent battlefields. Others had taken an interest in dark magic, having witnessed its effectiveness firsthoof. These ponies, realizing that they were now radically different from their fellows, banded together in order to sate their dark desires without their true selves revealed to the world at large. Their actions weakened the Crystal Heart: They no longer supplied hope and love to the relic, and many of their actions instead fed it hatred and despair. After fifteen years of such abuse, the relic was weak enough that I could walk right in and take it without even feeling the slightest tingle."

Luna, her expression grave, asked, "But surely it's recovering now?"

Nodding, Sombra admitted, "It is, for now. The Crystal Ponies now have, thanks to their new leader, renewed hope for a brighter tomorrow. However, it cannot remain at this level of intensity forever. If the Circle is not dealt with, and soon, then eventually the Crystal Heart will begin to weaken again."

Scowling, Pen Stroke admitted, "While I am loath to admit it, I have to agree with Sombra. There's been something... off about the city since the end of the war. I could never put my hoof on it, but it seemed as though the realm did not shine as brightly as it did in my youth. I had, initially, put it down as nostalgia, and later to depression over the loss of my wife, but now..." The pony began to experience a coughing fit, preventing him from going on.

Tender Loving Care, the chancellor's nursemaid, began administering a medication to the ill pony, then added, "I can testify to something similar: When I was but five summers old, my father brought me here. When he and I first crossed the threshold into the city proper, this place was so bright it was dazzling. I could not have imagined a city more radiant, more incredibly beautiful, than this one. However, when I entered the city just a couple of days ago, it seemed nowhere near as glorious as it did in my youth. It was still bright, and beautiful, but it was somehow... subdued, almost as if the city was smiling, even though it was badly injured. Like Pen Stroke, I wrote it off as nostalgia."

"I think..." Pan began, his expression grave, "it goes deeper than that: When I first came here, there seemed to be some sort of... apathy amongst the citizens. I mean, yes, everypony was happy Sombra was gone, but..." Clearing his throat, he added, "Maybe it's just the difference between how ponies are now and how they'll be a thousand years from now, but..."

Shimmering Radiance, formerly 'Urchin', smiled and asked, "But in the time you come from, the idea of a five year old filly living on the streets with nopony to watch over her would have been unthinkable?"

Bright girl, that one. "Exactly," Pan said, nodding. "There you were, in a crowd of ponies, obviously underfed, unwashed, and alone. The Equestria I saw a thousand years from now would have had a fight break out over who got to adopt you, but here, you were practically invisible to everyone but me." His expression turning thoughtful, the changeling said, "If the Crystal Ponies and the Crystal Heart are connected, and the actions of the Circle are corrupting the relic..."

Straight Arrow, his eyes widening, caught on faster than anypony else in the room (Which does him credit, since the room contained several of the smartest ponies in Equestria, as well as the only true expert in the world on the subject of the Crystal Heart), and exclaimed, "Then the corruption is spreading from the Circle, to the Crystal Heart, and then into the rest of the Crystal Ponies here!"

"Affirmative," the Crystal Heart stated in a dull monotone.

The looks of horror on every pony in the room would have to be seen to be believed. Even Sombra looked mortified, which was saying something. This was... worse than any kind of mind control that the tyrant had used. Instead of the ponies being made too fearful, too meek to resist the wizard's reign, the Circle's actions were eating away at everything that made ponies what they were...

Nodding, Pan stated, "Exactly. Sombra compared the Circle to a cancer, and I can think of no better way to describe it. When one suffers from a cancer, a small 'rebellion' in a single organ, left untreated, slowly kills off the body as a whole. These... monsters are eating away at the heart and soul of this city, and left untreated, it will not be long until every pony becomes as vicious and corrupt as they are. This... Circle needs to be removed, as soon as possible."

Nodding, Luna said, "Agreed." Turning towards the mirror, she asked, "Sombra, would you be able to tell us the identities of the members of this 'Circle'?"

Shaking his head, Sombra said, "I cannot." At the surprised expressions of the ponies around the room, he clarified, "It's not a matter of not wanting to: Though I rule Tartarus, I am bound by magical restrictions that minimize the influence I have with the outside world. I have exploited certain loopholes in order to aid you thus far, but there are limits to what I can accomplish." With a snort, the tyrant admitted, "I had to play a three hour word game with a noble named Golden Grace in order to tell him how to prevent a series of assassinations that were planned just a short time ago. I cannot give the specific names of any individuals if doing so will result in that individual's secrets being revealed." After a moment, the wizard's expression perked up, and he added, "Ah, speaking of, I should probably check on him..." The tyrant turned away from the mirror and vanished...

Was it Pan's imagination, or did Tender Loving Care suddenly look very uncomfortable at the mention of assassinations? Well, he couldn't blame her: All of this madness was making the changeling himself feel uncomfortable, and he'd grown up in an atmosphere like this...

Sombra returned, his expression horrified. "I... your highnesses, something terrible has happened. It... it would be better if you just looked out over the balcony.."

Looking outside, towards the city, Pan saw it first, against a sky having finally turned black: There was a mansion burning brightly in the distance...

The Wager

"I've got marshmallows!"

Startled, Pan's head whipped around to see who was speaking. He knew that voice, it was one he had heard in his nightmares, over and over again. Not just the voice itself, but that tone, as if everything in the world was a joke, and the speaker was the only one who got it. The one being in the world that the changeling hated more than any other...

Winter.

Pan was shocked to find that, instead of the massive, hulking figure that he'd seen years ago (or from now. Stupid time travel tenses made Pan's head hurt), this time, the embodiment of hatred was now more... compact. While certainly larger and more muscular than any pony in the room, he wasn't quite as monstrous as before. Somehow, that only made him all the more imposing....

Seeming to notice the surprise on the faces of Pan and everypony else, the father of all windigoes chuckled and said, "Do you like the new look? I have to admit, I was worried that you might not recognize me, but I suspect that a sixty-hoof-tall windigo suddenly entering the city would cause a panic, so I thought that something a bit more subtle would be called for. This discussion will go a little easier if we're able to speak face to face without you having to calm down a city full of panicked ponies at the same time." Looking at Sombra's mirror, the immortal added, "Of course, it was tricky, arranging all of this while Mister 'Crystal Slaves' was watching, but it is amazing what I can do with all the power I now have at my disposal. I can even be in two places at once!" For a moment, the windigo split into two ponies, then reformed back into one. "But enough of that. I came here to talk, not fight, so let us keep things civil, hmmm?"

Celestia, who had been preparing a spell, stopped herself. It seemed she realized that, if a fight broke out here, there'd be too many casualties. Luna was weakened, Celestia was weary, and the room was filled with civilians. It would get very ugly if a fight broke out...

Regardless, it took everything that Pan had to keep himself from whipping out the Converter and using it on the abomination before him... and he wasn't alone. It was clear that Luna and Celestia were equally furious about Winter's presence.

Shimmering Radiance, clearly confused, asked, "Who are you?"

"Oh, where are my manners!" The windigo put on an expression of feigned horror, and said, "A thousand pardons. I just assumed that everypony here would immediately recognize me. Allow me to introduce myself: I am Winter, father of all windigoes. Pleased to meet you, you are much more adorable up close."

Pointing at the burning mansion in the distance, Celestia asked, her voice filled with anger, "Was that your doing?"

Clucking his tongue and shaking his head sadly, Winter said, "Tut, tut, do I look like the kind of pony who plays with fire? No, that wasn't me, that was my new ladyfriend. She's a bit more... mercurial than I am at the best of times, and when she found her new host, well, that host had some very definite ideas about what should be done to the nobles of Equestria." His expression brightening, he added, "Ah, but I come bearing good news! I have, coming here at this very moment, somepony who will bring you a veritable bonanza of information that you can use in your little war against the Circle... and since he is under my protection, he'll be certain to get here in spite of all the obstacles being thrown into his path, but only so long as you listen to what I have to say."

Swallowing his anger, and his pride, Pan nodded and said, "I'm listening."

Chuckling, Winter began inspecting the bottom of one hoof, as if only half-interested in the ponies before him, as he said, "As I mentioned, my new lady friend has some very definite ideas towards the nobility, especially this... Circle. That's primarily due to her current hostess, but I have to admit, I'm not a fan of them myself: I do what I do because it's what I am, but they are ponies, and have no right to behave in this manner. Now me, I like this city, and I like you, Your Imperial Bugginess. You've become the most entertaining thing I've seen in ages, and I'd hate to see you go." With a shrug, he added, "My ladyfriend, not so much. She wants to burn out this cancer you were talking about, and she currently has more than enough power to do so. However, I have convinced her to stay her hoof, and give you the opportunity to settle this on your own. But only on the condition of you getting the job done within a certain timeframe."

Her eyes narrowed and her voice shaking with barely contained disgust, Luna asked, "What's the deadline?"

His voice calm, almost serene, Winter said, "Three sunrises. Three sunsets. Three days. If you have not purged the Circle, root, branch, and leaves, by the end of the third sunset, my ladyfriend will burn them all, and every pony that gets in her way. And every pony within fifty hooves of those ponies. And their closest family members and loved ones. And probably their pets, too: We're still negotiating on that one, since I happen to be fond of cats and dogs." Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Winter added, "Oh, and I'll also encase this fine city in ice for a thousand years, as punishment for everypony here failing to find this threat on their own and resolve it before now. And I'll also lock the rest of Equestria in a perpetual blizzard, just for giggles."

Grinding his teeth, Pan asked, "And if we do manage to do it, what do you and your ladyfriend have to offer us?"

Rubbing his chin in thought, Winter said, "Well, you know, I hadn't thought about that. I guess it would be cruel to threaten you with a stick without offering you a carrot as well. Here's what I'll offer you: Provided you manage to succeed in defeating the Circle, my ladyfriend and I will not only leave your fine city alone, but we'll also offer you a promise of non-interference in Equestria for, oh, say, the next thousand years."

That would be a tempting offer, Pan had to admit: With Luna currently depowered, and from what Pan had heard, Celestia being barely a match for the dark force before it had found a host, a direct confrontation with Winter and his new 'lady friend' would be suicidal. Pan almost agreed to the terms, but then a thought occurred to him...

Why not sweeten the pot?

"That does sound tempting," Pan stated, then added, "But certainly not enough: You're threatening wide-scale destruction and imprisonment for the entire city if we lose, and all you're offering is that you'll pack up and leave if we succeed. Who is taking the bigger risk here? If it's a wager we're talking about here, you have to offer something of equal value."

With an amused snort, the windigo said, "Equivalent exchange? Fair enough. What else would you want?"

A half-smile crossing his features, Pan said, "I was told, not that long ago, that if you are killed, whoever slays you ends up inheriting your powers, and that your mind takes over the body of the 'lucky' recipient. If we win, that changes: Whoever next kills you gets your powers, and you? You die for good."

Pan heard the gasps of surprise from Luna and Celestia behind him, as well as the other ponies in the room. It was, admittedly, an audacious demand to make of an immortal who could have crushed the changeling like, well, like a bug. Still, Winter's reaction was remarkable: For the first time that Pan could recall, the windigo looked startled. His eyes widened in shock, and for just a few seconds, his jaw dropped. Then, with a click, he shut his mouth, and then the windigo began to chuckle merrily.

"Oh, I knew you were going to be fun the moment I saw you, Imperator. Yes, I think I could live with that. It should make the next fight I get into much more interesting." Extending a hoof, the windigo said, "I accept your terms. If you succeed, not only shall we leave for a thousand years, but I shall accept true death the next time I am defeated in battle. If you fail, well, it won't go well for your city or anyone in it. Shake on it?"

Taking Winter's hoof, Pan shook it and said, "Deal. Now, you said somepony was on his way here with information?"

His expression serious, the windigo said, "Indeed. He'll have quite a story to tell you when he arrives, although he won't be coming here alone. Your guards will be spotting him shortly. In the meantime, I must be off: As pleasant as your city is, being this close to that relic makes me... itchy." With no more than that, the windigo ran to the balcony, jumped over the railing, and flew off. A moment later, a fiery shape shot out from the burning mansion and joined him...

Almost immediately afterwards, a guardspony entered the room, obviously out of breath. "Your eminence," the guard said, still panting, " A small party of citizens has arrived, indicating that they have urgent information for you and the princesses."

With a last look out over the balcony, he said, "Very well. Bring all of them up."

The guard, looking nervous, said, "Sir, one member of the party has a deathmark brand on his face." At the emperor's obviously confused expression, the guard explained, "He was found guilty of at least one count of murder and sentenced to execution, but a noble paid to have that sentence suspended, so long as the criminal remained on the noble's estate. We would have had him executed on sight, but the rest of the party is vouching for him."

That... what the flock was with that? Who in their right mind would willingly hire a convicted murderer to work on their estate?

Almost immediately, the answer came to Pan: Somepony with a lot to hide, and wanted to make sure that they had at least one pony on the staff who would do whatever they were told, without question. That would be exactly the kind of servant the Circle would find desirable. After all, who would believe a convicted murderer over the word of a noble? More importantly, if it meant death if the marked pony left the estate, then they'd have no way of leaving the noble's service that didn't involve a headspony's block. Worse, if the criminal was already a convicted murderer, then that meant the noble had a hatchet-stallion available if there was somepony who needed to be killed...

"We'll refrain from performing any summary executions for now," Pan stated, formally. "Bring the entire group up: I think they might have a lot to tell us..."

Monsters Are Closer Than They Appear

"Well, cousin, I must say, I am so happy that you came to see me!"

Two hours ago...

Golden Grace, alongside his secretary (Or Dream Charmer, The Lame Horse, if you prefer), were being given the grand tour of the grounds with Scarlet Wake. They'd arrived a few hours ago, and while Golden had his suspicions, thanks to the information that Sombra had provided, the noble had yet to see anything definitive that could confirm the allegations the tyrant had made. Still, if things were as dark here as the information provided implied, it would almost be certain to be hidden.

Still, it was unsettling that they were being shadowed by one of the most enormous earth ponies that Grace had ever seen. The fellow had more muscle in one foreleg than Golden had in his entire body. The pony also had a face, with or without the mark, that would have made King Sombra say, 'That is one intimidating pony right there.' Still, the fact that the pony in question had a deathmark brand on his face made him all the more terrifying.

The deathmark was a practice put into place just a few years ago: Some of the nobility expressed an opinion that, rather than killing them outright, they could repay their debt to society through hard labor. While there'd been a few nobles who had objected, the argument that, since the individuals in question were not executed, their punishment could be revoked if proof of their innocence ever came to light, was able to silence the opposition.

Regardless, even if all the fellow was doing was just walking along silently, the knowledge that a convicted murderer was within a few paces of him worried Golden Grace greatly...

Putting on his best poker face, Golden Grace smiled, then stated, "Well, you know how important it is that the two of us look after one another."

Scarlet Wake looked incredibly sad for a moment, which startled Golden Grace, although he did not let it show on his face. Scarlet was not prone to letting his emotions show...

"Yes," Scarlet said, his expression turning wistful, "It is important that we look out for one another. I had promised your parents that I'd look after you, after all."

That was an old story: Back during the Black Feather War, both Golden's and Scarlet's parents had served as officers in the armed forces. While he did not know the details, Scarlet and his parents were captured during one of the early battles in the war, and were... interrogated for an extended period. While his parents had died, Scarlet had managed to escape from his captors and alerted the main army of the enemy's location. Not long afterwards, Golden's parents had died, although their death was due to an outbreak of cholera (The Black Feathers would often send in agents to befoul water and food supplies during the war). On their deathbeds, Scarlet Wake, but twelve years old at the time, had promised his aunt and uncle that he would keep watch over Golden Grace, who was but six at the time.

For all that Scarlet could be an idiot at times, and an overly ambitious one at that, Golden had to admit that his older cousin had stuck to that promise... which made the fact that Scarlet was a traitor the the crown all the more heartbreaking.

His expression somber, Scarlet said, "We need to talk, cousin, and I know just the place to do so. Step right this way."

"You are certain," the dark force asked, "that I can find a host in there?"

The dark force had chosen to hide in the city's drainage system: Filled with dark tunnels, and rarely entered unless something was clogging the channels, it was the perfect place for it to hide and gather strength while it recovered. Thankfully, unlike some cities, the Crystal Empire's sewer system was only used for the drainage of rainwater, rather than 'waste', sending water out into the fields where it could do the most good.

Winter, chuckling, examined the roiling cloud of darkness, then said, "Oh yes. In your current state, you cannot take control of any pony who has any sort of will to resist right now... but you can still merge yourself with a pony willing to accept your offer of power. That rather narrows your list of possible candidates, but it does not wipe it out completely. There are a few beings that you could choose from, but most of them are in places that are magically protected."

There was an impression of the creature rolling its eyes (Which it currently lacked), then it said, "Obviously, I am aware of that. But you say this individual is hidden only behind mundane defenses?"

Nodding, the windigo's expression turned serious. He stated, "Yes, but you will not have a lot of time. The individual in question will only be available for a short while longer. You'll understand why when you get there. I suggest you hurry: You only have minutes now."

With an audible 'harrumph', the mass of darkness took off. Winter chuckled to himself as she left. While not exactly an expert, the windigo had a lot of experience regarding the possession of a mortal body, and there was one thing he understood perfectly: Unless you took great care in eradicating every trace of the mind of the host when you took over, you were at risk of being influenced by the thoughts, feelings, and personality of whoever you took over.

Had the dark force possessed Luna, it would have acted on Luna's feelings of jealousy towards her sister. Had it possessed Celestia, it would have acted on the feelings of the elder sister's resentment towards her subjects, who required their leader to sacrifice so much, yet did so little to share that burden themselves. Had the dark force possessed King Sombra...

Well, that might have actually mellowed out the already corrupt tyrant somewhat. In all honesty, Sombra was in pretty bad shape right before the end.

Regardless, once the dark force had found a new host, there would be a rather interesting change in its priorities, which would be perfectly in line with Winter's new agenda...

"I... I don't understand..."

Sombra's description of Scarlet's Playroom had not done it justice. It was a nightmarishly simple setup: A basic room, large enough to hold dozens of ponies, with a bed in the middle. The room's acoustics worked to amplify the screams of Wake's victim immensely, in addition to making it sound like the sound came from all sides.

It was... horrifying.

The guard's expression made it clear that he was not happy here, and Golden Grace did not need to look back to know that Dream Charmer, in disguise, was clearly horrified as well. Things like this... they weren't supposed to happen in Equestria...

