Hard Truths

  The rays of the sun barely ever penetrated the gloom that hung over the darker part of Canterlot, or Dark Canterlot. Inside this sunken, hopeless cesspool, a figure silently trotted down the empty streets, everypony scared back inside after the sudden, unexplainable appearence of ghostly figures. So far, it was only here that they congregated, but the pony ever so casually walking around knew that wouldn't last long.

  Entering a small square, the only one in Dark Canterlot, and the main place for sleazy businesses, the silver earth pony trotted over to a table placed in the shadow of an alleyway. It was where all the really big filthy business took place. Of course, you wouldn't think that, looking at the rotting piece of wood with moss-covered legs. At least it kept the guard from getting suspicious. What kind of morally dirty, but always clean and expensively dressed, rich guy would get near that thing unless it was a life ending situation? That was always what the guards thought.

  Sitting down, the earth pony looked at the pony across the table, a lime green stallion with a frazzled blue and red mane and tail. His dreary black eyes examined the mare across from him with disinterest. "So, you are the bug. I never would've guessed," he said flatly. The mare raised an eyebrow. "Yes, well, at this current moment, it doesn't matter so much. She's already on her way."

  This seemed to perk the stallion up slightly, or at least it pleased him. "Good. When will she reach them?" The silver pony tapped her chin in thought. "She should already be there, but our agents say they haven't seen her. Maybe the river carried her too far and she has to make her way there. I just hope she's thinking clearly enough to aim for Ponyville."

  The green stallion's eyes widened. "What?! You didn't tell her where to go?! How could you be so stupid?! We need her to shove in as many hours of training as possible! If she's not ready in two weeks..."

  The silver mare waved off his concerns. "Trust me, she'll be done in a snap. If there's one thing I've learned about Nightmare, it's that she's a fast learner."

  The stallion grinned, his teeth revealing themselves as he let out a weird, deep-throated sound that the mare thought might be laughter. "Perfect. We need her to be, if the Master is to have his way. In two weeks, this world will be changed so greatly, no one will even have a chance to try to escape and survive. It will all belong to us."

  The mare gave an amused chuckle, giving her own wolfish grin. "Just what I like to hear," gloated Disco Light.