Soul's Poison: Into the Dark World

As the evening slowly came instead of the day, Canterlot with the same slowness started to come to life. Grand Galloping Gala might be a one night stand but such an event leads to a whole bunch of other events which were hold by different nobles.

"Guys," Twilight called for her friends, drawing their attention to her. A moment before, they were simply dying from a boredom. Fluttershy was emotionlessly looking into the window pshawing everytime she notice a stuck-up noble. Pinkie was playing with a straw in anyway, she could possibly think off. Applejack was lying on the coach with her stetson covering her face. Rainbow was cleansing her gun, while looking at several hideous looking ponies. In the cafe, they were in, the weapons were allowed as long the ammo and gunpowder is stashed away and no guards were in sight. Rarity was drawing something in her notebook, while from time to time giving some of her attention to Spike."How do you feel about the whole thing? We are in Canterlot, waiting for one of the greatest festivity ever. The one that made all the wealthy ponies from all the Equestria to gather in the city."

"Hmm... You know, Twilight. Back in the childhood, I had dreams to be at the Gala. When I become older, I thought I could afford a visit. But now... I could be one in that crowd over there..." She pointed at the bunch of beggars. No, they actually looked fine, but if a noble would be nearby, the contrast between him and them would be seen with a naked eye. For some reason, Gala actually was magnetizing even for not so rich and wealthy.

"Twi... Ah'm anxious like anyone here," Applejack replied for everyone. It may be rude but no one complained. Nopony had found what to talk about, but soon Rainbow's eye caught something in the crowd of customers.

"Hey... Those are the night guards?" She said, while watching the pair of ponies that's been sitting behind the table next to their own.

"Hmm... It's highly unlikely. Night guards are a few. I believe, those are civilians," Twilight answered. After several minutes of nothing, they started to gather the stuff. Five minutes more and they leaved the cafeteria. As soon, as they leaved, night ponies exhaled.

"That was close," one of them whispered. "Cosmos, it's because of you. Why you were eyeing them?"

"No time for that, Shriek. We can't lose them," the only male bat-pony in their company said, hindering any further bickering, and rose up from his seat.

"But, I haven't eaten my donut," one of the bat-ponies said.

"I'll pay for another one. Let's go," he said, while quickly exiting the cafe. The other followed and only food reminded of them, which was quickly gathered by the cafe worker.

Twilight's friends were heading to the house of Twilight's parents. Parents had already helped and they wouldn't mind to help another time. Actually, when they arrived to the city, they got their bearings to Twilight's parents. Now, when the festivity was soon to happen, Twilight and her friends were preparing themselves at the house. Everything and weapons especially was stuffed in all corners of the house, though Rarity had grabbed some of her knives with her.

Now, they were heading towards their destination. At the entrance, they met the guards, which actually stood rather stoically. None of the girls didn't even receive a glance in the back.

The throne room stood rather empty. An occasional nobles stood here and there, but the most important pony of all of them stood right in the middle of the throne room.

"Cadence!" With that shout, Twilight had ran to the pink alicorn and hugged her as tightly as she could.

"Oh... Twilight, I know you was waiting for that just to meet me... But, you can possibly can kill me right in this place..." She whispered it, but Twilight still was keeping her, though after sometime she released her. "Phew, that's better... Sunshine, sunshine..."

"Ladybugs awake..." Twilight immediately pronounced.

"Clap your hands and do a little shake," they clapped each other's hands, and then shook their flanks.

"Wow, great... The heck that thing was?" Rainbow said, as she looked at the childish play.

"Oh, we just remembered of the good old times together. Now, you are Rainbow Dash, aren't you?" pink alicorn asked. After receiving an approving nod, she continued, "and, you are Twilight's friends. Twilight told me a lot about you. Hmm, that's some fine outfits you wear there, by the way. Who've did those them?"

"Oh, thank you for the compliment, princess Cadence. I'm glad that someone finally had noticed those masterpieces, I've put my soul into," Rarity replied.

"Well, you're just in the wrong company, Rarity," Fluttershy noted. "And, I think they are very lovely."

"Well, no matter," Cadence said. "Rarity, I wish you to do some for me. Can you?"

"Oh, of course. I'll make sure that all of the dresses would simply marvelous," Rarity replied.