Scarlet Wake sighed, then used a spell to adjust the volume of the young mare's screams, then said, "It's simple, cousin: Back so many years ago, when my parents and I were captured by the Black Feather forces,we were given to the not-so-tender non-mercies of their interrogation squad. Seeing the fate awaiting him, my father used a cyanide capsule he had hidden in a fake tooth to kill himself swiftly: He had very important strategic information in his head, which could not be allowed to fall into enemy talons, after all."

With a theatrical sigh, he continued, "But my mother and I were not so lucky. No quick way out for us. The interrogators, in spite of knowing that we knew nothing ourselves, decided they would start with my mother... and I would be made to watch, and listen, to it all." With a shudder, he admitted, "It was... horrifying. For three long, nightmarish days, they worked on her, and I was powerless to do anything about it."

Golden Grace, still at a loss, asked, "Yet, how can you...?" How could he torture mares for hours at a time like this?

Shrugging, Scarlet Wake admitted, as he walked over to the mare, "It is because I cannot remember her any other way than that: Covered in blood, screaming in agony. I try to recall anything about her, and only that comes to mind... unless I am listening to the sound of another mare's screams." With a shrug, he admitted, "I've tried alternatives: Memory spells to try and restore her in my mind, or remove the trauma I experienced; Hiring mares who looked like her to try impersonating her behavior to trigger those suppressed memories; I once tried hiring a professional actress to sit here and scream for me, none of it worked. The only way I can remember anything about my mother that does not involve her death is if I am listening to another mare in agony. Genuine, honest agony."

There was something sad about that, even if it was horrific and disturbing. "Cousin," Golden Grace said, working very hard to maintain his composure, "regardless of the reasons, this is wrong."

"DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT!?!"

His expression filled with rage, Scarlet Wake was transformed, and for a moment, his face was as terrifying as Sombra's own. Where was once before a calm, cool, collected noble was now a snarling beast. Yet as quickly as it was there, it was gone, the only sign that it had been there was that Scarlet's mane was now slightly disheveled. His tone once again normal, he said, "Of course I know that. That is why I do it here, in secret, where none save my aide and a few of my guards, like Ironwood here, can see. I know that, even with my noble status, I would doubtless face the axe for all of this."

With a snort of disdain, he continued, "So in order to keep this all a secret, and to be able to obtain new mares as needed, I had to make arrangements with a group of ponies with interests similar to my own." His expression suddenly becoming sorrowful, he admitted, "And now, they've decided to make a demand of me."

That did not sound good. Deeply concerned, Golden Grace asked, "What have they demanded?"

A tear falling from his eye, Scarlet Wake said, "They want me to kill you, cousin. They are about to stage a revolt, and they think that you would stand against them... so they want me to kill you."

...And that was when Golden Grace discovered that he could not move.

It had been foal's play to infiltrate the noble's estate: Ponies might have to use the door, walk through the hallways and such, but the dark force had no such restrictions. She had simply crept in through a small crack in the outer wall, then had flowed through the manor in the spaces between the walls, the floors, even once through a mouse tunnel, to reach her destination. It was everything that Winter had said it would be: Scarlet Wake had made his home a fortress, physically, but like so many ponies, he had neglected to install magical defenses as well...

Within minutes of her meeting with Winter, the dark force had found the room, exactly as the windigo had described it...

And there she was...

"Sorry, cousin, but there really was no other choice."

Golden Grace wanted to shout, to scream, to do anything, but he was unable to move: Somehow, somepony had placed a paralysis spell upon him. But who? When? How?

"I am far too deeply entrenched to turn back now," Scarlet Wake continued, openly weeping. "If I were to try and turn against the Circle, I would likely be dead before dawn. Even if I survived, it would do me no good: They could simply reveal the extent of my involvement to the 'good' ponies out there, and I'd either spend what is left of my life on the run, or in a prison cell... if they don't decide to execute me outright. To the world at large, I am worse than any monster..."

The cockroach is considered the ultimate survivor in the insect kingdom: It is able to survive, and thrive, in environments where few other lifeforms could. They move faster than any other insect, and can endure extremes of heat and radiation that would be fatal to most any other creature you could name. As repugnant as they may be, they will likely outlive every other creature in existence, on every world where they exist.

If cockroaches are the ultimate survivors, then wasps can only be considered the ultimate monsters: Aggressive, territorial, and absolutely vicious, the various species of wasp employ tactics that few other insects can, things that are the stuff of nightmares...

The Japanese Giant Hornet is known to attack beehives in groups, decimating the bees and dismembering them. The remains, as well as the bee's larva, are transported back to the nest, as meals for both the hornets and their own young. Worse, these hornets are considered the single deadliest animal in Japan, killing more people per year than bears and venomous snakes. Their cousins, the Asian Giant Hornet, also called the Yak-Killer Hornet, possess one of the most horrendously painful stings in the insect kingdom, and is considered as painful as having a red-hot nail being driven into one's leg.

There are multiple families of wasps that paralyze their victims, then lay their eggs within. When the eggs hatch, their larva eat the victim alive from the inside. The victim can often live for several days in this unimaginably painful state before finally, blessedly, the victim will die... and a new batch of these horrors erupt from the victim's corpse.

So, when somepony is given the name Lady Wasp, you have to know that they are not somepony to you would want to be at the mercy of...

With no one paying attention to her prey, it was simplicity itself for the dark force to ease into its new host. While her body was weak, due to malnutrition, dehydration, and extended torture, the poor little mare tied to the bed had definite potential...

"As touching as all of this is," Dream Charmer said, stepping into view and dropping her disguise, "I'm afraid we need to speed things along. Whatever you say to him now won't make him any less dead when you're done, and we are on something of a timetable here."

With a snort, Scarlet Wake spoke in a tone close to shouting, "Be quiet! You have no place in this, 'Lady Wasp'." These last two words were spoken with such scorn that the air between the two of them should have ignited. If there was an insult intended, either Dream Charmer failed to catch it... or ignored it completely.

Golden Grace could not believe what he was seeing and hearing. He would have sworn that Scarlet Wake and Dream Charmer had never met before, and yet the love of his life was speaking to his cousin with a familiarity that could only be born from a long partnership... although not one that either of them was pleased about.

"Now, now," Dream Charmer said, her tone soothing, but with an undertone of derision, "you have only yourself to blame. If you'd just consulted the Circle before you went all 'assassination happy' this week, you might have been spared this: I would have just smothered your cousin in his sleep, and been done with it. He gave me enough... pleasant evenings that I could have shown him that much mercy." Her expression turning wicked, she said, "But now, you can either kill him right now, and do it quick and painless... or I can paralyze you as well, then make you watch as I slowly torture him to death."

No... Not this. Such horrible words, coming from the mouth of the mare he'd thought was the love of his life. Golden Grace would rather have died than hear this...

His expression haunted, Scarlet Wake said, "No, no, don't. I'll do it, I'll do it... just... give me a moment."

Giggling, Dream Charmer said, "Good boy."

Walking over to his cousin, Scarlet Wake seemed about to say something, when suddenly the mare interrupted, stating, "And if you're thinking of trying to distract me so your dear cousin can escape, you should know that I have excellent hearing, in addition to a spell primed for release that will leave you writhing on the ground, screaming, before you can turn around." Snickering, she added, "And don't count on your little guard to save you: He's paralyzed, until I decide otherwise."

Scarlet Wake seemed to deflate slightly at that. Golden Grace's heart went out to his cousin in that moment: Sick as he might have been, Scar had given serious consideration to turning on this 'Circle', even if it had meant his life. But now? If it meant that one of them died quickly, or both of them died slowly...

Though it took everything he had to do it, Golden Grace was able to whisper two simple words...

"Do... it..."

For a moment, Scarlet Wake looked surprised, then seemed to steel himself. His horn began to glow with magic...

The dark force was shocked to find that the mare she had entered into was still aware of herself. After days of extended torture, Ruby Bright (the mare in question),should not have had anything left within herself... but instead, the crucible of torture had simply purified her, in a manner of speaking. The raw ore of will had been forged into a lance that, had the mare been willing to resist, she'd likely have slain the dark force in a heartbeat.

However, the moment that the opportunity for vengeance was offered, the mare had leapt at the chance, even if it meant that the two would become one...

Scarlet Wake's horn stopped glowing, and he said, "You know, perhaps the Circle is being a bit hasty." The noble's expression turned sly, and gave a subtle wink to his cousin.

Dream Charmer, her tone very clearly one of irritation, said, "Don't bother trying to talk your way out of this..."

Golden Grace saw a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye. He could almost swear that the guard had winked at him...

Turning around slowly, Scar faced Dream, and said, "Just hear me out a moment: From all the information that Midnight Black gave me, my dear cousin has spent years playing the nobility against one another, making sure that no one became too powerful. He's also responsible for the embargo on assassination contracts with the guild, which will be over tomorrow."

With a snort, the mare said, "True enough. Get to the point."

A small smile forming on his face, Scarlet Wake said, "In the new regime we intend to build, we could use that skill... and even in the war to come! There will be more than a few nobles who will be indecisive over which side to join. I doubt that any member of the Circle currently available would be able to sway the more ambivalent nobles to our cause, but Golden Grace could."

"You may have a point there," Dream Charmer said, her expression thoughtful. "While they've counted on me to gull the witless masses into servitude, the nobility would be another matter."

"Exactly," Scarlet Wake said with a chuckle. "Even with the resources available, the Circle will have a fierce battle ahead, especially if Celestia and Luna take the field. However, with Golden Grace's assistance, we could overthrow the emperor in the political arena, without a single drop of blood being spilled."

Her tone petulant, Dream Charmer said, "Awwww, but I like spilling blood!" After a moment, she chuckled, then said, "It is a tempting idea, but I'll have to say no: There's no way he'd agree to it, and even if he did, odds are he'd take over by the end of the week." Giggling now, she added, "And I do not want any competition after the war is over: The Circle has promised me the throne that should have been mine from birth, save for this bad leg. I won't risk having Goldie here screw that up." Dream Charmer's eyes narrowed, then she stated, "Now hurry up and... wait, where did that guard of yours go?"

A pair of massive hooves closed around her horn, and a deep, subterranean bass of a voice said, "Right behind you, nag." Then, with a rought jerk, the guard snapped her horn right off...

Suddenly in control of himself again, Golden Grace almost collapsed, only to be caught by his cousin. Not certain of what to believe, he asked, "How...?" His words were almost completely drowned out by Dream Charmer's screams.

Ironwood grabbed the mare's head, then snapped her neck with a loud crack. With no more ceremony than that, he dropped her corpse at his hooves. Chuckling, the big earth pony said, "Anti-magic, son!" Pulling out a medallion from the inside of his armor, the guard stated, "You would not believe how useful one of these things can be, and we've got one on every guard here."

Golden Grace, still having difficulty in following, asked, "But.. why?"

Scarlet Wake looked a little ashamed of himself as he said, "Because I promised your parents I would look after you... and whatever else I may be, I am a stallion of my word." Turning to the guard, Scarlet Wake said, "Ironwood, go collect Nopony and his family, as well as the Black Book. If you tell Brute Force and Mad Dash that we're in End Game Scenario Three, they'll let you through without argument. Take Golden Grace with you. Once you've collected them, use escape tunnel seven-C: That one will take you as close to the palace as you can get underground without crossing into the Circle's tunnels."

The guard nodded, then said, "Understood."

Finally beginning to catch up, Golden asked, "You're not coming?"

Staring down at the corpse of Dream Charmer, his expression unreadable, Scarlet Wake said, "Like I said, I have no place on the other side. I am a monster." A small smile creeped across his face as he said, "But you know the funny thing about monsters? Sometimes, they eat other, more terrible monsters. The Circle will likely be sending their worst to wipe me off the map before I can give any information to the Emperor. You'll be taking with you a record of everything that I know about the Circle, as well as a great deal of information he should find useful. Make sure the emperor gets it."

Nodding, Golden Grace said, "Right. And cousin..." The younger noble cleared his throat, then said, "Thank you."

The two embraced, and Golden Grace left, following Ironwood.

Scarlet Wake stood over the corpse of Dream Charmer, staring down at what was once the Circle's most dangerous agent and most deadly assassin, now little more than a pile of cooling meat. With a sigh, he said, "You can show yourself, now. We're alone."

The mare's body burst into flames, destroying the bed and the bindings that once held her. After a moment, the flames died, and was simply a mare again. Her expression unreadable, she asked, "When did you know?"

Rolling his eyes, Scarlet Wake said, "I don't have any actual magical defenses on my manor, but I do have a system in place for detecting intruders, especially magical ones."

"Hmph." The mare did not look impressed. "We've spent the last three days wanting to kill you, but right now, we doubt we have enough strength in us to do much more than slap you. Still..."

A blur of movement later, Scarlet Wake was flying across the room. He hit the wall hard enough that he could feel ribs crack. "...We have a pretty good slap," the mare said with a chuckle.

Rising, in spite of the pain it caused him, he said, "If you want to kill me, go ahead. I'm as good as dead now, anyways. Just... give everypony else time to leave..."

A small smile playing across her face, the mare said, "As you wish." The mare's body began to grow, and change. Her legs began to lengthen, as did her neck and torso, her mane and tail lengthening and becoming more lustrous as well. After a few seconds, a horn sprouted from her forehead, and a pair of wings emerged from her back. Within moments, the earth pony had become an alicorn...

Her body now wreathed in flames, the alicorn said, "Any last words?"

Scarlet Wake chuckled, then said, "A monster dies, a good pony lives. A fair trade. Do it."

Escape

"Just what is Endgame Scenario Three?"

Half an hour later...

A small, but admittedly very unusual, party of ponies were making their way through the subterranean tunnel leading from Scarlet Wake's manor to a warehouse a few blocks from the palace. Said party contained Nopony, his wife and three daughters (Lovely girls, Golden Grace had to admit, but too young for his tastes), Ironwood, and Golden Grace. They were making fairly good time, given the circumstances, and from what the guard had told Golden Grace, they were nearing the halfway point to their destination.

Golden Grace had sent a message though firemail to his armsponies, ordering them to return to his manor and prepare for a possible attack. It was a risk, but Ironwood had agreed that it would be too dangerous for Grace's guards to remain on the grounds: Scarlet Wake's manor was about to become a battlefield. Thankfully, with the exception of his personal aide, Scarlet Wake had never required his servants (Maids, butlers, cooks, and craftsponies) to remain in the estate at night, so the only casualties tonight would be the guards staying in the manor... and whoever came to kill them.

Nopony had been quite surprised to find that not only was he free to go, but he would also be allowed to reveal everything to the emperor. It seemed that Scarlet Wake had taken considerable effort to hide the very secrets that the aide would now be required to reveal. Life could be ironic like that, sometimes...

Nopony's eyes went wide at Golden Grace's question, then after a moment, the aide cleared his throat and said, "Milord, your cousin was a twisted individual, if you will forgive my saying so, but as terrible as he was, he had a keen mind when it came to planning. He recognized the possibility that, in playing the game of politics, he could very easily lose. So, as a precaution, he composed three scenarios, and a measured response to each."

Nodding, Golden Grace said, "Makes sense. If you roll the dice, you have to be prepared for when it comes up a one."

Nopony nodded in response and continued speaking as everypony trotted along. "Scenario One was the most basic: The truth about what Scarlet Wake had done was out, and either the guards or a peasant mob was coming to capture him. The response was simple: Escape. He had a number of tunnels hidden about his estate, as well as a sizable amount of gold hidden at different locations... in addition to disguise spells to alter his appearance." At Golden Grace's surprised expression, Nopony sighed and continued, "In addition to the wealth brought in from his official holdings here, your cousin owns, er, I mean, owned an extremely large gold mine near Canterlot that he took great pains to conceal from the rest of the world. The full extent of that vein has yet to be discovered, but the last survey revealed that it may contain more raw ore, and at a higher grade of purity, than most ponies would have thought existed in all of Equestria." Shaking his head sadly, the aide admitted, "In addition to funding several... less than legal ventures, your cousin used that wealth to establish several false identities in both the Crystal Empire and in the rest of Equestria, in case he ever needed to leave in a hurry... but only as a last resort."

Incredible. With the kind of wealth Nopony was describing, Scarlet Wake could easily have bought enough support to become an archduke, or even the next ruler of the Crystal Empire... but only after the current ruler was gone...

"Scenario Two is a bit more complex: It means that some sort of unexpected disaster is decimating the city, and either escape would be impossible due to winter having closed the passes to the rest of Equestria, or because the disaster is something like a plague outbreak, which could not be allowed to spread. The response? Lockdown. While Scarlet Wake's estate has no active magical defenses, his grace devised a system that can be erected and activated with only fifteen minutes notice." With a snort, Nopony added, "He had never implemented it because he wanted to use it as a secret weapon. Once activated, nothing goes in or out of the estate."

With a small chuckle, Golden Grace said, "Sounds like Scarlet, alright. Either run, or hide until the problem goes away. He wasn't the type to stand his ground and fight."

With a snort, Nopony said, "The third may surprise you, then. Scenario Three is his response to the Circle turning against him. Your cousin knew that the Circle was dangerous, and that even with the wealth at his disposal, he'd stand no chance against them: He was only one, and his enemies would be many. Worse, the Circle employs a number of resources that make them incredibly dangerous, including dark magic such as curse spells and necromancy. Such spells can strike out at great distances without warning, and there are few defenses that can be employed against them. Scarlet Wake knew that, no matter where he went, the Circle would hunt him down, and make him wish that all they did was kill him. So, he decided that if he could not run, he could only do one thing: Take them down with him."

Giving a meaningful glance to the book currently strapped to Ironwood's back, the noblepony thought for a second. Putting two and two together, Golden Grace said, "Hence, that black book."

Nopony nodded. "Indeed. The Circle has performed many a terrible act, the majority of which would make your cousin's actions look like nothing in comparison. Inside of that book is enough evidence to place many of them upon the headspony's block. Names, dates, caches of stolen wealth, locations of buried bodies, and the like. With that book in the hooves of royalty, the Circle will no longer be able to hide what they truly are..."

Looking into the empty room, Lord Scorpion fought very hard to control his temper. It was not her fault, she'd had no way of knowing that their son would pull something like this. Especially not now...

Struggling to control his voice, he asked, "How did he get out?"

His wife, Lady Scorpion, said, "I cannot say. When I delivered his supper, I made certain, thrice over, that the door was locked. I examined the mechanism before I left, and all seemed well: None of his usual tampering, at least, none that I could find..."

And yet steam seemed to coming from the keyhole...

With no explanation or warning, Lord Scorpion ripped the lock out of the door, then broke it open with his bare hooves. The insides of the mechanism released an icy mist, so cold that the device hurt to touch. His tone colder than the lock he held, Lord Scorpion stated, "Someone, or something, froze the lock, making the metal brittle enough that it was easily shattered by whatever tinkering he managed this time."

