War Mages & False Prophets

Chapter 14

Spotlights and Reflections In Webbed Glass

The small finch flew from the window, landing on a nearby table of a cafe and began to chirp and sing while a pegasus mare listened. Her olive green eyes were going wide. She gave her long fuschia colored bangs an absent-minded swipe and leaned forward in her seat, writing down everything that the little finch had both witnessed and heard going on in the castle behind closed doors—but thankfully not sealed off windows. After a few moments of frantic shorthand, she looked to the finch. “Are you sure? Did you get everything, Chickadee?”

The little finch chirped incredulously at her friend, and bounced from one foot to the other in excitement looking up to her.

Hot Topic beamed and rubbed her hands together before moving a plate of bread over to the excited little bird, squeeing in glee. “Here, you more than earned it, my little Chickadee!” Realizing she was in a public place, she put a hand over her mouth, receiving some slightly sidelong stares and raised eyebrows from other mares for her behavior.

Quickly paying the ticket, leaving her bits on the table, she ran off to get this information to her co-reporter Biased Opinion—who was gathering information on why the castle was behaving so strange—as well as try to collect more details of the noble comings and goings from the castle.

Hot Topic found her earth pony counterpart sitting on a bench, his steel grey eyes looking over his notepad in frustration at how little he had to work with. He rubbed his face and ran his hand through his short linen white mane, before tossing his notepad down with a frustrated whinny. Hot Topic couldn't help but giggle at him as she came up behind him.

“Not much luck?” she inquired

“Very little,” came his curt reply. When he turned his head and saw her smiling at him rather than berating him, he cocked an eyebrow. “What has you so chipper?”

“How about I tell you over dinner?” Hot Topic replied with confidence as she gave his neck a soft nuzzle.

“Are you in heat?” he said, making a little more room between them and giving the flirting mare a sidelong glance.

“Not till fall and it's dinner, possible sex, and definite career advancement. Not a family propitiation, nitwit,” she said, not losing any of her sultry tones—but she could still lace it with a barb.

“How could any stallion refuse THAT invitation?” he asked somewhat incredulously.

“Could always leave you behind, Mr. Pranceton graduate,” she said, playing her final card.

“Alright, let’s see what you have. We’ll see if it’s dinner worthy of a stallion like me.”

Giggling, she gave a flap of her wings and sat down with him on the bench making, sure her tail brushed his face as she sat down just to embarrass the stallion. “Oh, I think so.” She smiled at him and showed him her notepad. He rose to his hooves as he read it and looked to Hot Topic.

“Where were you thinking?! This is golden carrot material...couple it with what little I have, and we have the whole ball of wax,” Biased Opinion said, growing in excitement.

“So is this dinner worthy?” Hot Topic asked fluttering her eyelashes at him.

“Dinner... rut me silly for the next week... but please take me with you,” He all but pleaded with her.

“Then we have presses to stop, a story to write, and dinner at Cafe Prance to be had, my dear.”

“Agreed. If we head back to the office now, we could get it in the evening edition with plenty of time,” Biased said as he gave her a quick peck on the side of her muzzle, a smile on his face.

Hot Topic couldn’t hide her blush, but she recovered quickly. As they walked in the direction of their office on pudding lane, she said “When we arrive, we shout to stop the presses together, and you handle the byline, I will take the headline, and we then each sit back and collect our golden carrots for this.”

Biased Opinion smiled. “Then let’s get cracking.”

Lyra was first to stir from peaceful sleep beside Braxton. She rose from the bed, and he gave her hand a gentle squeeze as she left. She smiled warmly at him before looking at the beautiful water clock to get the time. It read a quarter past five; she had slept for four hours. While she thought about sleeping next to Braxton till he woke, her stomach decided otherwise. Stepping out of his door as she made her way to the hall, Lyra caught the attention of a pair of mares standing guard outside of the door. Their simple, rough-hewn wooden staves in an X. Spying her they drew to attention and saluted. Each wore a plain gambeson fitted for them. One was an Earth pony with blonde hair cropped short; her height came just perking above Lyra. Despite her significant build she was well trimmed and lean, her white and tawny fur complemented her perfectly. The other was a unicorn mare who was shorter than Lyra. Her lagoon colored mane cropped as short as her counterpart, but her fur was a soft pebble beige. As she left for the kitchen one of the guards remained behind while the other followed. Turning to catch the mare in her view, Lyra looked to see who was following her. It was the earth pony keeping a watchful eye on her. Walking two steps behind her, quietly.

When Lyra turned to look at her, the mare stopped and drew to attention. This action caused Lyra to look at the mare in confusion. So she asked, “Pardon me... but why are you following me around, miss..?”