"Yes, I believe I can trust you in that case. Especially, since I'll have a wedding in the end of the Spring," she said. Everyone become silent. "Hmm, I was expecting that. Well, Twilight, my dear future sister-in-law, can you guess who will be my husband?"

"Um, I... Wait, sister-in-law? Are you marrying my brother?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah. Isn't that great?" Cadence smirked. After that, their conversation continued in personal way, so Twilight's friends got off from the surrounding of two mares.

A surprise it was for Rarity to find only Fluttershy near her. "Where's others?" She asked.

"Applejack and Rainbow go outside to find some space for sparring. Guards must have some. Pinkie... I don't know. I haven't noticed when she had disappeared," she replied.

"Oh... Fine. Let's find some way to... Don't you dare say that you wish to leave me alone," Rarity said, as she looked at the face of Fluttershy.

"I just wished to..." she prattled. "...To go to the garden."

After a pause, Rarity sighed and spoken, "that's fine. You can go wherever you want. I'm not keeping you." Fluttershy wordlessly squealed and ran toward the garden. Rarity only looked at her back mumbled under her breath, "well, Rarity... You're all alone in here at Canterlot Castle with all those nobles from the high society. Now, is that my way toward my dream?.. If so, where do I start?"

She looked around. When she saw the little crowds of nobles chatting between themselves, she started to build up plans in her mind. They broke down when her stomach reminded her of its emptiness with a soft grumble.

"Oh, I believe I'd better get some food. Now, where was a buffet?" She questioned herself, as she wandered through the halls of the amazing views and grand luxury. Stained glass, marble and gold. Statues, columns, drapes and the ceiling which was somewhere up there. This all was mixed with nobles of all the kinds and in all variety of clothes, pompous guards. Here and there, the blots of night guards were scurrying around, though. On that celebrity of colours, their gloominess was off. After sometime, she got to her destination. A long table with all kinds of pastries and snacks.

"Do my eyes playing tricks to me, or such magnificence really standing before me?" The stallion's voice from behind her interrupted her from eating that canape in her hands.

"Oh, mister, I must tell you that I'm as real as you," she breathed out and quickly gulped that canape in one motion. Then, before she turned around, she asked the stallion, "but, I couldn't leave that compliment of yours without attention, Mister..."

She turned around.

"Prince Blueblood. You shall know of that name, since I am the ancestor of ancient unicorn family, which goes into the ages straight to the Princess Platinum. Sister of the Princess Celestia and after the latest events Princess Luna. You probably knew but nevertheless," tall stallion with rich white coat and pompous clothing over the body stood before her. Adorned with so much gold that the costume was almost shining in the castle's lights. "My lady..." He threw a glance to Rarity's palm, which so luckily was turned with backside to him. "...My precious gem, would you like me to show you the castle?"

"...Wow! You all have so amazing adventures together! Just hearing about something like these makes my heart flutter but also imagining you amidst all of these stories," Cadence wandered off. She was doing that since she took Twilight away from her friends, since she was telling of all things happening to her recently.

"Yeah, they all were pretty amazing. You know, this one is pretty amazing too. It's about our last raid on Tackle's guys in Dodge-City. Me, some Apples vigilantes, a local sheriff and his guys. We were stormimg through the coridors, getting these bastard lying on the ground either dead or senseless. Then, that Tackle guy and he got out Applejack, sheriff's guys and was about to get on Apples... But then Pinkie taunted him, and then she somehow fight him back. She and him were fighting like equals. But Pinkie then went all dirty..." She paused, making Cadence lost in guess what trick did Pinkie pulled out. "She shot him. She had the little barrel attached to her glove and managed to not shot her only bullet in the melee fight. Not that this thing was needed, since I was about to blast the guy down, but I'll say they've made quite a show. With not the best ending."

"Oh, so Pinkie can do the melee fighting?" Cadence asked.

"Yes, she can. I'd say more, she have a special combat style," Twilight answered, grinning with a sheer smile on her face.

"Wow, can she teach me? No, I'm not sure, if I will ever use it anywhere. Can she teach Shining? He've been relying too much on his magic recently. Even though, he is only good at shield spells," Cadence asked.