Her expression shocked, Lady Scorpion asked, "But, who could have known he was here? And who would have dared release him from here?"

Worried, Lord Scorpion admitted, "I don't know. There's only five ponies in the city who even know that we are wed, and of them, not a single one knows that we have children..."

Gnashing her beak and scraping her talons on the floor in anger, Lady Scorpion declared, "This puts everything we've struggled to accomplish in the last fifteen years in peril. He knows far too much, and yet far too little, to be allowed to roam free..."

Lord Scorpion laid a tender hoof on his wife's shoulder, then said, "When he's escaped in the past, all he's done is fly about without a destination. It is dark enough now that nopony would be able to see him clearly. Once he's gotten his exercise, he'll return, just like all the other times. In the meantime, I'll... interrogate the guards, and see if anypony has been on the grounds who should not have been." His expression turning serious, he asked, "Have you completed all of the preparations for the move?"

Nodding, Lady Scorpion replied, "Yes, love. We'll be ready to leave as soon as our child returns." The griffin looked back at the empty room one more time, as if hoping that somehow her son would suddenly reappear...

"Good. If he's not back within the hour, we'll have to leave without him." At his wife's shocked expression, Lord Scorpion said, "We cannot risk being here much longer: Scarlet Wake may betray us yet, even with Lady Wasp watching his every step, and if he does, we cannot risk remaining here. If Ruggiero does not return, he'll have to fend for himself for a day or two, until the war is over." With a chuckle, he added, "There's no harm in it now: I doubt that there's a single creature in all of Equestria that could catch him. And if anything should try to hurt him... well, their family members will have my most sincere condolences."

Chuckling, Winter asked, "So, you're not going to kill him?"

Staring down at the pile of charred, twitching, whimpering meat that was barely recognizable as a pony, the blazing alicorn said, "We can only kill him once, and once done, he shall suffer no more. However, with burns of this magnitude, he shall be scarred for the rest of his life, and until he fully heals, he shall be in terrible pain that would make death seem a sweet mercy." A cruel smile crossed her face as she said, "We can kill him but once, but this? This is the gift that keeps on giving."

With a booming laugh, Winter said, "Delicious. I must admit, you are a mare after my own heart."

With a snort, the alicorn said, "Well, as entertaining as it is watching him writhe in agony, I must be off: Places to go, ponies to burn."

Clucking his tongue, Winter said, 'Yeah, about that. I'm going to have to ask you to wait a little bit before you ignite anypony else. I think... three days, yes."

An eyebrow raised, she asked, "And why should I do such a thing?"

Winter grinned a cold and terrible grin, and said, "Asides from the fact that you owe me? And the fact that I'm a thousand times more powerful than you are right now? Simple..." With that, Winter leaned in close and whispered a few words into the alicorn's ear, then pulled back.

Her eyes widened in shock, the alicorn said, "Impossible..."

Laughing, Winter said, "Oh no, it is quite possible. There's a great deal more going on right now than you can imagine. Let the ordinary ponies handle things for now. If, after three days, things still aren't properly resolved here, you can burn to your heart's content. In the meantime, let's get you something to eat. No one should be in the pantry, so you can stuff yourself silly. When we're done, you can set this entire building ablaze."

Placing a hoof against her growling belly, the alicorn admitted, "Food would be good right now: Our body was weak when we became one, and we have not yet reached a point where such basic needs are truly beyond us." After a moment, she asked, "We never asked you: What is your name?"

A smile on the Windigo's face, he said, "Winter. And yours?"

With a snort, she answered, "Well, if Winter is name enough for you, we suppose Summer would be enough for us."

Behind them, a weak, pained voice whispered, "...Kill me..."

Turning back to her victim, Summer said, "Kill you? Why would we ever do that? We want you to live. Live with what we have done to you: Every gasp of pain from the burns we have inflicted, every shout of disgust at the smallest glance of your burned flesh, every night you cry yourself to sleep at all that you have lost, that shall be our revenge. Scarlet Wake is dead, and he had best stay that way. If we ever hear anypony say otherwise, we shall hunt you down, and the agony we shall visit upon you then will make this seem as the sweetest bliss in comparison." With that, she turned around, head held high, a triumphant smile upon her face, and walked out without a backward glance.

Watching her go, Winter chuckled and said, almost to himself, "Honestly, I've never been so intimidated, or so aroused, in my entire life." Grinning wickedly, he said, "I think I'm in love."

The Legendary Blade

"The Starblade is here, in the Crystal Empire."

The entity known now as Summer suppressed a shudder, remembering the short sentence that Winter had whispered in her ear just a short time before. While there were few things in this world that could cause a being like her to feel fear, that weapon was most definitely one of them.

She and Winter were feasting in the pantry of Scarlet Wake's manor. As Winter had expected, they were undisturbed. Whatever plans that Scarlet Wake had set in motion earlier, they most likely were well underway. Well, it wasn't as though she really cared: Whoever and whatever was in the mansion when they were done would be converted to ashes when she was done eating.

While she devoured a feast fit for three dozen ponies (and Winter roasted apples over the flames that were now the alicorn's mane and tail), she considered what information she had on the legendary weapon. Given that she had access to the combined knowledge of both Celestia and Luna at her disposal, having been inside of both of their heads recently, that gave her a lot of information to review.

When this world was formed, certain rules were put into place, regarding each sphere of power, each race of beings, and the like. Those rules were supposedly inviolate: They were the laws that formed the foundation of this world. Laws likes gravity, conservation of mass, the laws of thermodynamics, these were rules that could not be broken by mere mortals, so far as she (and the princesses) knew. But while that was usually a good thing, the fact that these laws could not be broken was sometimes a problem.

Take the Deathless One, for example.

In ancient times, there was a dark lord named Koschei, who had, through various supernatural bargains, had made it impossible for him to die (Hence the name, obviously). The fact that he was already an immortal would have made this seem redundant, except that the bargains he made were set in such a way that the few weaknesses he'd had as the bearer of the sphere of evil were now completely covered. Where it had once been possible (Through means of a long quest to find the object that was his one true weakness) to kill him, the absolute ruler of the power of all things evil had achieved true invulnerability. Now confident in his ability to make everyone, everywhere forever his nag, he went on a campaign of terror, intent upon world conquest...

...And he came very close to succeeding.

With the power granted by his sphere, Koschei was a truly terrible sight to behold. His sphere of power being that of evil, he understood something that very few immortals did: His sphere was not limited to simply literal evil, but also metaphorical evils as well... and almost anything can be a metaphorical evil, with enough imagination. This gave him dominion over practically everything in the world, once all of his weaknesses were removed.

It was in the Griffin Kingdoms that the Dark Lord finally met his demise. A young griffin named Arthur, whose village was captured and dominated by the dread tyrant's army, made a wish upon a star, that there might be something, anything, that might put an end to this nightmare. It was then that a miracle happened.

The star that he wished upon fell from the sky.

When the youth went to see the fallen star, he found a perfect sphere of glowing white metal... that sang to him. It sang to Arthur all the secrets of the starry cosmos, including how that sphere might be worked into a weapon that could end Koschei's tyranny forever. After a long and difficult quest, Arthur reached the great sage Merlin, who would later be renamed the Starsmith, the one being who could work the otherwise invulnerable metal into a blade. Once the forging was complete, with blade in claw, Arthur marched back to his homeland and challenged Koschei to a duel. Koschei responded by calling up his entire army, and leading them out to crush the single griffin foolish enough to challenge him, intent upon claiming the obviously powerful blade he carried.

The battle that ensued would change history, and geography. Arthur soon discovered that the one who carried the Starblade held the absolute power of the infinite cosmos, a power beyond good and evil, beyond all things that mortals could comprehend. As such, Koschei's control of all evil was useless against it. With a single swing of the blade, mountains crumbled, armies were vanquished, and the skies themselves trembled in fear. For three long days, the two mighty warriors fought, neither one able to gain ground. At the climax of the battle, Arthur raised the sword up high... and pierced the heavens.

It was then that Arthur, and the world at large, discovered the true power of the Starblade: As a star, something that was not part of this world, the weapon, and its wielder, were exempt from the rules that governed the world as we know it. The one who carried the Starblade could do the impossible, see the invisible, touch the untouchable... and break the unbreakable. It gave the extended middle talon to every force that opposed it: It was the exception to end all exceptions. The bearer of the blade could do anything he willed, regardless of whatever rules were in place to contradict that desire...

...Even unleash the limitless power of the cosmos upon a single being in a beam of coherent energy hotter than a thousand suns.

The limitless power of the universe beyond this world struck down Koschei, the Deathless One. The dark lord was annihilated so utterly that it damaged the sphere of evil itself, so that the power of evil could never perfectly infuse a single being with its power as it had with the Deathless One. With the dark lord vanquished, the armies that had followed Koschei fled in fear of the golden griffin with the blade of limitless power.

Arthur would carry that blade for centuries, creating the first United Griffin Kingdom and ruling it as well as he could, given that he had no real experience in politics, being the son of a farmer and nothing more. However, that reign came to an end when his illegitimate son Mordred tricked the king into trying to use the Starblade to destroy itself. Arthur had been certain that the Starblade, being an exception to all rules, was invincible and could not be destroyed, even by itself. Mordred, on the other hoof, had reasoned that, if the blade could do anything, then even if the blade was indestructible and could not destroy itself, that as an exception to all rules, it could still create an exception to that rule if the wielder wished it, and destroy itself anyways. Mordred had turned out to be right. With the blade broken, Arthur was a mere mortal, and was soon slain by Mordred.

But if the blade had been shattered into pieces, and was never reforged by the Starsmith... then how could it be here now?

Ruggiero was having the time of his life. The offspring of Lord and Lady Scorpion loved to fly. It was the griffin in him, he supposed: You put any bird in a cage, and naturally it will want nothing more than to spread its wings. He hated being locked up in that room, forced to hide from the world for reasons he could not understand. So what if his father was a pony, and his mother a griffin? Why should that matter to anyone?

Regardless, he'd been as happy as he'd ever been when he'd found that the lock on his door was easily picked this time, when it had proven intractable all the times before. While he'd be forced to head home when his wings started to get sore, for now, he was exulting in the feeling of the wind beneath his wings. There was only one thing that could possibly make this better...

Hearing a commotion below, Ruggiero smiled to himself. There was a fight down there, somewhere. The way things were going, he'd need to figure out a way to kill tomorrow, so the best night ever would never end...

Things were not going well for Golden Grace and the rest of their party...

The escaping ponies had managed to finally make their way to the end of the tunnel, and came out in an abandoned warehouse, not far from the palace. According to Ironwood, this next stretch would be the most dangerous: The Circle was certain to have the palace watched tonight, just in case somepony tried to escape from Scarlet Wake's mansion and inform the emperor of the Circle's misdeeds. It was Ironwood's hope that there were only watchers, and not assassins, that were in position, since with so many non-combatants present, odds were that if they were attacked, somepony could get hurt. Thus, speed was their best defense...

But their hopes of reaching the palace unmolested had been dashed when a dozen griffin wights had dropped down from the ceiling of the warehouse, all of them armed, armored, and ready for battle. It seemed that Scarlet's secret tunnel was not, in fact, all that secret anymore.

The party had managed to escape the warehouse, more by luck than anything else, without anypony getting hurt. However, once outside, the party had found that two dozen more wights were waiting for them. Golden Grace was no warrior, nor was Nopony. Ironwood, while certainly big and strong, was only an earth pony, so he'd only be able to deal with one or two before the rest overwhelmed him... and the rest of the ponies here would likely be torn apart shortly afterwards...

Ruggiero was delighted to see the fight about to unfold below. He loved fighting: His parents had pressed a sword into his claws literally the moment he was old enough to hold one, and he'd been made to train every single day with it until it was practically a part of his body. Looking down at the little party below, gravely outnumbered, he'd decided he'd join on their side: After all, that meant that he'd have so many more enemies to kill.

Besides, there were mares his age down there, and Ruggiero was just reaching the age where females were starting to look much more interesting than before...

Grinning like a maniac, he reached for the blade strapped to his back, and prepared to swoop down and join the fray...

Author's Note

Koschei The Deathless
Ruggiero
As for piercing the heavens, doing the impossible, seeing the invisible, touching the untouchable or breaking the unbreakable, if you don't know about those, go watch Gurren Lagann. I can't give you a link to that: There is no easy way to get to Awesome Town, but when you get there, you'll know it.

In The Grasp Of The Wicked

"Mommy, help!"

Gossamer Glow did not want to die like this. Not with the last words she'd ever speak aloud being to call for her mother. Not with her mother less than five strides away, powerless to do anything to save her eldest daughter after she'd been pulled from her forelimbs. Not at the claws of these horrible, cold, dead things that were dragging her away, kicking and screaming. And not before she'd seen her fifteenth birthday.

Ironwood was doing his best to try and keep the wights at bay, but it was clear that, with just his bare hooves and basic guardspony armor, he was simply outclassed by the better armored, and very definitely armed, griffin wights that were attacking him. While it was taking a dozen of them to keep him at bay, they had another two dozen to deal with the rest of the group... weakest first.

Gossamer could feel her body getting cold. She'd heard a few of the veteran soldiers talk about the Black Feather War, and about horrors like these and what they could do to you. They said that if you were drained completely by a wight, then you'd likely become one yourself. She didn't want to become like that, but they were so strong... and she was getting so weak...

And suddenly, she was free, their grasping claws suddenly gone. Too weak to stand, she began to fall to the ground...

There was a blur of motion, and she felt herself caught by a pair of strong, warm, forelegs. Looking up, she saw the face of her rescuer... and promptly passed out...

Giving the unconscious mare over to the other three mares (One was definitely the mother of the other three, but asides from that, there really wasn't time to take in details yet), Ruggiero turned to take in the surroundings. His spectacular entry (Five wights down in less than five seconds. Even with the element of surprise, that was still a new personal best!) had startled the wights, causing them to pull back from the large crystal pony they'd been harrying. They'd instinctively realized that an opponent able to slay five of their number so quickly was obviously the greater threat. As soon as they rallied, they'd immediately concentrate all of their efforts on defeating the newcomer.

Which was why he immediately went on the offensive.

Ironwood had spent a good stretch in the army during the Black Feather War, so he'd seen some wild stuff, but this... this defied all comprehension.

The newcomer, dressed in armor so well-cared-for that it gleamed like new, in spite of the scratches on its surface indicating long use, had charged like a lunatic into the thickest concentration of wights, before the abominations had been able to brace themselves. His sword gleaming with magefire, he began weaving his blade about himself, striking down wights left and right like a farmer scything wheat.

The blade was very obviously enchanted, but anypony who knew anything about swordplay would tell you that having a blade that can cut through steel isn't much good if you're not strong enough, and skilled enough, to swing it effectively. More importantly, using a sword can be exhausting in the extreme, especially when you have to focus both on offense and defense in a massive melee like this one. A twenty-year veteran, armed with such a blade, might, and he'd stress this point emphatically, might have been able to hold his own against half this number for a few minutes, but no soldier that Ironwood had ever met could have ever been able to succeed against such odds...

But this stranger, whoever he was, was to the wights like a shark was to a school of tuna. It was almost impossible to follow, as warrior's blade weaved a lethal pattern about himself in short, devastating thrusts and swings. Not a single movement was wasted, not a single step was out of place. Wights who stepped forward with their weapons ready found themselves suddenly holding sundered spears, headless axes, or sword hilts bereft of their blades. Those who were slightly slower were dispatched instantly with a quick decapitation, while the faster ones might last as long as three seconds after they came within reach of his blade... and were instantly disassembled with a skill and efficiency that was equally awe-inspiring and horrifying.

And he never tired. That, more than anything, was what startled Ironwood the most. The warrior was tackling a small army of enemies who never tired, never felt fear, and did not feel pain... and yet, it was clear that between him and the wights he faced, it was this stranger who was the superior combatant. His stamina, skill, and discipline was sufficient to rival that of practically any military company in the world.

...And he could not have been any older than fourteen years old...

Ruggiero could not help but laugh. This was truly the best night ever. A single misstep would mean violent, agonizing death. His enemies were strong, fearless, and without mercy. Their assault was unrelenting, and he could see his death on every blow he turned aside, and in the eyes of every foe he faced... and he never felt more alive.

...He idly wondered if this was what sex felt like. If it didn't, he'd be horribly disappointed...

A loud noise sounded behind the remaining enemy forces. The wights suddenly stopped their advance, their numbers thinned considerably. They backed away from the young warrior, then split into two groups, allowing a thin opening through which a single warrior advanced.

It stood head and shoulders above the rest of its soldiers, and it held a definite air of command that the other wights had lacked. Ironwood noted the rank insignia upon the shoulders of its armor. This one was a captain, or had been before his death. Once it came within ten strides of the warrior, the wight stopped, and the remaining dozen wights began to form a circle around the two.

The taller wight spoke. "I am Bertrand, son of Bertrand, and of Gwendolyn. I hold the rank of Captain of the Black Feather Army, and bear the title of Earl of the Western Marches. In thirty seven years, and in seventy duels, I have never known defeat, save the one that ended my life. I challenge you to a duel."

Incredible. Ironwood had heard stories of how some, typically individuals of strong will, could retain some semblance of their sanity, even after becoming a wight. Such entities were typically much more powerful than their more lunatic kin...

The youth grinned like a five-year-old who'd just been given a shiny new toy, and responded, stating, "I am Ruggiero, son of Malted Barley, and of Galaciella Blackfeather. I hold no titles or rank, but I am confident that I've been in more fights in my life than you had hot meals in yours, and I've yet to meet my better. I accept your challenge."

There seemed to be the slightest hint of a smile on the wight's face as it went into a fighting stance, an expression and stance both echoed by the stranger, this Ruggiero. The remaining wights began to bang their weaponry against their chests as the two combatants began to circle one another warily...

"So, how goes your research?"

Lady Midnight Black looked over her shoulder at the speaker. Of all the members of the Circle that the lady was required to associate with, she supposed that Lord Fly was the closest thing she had to a friend. The two unicorns had similar interests, after all: Lady Midnight Black was deeply engrossed in the research of the reanimation of corpses. Lord Fly, on the other hoof, was interested in the methods by which life could be preserved, and sustained, even when the body had been critically damaged. Had he different reasons for why he wanted to sustain the lives of others, this would have made him a respectable figure. Since he was a sadistic cannibal who wanted to keep his victims alive for as long as possible, he was obviously anything but.