The mare merely gave Lyra a bow and replied to her question, her tone professional. “To keep you safe, Ms. Heartstrings. Our orders by our lead mare Honey Song said that she would look after your stallion, Zeddmore, and as such we are under your command by proxy when he is absent. My name is Sonnet Sunrise. My herd sister—the Unicorn that remained behind—her name is Midnight Aria. Our lead mare should have returned by now. She is late, and that is a first for her.”

Lyra nodded and grew somewhat nervous, as Braxton had picked up a herd that was going to be stabling with him. She resumed walking, as her stomach made another low growl about being ignored, and it caused her guard to giggle a little. As Lyra made her way to the dining room of the castle, a loud din began to grow as she drew closer to the intersecting hallway.

“There is his envoy!” came a voice in the din and the mob shifted their focus from the guards to Lyra bombarding her with questions.

“Envoy Heartstrings, is it true the ambassador brought somepony back to life?”

“Envoy, how long does the ambassador plan on staying with us?”

“Envoy, what are his sexual preferences? Do they run towards stallions or mares?”

“Envoy, does the ambassador have an established herd?”

“Envoy, where is the ambassador at this moment? Is he entering into any talks with the nobles of this country?”

“Will others from his country be seen more around the pony nobles to strengthen relationship ties, and are all as handsome as him?”

“Is it true that he helped the elite guard in thwarting an assassin who struck down a noble? Will he be raising her from the dead with the same magic?”

“Will the mare he did raise be able to pay him back in her lifetime?”

“What species is he, and how does he compare to a pony?”

“What magic does he use?”

“I like your mane, envoy!”

“Is it true the ambassador saved the Cutie Mark Crusaders from certain doom in Ponyville?”

Lyra’s eyes grew wide for a moment, only to be blinded by flashes and clicks of camera shutters. Her guard reacted by going from behind her to in front of her, using her body as a shield. This gave her enough time to let her eyesight recover from the sensory overload just in time to see Vinyl elbowing her way through the crowd of press reporters about to be stopped by her guard with a flick of her staff when she whispered: “The one in purple shades is family, she is okay.” In response, the guard turned her wrist to block a press mare and hook Vinyl at the small of her back and bring her behind the guard mare.

“What the buck did you do, sister?” Vinyl signed close to her chest, her back to the press corp of ponies.

“First, language! Second, what are you doing here, I thought you, Octi, and mom went home?” Lyra signed back keeping her hands low and between the two of them.

“Octi and I got separated from mom when this mob of reporters swarmed the castle on all sides. Octi is in the dining room, and I have been looking for you. Where have YOU been hiding?” Vinyl smiled impishly as her keen nose picked up on a new scent practically rolling off of her sister. “Has somepony FINALLY lost her V card?”

Lyra gained a noticeable red tinge under her minty green fur as she, her sister, and bodyguard came into the dining hall to get some food. Most of the palace guards were working overtime with their hooves full of press ponies wanting to get the inside exclusive.

As Lyra made her way over to Soft Serve, who smiled to Lyra noticing the deep blush the mare had. “Good heavens, doctor, are you alright? How might I serve you this evening?”

“Wouldn’t think you would be hungry after having the cream of some young stallion!” Vinyl quipped. Lyra ignored it but cocked her ears in annoyance.

“Anything you have on hoof Soft Serve I'm famished and need to eat please.” Lyra looked at her badgering sister and asked, “Do you want anything, Vinyl?”

This caused Vinyl to stop talking for a moment while she knew the food was delicious here she also knew it was really expensive. “Just what you have, stay cheap.”

“Just two of what you would give for my sister and me since I'm buying her dinner tonight,” Lyra amended to Soft Serve before the mare turned to get her meal.

Soft Serve smiled and went to prepare two orders. “I’ll be right back with your trays you two.”

Soft Serve returned a few minutes later with what was on hand and quick to grab. Vinyl’s eyes grew to the size of the dinner plates upon the tray as she looked over what was on it. Stuffed Mushrooms, Olive Oil Roasted Eggplant with lemon, carrot rice, and a slice of apple butter cake with a soft drizzle of chocolate. Vinyl picked up the tray to follow her sister after Lyra thanked Soft Serve for the both of them.

Lyra knew this had a two-fold purpose if Vinyls hands were full she would shut up, and the second the food smelled divine and she was famished. Lyra spied an open table and made her way to sit down as Vinyl joined her she sat down with her hands-free she signed to Lyra “Sister this is expensive do you want my help to cover it?”

Lyra had already taken a bite of food when Soft Serve came out, holding two-pint tankards of cider, one each hand. “Forgot your drinks, you two. Don’t worry, it’s not the hard stuff.”

Lyra took a moment to swallow her mouthful of food before she said, “Thank you, Soft Serve. I will pay for my sister's tray before I leave.”

