Outside the Canterlot City Limits
Lt. Spark

During the walk to the command post, Comet mentioned that it was only just after breakfast. Considering it looked more like the dead of night I couldn’t help but feel unnerved. The whole environment started screaming of Poneva City, with the only things missing being snow and cannibalistic changelings. As we marched into the command post proper, past a machine gun nest manned by golden-armored royal guards, I remembered how quickly things had changed for me in the space of a few hours. The best example I could see was the green mare leading the charge into the command post with a fire opposite of that of her behavior only a half an hour ago.

“CELESTIA? WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU!”

Dart’s sudden outburst made myself and plenty of the other ponies present jump. “My ears!” Comet protested, having been right next to the mare during her sudden explosion.

“Fuck your ears Comet, I’ve got business with the high bitch!” Dart snapped. Now if I didn’t know any better I’d say that she was boiling mad. I honestly don’t know about what, but if it’s enough to send the mare into a blind rage then it must be something rather important.

Well the Princess’ ears must have been ringing, because at that Celestia stepped out of the tent at the center of the camp. “Dart, what the-”

SMACK!

The camp suddenly became so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. Dart had backhanded Celestia the moment that she was in arm’s reach. It was inconceivable to show a Princess disrespect, but to outright lay a hand on her in anger? If I didn’t know any better I’d say that explains why every guard in the camp has a dumb look on their faces. “Dart, what-”

“You bitch! Where’s my daughter? And don’t give me the ‘I don’t know’ line of shit. You know exactly what’s going on, so start talking-” Dart suddenly upholstered the pistol that she had been given and stuffed it up under the Princess’ chin “-or you’re going to be missing a few chunks of your face!”

“Dart, stand down!” Comet yelled as his soldiers all trained their weapons on her.

But Dart shook her head. “Who… Is… Faust?” The mare slowly and methodially said.

“Dart, I…” But before she could continue her thought Celestia seemed to admit something internally. “Faust is my mother.”

That seemed to shock some sense into the green mare. “What?” She muttered, her pistol dropping slightly away from the Princess’ chin.

Celestia nodded and lightly pushed Dart’s pistol to the side. “I know you’re upset… Hell, you’ve got every right in the world to be. But Dawn is far more important than you realize. She’s the reason that the Archmage returned.”

“Wait, what Archmage?” I asked. Admittedly I was now incredibly confused. “Your Highness, what’s going on here?”

“A lot more than you know Lieutenant.” The Princess answered. “Regardless, I have new orders for you all. Polaris Team, you and the Lieutenant are going to head for the castle and secure an overwatch position on the main entrance. Dawn should be on her way back by now with reinforcements that can help you engage the Archmage.”

“What about Dart?” Comet asked. “I mean, come on! She put a gun to your head!”

“I don’t blame her.” The Princess retorted. “If I was in her kind of pain I’d do far worse. For now… Well, we’ll go talk. She deserves to know the truth.”

Author's Note

Well it's a short interlude, but next week we're on to the next arc.

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-Striker