Lady Midnight Black's arcane research lab was open to all members of the Circle who were interested in thestudy of the dark arts, and the mare had found that Lord Fly possessed an intellect rivaling her own. It was with Fly's help, for example, that she'd been able to discover a means by which to mass-produce wights, creating the forces that would be the backbone of the Circle's army in the days to come. With the old methods she'd had available, it would have taken decades to create an army of wights a thousand strong, but thanks to their combined efforts, she had succeeded in reviving every corpse she could recover from the Black Feather War, and convert every last one of them into wights...

...All ten thousand of them.

Looking at the object of her current research, she could not help but smile. They'd found the object in question hidden amongst Sombra's personal effects, just a few brief hours after the tyrant's death: While the rest of the city was dancing in the streets, the Circle had gutted the warlock's chambers, labs, and storehouses, hoping to discover the secrets behind his unnatural strength. While the majority of the knowledge they'd sought was still being deciphered, the discovery of the object in question had put all of Midnight Black's other research on hold...

After all, how often do you get to study a legend?

Turning her gaze away from the fragments of gleaming white metal, held aloft in a levitation spell, she answered, "Quite well, in all honesty. My original theorem has proven to be correct: In spite of being fragmented, the metal itself still retains a link to its power source. When the device was shattered, it simply rendered that link unusable without an interface. I believe that the hilt was the original interface, granting the holder the ability to access and control the power the blade itself tapped into. I've spent the last two days working on a spell that recreates that interface... and I have succeeded. I've already completed several experiments in which I was able to extract energy successfully." She gestured towards a set of glowing cubes in one corner, then chuckled and said, "In those alone, I have enough energy to craft a spell that would take the entire Circle a month to complete normally. I simply need to find a means of converting it from cosmic energy into necrotic energy, and we could significantly fortify our forces." Her smile became like that of a shark, or like the kind of fish that lives at the bottom of the ocean, the kind with more teeth than body. "I imagine that even Celestia and Luna would hesitate to challenge an army of ten thousand death knights."

A smile played across the stallion's lips. While Midnight Black hated admitting that she was still bound by such trivial things as the base desire to mate, she did find Lord Fly to be devilishly attractive, especially when he smiled. Tall, handsome, muscular, with a pure white body and a blonde mane and tail, it was obvious why he had a sizable harem of willing mares back at his manor. The mares in said harem were completely unaware of their keeper's true 'interests', thankfully, since even a group of gold-digging mares who were more than willing to rut him silly each night in the hopes of bearing his children and becoming his bride would have blanched at the thought of being wed to a cannibal...

...Their loss.

"Truly remarkable," the stallion admitted, looking back to the fragments of metal. "A pity that we lack the means of reconstructing it back into its original state." Tilting his head slightly to one side, he added, "At least, for now."

Lady Midnight Black, the Lady Spider, chuckled, then said, "Sombra actually had some interesting theories about that. However, it seems his use of dark magic without proper safety procedures ended up damaging his psyche, and that resulted in him losing interest in these fragments, and gaining interest into deepening his understanding of dark magic instead. He was well on his way to becoming something... other than a pony, when the 'emperor' came down and destroyed him. Still, what information I've gleaned from the notes is truly impressive, and was of great help in forging the interface."

Nodding, Lord Fly said, without a trace of irony, "An intellect to be envied, certainly, even if he was completely mad." Chuckling, he added, "Still, this is an excellent start: From the reports I just received from my spies in the Crystal Palace, Luna was definitely harmed by the dark energy we had infused into the wight. While the emperor lives, the curse placed upon him definitely caused something to happen to him: A marked change in appearance was observed when he was last seen. Details are sketchy, but I expect further reports to arrive shortly. Moreover, Celestia was somehow injured during a confrontation with an unnamed entity that originated from Luna's contact with the dark energy. The reports are sketchy there as well, but it seems that she has currently exhausted herself, and it may take some time for her to fully recover."

Her eyes widening, Lady Spider admitted, "An excellent start, indeed. Lord Scorpion has already begun preparing all of the other members of the Circle for our endgame scenario. While he would hesitate to strike down Celestia and Luna unless it proved absolutely necessary, with the power now potentially at our disposal, we should easily be able to force them to surrender their authority over the Crystal Empire to us, even if they were at their full strength."

His expression unreadable, Lord Fly asked, "How long until you've succeeded in creating a means of converting the energy into a usable form?"

"Forty-eight hours," Lady Spider said, grinning confidently. "In the meantime, I'll continue extracting energy from the Starblade. By the time the converter is completed, we'll have enough energy at our disposal to wipe out every major city in Equestria, if need be. By this time next year, we could have enough power at our disposal to make world conquest a possible long term goal." With a chuckle, she added, "In the meantime, the upcoming war will be a conflict that will go down in history: I imagine that, a thousand years from now, they'll still be talking about the Three Day War."

Yes, The Situation Is Now That Bad

"And that was when the guards arrived?"

Ironwood chuckled, then nodded at the emperor's question. It had been the work of half an hour to explain, both to Celestia and Luna, as well as to the new emperor, what all had transpired this evening. Admittedly, a lot more was going on than just his explanation of events: Nopony's daughter was being treated by both Celestia and the nurse who had introduced herself as Tender Loving Care. The poor girl was still unwell, due to having been partially drained by the touch of those blasted wights. Thankfully, under the care of both a princess and an obviously skilled nurse, she was already looking a lot better.

"Yes, that's true," he said, as he continued the tale. "We'd not tried to escape before then, given that any sudden moves might have drawn the wight's attention back to us. However, with a large squadron of guards suddenly arriving, drawn by the sound of the battle, Nopony, Golden Grace, and I had agreed that the risk was worth it, and we took off with the family in tow. It was obvious that the guards were winning, and with their leader too busy with this 'Ruggiero' character, there was no one to direct any of the wights after us."

Emperor Pandinus Imperator The First, Ruler of the Crystal Empire And All Who Doth Dwell Within, nodded and said, "I suspected as much. I doubt that the arrival of that squadron of guards was by chance. There's been a lot of strangeness going on tonight." Looking the earth pony over, the changeling added, "In a little while, we'll need to discuss your fate, Ironwood, but for now, I would ask that you be patient: You've done the crown and your fellow ponies a service, and trust me when I say, I will not forget that."

Rubbing the death mark on his cheek, Ironwood said, "Your highness, take all the time you need. I'm not in any rush to go anywhere." Obviously, since the mark burned on his cheek meant that he could be killed on sight, were he seen by anypony outside this room...

And all because he'd slept with a lord's wife, and when discovered, said lord needed a patsy for the murder of said wife.

Pan looked over at Pen Stroke. The chancellor had, upon the party's arrival, been given the book that Ironwood had been carrying. Pen had immediately begun reading the book while listening to the tale of the party's escape and subsequent arrival at the palace. Pan had watched the chancellor out of the corner of his eye as the tale unfolded, and could not help but notice that Pen's expression had turned increasingly grim as he went through the book. Obviously, whatever was in that book was bad news.

Clearing his throat to gain the chancellor's attention, Pan asked, "Just how bad is it, Pen?"

Pen Stroke, still pale and weak from his bout of illness, looked grim enough to be given a scythe and a black robe. After a moment, the chancellor stated, "It is bad, milord. If even half of what this says is true, this... Circle has at its disposal resources sufficient to make them a powerful adversary." Turning a few pages back in the book, he said, "During the Black Feather War, Lady Midnight Black was responsible for the 'disposal' of the corpses of the aggressors. The griffon kingdoms wanted nother to do with the traitors, so their remains were to be burned and the ashes scattered to the winds." At the emperor's surprised look, the chancellor added, "There was a very real concern, given the use of dark magicks by the Black Feathers, that the corpses, if buried, might one day rise and seek revenge. Thus, incineration seemed the safest bet. Lady Midnight Black had, as part of her duties, sought out and retrieved every single portion of every last corpse, and instead of burning them, had them secretly transported here, where she made that fear a reality. Every Black Feather soldier who died on the battle field is now a wight... all ten thousand of them."

Pan's jaw dropped. Ten thousand of those things? The emperor swallowed and asked, "And... just how large an army does the Crystal Empire have?" Pan had a suspicion that the army in question would not be big enough.

He was right. Pen sighed, looked up at the ceiling, then said, "At this moment, the Crystal Empire's army consists of perhaps one thousand ponies. That would include every raw cadet, every reservist who could stand on four hooves, see lightning, and hear thunder. Maybe a third of them have any real combat experience to speak of. While we could conscript able bodied adults, the most we could reasonably expect to add is another three thousand ponies to that number, the overwhelming majority of which have no real combat experience." With a grim chuckle, Pen Stroke added, "Again, the isolated and peaceful nature of the Crystal Empire works against us: Our city has very real limitations regarding how many ponies can live here at one time, and how many can be allowed to serve as part of the guard. Food, water, equipment, that all requires ponies dedicated to specific roles. For each pony in the guard, we need at least five ponies at work elsewhere to ensure that said soldier will be equipped and provisioned properly. Worse, without training and real combat experience, the majority of our soldiers can hardly expect to be able to fight against veteran soldiers, especially undead ones. The living dead, however, have no such restrictions: They do not eat, nor drink, and are already well-equipped. Worse, they can remain in suspended animation until awakened, at which point they'll be just as deadly as they were before they died, if not more so. Meanwhile, our veterans from the Black Feather War have aged and lost some of their edge. The situation is dire, milord."

After a moment's thought, Pan said, "So if we were to destroy the wights before they were roused from their suspended state, that would cut down their numbers, right?"

The chancellor's eyes widened, and he asked, "A preemptive attack?"

Sombra, from his viewpoint in the mirror, admitted, "Clever. When awakened, the wights would be a deadly force, but until then, they're just magical corpses. It takes time, effort, and power to rouse them from their graves, and a lot of focus to keep them in thrall. Until the Circle makes its move, they won't dare raise their forces for fear of tipping their hoof, and wasting energy they could use elsewhere, so we have a narrow window of opportunity... provided we know where the 'bodies' are buried."

Pen Stroke, after a moment, said, "Scarlet Wake did not know where all of the wights were kept, but he knew where the three largest deposits of stored wights would be. Seven thousand five hundred wights in total are accounted for, and he believed that Midnight Black kept the remaining wights on her own estate."

After a moment's thought, the emperor said, "Good. We can make our first move tomorrow. We'll do it in the light of day, where we can move with impunity, while the Circle is much more restricted." At the surprised looks that Sombra, Luna, and Pen Stroke gave him, the changeling chuckled and said, "The creation of wights is a crime, punishable by death, and it is the responsibility, neigh, duty of every law-abiding pony to eradicate such abominations where ever they may be. We're the good guys, they're the bad guys. Tomorrow, we'll strike those three deposits simultaneously, so that the Circle won't have time to react, and can't try and awaken the wights beforehoof. As Sombra said, they can't risk awakening the wights until they're ready to strike. If anypony asks how we found out about them, we'll just say that we're acting on an anonymous tip stating that wights were in the city. No mention of the Circle, or conspiracies against the crown, just the emperor doing his duty to protect his citizens."

Chuckling, Luna admitted, "A good plan, and a good start." Her expression turning grim, she added, "But I suspect that military might is not the only problem we face?"

Nodding, Pen Stroke said, "Indeed. Several members of the Circle are powerful practitioners of prohibited magics. While not as powerful as..." The chancellor paused, looked briefly at the mirror housing Sombra's image, then continued, "...some individuals I could name, there are a great many more of them, at least thirty that Scarlet Wake knew of, perhaps more."

Pan considered that for a moment, then said, "On that topic, something is bugging me... no pun intended."

Chuckling, Luna asked, "What?"

"Well," Pan began, trying to put his thoughts into words, "They have an army of undead warriors, ten thousand strong, not to mention powerful wizards of their own. Plus, there's the abundance of wealth at their disposal. The Circle has all of this on their side..." The emperor looked over at Sombra and said, "And yet one unicorn had the entire lot of them so subdued that they were unwilling to even risk the appearance of challenging him for control. Why?"

"Asides from the fact that confronting me risked revealing their criminal activities at a time when the princesses were expected to arrive any day," Sombra said with a wry grin, "I'd imagine that its for one very simple reason: They were as divided as the rest of the nobility. Even the 'good' nobles tend to be prone to petty bickering amongst themselves and jockeying for position. This 'Circle' is likely even more prone to such behavior. While there is no doubt some form of leadership within their ranks, it is unlikely that anypony within would be willing to risk any one member becoming too strong, too influential. The fact that the leader of any successful revolt from the nobility would become king worked just as effectively against them as they did everypony else." With a chuckle, he added, "In addition, I had not done anything that might have, even on accident, revealed their criminal activities to the world at large. You, meanwhile, have demonstrated a willingness to turn the world upside down and shake it until the villains fall out. The Circle will gladly tolerate a tyrant who rules with whips and chains. A kind ruler who seeks to undo the wicked... not so much."

With a chuckle, Pan asked, "And the fact that you were more powerful than all of them put together probably helped as well?"

Snorting, Sombra said, "No matter how powerful I was, I was one, and they were many. Yes, I was powerful, but in a straight up battle with Celestia or Luna at their best, or against the assembled ponies of the empire, I would have lost. I relied, not so much on strength, per se, as I did the appearance of strength. Yes, I was certainly powerful, but I still had to sleep sometime. However, with a combination of fear spells, memory blocking spells, and an overall appearance of invulnerability made me seem less like a pony and more like some elemental power that no mortal could ever defeat alone. With that image as a shield, I could run roughshod over my subjects, yet still sleep soundly in my bed each night."

The appearance of strength. That gave Pan an idea....

"The fact that you murdered the royal family probably helped keep them subdued, as well," Pen Stroke said, more than a little angry.

Looking a little abashed, Sombra admitted, "Not so much murdered as... banished."

His eyes widening, Pan asked, "What? The true king and queen are still alive?"

"Yes and no," Sombra admitted. "I used a spell to send them forward in time. You might want to have your descendants keep an eye out for them: The king, queen, and the rest of the legitimate heirs will probably start popping up in a thousand years or so..."

Pen Stroke, flabbergasted, tried to say something, but could only get out a strangled, "Why?"

Surprisingly, Sombra blushed and said, "Well... look, I've done some awful stuff, I won't deny it, but there were a few things I wasn't ready to do. Killing defenseless colts or fillies in front of their parents, or killing parents in front of their offspring, was too much, even for me. I just sent them off, and made it look like I'd killed them." At the shocked looks by the assembled ponies in the room, Sombra said, "I only needed them out of the way. In a thousand years, I expected I would either be dead or ruling the world, so if at that point they wanted the Crystal Empire back, they could have it."

Closing his mouth with a click, Pen admitted, "Fair enough..."

Pan, lost in thought, began, "Tell me something, Sombra..." Clearing his throat, and keeping his tone perfectly neutral, the emperor continued, "Your body is expected to repair itself in one thousand years time. Is there anything that could be done to bring you back sooner?"

Sombra, his expression equally neutral, answered, "Maybe. How soon would you want me back?"

A smile slowly crossing his face as a wonderful, horrible, perfect plan began to form in his mind, Pan asked, "How soon is now?"

Do I Not Destroy My Enemies When I Make Them My Friends?

"YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!!!"

Pan chuckled at the reaction to his last statement. The incredibly loud statement had simultaneously been spoken by Straight Arrow (Still present in the room in his role as Pan's new bodyguard), Wild Wing, Pen Stroke, his son Gold Coin, Golden Grace, Ironwood, Nopony, and even King Sombra himself. Shimmering Radiance, surprisingly, was the only crystal pony to keep quiet, but given that during Sombra's rule the young filly had been given meals three times a day (And while somewhat meager, it was still infinitely superior to diving through trash cans for scraps), the young 'Urchin' was one of the few ponies who would have felt at least a little affection towards the tyrant...

Still, it was surprising that even Sombra himself seemed against his immediate return.

Looking over at the assembled ponies, Pan said, "The situation is very quickly escalating beyond our control. At this moment, Luna is significantly weakened, and while Celestia is not injured, her tussle with... whatever that thing was has left her exhausted... at a point in time when she's already tired out from the events of the week preceding her arrival. The army is in no way up to facing down the forces that the enemy is capable of bringing against us." Gesturing towards Pen Stroke, the emperor continued, "My right hoof is bedridden, and his son, while certainly willing, should not be required to shoulder his father's burden alone."

His expression turning grim, he continued, "Meanwhile, our enemies are many, they have abundant resources, and have had years to plan for this day. My allies are few, we have only those resources we can scavenge between now and the point in time when this confrontation comes to a head, and we've been caught unprepared so many times that our luck ought to have thrown up its hooves in frustration and stormed off in a huff by now."

With a sigh, Pan looked at the ponies around him, and said, "We could be facing a large scale attack tomorrow. We could be facing one in the next five minutes. We cannot afford to be picky about our allies, especially one who has as much to lose if we fail as everypony else does."

While the others still looked doubtful about the entire situation, Pan continued. "I'm not saying we give Sombra the key to the city, or throw him a parade. Too much has happened, too recently, for that kind of thing... even after the assistance that he's given us already. All I'm saying is that, if it is possible to bring him back now, when we need all the help we can get, we should explore that option, rather than dismissing it."

Straight Arrow, frowning, said, "I don't like it... but then again, I'm the one who thought it would be a spectacularly great idea yesterday to shoot the chancellor in the face with an ice arrow." With a sad chuckle, he admitted, "I'm probably not the best pony to ask for guidance right now."

Pen Stroke, after a moment's thought, said, "It is said that politics makes for strange bedfellows, and that today's enemies can sometimes become tomorrow's allies." Glancing down at the book he'd just been reading with a look of disgust, the chancellor added, "Until a few minutes ago, I had never imagined that there could be anypony in the world worse than Sombra." Looking over at the mirror, he added, "No offense." After Sombra chuckled and said, "None taken," Pen Stroke continued, stating, "I am horrified to find now that not only was I wrong, but that he did not even rank in the top fifty of this city, and that those ponies are individuals who I've known all of my adult life." Covering his face with a hoof, Pen admitted, "I'd have a list of conditions as long as I am tall, but I will admit, I cannot think of a better idea to help in evening the odds, especially when they're this spectacularly stacked against us."

Gold Coin, frowning, said, "I don't like it. I super, mega, ultra don't like it." Looking at the mirror with a look of serious disdain the likes of which only a young colt can muster, he added, "But he saved the emperor's life today, even though he didn't have to. Stuff like that buys a pony a little... clemency. Not a lot, but a little."

Ironwood kept silent, but Pan had expected that. Wild Wing likewise kept her peace, likely because this decision was ultimately well above her pay-grade. Nopony seemed about to speak, but after a moment, decided to hold his tongue: He knew that he was in the emperor's bad books right now, even if he was coerced into the actions he'd performed on his lord's behalf...