Soft Serve gave a dismissive gesture with her hand and replied, “Don’t worry about it. I’ll add it to your tab. Trust me, it won't make a dent in it.”

Lyra smiled to Soft Serve and resumed eating as Soft Serve left. Vinyl, after trying the heavenly meal before her, signed to her sister,“You have a tab here, sister? ...How? And since when? Also, when did you get a bodyguard?”

Vinyl caught sight of Octavia out of the corner of her eye and waved her over to their table, still keeping an eye on Lyra for her answer. Lyra for her part was distracted by Sonnet as she locked eyes with Octavia, before Lyra gave her the thumbs up. She seemed to relax and resume watching out for anything.

Octavia sat down catching only the last few words that she had signed to her sister. Seeing the two costly plates before both of them added yet another question to her already growing list of things she wanted to know about her sister—who last she knew was pretty much a laughingstock in the academic community as well as within the community of court. Octavia let the two of them eat till there was a lull and asked Lyra, “Lyra, who or what is your coltfriend? And how did you afford those plates before for the two of you? And why are press ponies swarming the castle to talk to you and a few guards as well as the royalty? And why do you have a bodyguard?”

Lyra gave a heavy, resigned sigh, knowing her sisters would badger her till she gave them something. “First, his name is Braxton Zeddmore, and he is a human. How I can afford this meal...”

Vinyl interrupted with a flurry of hand signs, “She has a bucking tab here, sis, she works here... somewhere...”

Lyra gave her sister a fast flicking gesture that conveyed she wasn’t happy about the interruption while she continued to talk to Octavia and listened to Vinyl giggle. “Why the press ponies are swarming the castle, I don’t know. As far as Sonnet Sunset, she works for Braxton—and me by proxy... still getting used to that one.”

“You still haven’t answered my question about your coltfriend, sister,” Octavia redirected.

“I haven’t asked him in all truth,” Lyra stated matter-of-factly, desperately wanting the focus off of her.

“You haven’t asked him, and yet your actions were practically saying rut me here you relentless sex stallion. You are practically dripping with his scent,” Vinyl gestured.

“Have to agree with Vinyl here, Lyra. You have it pretty bad, and...” Octavia started.

“Would the two of you kindly get the buck out of my sex life?!” Lyra hissed, showing she was losing patience with her sisters. They took the cue and rather than press, they apologized, before Octavia spoke, reaching out to grab her sisters arm gently.

“Lyra... we are happy for you if not even a little jealous of you.”

Vinyl nodded as Octavia spoke and signed to Lyra, ”It’s true, sister.”

“Your actions are going to put more pressure on Vinyl and me..”

“Why would you and Vinyl have any pressure in relationships... Octi, you and Minuette, are the family success stories, Vinyl you're the baby of the family they care about the three of you. Mom never really cared about me. I’m the outcast…”

“The outcast that hit the mother bucking jackpot with a mustang that nopony can touch, you have a tab at the royal kitchen, and we don’t even know what you do here?!” Vinyl gestured.

“Language, Vinyl,” both Lyra and Octavia said together in unison, before shrugging to each other. Octavia continued, “While I could have put it a little more tactfully than Vinyl, she does make an excellent point. You blindsided mom, and she is going to want to meet him...”

“Lyra, just the mare I was looking for,” Twilight said, approaching the three mares at the table to the shocked looks from Octavia and Vinyl. Twilight gave Lyra a warm hug, catching her in the middle of her bow, while the other two mares bowed. Vinyl signed to Octavia, “Did you know they were that close?”

“I didn’t,” Octavia returned, looking near gobsmacked.

“Rise you two, you don’t have to be so formal with me; I live in Ponyville with you,” Twilight said as she sat down with the three of them. Both mares sat back down, and Octavia was about to open her mouth when Vinyl moved a hand under the table to sign to her sister, “Clam up and let us watch this play out!”

Vinyl went back to becoming interested in her meal and noticing her sister had nothing but to stare off into space passed her the cake and signed, “Fill that vacant stare with cake.”

“Buck, you sister!” Octavia signed back under the table looking to the cake as Vinyl slid a fork over to her with her magic, signing her retort as Octavia turned an ear to listen to Lyra and Twilight talking. “Eat your indignation.”

“I know I asked back in Ponyville, but could I please see your notes on Braxton? You know him better than anypony.”

Lyra cocked her ears as a blush slowly mounted on her face. “I have to separate what I wrote down, or it might as well be my diary, Twilight.”

“I can give you time to recopy, but there must be something we can share. What if I offered you a scroll of the magic he used when he cleaned up Fluttershy’s cottage.”

