“…and this is the kitchenette for the suite, refurbished last year, very nice, you keep clean yes? I want no bugs.”

The older Vietneighmese pony glanced over at the pale blue unicorn that had the access panel for the sixth-floor suite's ducting open and was inspecting the connections. Rising Mist's SIN was similar to a small legion of grad students that Rice Paddy had seen come and go. The prospective tenant mare looked the part but the long moments spent as Mist examined the construction, the buildings that huddled nearby, and only a few of the amenities that usually comprised the bulk of the questions were leaving Paddy a bit concerned.

Almost as much as the hard-edged look that Mist's eyes intermittently revealed when the blue mare was deep in thought. The look reminded Paddy of her first husband. He had the same look after his time spent in Corpsec trying to keep stability among the squabbles of the various petty Warlords of Southeast EquestrAsia.

Mist paused, fractionally turning her head, “of course, no bugs, we wouldn’t want the sneaky little things scurrying into places they shouldn’t be,” Mist ended a touch flatly.

“And no drugs, smell gets into everything, ponies take Cram, think it make them fast, more productive, they just punch wall and break things…and other ponies.”

Mist detected unstated history.

“I don’t use drugs, maybe a little Psyche for work but nothing recreationally.”

“Many say that then claim it was their friend's fault the carpet smell like Deepweed. I just replace the carpet, you better not lie.”

“I’m not lying about the drugs.”

An awkward silence fell. Mist, turning to window, did her best to break it.

“So, if I’ve got my bearings right. That green space is the border of Pacific University?”

Paddy squinted to be sure where Mist was pointing.

“Yes,” Paddy exclaimed like an infomercial, “Quite close, easy walk, you not find anything closer.”

“What about safer? After all, a young mare can’t be too careful these days. I shudder to think what I would do if I was accosted by a gang of ruffian Griffons or even worse, Diamond Dogs.”

Paddy paused, the answer that she suspected that she might pity the gang that tried wasn’t appropriate however true it might be.

“Shiawase Security Package for whole property, many cameras, they keep security drone at main office, observation blimp tethered too. I make sure Dogs get run off before. Is not a problem. Neighborhood is Knight's problem but is still safe.

“I don’t know I’d like to have my own lock on the door, non-destructive of course, and I'd much prefer to have no issues with my escort drone. I’ve had some scares in the past with break-ins,” Mist's face was neutral but she fidgeted with the certified cred in her hoof.

Paddy's face drew into a neutral, well-practiced mask intended to dissuade interest in such privileges.

Rising Mist matched it.

“Big place for one mare, most PU ponies not want to pay so much alone,” Paddy emphasizes, eyes drifting to the certified cred stick.

“Well I do like my space and I plan on making some friends soon enough. I’m sure I can find a few to your liking.”

Mist paused before continuing, “I must say that I’m liking how quiet the area is. Normally a block filled with students would be a hub of activity at this time of day.”

Rice Paddy looked over the enigmatic unicorn one more time, Pacific Universities struggles against the UW behemoth hung over her like a pall, Twenty years ago it had been different.

“You start with the drugs or with any funny business, I cut lock and have place searched.”

“Entirely understood, I’ve never been arrested and I never plan to be.”

Rice Paddy narrowed her eyes but nonetheless produced the expected forms.

Rising Mist need nodded appreciatively and stamped her hoof on the sensor pad. A moment more and it was done, Mist dropped the Credstick into Paddy’s waiting hoof.

“Rent is due on 1st, penalty if late.”

Mist nodded as Paddy left, “oh don’t worry, I pay my debts.”

A razor-thin edge of Amethyst light shone around Rising Mists' irises as Paddy left. Mist turned back to the window and glanced at the campus in the distance.

“Well, that’s done,” Mist sighed as she dug out her commlink and started a call, “…yes, the delivery I had pending, please send over the truck…yes…to the address I notified you about earlier.

A low throb passed through the base of her neck, as if in anticipation of the unpacking that was yet to be done. She rubbed idly at the sore spot with a hoof. There was still a slight divot there, it wasn’t entirely healed.

The memory of a gunshot, the splatter of crimson, and the white-hot pain of a serious wound played over her mind. She had been shot before of course, but the difference between the pain of a round being stopped by ballistic cloth and that of a bullet finding her unprotected tender flesh was night and day. Peril was nothing new, but there on the 35th floor of Sweetwater Industries, that was the first time that fate had swung so heavily against her.

Reflected in a faux-Gemstone's eyes a faux Rabbit Slip had contemplated her likely death. It would have been a horrible way for her story to end. Tisiphone had pushed everything she had into the second while the white unicorn mage that served the CMC steadied her aim for her next shot. It had been enough, her magic had overwhelmed her old nemesis, but Tisiphone felt like her destiny had been fractionally diminished in payment for that good fortune.

She had been alone, beyond help, she knew it was risky. That risk had cost her.