Shimmering Radiance looked at the mirror, and after a moment, she smiled and said, "We need all the help we can get, and I can think of worse ponies than the one who made sure that nopony in the city starved."

Pan chuckled, and asked, "So, how about it, Sombra? Can it be done? Can you bring yourself back right now?"

The stallion in the reflection scowled, and after a moment, he admitted, "It could be done, but there's a price to it." Before objections could be raised, he held up a hoof and said, "Not a price you have to pay. It's... something I would have to go through in order to return right away." Sombra looked away from the assembled ponies, then after a moment, he said, "My regeneration would take a thousand years for a fairly simple reason: My body is saturated with dark magic. While it doesn't quite stop healing magic from working, it slows the process down to a crawl. If that saturation were removed, then the healing effect would be greatly accelerated."

Looking at Sombra for a moment, Pan considered what that meant, then said, "And that would, in the process, reduce your ability to perform magic, at least on the darker half of the spectrum."

"Exactly," the tyrant admitted, after a moment. "While I would certainly still be able to perform spells, I would not be able to use spells like the ones that allowed me to subdue the city as I did before."

Luna read the unease in Sombra's features, it seemed, because she spoke the thought that only occurred to Pan a moment afterwards. "Which would mean, in a way, that you'd be at our mercy once you returned."

Scowling angrily, Sombra admitted, "Yes. Yes it would. I'd still be a wizard, and a powerful one, but I'd not be able to project that aura of absolute invulnerability that allowed me to sleep soundly each night. My fellow ponies, in sufficient numbers, could overwhelm me and beat me to death in retaliation for my misdeeds." With a snort, Sombra added, "Which was part of the reason I had still planned to wait a thousand years before reviving: After that point, I could remove my saturation if I so chose, and not be worried about ponies seeking revenge."

Pan, after a moment's consideration, said, "I know a number of 'stage tricks'; make ups, dyes, and the like, both magical and mundane, that could alter your appearance. Some of those changes would be permanent, and would be sufficient to effectively hide your identity, even from those who knew you personally. If you want, then when this is over I could supply you with a new look, a new identity, and a fresh start. If you want, you can go anywhere in Equestria or beyond and you could sleep soundly in your bed, so long as you don't return to your old tricks."

Sombra seemed genuinely stunned by the offer. After a moment, the stallion said, "I'll need a little time to think about all of this before I say yes or no. May I have a few minutes?"

Chuckling, the changeling replied, "Take all the time you need."

Sombra stared up at the ceiling of his office in Tartarus, and thought.

Well, this is a fine mess you've gotten yourself into, Sombra. You could have just sat back and watched things unfold, but noooooo, you just had to meddle. You can't help it, can you? You're a wizard, and wizards meddle. Meddle, meddle, meddle, it's practically in the job description. Starswirl himself said so, didn't he? If you start learning magic, he said, you'll find yourself sticking your nose into other pony's messes, whether you want to or not. Even when it would be in your best interest not to...

And now you're in this mess up to your neck, and you've been put on the spot: You can say yes to coming back to life, and risk everything on the word of a group of ponies, half of which have every reason to want you put back in the ground permanently. Or, if you say no, you'll probably get to sit and watch the world freeze.

The main problem was that, having cheated death once, he couldn't do it again. Or at least, he couldn't do it any time soon: The spells that kept him from true death were complex, and had to be cast at very specific places or at very specific times. It had taken the better part of a year to complete the process last time, and that had been without having to watch his back for vengeful ponies. More importantly, he'd not be able to have his spirit transported to Tartarus again to wait out his regeneration without making another deal, something he was now loathe to do, given who he'd made the deal with originally. If things went wrong, or if the emperor and the princesses decided to dispose of Sombra after he was no longer useful...

It would be the end of him.

But then again... was it really that likely that Pan, Celestia, and Luna would betray him? The same Luna who had sat beside him in Pan's theatre while they both struggle to solve the riddle of Pan's psyche? The same Celestia who had thanked him when he had saved her earlier today? The same Pan who had given a small colt permission to jump up on his bed? The same Pan that had picked up a poor orphan off of the streets and elevated her to the nobility, just because he could?

...The same Pan who had poured out a glass of the finest wine in Sombra's memory, in spite of hardly knowing him?

Sighing, Sombra sincerely wished that he was the kind of pony who could trust others easily. Intellectually, he supposed that he could find no fault with his potential 'allies', but a lifetime of paranoia and distrust, combined with the abuse of dark magic, had left the stallion with colossal trust issues...

Sombra was disturbed from his ruminations by a tapping on the mirror. Bringing his gaze to the looking glass in question, he was surprised to see that there was somepony... or rather, someone, reflected in the mirror. It looked like some manner of shaved ape...

That should not have been possible. Then again, Sombra was beginning to learn that the word 'impossible' did not seem to have the same weight it had just a week earlier.

"Um, hey," the 'ape' said, her expression a little worried, "Would you mind telling me what year it is where you are?"

A strange question, but the tyrant could see no reason to refuse to answer it. When he gave her (Well, he assumed she was female, given the pitch of her voice, as well as... other attributes) the year, the ape's eyes widened, and she asked, "Really? Are you sure?"

Sombra, a little confused, said, "Absolutely."

Tapping at her lip with a finger, she said, "Huh. I guess that mirror messaging between worlds doesn't count against the 'rule of three' for time travel..."

Sombra examined the ape more closely. Her skin was surprisingly pink, with bright blue eyes and purple hair. While he'd been... indisposed during her visit yesterday, the tyrant, after returning from Pan's mindscape, had reviewed the information available regarding her short trip... including an image of the pony who had arrived. Putting two and two together, Sombra asked, "Morning Glory?"

"Guilty as charged," she admitted with a giggle. "Sorry, was I butting in at a bad time? I'd promised my friends that I'd contact them tonight while I was visiting the human world. Looks like I have to account for both spacial and temporal variables when establishing a connection." Her tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth as she seemed to study the frame of the looking glass, she added, "I'm almost certain that I can fix that..." Turning away from the mirror, she called over her shoulder, shouting, "Sonata, could you get me my bag from downstairs?"

"Sure thing, Glory," came a surprisingly perky voice from 'off-frame'.

Startled, Sombra asked, "Wait, Sonata? As in Sonata Dusk? Siren Sonata Dusk?"

With another giggle, Glory admitted, "Yup. Funny story."

Four hours ago, Morning Glory's time, Human World, The Battle Of The Bands...

"You're betraying us for a taco!?"

Sonata Dusk swallowed her mouthful of sweet, delicious taco stuffing, then folded her arms over her chest, scowled, and asked, "After the 'relationship' the three of us had for the last thousand years? When you three have been treating me like dirt every day of the week and twice on sundays, in spite of all the help I've given you? I'd have betrayed you just because she said please and gave me a hug. Which she did." With an irritated glare at her two former 'friends', she added, "And I'm not betraying you two for a taco." She paused, then took another bite out of the meal in question. "I'm betraying you because, unlike you two, she and her friends have been nice to me. We had a slumber party last night, and you two weren't invited."

The siren stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry, then said, "And would you believe it was the most fun I've had in over one thousand years? We knew each other for half a day, and they still treated me better than you two ever did. We played games. We gossiped. We talked about boy's butts. Oh, how we talked about boy's butts! You would not believe how broad a topic of conversation that can be!" Clearing her throat, she returned to the original topic of conversation, "And Miss Glory promised that she'd take me back with her to Equestria, where I could meet all of her friends, and where we could have that kind of fun all the time! So, sorry girls, I'm leaving the band." With that, she pulled off her pendant and broke it between her fingers. "I'd say I'll miss you... but I won't miss you. At all. Ever. For realsies."

Scowling, Adagio Dazzle said, "Fine, we don't need you. The two of us are more than a match for the likes of your twerpy little 'friends'." Looking at Aria Blaze, she said, "Let's finish this."

The two sirens began to sing, and... nothing happened. There wasn't anything wrong with the song itself, but there was no longer any magic in it...

With a giggle, Morning Glory said, "Sorry, girls, but it looks like you can't sing in three part harmony with only two voices. Too bad..."

Sonata added, "...So sad! We're, like, totes sorry. Except, you know, not really sorry at all."

"So, yeah," Morning Glory said with a giggle, "Crisis averted. We had a great time last night, and since the portal back won't close until tomorrow night, Sonata, my friends, and I decided we'd have another party tonight to celebrate our victory." Accepting the bag from whoever was off screen, she added, "So much easier than my last visit. Chalk another victory up to the power of friendship."

His jaw hanging open, Sombra struggled to put his thoughts into words. After a moment, he asked, "How... how did you learn to do that?"

Pulling out a bottle of ink from her bag, along with a quill and a piece of parchment, Morning Glory asked, "Do what?" She began scratching something down on the parchment. Strangely, the ink began to glow as she wrote...

Still having difficulty, the tyrant said, "Pull the fangs out of the mouths of monsters that could devastate a nation, and turn them into... allies. How is that even possible?"

Tilting her head to one side, the girl contemplated that question for a moment, then seemed to come to a decision. She leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, "Don't tell anypony, but... I learned it from watching you."

Sombra's jaw dropped, this time with enough force that, by all rights it should have detached itself, tunneled through the floor, and went straight down until it drilled out the other side of the planet. "What?"

Giggling, Morning Glory said, "A lot can happen in a thousand years, Unca Sombie."

While Sombra had been away for the better part of an hour in Tartarus, in Equestria, he was gone for less than a minute. Looking at the ponies around the mirror, he cleared his throat, then said, "Alright. I'm in. And by in, I mean I am all in."

Looking at Sombra with a confused expression, Pan asked, "What, exactly, does that mean?"

The former tyrant sighed sadly, then said, "In the time before my defeat, I was... supremely paranoid. I created a number of tricks and traps to prevent anypony from taking what was mine, and while I suspect the items that were contained within my personal chambers have been ransacked, I did not keep all of my eggs in just one metaphorical basket. Before I pursued the road to rule, I amassed a significant personal fortune through... semi-legal means, and then took steps to hide it for later use. I kept a large number of hidden caches scattered about Equestria... as well as a few here in the Crystal Empire. More importantly, I placed charms upon each of those caches so that they could be transported back to the palace at need."

Celestia, having finally finished tending to Nopony's daughter and rejoining the group, asked, "And what, pray tell, would be contained in those caches?"

"All manner of things," Sombra said, his expression neutral. "Gold, gemstones, and easily sold trade goods, for a start. More importantly, there are materials that could be used to create magical charms, armor, weaponry, and more. All told, there would be enough to outfit a small army... like the one you currently have." At the surprised expressions on the faces of the ponies assembled, Sombra chuckled, then added, "These caches were meant to be my means of securing an escape, and potentially working my way back into a position of power if I were defeated. The chests containing them were even designed to be able to last for a thousand years or more, so that I could even make use of them after my regeneration. I am willing to offer, in addition to my own substantial magical prowess, the contents of every last one of those caches. While I cannot guarantee that they would be enough to truly turn the tide, given the... severity of the opposition you face, they will certainly help move things a little more in your favor. There are also other things that I might be able to provide, but we can discuss those in more detail at a later time. Suffice to say, I am offering you every resource at my disposal, in order to help you."

Straight Arrow, immediately suspicious, asked, "What's the catch?"

"I will require an oath," Sombra said, flatly. "I am putting all my cards on the table. If I give to you all of the resources that I currently possess, then I will be putting my life and my future fully in your hooves. If things go wrong, I will reap the same consequences that everypony else will. However, if we succeed, and you decide to betray me afterwards, I would have nothing left that I could use to ensure my own survival. If you were to kill me, I would not be coming back again. Period. Even if I were to escape the city, and somehow survived the trip through the frozen wastes between here and the rest of Equestria, I would be forced to live the life of a wanted fugitive, and a bitless vagabond to boot."

"So you want the emperor's word," Pen Stroke deduced," that he will make good on his promise that, if you give us your aid, you'll be given the opportunity for a new life, free from your past."

Looking the changeling in the eye, Sombra said, "No. I want Pan's word, not just as an emperor, but as Pandinus Imperator, the changeling whose life I helped save earlier today, that he will make good on that promise. While kings and queens may twist the meaning of their words to suit their own needs, a promise between two stallions is a completely different thing. If he will swear to abide by both the letter and spirit of the agreement we strike today, then I will give all that I possess to ensure the survival of the city." Looking over at Luna and Celestia, he added, "And I would expect a similar promise from the both of you as well."

The changeling glanced at both Celestia and Luna, who both nodded in agreement. Pan stood, then walked over to the mirror, and placed a hoof upon it. "Very well. I say this now, both as Emperor Pandinus Imperator The First, Ruler of the Crystal Empire And All Who Doth Dwell Within, and as somebuggy who owes you a life-debt. I do hereby swear the following: Should you aid me in the defense of the Crystal Empire against the forces that are currently threatening it, both from outside and from within, then I shall do all within my power to ensure that you will be able to live a life free from from reprisals for your past misdeeds. I say this on the following three conditions: Firstly, you shall forswear any and all claim to the throne of the Crystal Empire, and you shall swear that you will never attempt to usurp the rightful claim of another ruler. Second, you shall swear to never again use your magical powers against another pony, save only in direct self-defense, or in the defense of others. Third, you will be required to work on behalf of Equestria in general, and the Crystal Empire in specific, for a period of time to be determined after the end of the current crisis."

At the surprised look that Sombra gave the changeling, Pan chuckled and said, "I am requiring you to make good for everything you've done to the Crystal Empire. Saving my life, and Celestia's, was a good start, as will helping us save the city. However, you'll still have some ways to go before you've balanced the metaphorical books. When I, and the princesses, agree that you've paid the citizens of the Crystal Empire back fully for what you've done to them, you'll be free to go with our blessing. If you work hard enough, you may well be on your merry way by this time next year." A small grin crossing his face, the changeling asked, "Deal?"

Without hesitation, Sombra placed a hoof against the mirror and said, "Deal."

Revelation

"So, I assume that you've got a plan in mind?"

Chuckling, Pan turned away from the mirror, and towards Princess Celestia. The changeling had to admit, this was getting interesting. All the pieces were starting to fit together. While he may have been a natural born actor, he supposed that politics was also in his blood. Things were getting exciting, and admittedly very dangerous, and yet now, the emperor was beginning to see a way through all of this. Now that he knew who and what his enemies were, he could begin working on a method of defeating them.

"I do have a plan forming, your highness," Pan said, a grin forming on his face. "And I promise you, it will be a good one. However, I need to confirm a few more pieces of information before I can for certain that it will work." Turning towards the Crystal Heart, still in its place on a cushion upon a chair, he said, "But first, there is something I need to confirm. Crystal Heart, can you hear me?"

The Crystal Heart pulsed, then said, "Affirmative."

Nodding, he turned towards Princess Luna and asked, "Please ask the Crystal Heart a question, Luna. Any question will do."

Confused, Luna took a moment to think, then asked, "Crystal Heart, what is two plus two?"

The relic remained silent.

Turning towards Pen Stroke, Pan asked, "Now you, Pen, ask the same question."

The chancellor, a little less confused, asked, "Crystal Heart, what is two plus two?"

"Four," the relic stated without hesitation.

Luna's eyes narrowed in irritation, but surprisingly, Sombra laughed, then said, "I get it. The Crystal Heart won't answer to anypony who is not a citizen of the Crystal Empire!"

Chuckling a little himself, the changeling admitted, "That's what I was thinking. It seemed odd that it would ignore Luna and Celestia's question earlier, but it would answer anypony else's. I suspect that, since the Heart predates the city becoming a part of Equestria, it does not recognize their authority." A half-smile crossing his face, he added, "But I can fix that right now, I think." Turning back to the relic, Pan said, "By the power vested in me as a citizen of the Crystal Empire, I, Emperor Pandinus Imperator The First, Ruler of the Crystal Empire And All Who Doth Dwell Within, do hereby nominate Princesses Luna and Celestia for citizenship in the Crystal Empire."

The Crystal Heart pulsed with light, and replied, "Your motion has been heard. In order for the motion to be carried, it must be approved by the royal chancellor, or another authorized representative, should he be unavailable at this time."

Pen Stroke coughed, then said, "My name is Pen Stroke, royal chancellor. I give my approval for this motion."

The relic pulsed, and for a second, both Celestia and Luna's coats shone like those of other Crystal Ponies. Both ponies, after the moment passed, seemed to be sitting a little straighter, and seemed a little less weary than before. It seemed that citizenship came with benefits, even for princesses...

Looking over at the relic through his spot in the mirror, Sombra noted, "So, we've established that the heart can grant citizenship to others, but it only answers to other Crystal Ponies. While certainly interesting, and something I'd not even suspected before, what good does that really do? The Circle is comprised almost... exclusively... of... citizens..." Realization began to dawn, Sombra's eyes widening in shock.

Not quite as fast on the uptake, Celestia did note Sombra's expression and asked, "What?"

Smirking, Pan said, "If the Crystal Heart has the ability to grant citizenship rights, couldn't it also revoke that citizenship?"

Straight Arrow, confused, asked, "What good would that do?"

Pan sighed, then said, "This will get a little bit long winded, but I will do my best to explain: My kind, changelings, come from an alternate future where a group of Crystal Ponies abandoned the Crystal Empire while Celestia and Luna were fighting King Sombra. Those ponies tried to start up a new kingdom elsewhere, but because a spell banished the Crystal Empire, and the Crystal Heart, from time and space, these runaways were no longer as strong, either physically or magically, as they were before. Without the heart, they could not hope to survive the way they were, so they tried to permanently sever the link between the relic and themselves. This created my kind."

His eyes widening, Straight Arrow said, "So if their citizenship were to be revoked, causing them to be cut off from the Crystal Heart, the Circle would be drastically weakened..."

"Precisely," Pan said, his expression solemn. "The Circle has, as Pen Stroke noted, a number of dark magic users, as well as at least one skilled necromancer who controls the wights. Sever their connection to the heart, and their ability to wage war will be drastically reduced." Clearing his throat, the emperor said, "But that's not the main reason for revoking their citizenship. The main reason is this: As observed before, the Circle is a cancer, eating away at the heart of the city. If the Circle's corrupting influence were removed, then the Crystal Empire, and the Crystal Ponies, will be freed from their taint. And if I recall correctly, we have a fairly complete list of their membership, thanks to Scarlet Wake's book."

Clearing her throat, Luna said with a grin, "Well, before you start congratulating yourself on your clever ideas, you might want to confirm that the Crystal Heart can do what you think it will."