“I do have a report on his money when we first met that is pretty tame.” Lyra summoned a pair of scrolls. “The second scroll also has drawing of the chimera he killed.”

“He has money?!” Vinyl gestured.

“He killed something besides the spiders?!” Octavia signed in reply.

Twilight bit her lip in thought a moment and summoned her notes on witnessing what Braxton called his 'Cantrip' spell. A gleam lit both mares eyes and as they hurriedly traded notes to open them each giggling like fillies sharing a secret. Twilight was first to finish her report and looked to Lyra, a real hunger in her eyes for more. “Celestia will want to look this over first. it certainly explains why his currency is so much greater value than ours. May I take it to show her?”

“How much do you think he has?” Vinyl asked.

“How much do you think he has spent?” Octavia replied.

“Of course, Twilight,” Lyra voiced, grateful to help Twilight out.

“By the way, how did you two get here before the train? Celestia said you two arrived shortly after seven and the first train leaves the station at eight?” Twilight asked

Lyra bit her lip in thought, and decided that the truth was the best way to tell it. “We flew,” Lyra closed her eyes, and a warm smile spread slowly over her muzzle as she finished with a heavy romantic sigh. “We flew upon his magic carpet, camped out under the stars, and then made our way into town.”

“She has lost her mind,” Vinyl waved in disbelief.

“I have never seen her have it this bad. Are we voyeurs for watching this?” Octavia signed in amazement.

“Shut up and don’t make any sudden moves you will scare the bookworms. I want to watch this!” Vinyl signaled quickly, so Octavia wouldn’t open her mouth to ruin this. This was gold ribbing ammo.

“He has a magic carpet?” Twilight asked, the curiosity lighting up in her eyes, wanting to know more and more. “Did you know that he has a lab?”

Lyra wanted to know more about Braxton's magic what he had used at Fluttershy’s cottage as well what else he could cast. Once more those questions would have to be put on hold as Sonnet Sunrise cleared her throat, drawing the attention of the four mares at the table. “Forgive me my fellow mares, but I think we should discuss this in a more secure area where there are fewer ears and fewer press ponies.”

The mares looked around them to see that reporters had sat in a circle around the table of the four noble mares and guard—in some cases five to a table writing frantically about the reactions of Lyra and Twilight.

“Mares, could you please put your hands on the tabletop, one on top of the other?” Twilight whispered.

Each mare did as she was told. Twilight smiled and lit her horn, and all five of them vanished from where they sat.

Braxton opened his eyes and sat up. He had a few problems. He had a headache, his muscles ached, his stomach was screaming for meat, and he stank of sweat. He looked around his room and didn’t see a wash tub. He pulled himself out of bed and opened up his pack, then he shed his breeches, casting them to the foot of the bed. He pulled out a crimson silk shirt from his traveler’s pack along with a fresh pair of breeches, and three strips of jerky, savoring the first stick only a moment before ravenously devouring it. The second stick he placed in his mouth and let his saliva soften it up before chewing it with a content sigh. Beginning to look for a tub within his room in earnest, Braxton came to the bathroom. Spying the commode and tub, he stepped into the cold porcelain tub only to find it dry. He looked around for a way to call the water. ‘No incantations or words written anywhere...’ he thought to himself, before getting out of the tub. His gaze did settle on a small wash basin and pitcher of water by the door, though it was a strange place for it to be there. ‘Well I guess I bird-bath it.’ Washing off with the limited water he had in the carafe, he didn’t get as clean as he would have liked, but it did in a pinch. He had finished his second stick of jerky by the time this quick bath was done. Not wanting to leave the water for the servants to clean up, Braxton took the full basin over to the window and pitched the water out of it.

The water cleared the balcony, and instead of just a splash, there was an effeminate whinny, and a voice cracking like an adolescent teen. “Oh merciful aunty Celestia, it got in my mouth!” exclaimed Blueblood as the cold bath water doused him mercilessly.

Midnight Aria stood outside, her gaze making sweeping arcs up and down the hallway, her ears moving back and forth to catch any sound that would alert her to danger. A few minutes after her herd sister escorted the lead mare to the dining room for food, she was swarmed in the commons room by press ponies. She almost left at that point to aid her herd sister but knew that would leave the Mustang unguarded and Honey Song had left explicit instructions that Braxton was not to be left alone while she rested till being relieved.

Midnight Aria thought the entire situation completely unfair. That the herd was serving this no-name mustang that more than likely wasn't going to pay them, and all of the herd had to resign their various ranks and posts to accommodate the lead mare, she had just finished her guard training and accepted a position within the royal guard. While she did plan to bring it up with her lead mare in private, she thought back on how Honey Song had acted when she held her foal. Carrying the little colt like she never wanted to let him go with tears streaming down her face. It wasn’t until after that she received the story from her lead mare she indeed became skeptical. Nopony could do what she was describing, and the creatures they fought seemed more nightmare than fact.

