Sunrise at Moon Watch

“Are you okay?” Shining asked.

“No.” Robert acknowledged. “I think I might be allergic to teleportation.” he resumed emptying his stomach. “It is however, a matter for another day. For now, go find your others, and I will go and acquire the charts.”

“I hope they're able to come.” Shining admitted. “You're sure this protection spell of yours will work?”

“I am quite certain.” Robert acknowledged. “If not, complain, and I will give you a full refund.” Shining opened his mouth, and then closed it. Then he turned and walked away, shaking his head.

Robert watched him go, then considered the directions he'd been given. A look to the sky showed him that wings would be the fastest way to travel, since it seemed the entirety of the cities pegasus population was out of the skies one way or another. He took to the air in two great leaping bounds, first to a wall then to the roof of the neighboring building, then he was in the air. For a moment, he could see Shining trotting along the streets, then the buildings hid him. Robert beat his wings, gaining altitude. Then he dove forward, swooping down towards the castle. No guards patrolled it's halls, no servants moved anywhere inside it's windows. He alighted on the balcony to a room leading to his destination. The war room was unguarded. He slipped into the room to find that there were ponies keeping it from being abandoned, but they were inside, and did not have their minds on the job. None of them paid attention to him, for a long minute, before returning to the tasks at hoof. Or other body part as the case might be. Slipping through the... mess, Robert moved deftly to the door, and ducked inside. That was the easy part. Inside, there were dozens upon dozens of traps. At least so Shining Armor said. Robert glanced at the room with his Sight. There were not dozens of traps. There were thousands. Layered one after another on top of each other until it was impossible to tell where one left off and the next began. Idly, he mused Twilight would have had a field day trying to pick them apart. Fortunately, Shining had given him a key. Or tried. As he explained, no longer being captain of the guard meant he would not have a current access spell.

Robert cast it out, and as expected, it came back as a failure. He didn't try to cast it again. He didn't need to. The spell had fallen in certain places, and hadn't had the right frequencies. And so the traps had rejected it. They were alerted now. A second failure would trigger some of them. He sincerely hoped it was only the non-lethal ones. The harmonics of the spell in his mind shifted. The new spell flowed outwards, more smoothly than the last one. All but one of the locks opened. Then a wall of pure force slammed into him, pressing him against the doors to the room. Energy met energy a moment later, and the wall failed, having pressed against what it felt were the runes of the material wall. Robert lay on the ground, gasping for air for a moment. Then he changed the spell in his mind again, a subtle suggestion of difference, and lay it forth. The locks opened, and the traps disarmed themselves. Robert moved forwards gingerly, the experience of being crushed against the wall having slightly mangled him.

The interior door with the conventional lock was designed to stop unicorns who passed the traps. A large portion of the worlds supply of Adamantine rendered it entirely magically inert. The marble frame however, was less so. Robert set the door off to the side, and made a note to apologize later. The room inside was completely full of maps. Skipping most of them, he found the markings he'd been told to look for. The lock would have been difficult, but not impossible to manipulate with hooves, but toes had many advantages. The lock opened, and the hidden door swung open. He skimmed through the scrolls, found the right one, and tugged it out. The door snapped shut behind him.

Leaving, Robert paused, then turned and laid an illusion over the hole, and the door. Then laid his own trap into it. Any creature trying to enter would find itself in a mind trap. They'd think themselves in the room, and would remain so until they left in their head. Then they'd be allowed to walk away. He didn't want anyone hurt, so there was no reason to make it trap them permanently.

It took a couple minutes to work out how to rearm the magical traps, which Shining had neglected to explain how to do. It was as simple as closing the outer door, which reset the traps once the tongue of the doorknob clicked into the jamb. He trotted to the balcony, and took wing for the park.

Shining was waiting for him, with a bright yellow earth pony stallion. Of a size with Shining, the pony seemed to have no cutie mark visible. Robert touched down a few feet away from them, and folded away his wings.

“As impressive as you mentioned.” the new pony inclined his head.

“Robert, this is Sunny.” Shining introduced them. “He's a former Royal Guard.”

“Pleasure.” Robert offered a paw. Sunny shook it.

“The same. Shining has filled me in. Shall we have a look at the map?”

“Indeed.” Robert offered up the scroll and Shining unrolled it.

“This is the Thunderwall.” he swept a hoof across the map. “Only these eight lie in the badlands.” he pointed to a short stretch. “The badlands are fairly recent, so the map doesn't show them.”

“Only these three lie within the Shadowed Crescent.” Robert pointed. The others looked at him blankly. “Our name for the lands controlled by the Changelings. It can only be one of these two.”

“How can you be sure?” Sunny asked.

“On my way to Equestria, I passed near to Storm Watch, what this map calls Morning Tower. The battle of Storm Watch is legend, much honor was gained on both sides, before the Long Patrol called down the lightning on us.” Robert coughed. “I have always been an adamant student of history, and wanted to see it for myself. “

“Describe what you saw in the vision you were given.” Sunny said, closing his eyes.

“High stone walls, grey, but moss covered. Six sided, with round watch towers. The ground around flat, but the fort itself on a hillock. Perhaps artificial.” Robert added the last after a moments contemplation.

“Could be either Moon Watch, or Golden Dawn.” Sunny admitted. “Did you see a well?”

“No, but it looked like there was water in the background of the memory.”