"Good idea," the changeling admitted, grinning. "While it would certainly be dramatic to wait until the last minute to find out, it wouldn't be very smart, especially if it turns out that it doesn't work that way."

Turning back towards the relic, Pan asked, "Crystal Heart, do I have the authority to revoke a pony's citizenship?"

"Negative," the relic stated, "only a user with Emperor level clearance may negate a citizen's access to the Crystal Network."

Surprised, Pan said, "But I'm the emperor!"

The Crystal Heart responded, saying, "Negative. While any pony may potentially be given the title of emperor, that does not give the bearer of that title Emperor level access rights. Any usurper to the throne could be given that rank, so a security key was created to prevent anypony unworthy from taking control. Only possession of the Crystal Crown can confirm Emperor level status."

"Oh dear," Pen Stroke said, his expression suddenly worried.

Looking over at the chancellor, Pan asked, "You know something about this?"

Closing his eyes, as if struggling to recall something from the past, Pen Stroke said, "If I recall correctly, I think I may know of this Crystal Crown: Before the Crystal Emperor left, he bestowed upon his subjects the gift of the Crystal Heart, to ensure they could live in peace and harmony here in the frozen north. However, he also bestowed a second gift upon the one that he chose to rule in his stead, as a sign that the king had the emperor's authority while he was away: A crown, little more than a headband of almost perfectly transparent crystal. The first king wore the crown with pride all his life, but sadly he died suddenly, shortly after his son came of age. The new king, being more... materialistic than his father, decided he did not like the current crown, and had it interred with his father. He commissioned the creation of a new crown. In fact, he had several made, all of them made from precious gemstones and precious metals... and in all honesty, all of them were embarrassingly gaudy affairs."

Celestia, an eyebrow raised, asked, "So the Crystal Crown would be buried in the tomb of the first Crystal King?"

"Indeed," Pen Stroke admitted. "We're rather fortunate, in that regard: The royal catacombs are here on the palace grounds, and it would not be difficult to send a party down to retrieve the crown. Almost no pony goes down there, save when a member of the royal family passes away..."

A new piece entered the jigsaw puzzle inside of Pan's mind. An ugly, nasty little piece with sharp, jagged edges. It fell right into place, in the worst possible way...

Gulping, Pan asked, "Pen Stroke, you mentioned that only about three quarters of the wights were accounted for, right?"

Nodding, the chancellor said, "Yes, my lord. As I said before, Scarlet Wake suspected that the remained wights were kept on Lady Midnight Black's estate."

"That would be a good guess, but a foolish one," the emperor stated, his voice now very worried. "After all, if somepony stumbled upon them, that would be highly incriminating evidence that would point directly to her. I suspect that there would be little more than a 'skeleton crew' at her estate, used only for emergencies." With a sad chuckle, Pan continued, "If I was a bastard, and my father was almost certain that I was, then I wouldn't hide those wights someplace where they could be traced back to me. I'd hide them someplace where I could make good use of them when the time came for a full-scale coup de tat. And where would be the best place to hide a large number of corpses?"

Celestia's and Luna's jaws dropped. Pen Stroke's eyes widened in horror. Sombra's expression became almost unbearably grim...

"The best place would be somewhere that already holds a large number of dead bodies," Pan said, his tone and expression grave. "Better yet, hide them someplace where your enemies rarely go, and yet someplace where the wights could be used to strike quickly and decisively when the time came. In the event of a war, the other deposits of wights would likely be used to encircle the palace, forcing us to try and lock down the grounds, and hole up for an extended siege. And then, when there's no way out... the wights in the catacombs come out and slaughter everyone in the palace."

"Ironwood, Nopony, and Golden Grace have confirmed that Dream Charmer, sole member of the royal family still present in the city, was a member of the Circle. She'd know of the catacombs, and would no doubt have had information that could aid in smuggling the wights in." With a chuckle, Pan said, "Perhaps I am wrong, and all that the party that goes in will face is cobwebs and stale air. But if I am right, then the only way to take the Crystal Crown will be to wade through a sea of wights."

"A grim picture, milord," Pen Stroke admitted, then added, his expression hopeful, "But as Sombra mentioned, the wights require time, energy, and concentration to awaken and control. If we are determined to claim the crown, there is a limited window of opportunity in which we can do so."

"Indeed," Pan admitted. "But there is something that has been worrying me. While I have no doubt that the Circle has benefited from Dream Charmer's presence in their ranks, she alone could not account for everything that has happened recently."

Surprised, and seeming a little concerned, Luna asked, "What do you mean?"

"Scarlet Wake had an agent infiltrate the palace and provide me with the tainted wine, the one which contained the love poison," Pan said, turning his gaze to the ceiling and seeming to search for answers there. "And yet, our return to the palace was spur of the moment, allowing for very little time to plan the event. The fact that Scarlet Wake was able to, within only a day after Sombra's defeat, dredge up a bottle of uniquely drugged wine that was not supposed to exist anymore, seems highly suspicious. Moreover, how would Scarlet even know of this tainted vintage? Unless somepony already had the wine here, and had told Scarlet of it. In that case, all it would have taken was a fire mail message to an agent present in the palace, telling where the wine would be and what to do with it."

"A conspiracy, then, put in place here in the palace itself," Pen Stroke deduced, after a moment's thought. "I admit, given the... sudden and spontaneous nature of the poisoning, it does seem as if the groundwork had already been laid for it to occur, well before your arrival..."

"You have it exactly right," said a voice as sweet as honey, from the doorway.

A large, homely mare walked into the room, followed by a pair of guards and a... griffin? That was definitely surprising. Craning his head to get a better look, and saw... the griffin in question had the hind legs of a pony. A hippogriff? Here? How?

Still, the mare in question held most of Pan's attention. She looked to be in fairly bad shape: Bandages covered a noticeable portion of her body, and while some were stained the dull brownish red of dried blood, a few others were... worryingly bright and wet.

"Goldie," Pen Stroke began, his tone one of great worry, "what happened?"

Then this was Golden Tone, Pen Stroke's sister-in-law? She looked... well, exactly as Pen Stroke had described her earlier today when he'd told the emperor about the plans that the chancellor had made, regarding the investigation of his wife's murder...

The mare chuckled and said, "I did what you wanted, brother-in-law: I went and asked questions. It seems that some ponies out there didn't like what I was asking. I've been dodging thugs half the day, and when the sun set, I had some really freaky stuff coming after me."

Startled, Pen asked, "Wights?"

"Well, they sure weren't ponies," 'Goldy' said, chuckling. "But I finally got a few answers, Pen. I know exactly who killed Roundelay, and why. And if I heard what you're discussing right, it may tie everything together."

"Well then, don't leave us in suspense," Pan said, very excited. There was a piece missing from this puzzle. One that he felt he could almost grasp, and could help in putting all of this together...

"You were wrong about it being Midnight Black, Pen," Golden Tone began, without preamble. "The target was your wife, not the queen. The bottle of wine was given to the royal family, knowing full well it would probably be given to you as a gift. The assassination was put into motion by Dream Charmer, the disowned daughter of the king and queen. Dream was insanely jealous of Rondelay, because your wife was getting too close to the queen, becoming something like a surrogate daughter. While her parents had tried to make her removal from the royal line as gentle and painless as possible, DeeCee was still horribly bitter, and couldn't stand the thought of being replaced by somepony else, especially by a commoner. She was also still angry with her parents, so even if the king and queen drank the wine instead, she'd have counted it a win. But that's not the most unbelievable part!"

Pen Stroke, now clearly shocked, asked, "Well, what is?"

Strangely excited, the minstrel exclaimed, "The one responsible for the poisoning itself was Malted Barley, The Royal Tapmaster! He's been using his role in the palace to murder aristocrats left and right since the end of the Black Feather War. He'd used it as a means of lining his pockets, as well as to curry favor with the nobility: A number of firstborn sons would have found themselves disowned for... unsavory appetites, had their replacements, or their parents, not met a sudden and tragic end. It seems he'd been doing the job of an entire assassin's guild, all by himself. And all of it was so that he could convince them to join some sort of a club he was organizing... something he called 'The Circle'..."

The largest, and most important, piece of the puzzle fell into place, and the picture it formed in Pan's mind was so colossal, so breath-taking, and so nightmarish that it took Pan's breath away...

On The Origin Of The Species

"Where did you get all of this information?"

While Pan was still wrestling with the ramifications of the latest revelation, Pen Stroke's mind was going into overdrive. While he certainly didn't doubt that Golden Tone believed every word of what she said, the chancellor could not possibly move against a popular figure like Malted Barley without proof. The royal tapmaster, having been born a commoner but having reached a level of prosperity equal of many of the great noble houses within his lifetime, was often pointed to as an example of how any pony, regardless of birth, could rise to greatness through their own efforts. Without concrete, irrefutable proof of his guilt, it would be nearly impossible to arrest him without causing riots throughout the city.

Golden Tone, smiling, said, "I knew you'd ask that, which is why I brought my new friend over. Well, that, and the fact that he's the only reason I'm still alive right now." Looking a bit embarrassed, the bard admitted, "I underestimated the protection I was granted by the tradition of bardic immunity. On your request, I started by looking for servants of Lady Midnight Black's estate. Bizarrely, though, I couldn't find a single one. In fact, nopony I asked could remember seeming one within the last ten years. That immediately made me suspicious: Regardless of however strict their master may be, Midnight would have had to have sent at least one of her servants out for things like wine, medicine, or any of the other necessities that a noble's estate might need. However, there was nothing at all. After a couple of hours, though, a thought occurred to me: If I couldn't get any information about Lady Midnight Black directly, then perhaps I might be able to find a link to her if I followed the path of the poisoned wine itself."

Falling into the rhythmic cadences of a bard as she continued the story, Golden Tone went on. "That was a dead end, at least at first: Not a single pony in the city, not one wine merchant nor brewer could say where that bottle might have come from. Even Malted Barley, when I asked him, pretended ignorance so perfectly I had no reason to suspect him. It seemed odd to me, upon reflection, that a bottle of tainted wine could have reached the king and queen without passing through Malted Barley's hooves at least briefly, but like just about anypony else, I didn't suspect him of any wrongdoing."

With a shrug, she continued, saying, "But I thought about one other possibile lead: The poison itself. A fast-acting poison that can kill a pony within seconds of consuming it has to be rare, and exotic, especially if it lacks both a distinctive flavor or a scent. After speaking with an apothecary we both know to be trustworthy, I was able to confirm my suspicions: Equestria lacks any such toxin. While there are a few poisons available in Equestria that could be as fast acting, they have a powerfully foul taste or an incredibly rancid smell. I spoke with the old sawbones who had examined Rondelay's body after her death, and got an explanation of what the poison did to her. With the help of the doctor and the apothecary, we were able to narrow the poison down to one: Grimroot, a plant found only in the Griffin Kingdoms, and thought to be almost impossible to cultivate elsewhere."

"So," the Celestia inserted, "you started asking around about where somepony might have gotten their hooves on some."

With a nod, Golden Tone agreed, "Exactly. I also decided to see if anypony knew about any griffins who had entered the city recently. While I heard a few rumors about a griffin having been seen flying at night, nopony had ever gotten a good look at him. However, I also heard a rumor of a mercenary company having come into the city a few years ago, one comprised of ponies, griffins, and hippogriffs... and apparently never left. But why had they come here, and where would they have gone?"

The hippogriff raised a taloned claw and said, "With your permission, might I take it from here?"

The bard, with a small laugh, said, "Sure, Xenophon. You can take it from here."

The hippogriff, stepped forward, and the chancellor got a better look at the individual in question. He looked to be in his thirties, meaning that he was born well before the Black Feather War, so he was not was some ponies might have referred to as a 'Black Feather Bastard' (Pen Stroke hated that term, and everything that it implied, but sadly, a number of hippogriff children had been born in the aftermath of the war, and not due to happily wedded matrimony), and his lean yet still well-muscled build, combined with the scars criss-crossing his body, proclaimed him to be somebirdy/somepony who was long used to the battlefield, although one who had fallen on hard times.

"My name is Xenophon," he began, introducing himself with a bow, then continued. "I am... or perhaps I should say was, the leader of the Talon Company."

The emperor made a sudden noise, startling everypony in the room, as he asked, "Wait... Xenophon? Of the Talon Company? As in THE Talon Company?"

Surprised, the hippogriff asked, "You've heard of us, your highness?"

With a chuckle, Pandinus Imperator admitted, "I should say so. I hope that you'll be pleased to hear that your band went down in history as one of the most effective and skillful mercenary companies the world has ever known. Even a thousand years from now, when mercenaries are much less common, your company is still regarded as amongst the greatest to have ever graced the planet... and the sudden disappearance of your company would be considered one of the greatest mysteries of the age."

With a sad little laugh, Xenophon admitted, "You honor me, my lord, and were my company still here with me, I think that they would be flattered to hear you say that. Sadly, I suppose that as funerary offerings go, knowing that they shall go down in history will have to serve, as I have little else left."

Shocked, the emperor asked, "They're dead?"

Nodding sadly, the hippogriff admitted, "Yes, milord. Wiped out to the last pony, griffin, and hippogriff, save myself. My company came here in response to an invitation by the one you know as Malted Barley. He indicated an interest in our tactical and martial prowess, and had wanted to see if we might be willing to assist in the training of a new city militia. Lacking other work, we agreed: Things had been a bit lean after the Black Feather War, and the idea of maybe settling down and training others, using the expertise we'd gained in fighting on battlefields across the planet for something other than waging war ourselves, was beginning to appeal to us... especially after our last contract."

"The Dunewall Campaign," Pan said, his expression neutral. However, his tone told the chancellor that the campaign in question was not the kind that ended well...

"Yes," Xenophon said, seeming more than a little angry. "Dunewall. Dunewall was a colossal plucking clusterflock, if you'll pardon my Griffin. We were betrayed by our client when things went badly for them. The city-state surrendered to the raiders we'd been hired to purge from their lands, and agreed to declare our company outlaws, so long as the city was left standing, and the citizens left unharmed, after three days of plundering. As such, we ended up stranded, without supplies or support, in the heart of hostile territory, with gnolls, djinn, and worse snapping at our heels. It took us nearly a year, fighting every inch of the way, to reach the lands of the Zebras, where we could finally resupply and secure transport back to the Griffin Kingdoms. We lost a quarter of our numbers in the process, which was, given the circumstances, nothing short of miraculous. However, after that, a lot of us were more than a little eager for something a bit less harrowing. Malted Barley's offer seemed like a sign that our luck was finally turning around. Instead, it would be the final nail in our collective coffin."

"Everything seemed fine, at first," he said, sadly. "We met with the client, met with the ponies we'd be training, and inspected the equipment that the trainees would be using. Everything seemed in order: Malt was a seemingly friendly pony with a firm hoofshake that you could tie a warship to, the recruits were all fit young stallions and mares who had already served with distinction in the city guard, and the gear was of such high quality that I'd have honestly been interested in acquiring some for my troops before we left the city. It was hoofshakes and smiles all around, and that evening, after the contract was signed, the client himself gave the company ten massive kegs of beer, as a sign of his everlasting gratitude. We celebrated, drinking deeply..."

"And we woke up in chains, in a dungeon... at the 'tender mercies' of an individual who introduced himself as 'Lord Fly'," Xenophon finished, spitting after saying the name.

Lord Fly fancied himself a doctor, and a scientist, interested in unlocking all of the secrets of the living body, and in preserving the life well beyond what would normally kill it. As such, he spent a lot of time working on living bodies... dissecting them while they were still alive and conscious. And screaming. He was also a cannibal, and would occasionally have what he called a 'working lunch'.

He also liked to talk, and the unicorn had decided that Xenophon, being the most intelligent, educated, and experienced of the lot, should witness everything that was done, and be made to understand the reasons why his friends and comrades had to suffer for days on end.

It all came back to Malted Barley.

During the Black Feather War, Malt had been but a humble soldier, drafted and pulled away from the wine cellars and brewing vats that were his passion and forced to fight against the vicious invaders who plagued Equestria. Given how spectacularly that the Equestrians outnumbered the Black Feathers, everypony had expected to be home by Hearth Fire's Eve.

Half a year later, in the winter's snow of Hearth Fire, the battle was still ongoing, with no end in sight.

It seemed impossible: Celestia and Luna themselves were on the battlefield, fighting just as fiercely and bravely as the soldiers themselves. With the sun and moon on their side, why weren't they winning? How could an army of but ten thousand, at least a third of which were camp followers like tailors, cooks, and blacksmiths, be a match for a country whose population numbered in the millions?

Maybe it was because Equestria was weak. Well, maybe weak was not the right word, but the fact was that the Griffins, with their long history of violent warfare, were better soldiers and tacticians than the Equestrians, who had a much more peaceful culture. Perhaps more importantly, the Black Feathers were more than willing to use dark magic, which proved to be almost overwhelmingly powerful, even if it did prove to be costly to use. Either way, the fact of the matter was that Equestria was locked in a war of attrition against a much smaller army.

It was while he was nursing these bitter thoughts that Malted Barley and his platoon were ambushed by the soldiers led by one Galaciella Blackfeather... the daughter of the dreaded leader of the Black Feather forces.

Within the blink of an eye, more than half of his comrades were slain, and as he fought for survival, the remainder of his platoon fell, one by one. Finally, on his own, he fought desperately. He fought with hoof and with tooth against more than thirty griffins... and several minutes of vicious fighting later, he finally persevered, until it was just humself and Galaciella herself.

The two quickly began fighting one another, claw against hoof, for what seemed like hours... and it was impossible to say when it changed from a violent battle to something more... passionate.

In the aftermath, Malt and Galaciella lay together and talked. Galaciella spoke of the reasoning behind the war, at least from the Black Feather's side. Meanwhile, Malt spoke of his own concerns, regarding what the war might mean for his own kind, whether they succeeded or failed. Both sides had expected the war to end quickly, and in truth, all Equestria had to do now was hold the line until the invading forces' supplies ran out, and it would be a victory, of sorts...

But what about next time?

A force of ten thousand had fought Equestria to a standstill. What would happen if another, more violent nation with a larger army decided to invade? Equestria might have been weak, in that they did not have much military might in comparison to other countries, but now that they had been seen to be weak, it would, in Malted Barley's mind, just be a matter of time before Equestria would be attacked again... and again... and again.