Midnight Aria was taken from her reverie with the sound of knocking on the door down from her. The mares gaze looked to what had taken her from her thoughts and saw a noble unicorn mare. She had a paper folded under her arm. She watched as the mare knocked a little more forcefully this time. “Lyra Heartstrings, you heed your mother and open this door this instant!”

“Forgive me noble mare, but Dame Heartstrings is not in her room. She left under the guard of my sister before your arrival,” she spoke drawing the noble mare's attention. The other mare narrowed her eyes at her and marched over.

“As the matriarch of the House of Strings, I command you to tell me how you came to guard my daughter and under whose authority was that given?” Viola Da Gamba stated in a commanding tone

Midnight Aria cocked her ears and drew herself up she would be damned if this noble mare was going to treat her like a piece of furniture. The rebuttal would have to wait as she heard a scream come from inside her wards room. Wasting no words she flung the door open “Ambassad...whoa bocce balls!”

The group appeared in the guest room that was acting as Lyra’s Room. Taking stock that they were alone Twilight turned to Lyra asking “Okay please tell me about this carpet of his.”

Lyra was about to answer Twilight in earnest when the mares of the room head an effeminate male scream from Braxton’s room. Lyra thinking to herself that here was her chance to be strong for what was troubling Braxton opened the door rushing into the room and the group of mares followed Lyra wondering why she took off so suddenly.

Sonnet Sunset overheard her herd sister give a shout and moved Octavia and Vinyl out of the way was about to do the same for Twilight only to be the third mare in a small mare pile up. What the mares beheld was something one does not see everyday a well chiseled naked male with no pony features holding an empty water basin in his hands as the mares noted the door at his back was open as well as the door to his front.

Braxton had only enough time to cast a nonplussed look back over his shoulder looking at the two unknown mares that walked into his room, before the door to Lyra’s room swung open bringing his focus back to the group of mares that Lyra and Twilight were at the forefront of. The room had a palpable tension as Braxton slowly put the basin back on the dresser.

The paper that Viola Da Gamba carried dropped as she caught sight of Braxton’s naked body. Midnight Aria of course managing her jaw dropping expression before seeing her employer in such a state. Twilight and Lyra could only stare at Braxton, each trying to outdo the other in how red they could get. Octavia and Vinyl looked to Lyra in astonishment. Sunset Sonet shut her eyes.

Kylnn Ka’ Tar, unheard save by one, laughed in total childish merriment. “Brother, you have got to hear this list! Two are praying that Celestia has some sort of memory erasing spell, two can not believe their sister gets ploughed by such a handsome creature despite all lack of pony features, Lyra and Twilight are wondering what you would feel like inside of them, and the older one at your back thinks the fortune she could make off your stud fees would…”

ISister there is something you failed to put on that list,” Braxton responded with an almost saccharine sweetness.

“Oh? What is that brother?” Klynn Ka’ Tar inquired

“Pitch one nosy sword out the window.” Braxton deadpanned in thought, before clearing his throat.

“Good mares… please, in or out. It is rude to lurk in doorways,” Braxton said in a calm even tone, as though he were clothed.

Octavia was first to respond among the group of mares. “I… can not move my legs.”

“I am so sorry Braxton” Twilight said sheepishly trying and failing to pry her eyes away from the nude male. She used her wing to cover her eyes, but she could see through the primaries of her feathers.

Lyra for her part just stared at Braxton. She had felt his power when she first hugged him, even rested her head against his chest, but seeing him before her like this, she had no words. She couldn't even stutter out a reply for why she was admiring her mustang this way. But then she wasn’t hiding that she was, either.

In an attempt to sound diplomatic—and failing miserably—Viola Da Gamba could only sputter. “I take it...”

Midnight Aria, not one to miss an opportunity to give a barb back to the noble mare who thought she was moving furniture. “Technically, Mistress, Dame Lyra is the one taking it.”

This caused Sunset Sonnet to giggle and shake her head as if not wanting to visualize what her sister had voiced. Viola Da Gamba looked to the guard in shock.

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Braxton said rolling his eyes as he made his way over to the bed and pulled on the breeches he had set aside. As he did so, tying up the laces of his breeches, his eyes caught the paper on the lying open on the floor the headline in large bold words on the front page. ‘NEW AMBASSADOR, NEW LEASE ON LIFE!’ looking over the paper and quickly reading the text Braxton saw it was the report given to Celestia his brow furrowed somewhat at the byline that was said to be on page three read ‘SHOT THROUGH THE HEART BUT SHE CAN'T BE BLAMED.’ The details were somewhat haphazard of the events of the assassination of the daughter of Countess Ebony Moon. Braxton finished pulling on his boots and cloak of elvenkind before departing to talk to Celestia. With Braxton having left the room, this left all of the mares involved rather red-faced and thinking about what they have just seen, though not all of them thinking along the same lines. Lyra looked over to Twilight and with a red face spoke to her, "I think I need to teach him about modern Equestrian bathing."