“Moon Watch then. Golden Dawn was built in the high plains to watch for Dragons. Moon watch was built so the light reflecting off the water would show any griffons to the night guards.” Sunny opened his eyes. “You're not the only student of history.”

“Then we know our destination. Now for the rest of our party.” Shining said. “Hold on tight, this is going to be unpleasant.”

Discord popped into Fluttershy's house. More literally than normal. The first sign was a popcorn pan, which appeared from nowhere. Before any of the occupants could move, it bubbled up, and the foil burst, causing the pan to disappear, and Discord to take it's place. “Hello Fluttershy.... you, while not entirely unknown, are most definitely not Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash Mark 2, right?”

“Spike.”

“Right. Where's Fluttershy?”

“Kidnapped.”

“What? I'll destroy them!” Suddenly the house was gone and they were floating in an infinite void. Discord held a ball in one paw, and a jewelers glass in his claw. “Just have to find them.”

“It's not just Fluttershy. Everyone's been taken. Twilight, Applejack. We even think they got Princess Celestia.” Spike threw the names out. Suddenly they were back in the house, and Discord stared at him.

“Who?”

“The Changelings. They took all the girls.”

“So it's just you and I, out for vengeance.”

“Not exactly.” Spike filled him in.

“Oh, I see. Well then, let's get ready.” Shining and his passengers chose that moment to crash the party. Robert took the next few firmly in his grasp and spent them being violently ill, outside, over the railing.

“What's with the Caution sign?” Discord asked.

“He's allergic to teleporting.” Shining shrugged.

“Oh, how terrible.” Shining outlined their plans, and the destination.

“I can't bring us all there.” Shining admitted. “Twilight could, but I don't have her ability. I learned teleportation as a last ditch escape plan. Three ponies here from Canterlot are about my limit.”

“I don't suppose we can take the train?” Robert asked, looking a relieved that there wouldn't be more teleporting.

“The conductor isn't going to be doing anything with the train.” Spike offered.

“Well...” Discord opened his mouth.

“Not around Spike.” Shining interrupted. Discord chuckled. “Not a problem though. We can drive the train, right Sunny?”

“Absolutely.” the yellow earth pony nodded.

“I find myself curious?” Big Mac said, raising an eyebrow.

“The guard uses a lot trains to haul cargo around, and troops, so most of us get training on how to operate locomotives in emergencies. This certainly qualifies.” Shining replied.

“Just have to find a line map.” Sunny nodded.

The ring around her horn rocked. Not much, and not enough, but it did rock. Twilight released the pent up magic. The ring absorbed it.

“How much longer?” Cadance asked.

“I don't know.” Twilight admitted. “It's an exact science, but without the proper tools to record my findings, it's guess work. And I might try something I've tried before. And I can't throw too much power behind it, or...” she shook her head. “Not soon.”

“Luna.” Celestia's voice was sad. “I wanted to tell you I'm sorry.”

“Sorry for what?” Luna asked.

“For not seeing your hurt earlier.” Celestia looked at the stars through the window of the cell. “For letting you become so filled with anger.”

“The apology is not accepted sister, because the fault is not entirely yours.” Luna shifted over to her sister. “I never said anything. I never voiced my opinion.”

“I should have thought of you.” Celestia shook her head.

“For a thousand years you did. For a thousand years you watched me every night. Thought of nothing but bringing me home.” Luna stretched out a wing over her sister. “For one thousand years, you did nothing but sorrow over what you had done, and prepare for my return. Prepare to save me. And you succeeded.” Luna paused, fighting away tears. “Your willingness to even try was, has always been apology enough.”

“I still feel bad.” Celestia admitted.

“Good.” Luna smiled. “So do I.”

“How touching! I should record this for....” Cadance hoof cut Chrysalis comments short. She'd never been a particularly strong magic user, but the cell was just enough for a single wing beat of momentum. The hall was just wide enough for Chrysalis to back out of reach, but not so wide she could stand without being in reach again. “You'll pay for that. I'm going to make her drain him dry.” Chrysalis slid down the hall until she was well out of reach. Cadance collapsed.

“No.” Twilight put a wing over her back.

“Shining is strong. He'll be okay.”

“Twilight. Perhaps the rings can be shorted.” Celestia offered. “Perhaps they are attuned to us.”

“It's worth a try.” Twilight admitted.

“Ugh, my hooves have never been so dirty.” Rarity whined. She prodded gently at the mud-caked appendages. Her white coat was covered in a layer of brown mud.

“Quit yer complainin'.” Applejack snorted. “It's just a little mud. You don't mind it on your face.”

“That is a rejuvenating mask.” Rarity snapped. “It is not dirt.”

“I think it's fun.” Pinkie said. “See?” she landed all four hooves in a puddle. Rarity turned darker shade of brown. Applejack just shook her head.

“Any progress?” the orange coated earth pony asked under her breath.

“No.” Rarity admitted. “I am not Twilight. I could accessorize this dreadful thing, but I haven't had any luck removing it.” Rarity whispered. “Pinkie! Stop getting me dirtier!”

“How about the others?” Applejack whispered.

“It's not like we can get clean, so let's embrace the dirt! Whee!” Pinkie bounced in the puddle.

“No word yet. I'll keep an ear out.” Rarity glared at Pinkie. “I'll show you embracing the dirt!” she lunged, but Pinkie leapt out of the way and Rarity flew through the air into a tangle of other ponies, taking them down and starting a fight. A dozen changelings detached from the ceiling and broke up the combat.

Pinkie vanished.