Galaciella was sympathetic: While she had, at first, bought into her father's rhetoric about the superiority of griffins over ponies, and really just everypony else in the world, half a year of warfare had proven that the so-called 'inherent superiority' of the griffins didn't count for much when outnumbered this heavily. More importantly, after fighting for so long, and with the ponies holding firm against the griffins, Galaciella was beginning to realize that all of her father's rhetoric really was just rhetoric: Sound and fury, signifying nothing. It sounded good to an audience which already believed in it, and it had managed to gather griffins under his banner for the invasion, but the reality was that, even by cheating through the use of under taloned tactices and dark magic, the Black Feathers were going to lose, and lose badly.

The cracks were starting to show, and had the army of the Griffin Kingdom itself not shown up to deal the finishing blow, then infighting amongst their own forces would have no doubt been the undoing of the Black Feathers, when the food ran out and the soldiers began to starve.

But what then? As Malt believed, there would doubtless be others, emboldened by the fact that an army just ten thousand strong had done such a masterful job of assaulting Equestria. An army twice or even thrice that size could prove Equestria's match, especially with Equestria already so thoroughly weakened by the current war.

That was when Malted Barley and Galaciella Blackfeather began to form the basis of the Circle. It wasn't about power, or about wealth, at least not to them. It was about ensuring that when the next major invasion occurred, the invaders would be met with a force so powerful, so fierce, and so terrifying that they would flee in terror or be wiped off the face of the planet in an eyeblink. To those ends, 'Lord and Lady Scorpion' began working together to ensure that when this war ended, they would have both the allies and resources available to make that dream a reality.

Two of the members of the Inner Circle (The leaders of this new alliance), Lady Spider and Lord Fly, were found during the war. Lady Spider, a young sorceress who grew disillusioned with the 'powers of love and friendship' that so many other ponies believed in, began studying necromancy in order to supply Equestria with an army of undying soldiers comprised of anyone foolish enough to try and invade Equestria. Lord Fly, on the other hoof, was tasked with finding ways to preserve life. How much better would it be, after all, if ponies did not die, not in sickness, nor from violence, nor even from old age? Dark magic, they were all certain, held the keys to immortality: Many powerful wizards and warriors had been found to be nearly unkillable when empowered by the dark arts, and seemed to be utterly ageless. With the right combination of spells, that 'nearly' could be removed, they believed.

The final member of the Inner Circle, Lady Wasp, came years later, after the Circle had been in place for several years. A member of the royal family who was removed from the line of succession due to birth defects, she was the final piece that the Circle needed to be able to take control: When the next invasion came, and Equestria fell, the Circle and its forces would come riding to the rescue of their brother and sister ponies. With a new Queen, a member of the royal family who was disavowed due to a tradition centuries old, came and saved the ponies of Equestria, she would grant the Circle the legitimacy it would need to cement their new position as the rulers of the realm.

Ironic, then, that it was the work of a powerful sorcerer, King Sombra, who halted the Circle's plans, at least temporarily. A pony who seemed to already embody their most fundamental beliefs...

"More ironic," Xenophon concluded, "is the fact that Sombra's invasion allowed me the opportunity to escape from Lord Fly's secret laboratory. While he'd killed the last member of Talon Company a couple of years ago, he'd found having a captive audience to be so enjoyable that he'd kept me alive and caged, so that the two of us could talk whenever he had the time to spare. When he'd not returned to check on me for a week, I'd taken the opportunity to pick the lock to my cage and escape. I remained in hiding while Sombra was still around, not wanting to risk his wrath, and despaired of ever escaping... until you came, your highness." With a sad smile, he admitted, "I'd have left the city before now, save for the fact that with the passes not yet clear of snow, and with my body still somewhat weakened by several years in a dank prison cell, I've no doubt that I'd die before I reached Equestria proper. Besides, when Sombra was slain, I thought it might be best to stay until I had an opportunity to warn your majesties of the Circle's existence. Regrettably, I'd not been able to work out a means of contacting anypony in the palace without risking being caught by the Circle... until I encountered Miss Golden Tone, being attacked by a group of thugs."

With a smile, the mare said, "I was holding my own pretty well, given that I was outnumbered three to one, and the fact that a career spent in rowdy taverns has given me an uppercut that most pugilists would envy. Still, it might have gone badly if Xenophon had not shown up when he did. After the thugs were down, and we had a chance to compare notes, we'd discovered that we were the answer to each other's prayers. By then, though, the sun had started to set, and things got a lot more difficult."

"Well thankfully," Pen Stroke said, chuckling, "you've made it here safely. And thanks to Ironwood here, one member of the Inner Circle is dead. Lady Wasp was dehorned and her neck broken just a short time ago."

His expression gravely concerned, Xenophon asked, "Did he break her phylactery?"

Pandinus Imperator, clearly confused, asked, "Her what?"

Celestia and Luna, however, wore matching expressions of absolute horror. "You can't possibly mean...?"

Shaking his head sadly, the hippogriff said, "I fear so. While the royal family had discussed it with nopony else, not even the chancellor, from what Lord Fly let slip, the bad leg was not the only reason for Dream Charmer's disqualification: The mare was also born with a defect in her heart, one that could cause it to stop at any time. She was expected to expire before her seventeenth birthday. When the Circle approached her, they offered her not only a means of attaining the crown that her birth defects had prevented her from attaining, but they also offered her immortality and a tremendous increase in her own already impressive magical prowess. They made good on that promise, since they could not risk her dying before their plans came to fruition. To that end, they created a forbidden relic, a magical item called a phylactery, that would hold her life force, her essence, her very soul, so that even if her heart stopped beating, and her body mortally wounded, she would never, ever die, so long as her phylactery remained intact."

"They turned her into a lich."

Fifteen minutes ago...

Pretty Penny looked at the burning mansion of Scarlet Wake with undisguised longing, still hiding behind some bushes a fair distance from the flames. While the deaths of the ponies within was certainly a tragedy, this would be a prime opportunity to score some real wealth, maybe enough to set her and her daughter up with something better than the broken-down shack that they currently occupied. After all, there were so many things that could be 'rescued' from the ashes, and Penny knew more than a few ponies willing to buy merchandise that was slightly scorched, or even just a tiny bit bloody, with no questions asked...

"The flames are starting to die down, mom," her daughter whispered. Rosy Hue was more than a match for her mother's former beauty, but if there was one thing that Pretty Penny wanted, it was to make certain that her daughter did not end up following in her hoofsteps. Rosy deserved better than to be a mare of the evening like her mother...

Still, that flying, flaming pony that had flown out of the wreckage had been worrying. Enough so that Penny had seriously considered calling the whole thing off, or at least sending her daughter home. Still, it was too good an opportunity to pass up, and two ponies, especially one with a young back that didn't threaten to give out from time to time, could carry far more than just one.

What emerged from the burning wreckage next made Penny seriously reconsider her plans again. It looked like a pony, and walked like a pony, but if it was a pony, it was one straight out of a nightmare: For one thing, its body was blazing with flames as tall as it was, even if the pony seemed to be paying the flames no mind. For another, its head hung at an odd angle, as if its neck had been broken. Yet if that was so, how was it still moving? And how could it be looking at the world around it with a look of such undisguised hatred that the world around it should, by all rights, be burning as well? Penny pulled Rosy down, still hiding behind the bushes, hoping against hope that the... thing that she'd just seen would not notice them...

After several minutes, she risked peaking again, and saw that... whatever that thing was, it was now gone. Better yet, the flames had finally gone out. Now was their chance. So long as nothing else was in there, then the two of them would have a few minutes to grab some prime loot and be on their way.

A few minutes later, Pretty Penny was pleased to say that she and her daughter would not be starving any time soon. The sack she carried held enough gold and silver to keep them well fed and happy for a good long time. Even enough, perhaps, to get them a far nicer house in a far better part of town. If Rosy's haul was anything like her mother's...

"Mom, there's a pony still alive here!"

Nearly dropping her sack, Penny rushed over to her daughter. Money was money, but she wasn't so heartless that she'd turn her back on a pony in need. But when she saw the pony in question, the only help he ought to have needed was that of a mortician: His body was horribly burned, especially his face. In fact, it was nearly impossible to tell what color his coat might once have been, given how charred his body was. Had she not known better, the older mare would have thought that he'd been tortured...

Were it not for the fact that he was still breathing, Pretty Penny would have thought him dead. While the reaper might come to claim him soon enough, for now, he was still alive. Clutching her sack of loot in her teeth, she began aiding her daughter in pulling him out of the wreckage. Once she and her daughter had succeeded in pulling him clear of the mansion, Penny held up her sack and said, "I've got this much. How much did you find?"

Holding up an equally fully sack, Rosy said, "About the same, mom."

Nodding sagely, Pretty Penny said, "Good. That's more than enough. Let's head over to the house: We don't want any guards to catch us here." Last thing they needed was a group of guards coming in and asking questions. Looting a house that was on fire wasn't exactly legal, even if you were poor as dirt and the person you were kinda stealing from made more money in a day than you'd see in ten lifetimes. Looking at the horrifically burned pony, she added, "We'll take him with us. I don't know how much we can do for him, but I know an old sawbones who might be able to help him... provided he doesn't die before we get him there."

Author's Note

Xenophon, member of the ancient Greek mercenary company, the Ten Thousand, was elected as one of the leaders of the mercenary company after being betrayed by their clients and their original leaders murdered. They managed to escape their pursuers, and after a long and difficult struggle, managed to return home. In addition to being a mercenary, he was also a historian and a student of Socrates.

Forming Connections

"Where did you learn to fight like that?"

Ruggiero chuckled as he watched the guards gather the remains of the wights and toss them into a bonfire in the middle of the street. While he felt kind of bad about the fact that they weren't getting a burial (They'd given him a decent fight, especially their leader), but wights had a bad of habit of coming back from the dead over and over until their bodies were either beheaded or burned. While beheading might have proven effective in permanently removing the threat, it would not have properly dispelled their noxious aura of dark magic. Hence, a funeral pyre for the lot of them. The leader of the squadron had implied that, were he to ask the wights before their demise, they'd have found burning better than remaining an abomination even a moment longer.

A pity though: Bertrand, the leader of the wights, had proven a spectacularly devious opponent. He'd used tricks that Ruggiero had not even imagined before: A wire that connected his sword to his bracer had made it difficult to disarm the wight during the battle. When Rug had succeeded in cutting the wire, then sent the sword flying, Bert had drawn a pair of daggers cunningly hidden within the feathers of his wings... and used them in tandem with a third dagger, clutched in the prehensile hairs in the tuft at the tip of his tail. That had proven to be the most exciting part of the duel. Obviously, Ruggiero had won, but it had been a close thing. Honestly, having seen how spectacular a fighter his foe had been in undeath, the youngster wished from the bottom of his heart that he might have been able to fight Bertrand when he'd still been among the living...

Oh well, can't have everything in life.

Turning towards the leader of the squadron, a lieutenant by the name of Storm Cloud, and grinning, he answered her question with the most honest response he could give: "By fighting!"

Startled, the blue pegasus mare asked, "Fighting what?"

After a moment, Ruggiero began reciting the list from memory, "Gnolls, goblins, trolls, bugbears..."

"I think it would be best if we adjourned for the night," Pan said after a moment's thought. "There's been a lot revealed tonight, and we'll be quite busy in the morning. I'm still formulating a plan. By sunrise, I'll have it ready, and we can begin. For right now, though, I think a night's sleep is in order for everypony. We'll reconvene an hour before sunrise."

The ponies gathered, and the hippogriff, all nodded in understanding.

Turning towards Ironwood, he added, "And I'll need a word with you, if you don't mind."

"...wights, zombies, ghouls, ghasts..."

"Are you an angel?"

Rosy Hue gasped at the stallion's sudden question. She'd been helping the old physician with bandaging the stranger's burns, humming softly as she worked, when he'd suddenly turned and looked right at her, and spoke for the first time since she'd found him. Giggling nervously, she replied, "Um, no, I'm just an ordinary mare."

Well, at least it seemed that the pain-killing tonic she'd poured down his throat earlier was working, else he'd likely be screaming right now. The physician had been mortified at the stallion's condition. While much of the damage was superficial, there were several deep burns that would cause him terrible pain every time he moved, or talked, or even breathed, even long after they healed.

"Oh," the stallion said, then after a moment, he gave a sad, weak chuckle and added, "I should have known better: No angel would ever come for a fool like me..."

Before Rosy could ask what he meant by that, the pony drifted back into sleep.

"...dire bears, owlbears, werebears, carebears, bearbears..."

Lord Fly turned towards the sound of furious blows against the secret door of his laboratory. For a moment, a trill of fear shot through his body: He'd returned to his secret research facility in the first time since Sombra's conquest, and had expected to see an emaciated, near-starved hippogriff in the cell housing his favorite prisoner. Instead, there was an open door, the lock clearly having been picked. Written on the wall of the cell was a very simple, and very worrying, message.

'I SHALL RETURN'

The fact that it was written in blood was just a little over the top, though.

Still, he calmed himself, then shut and locked the cell. Lord Fly seriously doubted that Xenophon would be so polite as to knock, and the fact that there was no calls of 'Open Up In The Name Of The Law' meant that it was not likely to be the city guard, coming to take him away. That meant that whoever was beating at the door was someone who was supposed to know about this facility...

Still, better not to take any chances. Approaching the warded door, he looked through the peephole... and saw a burning pony with her head hanging at an unhealthy angle to her neck.

Well, that was the third strangest thing to ever find its way to his doorstep.

Opening the door, Fly asked, "Dream Charmer?"

The pony's head flopped slightly as the pony tried to nod, still doing a splendid impression of a bonfire.

Looking the still blazing pony up and down, he admitted, "I've seen worse. Come in."

"...giant bees, giant caveswallows, giant wasps, giant rockodiles, a demonic duck...."

"Thank you, your highness," Ironwood said, rubbing at his now unblemished cheek.

Nodding, Celestia said, "Think nothing of it. A pardon is the least we could do, especially given that you've agreed to take part in tomorrow's expedition into the royal catacombs."

Ironwood chuckled, then admitted, "It's not a big deal. It isn't like I'd planned on doing anything tomorrow. I've no family to go out and celebrate my sudden freedom with, and I fear that my friends will not be likely to have anything to do with me, anymore. A murder conviction, either genuine or the result of a noble's bribes, tends to have that effect."

Golden Tone, walking up to the stallion, said, "Their loss. I need a good meal before I go to bed. I'm certain that there's something left in the kitchens, even at this hour. Care to join me?"

With a surprisingly dapper bow, Ironwood said, "I'd be delighted."

"...girallons, rakshasas, gorgons, ettins, a mutated loaf of bread..."

"We're not really having another meeting in the morning, are we?"

Chuckling, Pan admitted, "No, not really." Luna was a very sharp pony, he had to admit. "I'll need you to do some dream walking tonight, first into my head, then into everypony else's. I am almost certain that there are spies in the palace, and even with you and your sister negating potential scrying spells, we can't be absolutely certain that the enemy isn't listening in through non-magical means when we have meetings like that last one. But our dreams should prove secure against intrusion or observation. If the Circle is listening to our mundane conversations, they're about to learn of a pair of wonderful concepts that would have 'officially' been invented three centuries from now in the original timeline."

Luna, an amused expression on her face, asked, "And what concept would that be?"

A devious grin crossing his face, Pan said, "Counterintelligence and strategic misinformation."

"...hill giants, mountain giants, forest giants, midget giants, giant midgets..."

"A pity about your harem," Dream Charmer said, still admiring her restored health and beauty in a nearby mirror.

With a shrug, Lord Fly nudged one of the dessicated corpses left by Dream Charmer's 'meal' with one hoof, then said, "It hardly matters: I needed a good excuse for my seldom being seen to leave my estate, and having scads of beautiful, nubile beauties awaiting my 'attentions' each night made for a good excuse. That, and what stallion wouldn't enjoy having thirty mares to choose from each night? I will miss the fun, but I won't miss the taste of papaya seed extract with my meals." Sticking out is tongue and making a disgusted expression, he added, "Unpleasant, but necessary: The last thing I needed was for a brat to pop out of one of them, distracting me from my research."

With a surprisingly girlish giggle, the lich asked,"You know, I've always wondered, between your duties, your research, and your... extra-curricular activities, when have you ever had the time to sleep?"

With a half-smile, Lord Fly said, "Trade secrets, love." Walking closer, he said, "Now, about my fee: I've gotten rather used to having five mares in my bed each night, and it seems that it is unlikely to happen tonight or anytime in the near future. Think you can do a better job tonight than a quintet can?"

With a devilish smile, Lady Wasp pulled him close and said, "Well, it has been a while since you and I have had a good romp, and getting such a nice... meal has left me all hot and bothered. Let's find out."

"...and a medium-sized dragon," Ruggiero finished.

Storm Cloud's jaw was hanging open, simply stunned. From the description that the kit had just given, he'd fought, within his fourteen years, more foes than a veteran brigade! "When did you have the time to do all of this?"

Shrugging, Ruggiero said, "Five times, every day, my father would have me go into an arena and fight something. Or several somethings. Sometimes with my claws tied behind my back or I'd be blindfolded. Or both. A couple of times, I was also on fire."

Anger slowly flickering within her, the mare asked, "Was he trying to get you killed?"

With a shrug, the youngster admitted, "Kinda. Dad told me that either I had to be really, really strong, or I'd be better off dead. He needed a strong heir to succeed him, and if I wasn't up to it, well, he could always have another son."

Storm Cloud, aghast, asked, "And your mother?"

"She supplied the monsters," the kit said simply.

After a moment of stunned silence, Storm Cloud said, "Kit, you're coming with us to the barracks. You can bunk with the squadron tonight. In the morning, I'm going to have a few words with the chancellor, and we'll see what we can do about better living arrangements. I don't know who your father is, or what sort of madness possessed him, but I promise you, you don't have to fight monsters any more."

Looking a little worried, Ruggiero asked, "But... what if I want to fight monsters?"

"Like I said, you won't 'have' to," the mare admitted after a moment. She'd forgotten, folks with griffin blood in them tended to be a bit of the violent side. Not that it was necessarily a bad thing: These days, with all the monsters, fiends, and worse that kept popping up, someone willing and able to fight against impossible odds with a smile on their face could be an asset, properly directed. "But there's plenty of places in Equestria that could use an experienced monster hunter. Pretty lucrative trade, all things considered. But no one is going to force you to do that unless you want to."

Suddenly quite chipper, Ruggiero said, "Yay!" For all the world, he sounded like a young colt who had just been told that, yes, he was getting a new toy for his birthday. The fact that he was fourteen, half of Storm Cloud's age (Merciful heavens, she felt so old all of a sudden, admitting that, especially she was still unwed...), but still acting like a youth of five, made the mare worry. He'd apparently spent most of his life fighting monsters every single day. Beyond that, had his parents taught him anything else? Reading? Writing? Arithmetic? Right from wrong?