Twilight could only nod in agreement with Lyra’s statement.

Braxton made his way down the hall as the din of noise rose in volume. It was truly hard to miss the press ponies milling about trying to get photos of various other nobles, as well as trying to draw the guards into giving them any juicy tidbits of information. However, it was an earth pony mare—about five foot four, with sky blue fur and white stylised mane, dressed in a fine Flory Del Hay dress—that caught sight of Braxton as he made his way across the commons first. She chose not to say anything, hoping to get the magic snapshot before the room would become a hive of activity.

Braxton caught sight of the approaching mare holding a strange device in her hands. Most hadn’t noticed him just yet given he all but walked in silence on the stone floor. Braxton looked to the mare with a curious look before she raised the camera to her eye and took a photograph. That was till the flash shattered with a loud pop and a trail of blue smoke came from Photo Finish's camera. Leaving Braxton flash blinded for a moment.

“Ah! I, Photo Finish, have lost ze magics of ze camera!” she exclaimed in a thick germaneic accent, drawing the attention of everypony.

The room reacted like a swarm of bees drawing in and around Braxton rifling off questions to him, each trying to out talk the other each wanting something. The guards in the commons were nearly overwhelmed but managed to keep most of the reporters at bay. Looking over the crowd as Braxton made his way to the throne room to see Celestia. He had to get that book now more than ever, but something caught his keen eyesight.

“You there, part the way.” Braxton said to a few members of the press as he made his way over to what had caught his eye. On the ground in a fetal ball lay a young colt trying to protect something and not get stepped on in the process from the wave of activity.

“Have your back my friend.” came a voice that made Braxton smile as he began to push the tide of ponies away from the swirl of activity

“Glad to have you at my back friend.” Braxton stated as he made his way over to the downed colt

“Would you mares clear away from that downed colt!” Thunderhoof shouted over the din

That statement was like a oil and water the crowd parted no mare wanted to be responsible for damaging the next generation especially a colt. As the pair cleared the way to put the colt between themselves and the crowd.

“Are you alright, young one?” Braxton asked the young colt.

The young earth pony colt shook his head yes, and got to his hooves. He had been protecting a small ornate box with his body. The colt’s fur was grey and his mane black. He was dressed well in an ivory white shirt, blue slacks with a green sash, and a red tie. “Are you the one who can do what nopony else can?” he looked up to Braxton, pleading in a timid voice.

“I don’t know, young one. You haven’t asked me to do anything yet. How might I help you?” Braxton responded softly, sitting down on the floor so the young colt didn’t have to look up at him.

“I… I... sought you out because my best friend passed away this morning when I went to go feed him ,and since you brought a mare back to life... I wanted to see if you could or would do it for me as well. I brought him with me.” The colt stifled a sob as he explained his plight.

Braxton and Thunderhoof smiled to the young colt while most of the press noise died away. Thinking this was better than a demonstration would seal the deal. The young colt showed the small bird to Braxton in the ornate box the colt had been protecting.

The small bird, its plumage bright blue with white and silver, was no bigger than a Cerulean warbler. Braxton gently shut the box the colt had before him with a soft voice he looked to the colt. “I can do nothing for your friend, young one.”

The young colt looked about ready to cry. “But I miss him. Why can’t you?”

Thunderhoof was next to speak he knelt down so the colt didn’t have to look up taking a page from Braxton’s book. “Young one, that small bird was very old. Did you raise him?”

He shook his head yes and Braxton drew his attention. “You misunderstand me, my young friend. It’s not that I can’t. It is that the body he would return to would be unable to handle that, and he would pass away again.” Braxton waited for the colt to nod in understand before continuing.

“For you, your friend was with you for but a short time, but to your friend, he knew you a lifetime.

The young colt dried his eyes but nodded in understanding with a hopeful, heartened smile. Holding the box with great reverence he smiled to it before looking to Braxton and to Thunderhoof. “Thank you, both of you.”