"Hm, doesn't look like him..." She took a pause, and looked around suspiciously. Her ears under a hood widened. "But, nevertheless. Another story... About a zebra in the Everfree. There is a thing about her..."

"What thing we talk about?" Cadence whispered, since Twilight began whispering too.

"She is a slave on the run. And a shaman of her tribe, but she haven't gone through the tribe's ritual, so she don't have any right to be called so. I believe she had ran from Saingal or somewhere..." Twilight was telling story when Cadence broke into the middle of it.

"Saingal? You know, there was a zebrican delegation around a month ago and they were rather sneaky and omnious. I'm not sure what they were speaking off with Celestia and what they were looking for but maybe sla..." Cadence was telling her story and now it was a time for Twilight to stop Cadence before she was able to end a story. Unlike Cadence though, Twilight hadn't blurted something out but placed a palm on Cadence muzzle.

"Someone's ahead. Is it still empty behind the curtains?" Twilight asked. Cadence was about to say something but only noded instead. Soon, the chamber was completely empty.

At first, no one was heard of and Cadence was about to say something but the voices come out from behind the curtains. A sly male voice said, "...They're not sure. Saafdir didn't got any clues on who was able to interrupt our surveys. Unless, you would be satisfied with local's tales of someone called Hope Giver."

"Of course not..." Deep mighty voice answered. Their chatting went on and on. So lucky were Twilight and Cadence since an abyssinian and a saddle arabian stood in front of them. All things they said could be considered, if not outright criminal, then rather suspicious. A unicorn and alicorn may stay in their hideout, listening to their conversations, if not last thing, they said.

"Not so pleasantly..." An abyssinian, Mualim Al-Jafari, said. "But, tell me, Suel. Have you get militia ready?"

"Why, I did of course," Suelmann, tall, muscular and martial saddle arabian answered. "And, you'd better to tell them to strike sooner, since I'm running low on gold."

"Don't worry. Soon, this land will be at our disposal and with land we will have all gold and all mares" A sly voice got a pinch of dreaminess. "Your question is good, though. Uh, tell them to strike at the beginning of the next week."

"Fine. I will give the orders," the other voice huffed. "Pray to heaven, this affaire will successed..."

"You are being too hectic, my friend. Just think of the gold and power we would have... And not only that, but also mares. A lot of mares and... Maybe, some royal mares. Do you want that pink one, huh?" A first one shamelessly asked not really thinking what his question may lead to.

"You told me how much you wanted her. Why you are asking me?" He wondered.

"I just wanted to find out why they call her a princess of love. I believe, it will be simply..." He was answering, when...

"Painful!" Cadence break in.

"Heck!" Applejack breathed out, as her soar body recieved another blow from Rainbow. Another one... Another.

"You wish your body to hurt everywhere? Don't overestimate yourself, AJ," Rainbow taunted. The very moment, Rainbow regretted her words. She was knocked down to a ground. AJ smashed herself into Rainbow's stomach like a cannon ball.

Very soon, a pair of mares was a nothing but a colored pile, which was looked at by everyone in the hall. Only, when the instructor break in, they stopped. Both of them were sent to the bench.

"Gosh, AJ. That was hard. Really hard, argh..." Rainbow whined, as she rubbed her bruised coccyx and butt cheeks, which took all the force of the hit.

"Hah. Well, Ah may say the same to ya, Rainbow. Ya know how to swing that stick," Applejack smirked. Her expression immediately changed to a pained one, after that.

They were about to watch nobles and guards, as they mastered their combat skills, but someone started to clap near them. It got attention of both of them and they turned their heads towards the source. "Pretty rough and but for you it's fine."

"My, my. Solar Lance. Wasn't expecting you here," Rainbow looked over the captain. Gold of his armor basked in castle's lights. A fancy looking of his sight didn't help with sence of danger that appears when one looks in his eyes... Or on two-handed longsword on his back. "Why are you here in the first place?"

"Well, all high ranked guards are called here from all the corners of Equestria. And, since every guard is in here, the most popular outlaws must be here either, so their deeds would be at the minute's notice," He looked at them with trifle of disapproval. A trifle, which disappeared without a trace. His lips curved into a little bow of a smile, as he whispered, "I'm speaking about these arrogant bastards from upper classes, of course."

