My Life on a Cassette Tape

"And so, we have sent out another survey team to the Griffon Empire. The chances of finding the piece are slim, but these rumors sound promising." The pony concluded. "The next question, my Emperor, is on budget. We've been spending more than our bit farms have been able to produce, and those among us with leanings towards financial concerns have developed various proposals on how to best resolve the iss-"

"My Emperor!" A voice cried out as a new pony burst into the chamber. "My Emperor, I am sorry for intruding, but a matter of great importance has arisen!" The pony waited in silence as the Emperor, draped in the darkness of his bed stand, held back from reply longer than he had hoped for - the pony who had been in meeting with the Emperor looking quite peeved at the newcomer.

"What is it?" The deep, rumbling voice of the Emperor echoed from the confines of his shadowed existence.

"News from the fiefdom of Canterlot and Ponyville, the situation continues to develop poorly for us." The pony began, already feeling nervousness taking him. "As previously reported, Knight-Errant Silver Tongue's talisman returned to us showing that he had, through some mixture of circumstances come to be Blotted Out. We sent, as you requested, Knight Inquisitor Brass Tacks and the Doctor to investigate further.

"According to their report, they found Baron Gunther in quite the state, necessitating the Doctor's... particular treatment." He shuttered involuntarily, memories of the THING in question coming to mind. "It appears an Unchained Possessor had been found in the fiefdom by the Knight-Errant, who had asked for the Baron's help. The two of them decided to act quickly in the hopes that they'd be able to capture the subject without too much expenditure of resources, however, the artifact in question appears to either be of great power, or the user of great cunning in its use.

"Initial investigations suggested an artifact ranging from a null point two to a null point six reality warping effect, though Knight Inquisitor Bras Tacks report adds an addendum that states her personal belief that - after an investigation of her own and thorough review of the facts- that the artifact is likely more accurately labeled between a null point one and a null point four, though it does appear to be one of the Aligned artifacts." From the shadow, the pony could just barely make out the silhouette of the Emperor shifting forward in interest.

"Quick strike tactics were advised by her, in an attempt to not allow the pony the opportunity to activate the effect of their artifact. Due to various circumstances, a second Unchained Possessor was located, having interacted with the first before they could act. The artifact of the second was positively identified as a Reforged form of the 'Possessor's Eye' by its effect, though the artifact itself was not located - its Reforged appearance having gotten past us.

"The Knight Inquisitor, in conjunction with the Doctor, captured the second Unchained Possessor, though all he was carrying was an old game console and several game cartridges for said console. It was determined he had left the Possessor's Eye with the first Unchained Possessor. Using the second as bait, they successfully captured the first Unchained Possessor, along with various of his enslaved entourage."

"And you say that it has not turned out well for us?" The Emperor asked, with a faint rhetorically edge. "I suppose he used the Possessor's Eye and was able to circumvent his own capture, am I not wrong?"

"Eh, yes, my Emperor. It appears so, though... we lack intelligence reports from the time for reaso-"

"He avoided capture by melding his spirit into the flesh of another. He then alerted the remainder of his slaves and any other possible allies he had, and may still have, of the danger. He has subsequently captured the Doctor, based on our lack of reports of him. He then has capture the Knight Inquisitor and the Baron based on the magical signals their talismans have given us. He is now, more than likely, in the possession of four, if not five, of our artifacts. Furthermore, he has, presumably, taken full possession of the Baron's hold and has since taken all the slaves of Baron Gunther - all two hundred and thirty-nine of them, if I do recall correctly - along with the Baron himself and the Knight Inquisitor." The messenger was astonished at this.

"Y-yes sir..."

"Do not be so surprised. One doesn't rule over you lot for as long as I have without learning of how you tend to fail me. The retrieval of the Crown of Dominion had a similar story to it. I lost five barons, seven Knights-Errant, and both of my Knight Inquisitors just to retrieve it. It's one of the reasons I made this operation so much smaller and far more efficient, but it appears some... less than suitable ponies - or griffons as the case may be - still slip through. If Knight Inquisitor Brass Tacks was taken, however, it shows we aren't up against something of the usual variety, not to mention the lamentable loss of not only Silver's Tome of Veracities and Gunther's Fixed Dial, but Brass' Philter of Wisdom puts us at a minor disadvantage."

"I-indeed, sir, w-what should we d-"

"What we NEED to do." The Emperor hissed. "If a Knight Inquisitor is not enough, then perhaps my Justiciar shall be."

"You called for me, my Emperor?" A massive figured boomed from behind the pony. The pony would've jumped from his skin at the fright. How had the Justiciar known to come? He was stationed several baronies away! It would've taken him-

"Yes, my Justiciar. It appears my premonitions were not misinterpreted. We may yet have our final piece."

"Final piece?" The pony who had been speaking first to the Emperor. "But what of the reports in the Griffon Empire? Are they not of concern?"

"What you have uncovered is not the final piece. You have found, through great digging, a religious artifact of the ancient griffons which holds no more power than your glasses." The Emperor dismissed. "What we have found here, what even the Knight Inquisitor had overlooked, is why I summoned a moot to arrive in the next few days."

"Is it truly time, my Emperor?" The Justiciar asked evenly.

"I do believe so." The Emperor said, a smile evident in his tone. "I believe... that the Straight Record has finally been found."