...Probably not.

To Sleep, Perchance To Dream

"Oh, sister, I am so sorry!"

Blushing bright red, Luna covered her eyes, trying very hard not to keep from laughing. She had decided to visit Celestia's dream first, thinking it best to relay to her older sister the part she would play in Pan's plan come the dawn. The thing was, of course, Celestia had no more control over what she dreamed than anypony else, so there was no way to say for certain what the elder alicorn might be dreaming of. Or perhaps, more specifically, who...

Covering herself with a blanket, Celestia said, "There is a thing called knocking, sister. I do not know how that might be applied to dream-walking, but before you enter my dreams again, I suggest you look into how that might be done." Her stern tone was mitigated by the fact that she was likely blushing almost incandescantly bright at this moment.

Pulling out the envelope that she'd been asked to deliver, Luna said, "A thousand pardons, sister. Pan asked me to deliver to each of us the true plan for tomorrow." Using magic to toss the envelope onto the bed, she added, "Tomorrow's meeting will be brief, to the point, and a complete fabrication made for the purpose of feeding false information to the Circle. Our enemies may have spies listening in ways that we cannot detect. However, Pan has decided that, since we cannot be absolutely certain that our meetings in the waking world will be unobserved, the best way to take advantage of the Circle's spies, and trick them into playing into our hooves."

There was a sound, of Celestia opening the envelope. After a moment, she said, "Very well. I'll be ready. And sister..."

Luna asked, after a moment, "Yes?"

"Do not breath a word of this to anypony," Celestia said, pointedly.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Luna said, a very small smile forming on her face in spite of herself before she vanished in a puff of smoke.

Sombra, after a moment, asked, "You don't think she thinks we were really...?"

"I doubt that," Celestia said, after a moment of thought. "I suspect she believes that I was only having a dream about you, which, given the circumstances, is not that unusual." Throwing the blanket aside, she asked, "And on that topic... where were we?"

Sombra was about to answer, when Luna appeared again, then began blushing, as she said, "Oh, sorry Sombra, I didn't mean to barge in on something like this!"

As Celestia began covering herself, Luna raised an eyebrow, then mentioned, "You know, it's funny: Celestia was dreaming almost the exact same thing..." Noticing the envelope on the bed, the younger princess promptly looked away and said, "What an incredibly strange coincidence."

"Coincidence," Sombra said, nodded vigorously, "Exactly. Yes. Right. Coincidence." Clearing his throat, Sombra said, "I assume you're here for a reason."

"Yes," Luna said, tossing Sombra an envelope, then added, "Your part in tomorrow's operations. Pan will also need the specifics for how to revive you in the morning." Summoning up a quill, ink, and parchment, she added, "Please keep it as simple as possible."

After a moment of writing, Sombra tossed the instructions to Luna and said, "It is fairly straightforward. I'll be doing most of the hoofwork. Just make certain that he's ready an hour after sunrise." After a moment, he cleared his throat then asked, "Now, if there's nothing else?"

"Not a thing," Luna said with a chuckle, then vanished again.

Rolling her eyes, Celestia said, "I shall never hear the end of this."

Sombra chuckled, then stated, "Well, if you're going to get the grief, you might as well get the gravy. Ready for round five?"

A smile crossing her face, Celestia said, "Definitely."

Luna entered Shimmering Radiance's dream, surprised to see that the youngster was sitting at a massive table, heavily laden with food. The young filly was staring at the spectacular spread with a look of undisguised hunger, but seemed hesitant to begin feasting.

Taking a seat beside the youngster, the princess asked, "What is wrong?"

Looking first at the princess, then back at the spread, 'Urchin' said, "Someone put this massive spread in front of me. I didn't ask for it, and I didn't do anything to earn it. Someone just saw that I was hungry, and decided to give me all the food I could ever eat. I can't bring myself to try it, though..."

After a moment, Luna asked, "Because you're afraid that there might be strings attatched?"

Nodding sadly, young Shimmering Radiance said, "Yeah. The... the world I live in, the only world I've ever known... is one where everything has a price, and its always one that is so much higher than what you can afford. But now... along comes from someone from another place, one where everypony helps each other, and would find it unthinkable that somepony like me would have to root through garbage cans to survive." Looking at the table with an expression of undisguised longing, she said, "I wish I could see that place, because I simply cannot imagine what it would be like."

Pulling out an envelope, Luna admitted, "I cannot imagine it myself, to be honest with you. My sister probably could, because she's been working towards such a goal for years now. I, on the other hoof, can only imagine the world as it is now. However, like you, I would dearly like to see the place that Pan came from for myself. Instead, I shall have to settle for creating it." With a small smile, she said, "There are a few things that Pan will need you to do tomorrow. You won't be part of the 'official' meeting in the morning, but you will have a small, yet very important, part to play tomorrow." She pulled out the envelope containing the young filly's instructions for tomorrow and prepared to pass it over.

Looking at the envelope, 'Urchin' asked, "Could you read that for me?" Blushing a little bit, she admitted, "I... can't read."

"We'll have to work on that," Luna said, gently, then opened the envelope, and began to read it aloud.

Luna found herself almost chin deep in blood. This... this was hardly what she had expected when she had entered the dreams of Tender Loving Care! Flapping her wings, Luna took to the air, and began searching...

After a moment, she found her target, floating on a raft. Well, you could call it a raft, in that it floated, and that somepony was using it to navigate this nightmarish ocean. However, in all other ways, it was not...

Rafts should not be made out of corpses, after all.

It's only a dream, Luna reminded herself. These aren't real bodies, just figments of an overactive imagination. She carefully landed upon the raft, and looked over at the caretaker.

She was weeping. She stared out across the ocean of blood with the expression of somepony who had been given hope, only to have it cruelly taken away. After a moment, the mare took a deep breath, seemed to steel herself, and said, "I suppose that there are a few things that I should tell you, now that you're here, your highness."

"So this is your wife?"

Pen Stroke nodded as he and the figment of his deceased wife continued their picnic. It had been a long, long time since he had dreamed of this day. It was the day that he had finally worked up the nerve to propose to her...

"She really does look a great deal like Tender Loving Care," Luna observed after a moment. "Were it not for the lack of a horn, I would surely think them twins."

With a sad chuckle, the chancellor admitted, "Everypony who knew her is getting that impression." After a moment, he took a small bite out of an apple and added, "I suppose that may be why I am having this dream tonight."

"You know, when you awaken, you should speak with her," Luna said, her expression carefully neutral. While she had been given a great deal to chew on in the 'caretaker's' dream, Luna felt that Tender should be the one to discuss her past with others. "I think that, if you asked her to stay after you've fully recovered, you might find her to be... receptive to the idea."

"You're not the first one to mention that possibility, your highness," Pen Stroke admitted with a nod. "In the morning, I think I shall discuss the possibility with her."

From there, the dreams became simpler...

Gold Coin's dream was one of a grassy field, where he would play with his mother, while she was still alive. Straight Arrow and Wild Wing's dreams were... passionate, and surprisingly, they were dreaming of one another. Likewise, Ironwood and Golden Tone were dreaming similar dreams, although since they were sharing the same bed, things were not quite so... heated.

Xenophon's dream was a nightmare, sadly. Given the things he'd been forced to see, and to endure, it was hardly unexpected. He'd been truly greatful that Luna had dispelled his nightmare for him... and he'd been more that happy to take his part in tomorrow's operation.

Nopony and his family, while they lacked a role in tomorrow's operations, were briefed upon the importance of remaining silent regarding the events preceding their arrival, and of not leaving the palace under any circumstances. They were more than happy to comply.

The only one that proved tricky was the Crystal Heart: Luna had never imagined that a relic could dream, or that its dreams would be so... pleasant. The heart dreamed of a city filled with peaceful, happy ponies. A city without want or worry. A city where love and hope were so abundant that, even without the Crystal Heart, the ponies living there could keep the cold eternally at bay...

A world where she could walk amongst the ponies of the city in a body of flesh and blood, rather than being restrained by the limitations of her current existence.

While such a thing would no doubt be eons away, the Crystal Heart was a stone: She could wait, no matter how long it took. And she was more than happy to do anything that might help in getting the city back on track...

"So, is everything ready?"

Luna nodded as she took a seat beside Pan. The theatre within Pan's mind was going full swing, and the curtain was about to rise on the first act of one of Luna's favorite plays. She had to admit, it had been a while since she'd had the time to sit and watch a performance. Royal duties and all...

"Good," Pan said with a smile, "I'll have to amend the plan tomorrow night, but with the instructions you've given them, we should have the Circle fooled, come the morning."

"I must admit," Luna said with a chuckle, "I am impressed. Even if you are imitating 'The Gray Lord', this is a masterful plan you've crafted. It is audacious, but I admit, if it works as you expect, the Circle will not see it coming."

Making himself a little more comfortable in his chair, the changeling admitted, "Well, having the 'cunning' of the Gray Lord is useful, but it would have been useless without the brain-power to properly utilize it." At Luna's surprised expression, the emperor laughed and said, "When Comedy and Tragedy first took on their roles, theatre was just a bunch of fellows in togas and masks reciting lines in an amphitheater. Acting was almost all that there was to theatre, and improvements were slow in coming. There is so much more to theatre now, and in the centuries to come, than simply acting, your highness: There's special effects, directing, script-writing, song-writing, and much, much more. In order to take on Comedy and Tragedy's role, I could not simply be a great actor, but also a virtuoso in every aspect of the stage and screen. Theatrical productions often run along what is called a 'Catastrophe Curve': Plays are able to occur because a number of things manage to keep from going wrong..."

"Actors with conflicting, and often temperamental personalities, have to be kept satisfied, even when tensions are rising, and while at the same time ensuring that they are able to perform their roles to perfection. The stage hands have to be prepared, all of the equipment in perfect working order, and everyone has to know their cues and be ready to respond at a moment's notice. The script has to be clearly written and understood, and everyone has to be up to date on their roles and their lines. Everything, from the finest details in the execution to the thousand, thousand superstitions that actors have regarding the stage, have to be perfectly balanced."

Luna, surprised, observed, "It sounds like a lot of work. Almost as much work as running a country, in fact."

With a laugh, Pan admitted, "Yes, yes that is exactly right. Even I didn't realize just how difficult it would be until, as a test of whether or not I was worthy of taking their role, Comedy and Tragedy proposed a challenge to me: Write, direct, and star in a theatrical production. Everything must be perfect, and you must, at the end, receive a standing ovation." Still chuckling, he admitted, "A rather tall order for a bug of, what, six years old? It was a monumental undertaking, especially given that I had to juggle all of that on top of keeping my nature as a changeling hidden."

Luna, an eyebrow raised, said, "But you obviously succeeded."

"Obviously. There wasn't a dry eye in the house. Not to mention, the standing ovation afterwards went on for a good fifteen minutes. I'll admit, it was one of the proudest moments of my life." After a moment, the emperor admitted, "And the play that I wrote, The Woodcutter's Son, was still being performed in theatres across the world before my... ending up here. I can't help but wonder if it would still have been so popular, had it been made known that I was a changeling, rather than a griffin. Still, as legacies go, having a play that will be performed for ages isn't all that bad."

"True," Luna agreed. After a moment, she said, "So, 'director', your actors have their script, and the curtain is getting ready to rise. Are you up to this?"

A smirk on his face, Pan said, "Oh yes. Our opposition thinks they hold all the cards, but with their latest attack, they've given me an advantage they have yet to suspect. One, I think, that will take them completely by surprise. I'm sick and tired of reacting." His body suddenly lit by green fire, the changeling changed, taking on the appearance of King Sombra, and said, "It's time to start acting."

The Tragic Art

"Necromancy is known by many as 'The Tragic Art', and for good reason."

A younger, more innocent Midnight Black listened to the elderly necromancer as he spoke, filled with the impatience of an idealistic youth who had a goal, but lacked the means of reaching it. It had taken her moons to find the necromancer in question, one well-versed in the art, willing to take on a student, and obscure enough to avoid the attention of the authorities.

But before he'd begin her tutelage, he insisted that she listen to this speech without interruption...

"It is an art based upon the defiance of death," he continued, his voice creaking, but less like the creak of a cemetery gate, and more like that of the hinges of a door, one that might seal the tomb of some great king of antiquity, the kind taller than five ponies and almost as wide, the kind that might require a team working together to open, and would do so ponderously and profoundly. It was old, but also filled with both power and meaning, and seemed to reverberate within the soul itself. "And to wish to defy death is to have experienced loss in some way. A lover, a mother, a father, a brother, a sister, a dear friend, a child, the population of a hometown or city, most necromancers have lost at least one, if not many."

The elderly necromancer shrugged, causing his old, dusty and tattered robes to ripple, and he added, "But learning necromancy after someone has died is the worst time to learn the art: It takes moons, if not years, of diligent study to learn to revive the freshest corpse, and by the time one has reached that point, well, the corpses of their loved ones will be well beyond that point. It is only within the first few hours of death that one can truly bring someone back to life. Ideally, within the first few minutes are best, before any sort of decay has set in. The longer a corpse decays, the more difficult resurrection becomes. Within half a day, true revival becomes a work of monumental proportions, and often fails to bring back the dead, instead bringing back something... else. This is why those who wish to simply bring back a loved one would be better served learning the art beforehoof, rather than waiting until after tragedy has struck."

With a dry chuckle, the black-robed figure added, "Better yet, they should have learned the healing arts instead: Healing spells are rare, precious, and difficult to perform, but a truly powerful healer can bring anyone back from even the brink of death, or up to within five minutes of the heart stopping. The healing arts are more readily accepted everywhere, and healers are looked upon with reverence, rather than disgust, if not outright hate. However, nopony believes that tragedy can strike until after it has, so nopony ever prepares for it, and thus, necromancy exists."

Midnight Black listened with annoyance. Yes, there was certainly tragedy in her past, and recently as well, but she was practical enough to understand that those who'd been lost, she could not expect to have brought back. She wasn't looking to the past, but rather, towards the future...

The future that she and the newfound Circle would create.

"The undead," the necromancer continued, finally reaching a subject that interested the young mare, "are in many ways a perversion of the art, or perhaps a sign of the art's decay. Yes, decay. That is a word every necromancer should become familiar with. Everything rots, and decays. This decay has created the undead, just as decay bring maggots and pestilence. Many have tried to bring the dead back after that half-day mark, and the results are often... mixed. Zombies, ghouls, wights, vampires, liches, and other, even darker things, are brought back when the art is used on a corpse that has gone too long. While these creatures can be powerful, they are also an abomination, a thing that should not be, and nothing like what it was in life."

Pacing, the necromancer began to explain, "A necromancer seeking from the outset to create and control the undead is rare, but they do exist. However, no matter how pure one's intentions may be, the truth is that handling such dark and corrupt magic is much like handling dung: There's no way you can do so without staining yourself in some way."

And that was what Midnight Black wanted: The Black Feathers used the undead willingly, and to great excess, during the Black Feather War. She thought it ironic that the corpses she had taken great pains to procure would be the first wave of corpse soldiers that would be used to safeguard Equestria's safety for generations to come...

The necromancy paused, then looked at Midnight. While his hooded robes obscured his features, a single green light glowed within, almost like an eye. "No matter how high your ideals, no matter how pure your purpose seems, you will be corrupted by the very arts you wield."

He turned away and began pacing again. "Ideals, in necromancy, are much like the corpses we work with: At first, you have something simple, and pure, and for the most part unblemished. Then, like insects, reality creeps in, and lays the little eggs of compromise within the flesh. Those eggs eventually hatch, and become ever-growing maggots of greater and greater compromise, which devour our ideals from within, ultimately leaving us with something loathsome, disgusting, and utterly abhorrent, something that we can no longer even recognize. I warn you now, and I will warn you of it every day, from now until your tutelage with me ends: You are making a mistake, learning necromancy, and sooner or later, you will become a monster..."

The necromancer pulled his hood back, revealing a skull completely devoid of flesh, with orbs of green fire glowing within the sockets. "...Just. Like. Me."

Midnight Black catapulted awake, stifling a scream as she did so. Even now, years after, that nightmare still came to haunt her. She worked with corpses every day, some in far more loathsome condition than the old lich she had learned necromancy from, and yet that one moment, the moment when he had revealed the eventual fate of most necromancers, still haunted her.

She did all she could to forestall that fate: Purification rituals and other, more potent arts, were worked upon her body daily, to cleanse her body of the taint of necrotic energy. She never handled the undead without some form of protection, and always wore the appropriate charms to hold off the dark magics that might cling to a reanimated corpse. However, sooner or later, she knew in her heart that she would begin to rot away, and become a lich.

To reassure herself that she was safe, at least for now, she looked over at a nearby mirror that she kept at her bedside. She was not vain, or at least she did not think of herself as such, but it helped, knowing that she was completely devoid of any of the outward signs of necrotic energy exposure...

But when she saw a skeletal figure with glowing orbs of green fire staring back at her, she could not help but to scream, even in a body that no longer had a throat.

Midnight Black catapulted awake, and after a brief second, took a deep breath. That last part was new. She'd heard of nightmares that seemed to end, and then struck again, harder, but had never experienced one herself before. Thankful to be awake, she looked down at her hooves...

And saw nothing but skeletal limbs before her.

Midnight Black catapulted awake... again... and again... and again...

And Princess Luna, with an expression that somehow managed to combine both loathing and pity, watched on. It was still two hours before dawn, and Midnight Black was going to spend those hours in a great deal of discomfort. According to Scarlet Wake's notes, this necromancer was, ironically, among the most idealistic of the members of The Circle, as well as one of the most zealous. However, he had theorized that she was also the most fragile member of the group because of that, and if the proper pressure were to be applied to her, it might cause her to break. The proper place to apply that pressure? Her health and her appearance. She was fastidious about maintaining proper safety procedures while using necromancy, since failing to do so could transform one into a lich accidentally...

And in spite of everything else that she had done, Midnight Black still harbored hopes of being able to, after the Circle's work was done, finding a stallion and settling down, possibly with another certain member of The Circle. A lich, being a loathsome abomination, has little hope of doing so.

The Circle had other necromancers, some of which were almost as powerful as this one, but without Midnight Black, they'd lose one of their most powerful magic users.

While Luna disliked doing things this way, she had to admit, Pan was right: It was a lot easier, and safer, than trying to capture Midnight Black in person at the moment. If handled properly, she could be taken off of the playing field before the true battle had even begun...

Author's Note

Since there were a few who thought that this fic was dead, I find it fitting that the latest chapter discusses necromancy and the revival of the dead :rainbowlaugh: .