It was two days ago. It was when Solar Lance revealed his true self.

Rainbow came to Twilight for the next book in the Daring Do's series, which were inculcated to her by Twilight and other admirers. Twilight commented A. K. Yearling writings as 'unscientific fiction... Which still is well written and makes one feel dangers and thrills of adventure!'

When Rainbow came to Twilight's place, she hadn't find Twilight there. Instead, there was Solar Lance and he was reading the book. The book from Daring Do book series. The last one on the current moment. When Rainbow asked about he answered that, he said, "It is the way better then Canterlot's love stories. Trust me."

"Love stories? Hah, where the hell you found those?" She asked.

"Well, I had nothing to do and I found those things. Honestly, I regret that moment." He sighed, and Rainbow laughed the very moment. He looked at her and asked her not laugh. After seeing that his words had no effect, he added, "Well, in Canterlot, you will not find a book that isn't love story or schoolbooks. Everything is censured and if it is not censured then no one needs it and no one sell it. Do you know how I stumbled upon the series? There was some shady dealer, who had a couple of them, and you know, he didn't have the first book in..."

"A shady dealer?" Rainbow asked, though her eyebrows told him she was surprised. "Don't you want to say that all that time you was doing shady business?"

"Did I? Of course, I did. It's not that big in size, as you may believed, though. I know a couple of guys who control over cartels, while I just gather bits from some unhonest Canterlotians," he answered. "If you have a thought to tell that to Celestia, then you'd probably would be believed... And, even if you are, I still have my ways of getting out of the trouble."

He smiled. The smile though made Rainbow shudder and believe in his words. The very moment, the door opened and Soul Flames stood in the door frame.

"Solar? What are you doing there?" He shouted, slamming the door shut. "Were you seducing little mares?"

"I'm not little!" Rainbow complained at the joke about her height, but when she noticed how Soul Flames was smiling and how angrily Lance looked at her, she receded, "He wasn't doing anything like that."

"Oh, yeah. I listen to your every word," he snickered.

When both mares get rid of sore feelings, Rainbow remembered something she wanted to ask for a long time, "Hey, Sol... What's about that combat style, uh... Mordakhu, dormahu, eh..."

"Oh, half-swording?" He bended his mouth in a smile.

"Yeah... Wait, what?!" She stumbled upon the change of word. Lance only smirked.

"Half-swording. Our name for that style. Both gryphons and ponies came with the idea..." He proclaimed. Then, before girls asked any questions, he added, "we fight more effective though, since gryphons are too obstinate to change things that became old hundreds years ago."

"Are you joking? Why lie to us?" Rainbow retorted.

"Oh, did I?" He snickered. Rainbow only frowned even more, so Lance stopped snickering. "Eh, well, I did. I... Uh, I lied. Um, do you need a favor?"

"A favor?" Rainbow immediately calmed down. "Hm, show us more of this combat style!"

"Show you more? Fine, I will. Enjoy yourself," he said and really showed them. He also explained why gryphons were bad at halfswording. He told how gryphons were obsessed with grabling a sword by both claws, how they apply the style only to double-handed swords and also how they were ignoring cross-guard and never use it as a weapon.

"... The only way, they used the cross-guard was when there were a couple of times they caught weapons on cross-guard. Cross-guards may be dulled, I know, but with enough power an additional hole would help with living another moment," he was telling his story while beating a doll with his sword. A stab into a chest, a cross-guard into shoulder and a slash on a side. Next combo starting with an axe-like strike with cross-guard and so on. "Hey, girls. Actually about that cross-guard thingie. When we were in the mines, I've did it and I did it wrong. It's not like..."

"Hey, you!" A bat-pony broke in. "Your presence is needed. Come with me."

"You looks oddly familiar, bat-pony," Rainbow immediately looked at her, not being too offended or surprised by sudden breaking in.

"No time to talk. Go!" She shushed at her and they went. A bat-pony lead them through the hallways and through the crowds of nobles which were in hurry like them. Everyone were heading to the same place. Except one.

The duo and the bat-pony never noticed how they lost captain. He went aside right after Rainbow looked back for him. The well built stallion whenever get to a room with maid's stuff. As he expected, he wasn't there so alone.