Braxton and Thunderhoof watched the young colt leave as the crowd parted to let him through thanks to the guards. As the colt made his way out of the castle proper, he ducked into an alleyway. Once he was sure nopony followed him, he opened the box and let the small bird out and he whispered softly to it. “Thank you for your help, little friend.” The bird seemed to wake up in mid air and fly away. The colt pitched the box into the trash; it became nothing more than an empty cake box. As the colt blinked his eyes his pupils became red and his eyes yellow. He pondered after meeting the Ambassador, his instincts were dead on. He was what this land needed. While he thought, two things ran through his mind. Should he give the hero a little bit of a push? Or should he stay out of his way, given one of his many selves in the multiverse had set him up to come here. The young colt smirked, a small snaggletooth fang showing under his grin as he came to a decision. ‘What is the point in playing fair if I don’t get to play,’ he thought to himself before he vanished into thin air.

Braxton and Thunderhoof watched the little colt depart. Braxton turned his attention away from the press ponies and put his hand on Thunderhoof’s shoulder. “Thank you, friend, for your help.”

“Least I can do. I can’t ever come close to repaying you for all you have done. What are you up to this evening?” Thunderhoof inquired.

“Wanted to get a blank book from Celestia. Need one as soon as possible,” Braxton commented.

“Well it is a zoo here since the events of last night have been found out somehow. Let me escort you to the throne room The princess wanted to see you as soon as you woke<” Thunderhoof said as he gave a press pony with a camera a push away from Braxton. The camera died in a sputter of sparks like Photo Finish's. The press ponies were having a field day as both stallions were inundated with questions from all sides.

“Do you have foals of your own?” Biased Opinion asked.

“Are you in a herd?” rifled another mare.

“I think you would make a great house stallion!” shouted a mare in the crowd.

“What would you charge for stud services?”

“Do you have any siblings as handsome as yourself?”

“Do you have a special somepony?”

“How long do you plan on staying in Equestria?”

“Will you stable or court the mare you saved?”

“Would you pose for Play Mare magazine?”

“Sounds like a good plan. Let us not keep her waiting,” Braxton replied to Thunderhoof, both wanting to be free from the waves of questions.

Two made their way to the throne room, the guards opening the doors and allowing the two stallions passage, before shutting the doors to the din of the press, both breathing a sigh of relief. “Jumping hop toads!” Braxton exclaimed as he looked back at the now closed double doors. Before he looked around the throne room the golden evening light gave the polished marble an amber hue. As Braxton made his way up to the raised dais of the throne, seeing Celestia holding a large scroll in her magic and a small plate with a slice of cake in her hands as she ate and read. Seeing Braxton before her, she set the plate aside, half the cake remaining.

“Forgive me, Ambassador Zedmoore, I was just having a snack,” Celestia said, trying to scramble back under her royal mask.

Braxton merely waved dismissively. “Fear not, good princess, eat. Benevolent gods know both of us could use the respite.” Braxton then took out the last piece of jerky from the pocket of his breeches as he sat on the floor.

“Might I offer you some tea good ambassador?” Celestia offered.

“I would be honored to have a cup, Princess.” Braxton answered.

Celestia used her magic to levitate over a cup and saucer of tea to Braxton. He took it and opened the red belt pouch on his right and pulled a few dried leaves from it. Before he crushed the leaves and added them to the tea. He also added some dried bark to the tea as well. Celestia looked at him curiously.

“What did you add to the tea if I may ask?” Celestia inquired, curios.

“Dried Meadowsweet leaves and Willow bark. I have a bit of headache,” Braxton replied evenly.

"What do you mean he just took off?!" Honey Song exclaimed in an exasperated tone to the two mares she left to guard her ward for the day.

Honey Song and Star Song had come to give relief to the two mares who had been on guard duty all day. After learning that he had gone, Honey Song wanted to know where he went. Lyra and Twilight thought the safest bet was he more than likely went to see Celestia.

The group of mares followed Honey Song. As she neared the Press ponies that milled in the commons area, she heard most complaining about their cameras being broken. Thankfully most ignored the group, as the group made their way to the throne room. The guards on duty let them all pass with a quick salute and shut the door behind them.

Braxton and Celestia both looked to the group as Braxton smiled to the group as he drank his tea and ate the last strip of jerky. Honey Song neared Lyra and spoke in hushed tones. "Mistress would you please admonish your stallion for his reckless behavior. We can not protect him if we don't know where he galivants off to,"

"Indeed, we resigned our posts for this Mustang and the least he could do is let us guard him with our meager equipment," Midnight Aria hissed a little louder than she intended to. Honey Song glared at Midnight Aria for her thoughtless remark.

Lyra nodded and walked up to Braxton she knelt down beside him after giving Celestia a bow of respect and hugged Braxton. "Braxton, could you try not to run off and worry your bodyguards?"

Braxton cocked an eyebrow and looked back to the group of four in padded gambesons, and two had rough-hewn staves.

He turned back to look at Lyra before standing and offering his hand to help her up. "I have been a lousy employer haven't I?"

Braxton made his way over to the four mares under his employment and seemed to inspect each with a glance before speaking again. "You four have resigned your commissions with Princess Celestia to act as my guard, yes?"

