Solitude is Sorcery

"Lord Gainer, Sir?"

A gray pegasus with a long green tail and green wings stared at the wall in contemplation.  A golden axe-staff with an emerald on the handle was strapped to his back.

"My lord, we need a decision now!"

"Break in, plant the evidence, leave the notes, and wait for Lord Fog Fiend's signal."

"Yes, my Lord."  Gainer nodded at the lowly paper-pusher who worked for the law enforcement around here departed his office, and after a moment the pegasus followed him.  While the paper-pusher hustled his way out of City Hall, Gainer stopped just outside the door and lit up a cigarette.  He puffed it for a moment, then inhaled it fully.  He felt the heat in his chest slowly calm and steady him, before he let it out a long slow puff.

"Those things'll kill ya, more surely than anything Animus ever sucked up."

Slowly, Gainer looked upwards to see Seclus on the ledge above him, wearing a cheeky smile.  Slowly, Gainer looked down at the now ashy concrete, and puffed his cigarette.

"Seriously.  You told me you were gonna quit."

Slowly, Gainer looked up and spat smoke in Seclus' face.  Seclus held his breath, dropping his smile, and stood still.

"Gainer.  I have news from the prince."

Gainer let out a puff of smoke.

"So we gotta go to the temple, meet there in half an hour."

"That's awful short notice, Sorcery."

Seclus was gone.

With a sigh, Gainer flicked the half-finished cigarette into the plant nearby.  He went back to his office, and slid out the axestaff of apathy, stapping it to his back.  Then he made an even slower pace to the temple.  Along the way, he passed the pony named Fog Fiend, who gave him a cross look.  That was all the information Gainer needed.

...

Gainer had made it to the temple, and upon entering, saw a surprisingly alert Shone Grace, Priestess in training and front door pony for the faithful.  Everypony around knew her.  Gainer was about to say something when he heard a thud above them, and they gave each other a tired look.

"I need a cigarette," whispered Gainer just before he started to climb the stairs.  When he got to the top, wheezing like an old stallion, he promised himself he would never smoke again.

Before him sat a very silent Harm Hide and Falsity.  Harm Hide had a red marks around his neck, but it looked like Gainer had simply arrived to soon to intervene in any way.  They always got like this after a scuffle.  Silent anger seethed like lava from both of them.  It was odd, considering that when he had gone to visit the ring at Sweet Blood's Acre, Falsity seemed to grow stronger and more sociable with each fight he won.  He didn't blame him, if Gainer could fight like Falsity, the world would already belong to Gainer.  The money, the mares, the drink and the food...

Gainer briefly wondered what was the lie.  The solitary, silent pony?  The extrovert fighting pony?  Perhaps they were both lies.  Perhaps they were both the truth.

Gainer took up residence between the warring ponies.  It was a moment before he said "All rise."

Hide blurted "He started it!"

Gainer turned on him, face contorted with rage, but he spoke in a deadly whisper.  "You will use the terminology that has been provided to you, and you will use it well. Then, you will calmly and emotionlessly explain what happened, then, you will adhere to my judgment.  My word is law.  Any questions?"

Hide shook his head.

"Good."

"The defendant has violated multiple Ponyville clauses and sections, caused irreparable harm and damages, some collateral, all with full knowledge of his actions, malicious and felonious intent, and no remorse."

Gainer considered this for a moment.

"The defense may present it's case."

"I find that I have made no such transgressions, even unintentionally.  The prosecution has-"

"The defendant has no cause to slander the prosecution."

"For the record, you honor, the evidence, marks upon my neck, are in full view of the court."

"You may present your version of the events that have recently come to pass."

"Well, I got out of bed, made some toast-"

"Do not proceed to make a mockery of my courtroom!  The defense shall henceforth explain the marks that have already proceeded to evidence."

"There was a conflict of interest.  Me and the prosecution, named "Falsity" by the way-"

"The defense has been warned about slander.  Also, the defense needs to review what a conflict of interest is."  Gainer couldn't help but crack a smile.

"Myself and the prosecution, came to a disagreement over the status of his illegal fighting operation."

"The case is dismissed.  If the defense cannot adhere to proper procedure, this court has no power to fight for it's rights."

Falsity stuck his tongue at Hide, and Gainer whupped him on the back of his head.