"Why, hello there, young lady," he said while the mare before him sent out a ring of smoke. Captain smirked at his companion new trick. "So, what have you done over there that caused such a fuss?"

"Me? I've did nothing, captain!" Mare giggled. "You haven't done anything either, have you?.. But, you are here, still. I'm here too. And that's makes up some thoughts."

"Maybe," captain's smirked. "What's are these thoughts of you?"

"We know each other long enough so we now have some common thoughts. There is one thought we don't share at the moment. Where is my brother?"

"Your brother?" Captain stared at her. Green eyes behind glasses stared back. He felt how they pressed him. He wasn't keeping it long. "Well, my dear detective. Your brother is in Las Pegasus with that mare, uh, Bright Mind."

"Let's hope he wouldn't get into any troubles," Blazing Brush smiled at him.

"Your brother is a fine warrior," Lance said.

"But I still worried," Brush face immediately saddened. It changed the very moment though, and with a neutral look on her muzzle, she looked at him, "Well, wanna go and have a look at thing happening there? I sure want."

"Oh, and how can I say no..." He said, and stepped aside. "Mares are first."

"...And then he hast... Argh, we will never get a hold on the modern language," Luna screamed at what seemed nothing. "Why my sister changed that..."

"Mistress?" a soft voice came from nowhere, as it seemed. For Luna that nowhere actually was in the direction of balcony's door. When she turned in that direction, the look on her face turned to relieved one.

"Oh, Night Storm, our general," she addressed to the air. Soon, out of that air, a night pony popped up, "So, any good news."

A night pony smiled and immediately pull a bottle out of her bag. "You were right about these six. Someone of them really get into an affaire."

"Why, tell us," Luna excitedly looked at night pony and a bottle of wine. A wine, which immediately get Luna's attention since only one glance was enough to made out an estimated price. "You haven't poured in some liqiud in this?"

"How I possibly can, my princess?" Night Storm looked at her with a shocked expression. It changed right after a moment, as she took a sip from a glass, "You wouldn't mind taking a glass of your wine before telling out who was caught."

"We don't mind," Luna agreed with her and watched her drinking wine. "It's pink one, huh?"

"You can't hide secrets from you, right?" Storm looked at her. "It's pink one and she sold some drugs to some dealer... Well, not some drugs and not some dealer."

"Who and how much?" Luna intimidated.

"A green pegasus with red mane and tail. Her name is Tree Hugger and what is strange about her is her demeanor. She acts as if she is high on her own drugs. This requires further investigation, though," she took a sip. "As of the amount of sold drugs, there we found like five full crates. From, what we understand, she had a stash somewhere here which was established before. By the way, the deal was about Night Stars."

"Night Stars..." Luna looked up dreamily.

"Five crates full of dust," Storm added. Luna's face cringed right away. "Yeah, I know. No elixirs."

"No elixirs..." Luna grunted. "These elixirs can really help in interrogation since dream state caused by that elixir twists any action in most terrific way. Just imagine what others will tell right after a minute of such torment."

"Our interrogator causes the same nightmare while speaking with bad guys. The same result and the same time," Storm said with an unsurprised grin.

"But what if you mix these two," Luna tempted.

"Hm, sometimes, her look is enough for other to give away every secret. If we give to that other one that potion, it's one hundred percent win... But, every some captives don't survive the interrogation, so with this potion, we will a way more corpses... Uh, you know, we will do absolutely fine even without these, but thank you."

"And we also have five crates of dust and not extract which is required for potion. I also remember that extract shall be used as ingridient in twenty four hours, or it will be just another just to sell," Luna's mood get down a bit but she still turned to Night Storm. "Why you've come to me?"

"What to do with that drug dealer?" Storm asked.

"We need to expand out network," Luna tell her a solution. General only nodded and disappeared right away. Soon, the door opened and closed, so Luna stood there alone. A knock on the door interrupted that silence.

"Come in," Luna shouted. A guard come in.

"Princess Luna," he said, "Princess Celestia requires your presence. Can you come with me."

"Of course," Luna said and she followed him.

When Luna came wherever the guard was leading her, she stood before quite a scene. A lot of today guests had circled something, and when Luna come closer she found out that this something was a silent staring duel between Twilight, Cadene and two of the foreigners. Guards were holding both pairs from getting closer to each other.