Each mare shook her head yes. It was a rhetorical statement, but he wanted to hear it from each of them.

"Very well, then. On the morrow, I will procure you proper weapons and armor. and I can pay you for one month in advance now. Since you're working for me, I will pay Avawyvrenn wage for trained guards."

All ears perked up in an instant. Braxton reached into the Belt pouch on his left and placed one platinum coin into each hand of a mare under his command. "A guard in my country makes roughly ninety pieces of silver in a months time. So I will pay you each one platinum a month, making the wage around ten pieces of gold, respectively. Does that sound like a fair wage?"

Each mare stared at the piece of precious metal each held in hand. Lyra whispered with a smile to a somewhat confused Honey Song, "That lone coin is worth thirteen thousand bits give or take a hundred." The four mares’ mouths dropped open in total shock.

Celestia then put her two bits worth in. "Good ambassador, as part of your reward for all you have done, merely submit your order to my smith and I will see the order carried out at no charge. Also, here is the first book I promised you."

Braxton looked back toward Celestia "Thank you, Princess,” Braxton said, taking the levitating book from the glowing gold aura. He looked at his guards. "I'm headed out to a library, would two of you please accompany me?"

"I could show the way, Braxton," Twilight offered, her face lighting up.

"Twilight and Lyra, might I have a word with the two of you in private?" Celestia voiced, drawing Twilight’s attention away with an adorable pout.

"Yes, we will show you the way," Honey Song saluted, near tears. This Mustang had given her so much, and he wasn't done giving. She and her sister flanked him as they left for the library.

The events unfolding were happening too fast for Viola De Gamba to process. Her daughter was holding private talks with the ruler of Equestria, she had roped herself a wild mustang from another land, she was close friends with the Princess of Friendship and even had bodyguards to cover her. What had her daughter been playing at since she left the house? Viola de Gamba's train of thought derailed when her other daughter Octavia waved a hand in front of her face.

"Are you okay, mom?" Octavia asked in a concerned voice.

Viola De Gamba shook her head yes and made a vow that she was going to have a long talk with her daughter about including her in her life. Realizing she and her other daughters were standing in the hall as the press ponies began to thin out from the day's events.

"Yes, I'm alright sweetheart. Let us all go home together."

Celestia entered her bedroom with a few minutes to spare after discussing matters of Braxton's magic and his currency. She called upon her power to finish lowering the sun. As she set her circlet of gold down by her vanity, her reflection began to change; her flowing ethereal mane darkened to the color of flames. The eyes staring back at her became dancing flames that raked her soul in fire. The reflection drew back to smile at her, showing a pair of fangs and to Celestia's total disbelief, it spoke. "Well it is down to just you and me, and here I was wondering when you would look in a mirror."

Celestia flinched and shut her eyes for a moment.he chalked it up to a near four nights without sleep, and made her way over to her bed as the moon began to rise, summoned by Luna.

Daybreaker was not deterred from her badgering as she laughed in a mocking cackle. "You are an irrelevant fool to ignore your instincts for what makes our newest guest so dangerous. The danger does pose an outstanding attraction. Something in the blood seems to scream for you to flee in terror."

"Honestly, put a lid on it, I am quite tired," Celestia retorted.

"Yes, let us talk of honesty, centuries of boiling water for tea when you can cook the water from the seas. Of lifting quills and shuffling paper when you could sculpt a world governed only by the limits of your imagination. Cracking wax seals when you should be breaking the skulls of anypony that stands in your way!" Daybreaker became more impassioned as she spoke, so much so that Celestia found herself rubbing her temples, her eyes shut trying to tune out Daybreaker's voice.

"Don't ignore me, you know I am right."

"Stop it."

"No... Tell me, what did you feel when you saw that young mare lose it? To cast aside what anypony thought about her. As she tackled that mustang smothering him with kisses?"

"Stop this train of thought at once!" Celestia shook her head trying to conceal the truth, but Daybreaker broke in with a smug grin.

"You envied her... for that freedom, just as you do for his. He sat before you and asked you for a pittance for fulfilling your prayers."

"Shut up!"

Daybreaker gave a mocking laugh prattling on playfully. "You have painted yourself into such a pathetic corner you don't see anypony showing you a way out. You are a prisoner not of iron bars and chains, but of silk and gold. Let us not even talk about what your heart truly desires-"

"I said shut up!" Celestia exclaimed, finally losing all composure. She sent a blast of telekinetic power at the mirror. The mirror shattered with a loud crash, spider webbing. As Daybreaker's reflection returned slowly to Celestia’s own, she left an echoing thought in Celestia's mind. "I love hitting nerves... especially yours. We will speak again…"