"Um, ow?"

"That is not proper courtroom etiquette, Falsity."

"You shoulda' heard what Hide said about the priestess downstairs."

The three stallions shared a laugh.

...

"My fellow elements, thank you for coming."  Gainer only hears the first line as he sees Falsity distracted as well.  Wondering what is bothering him, Gainer followed his gaze to see that Harm Hide was absolutely obsessed with the blue orb that Seclus had brought with him.  He stared at it intently, dodging side to side, breathing heavily, his ears twitching.  Gainer knows whats going to happen next.  Hide dashes forward and grabs the thing, blabs some one-liner, then - vanishes into thin air?

Seclus looks more annoyed than anything else.  Then, Falsity completely looses control, and grabs it, vanishing into thin air.  This is why Falsity can never amount to anything, far too impulsive and violent than is ever necessary.  A pony can never afford to lose control, of anything.  Ever.  Gainer remembered the changelings in Canterlot, and shivered.  Then he rubbed his head.

Seclus caught the orb himself, setting it on the table again.  "As I was saying, the prince merely said that it will warp us someplace else, though he didn't specify where.  Probably to test us."

No, thought Gainer, its because he doesn't care, or more likely, the prince simply does not know.  It is downfall, that he simply passes off laziness and apathy as allowing others to be empowered.  Seraphic seems content to prowl the streets of Canterlot like some kind of demon!  That's not apathy.  Gainer could wield apathy better than Seraphic could wield the sun itself.  That is why Gainer deserved to be an alicorn, not any of the other elements.

Seclus rubbed the orb, and said "Anyway,  suppose we should follow our good friends into the abyss.  Would anypony like to go together?"

Nopony spoke.

"Very well," he whispered as he vanished.

Gainer gave his two companions a gentle nod, then grabbed hold of the orb himself.

It was a little like completely covering your eyes with black velvet, covering your ears and nose with beeswax, then swimming down to the bottom of the sea.  Suffocating, crushing, blackness and nothingness.  Just when it seemed like the nothing would last forever, it opened up, depositing him into the sky above Ponyville.

The pegasus easily regained his hover and overlooked his city.  It was different, to say the least.  He could name a dozen drug dens, bars, and clubs, all of which were gone, replaced with simple shacks and residential areas.  How in the world could the city sustain itself?  The tax rate here must be obscene.  Fog Fiend must have - he was about to draw another conclusion, when a blue blur crashed into him, leaving a rainbow aura in it's wake.  He was falling again, and now his left wing wouldn't move, and the axestaff on his back was weighing him down.

"Flap those wings, pegasus!"  A mare shouted from above him.  He managed a grunt of pain, and when he saw the ground rushing up at him, he yelled out for help.

Then it all stopped, and he felt himself being placed on gently on the ground.  He huffed and composed himself.

"Are you okay?"  Asked the blue mare.

He eyed her.  "Name?"

She eyed him right back, something no mare should ever do.  "Well, Rainbow Dash."

"Occupation?"

"I'm in charge of weather!  Everypony knows that!"

Why was a mare thinking he she had his job?  Unless...

"Place of residence?"

She pointed in the direction of a field, and said "I live in the clouds down there!"

He nodded, hoping it concealed his confusion.  "See you in court. "  He turned and went in the direction of the hospital, but Rainbow hovered right behind him.  "Aw, common, it was accident!  I do it all the time!"  She made a face when she realized what she had just said.

He didn't look at her.  "If I am in any way injured, which I am, you will answer to the city of Ponyville."

"Who are you?  Do you work for the major or something?"

Now he gave her a look.  "Take my advise and get out of town.  I don't know you, so that means that Fog Fiend'll only chase ya to the outskirts of his favorite bar."  He turned and resumed his walk, which was rapidly becoming more like a limp.

"What?  Fog Fiend?  Bar?  Look, we can work this out!"

He turned on her again.  "Who sent you?  Was it Seclus?  Animus?  Who?!

"Nopony tells Rainbow Dash what to do!"

He stopped short.  "...Go on."  He turned his back on her again.

"So...we're cool, right?"

"Oh, you'll know exactly when we're cool.  And I promise you, it'll be soon."

"Cool!  See ya soon!  And you should really take that thing off your back when you fly!"  And she took off.

Gainer growled to himself.