"Sister, what has happened here?" Luna asked Celestia of the situation.

"Look at that couple of foreigners," Luna showed at abyssinian and a saddle arabian both wearing fancy clothes, the design of which catched eyes of night princess. She admitted the possibility of hiding something in them. "They were accused for scheming. Since, they were accused by Twilight, I would be glad to help them, but it can't be that easy, right? With Twilight there is Cadence, so we need someone who could get out of this."

"I see," she looked at the whole situation and head to the empty space between foreigners and unlucky couple. "Don't be that harsh to Twilight, sister."

Celestia didn't answer. Luna however made that to the center and looked at both side of the conflict. Luna had no doubts about a couple of ponies, especially after sensing their feelings of pure anger and indignation. In foreigners she felt mostly the same but she also felt worry. Most importantly she felt every emotion as if it was muffled. Since, she saw clearly that none of them were able to use magic, she understood that they were using some sort of artifacts. She put more strenght in her magic so she could overcome their defence and get into their memories of the past. The magi power increased, increased and increased and...

"Princess Luna!" The scream interrupted her and she wasn't able to even open her eyes when something or someone poke her and she lost control and stumbled. Then, the was another scream, this time full of pain.

Luna opened her eyes only to see abyssinian standing with his back toward her. His fist was aimed for her chest and when he removed his fist, Luna gasped. To his fist, or glove to be exact, a blade was attached. Bloodstained blade.

"Twilight! No!" Cadence rushed to abyssinian and collapsed Twilight. Abyssinian in the same time got both of his hands shot and guards were on the way to pin him to the ground. Before Cadence reached Twilight, abyssinian was already on the ground.

Luna raised from the ground. Seeing no possibility to help two ponies, she headed to abyssinian. "Scheming, right? What exactly?"

"You think, I'll say?" feline replied with a weak voice. Luna didn't like it.

"If you don't want any pain, you'd better tell us everything right," Luna intimidated. It had no effect on him, though.

"I'm not afraid of any pain. Soon, I'll be there where is no pain exist," he said with even weaker pain. He raised his hand, showing a mechanism on his glove. There she noticed a little container. "Not a... Word..."

He giggled, but not for too long. The next moment, he was screeching like he was burned alive, which wasn't too far from reality. Soon, there was nothing but ashes, where Luna noticed an amulet which had a broken gem in it. That amulet is probably what muffles magic.

"Sister," Celestia came to her.

"What of the second one?" Luna asked.

"Dead," Celestia said. She pointed at the ashes, "killed by his own compatriot."

"And, what of Twi..." Luna hadn't said what she was going to say, because...

"Celesti-AHHHHH!" Twilight screamed. She heard a soft murmurs from Cadence and soon she heard Twilight saying, "Oh, Cadence... You're best princess..."

"And, what's the plan," Luna looked at her. She couldn't read anything on her emotionless face.

"Plan?" She looked back. Then, she turned to guest, "I have a plan... Or rather, the ultimatum. Kings of both countries. We've witnessed today that you have no control over your subjects which lead us to this. And I fear to say this, but such insolence is unacceptable. In order to protect my subjects and prevent any aggresive actions we need to take preventive measures against them. You hear me, two kings! I am forced to sent my guards to your lands and follow them in their crusade. As much as I don't like the idea, I need to teach a lesson not only to your nations but to you as well. Everyone one who would resist, will feel the wrath of the Sun, so don't even consider to interrupt us. Till the crusade ends, the country will be ruled by my sister Luna."

With no more words, she went towards the throne room. Luna only gawped already feeling the weight of the oncoming responsibility.

"Ah think, the evening's over," Applejack said.

"Looks like it," Rainbow replied. Both ponies saw what has happened to Twilight and were about to help their friend but Cadence was faster. Now, they looked how Cadence was nurturing Twilight as if she was her mom.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the castle, Rarity was hiding from malevolent prince, whom she find nothing special ever since she read articles in the news. Meeting the prince face to face worsen every impression she had on him. Rarity also witnessed how quite a number of mares were giving the prince some loving stares. He was giving them the same stare back but still was on his search for her.

Even short, but it still was quite a night.