Her profile was much too hot. C-Squared or not, the best investigators Radiant Industries could afford would be trying to get a viable sample from the blood left behind. They would note the biochemical oddities even through the heavy acids and solvents as it slowly reverted back to her natural ichor-blood. She had been paid well for the job by Ms. Who, but she would be a fool to think it had not cost her as well. Pictures of one Glass Darkly would be passed around a conference table. Notes of the various times that said pony had slipped into places wearing the face of another pony would be discussed along with the anomalous biochemistry. A file would be started with Firewatch as a pony of interest. Wearing her old face now carried far greater risk. Tisiphone had spent the last several nights moving between cheap motels and forgettable faces. They all would have to relocate. Another identity, now as a grad student.

Tisiphone enjoyed the thought of spending the night in her own bed for a change. Still, the sum of all of it reinforced an idea she had reached long ago. Relying on ponies was risky. She needed her own Hive. Now more than ever. It had always been soon. Soon, soon, soon. Now though she had crept up on soon to the point where now was possible. Just a little more.

She checked the time for the delivery. She would need to start shifting soon if she was going to make Split Klaw’s invitation. She half cursed the agonizingly slow speed of her changes. This did not plague the other Queens! Was this a relic of her millennium spent in stasis? She didn’t know but it had almost brought ruin at Starlight Suites.

Earlier

Starlight Suites loomed large, both a refuge and not. Glass Darkly rubbed at the aching wound in his neck, first aid and healing magic not entirely enough. For a brief moment as his car passed through the building's magical wards, his disguise fell, revealing what appeared to be Rabbit Slip. Glass had worn Rabbit’s form through the meet with Ms. Who, simply masked by an outer illusion. Artifice on top of Artifice. She couldn’t afford to rush the change right now. Not hurt this badly. Rabbit Slips coat was just starting to go gray, his dopey baseball-loving face just starting to have hints of the hardened mage Darkly had been before his inner Queen had awoken.

The illusion flickered out as the car entered the Parking basement. A labored grunt echoed inside the car first as Glass Darkly reset his spell and again as he pulled his weary frame from the Honda. A growing collection of aches promised just how sore he was going to be tomorrow morning. Being an action pony was far harder on the body than playing one on the trideo.

He stepped into the foyer.

“So…what pray tell have you been up to? So much happening downtown…”

Glass Darkly turned his head, a grimace only fractionally forming before he caught his expression. His wan smile did nothing to stop the red smocked face from invading his personal space.

“Ah Inquisicion, so nice to see you here.”

“Don’t try to muddle the water with your honeyed words! I can smell the smoke on you, you have glass fragments in your mane…. And…is that blood?!”

“I’m touched by your concern,” he feigned, “yes I did have an errand downtown. It was so horrible to be caught in the chaos. The wreckage falling out of the sky, the explosions, I’ll never forget the face of that mare, sobbing inconsolably at the injustice of it. I imagine it will take years of therapy before she'll forget laying on the sidewalk muttering 'the horror, the horror, the horror' next to what was left of her daisies, a dud rocket sticking out of the flower pot where it landed.”

Inquiscion narrowed her eyes, “Is that SO! Then there is no time to waste. You must be interviewed by the Knights!”

“Alas I already was, but they seemed so disinterested. Especially about the rough-looking pony that mumbled about how this was only a setback, the Nightmare would have final victory.’

Glass feigned a revelation.

“Inquisition, you don’t think that there may be a cult of Nightmare Moon behind all this?!”

A sharp intake of breath and a shocked gasp was the only reply.

“And the Knights unconcerned, it almost feels like….”

“A CONSPIRACY MOST FOUL!”

“Are you sure?” Glass egged her on, then his faux-skepticism melted, “no you have convinced me. Your gift must be put to better use. I am certain that few, maybe even you alone can pierce through the lies, the corruption, you should head downtown and investigate the conspiracy.”

Subtle force flowed through Glass Darkly’s voice.

“But…the loiterers, the delivery ponies who use the wrong doors, the foals who play outside of the clearly marked play area. I am needed. NO! My Calling! I MUST!”

A rainbow sparkle ran across Inquisicion Espanola’s cutie mark. Tightening her shawl she trotted a few paces towards the door before thinking to look back, remembering.

Glass Darkly was well ahead of the curve.

“Yes, Brother Martin. I would like to come down to speak with you. I have lived a sinful life, I would like to discuss a long period of monastic life to better heal my spirit.”

A single tear of joy collected in the corner of Inquiscion’s eye. She trotted joyfully to the door.

Glass Darkly took the commlink away, pushing a button to end the AR display that a comm-call was in progress. He had never called anyone.

Trudging to his door, at least it would be his door for the next hour or few, he grumbled. Once inside, he pulled out the pile of flattened boxes and marked out the shipping barcodes for Starlight Suites. Time to run, time to hide…again.

“One day this will end,” Tisiphone quietly promised, “one day the lot of you will run from me.”

Two Weeks Later

The sound of approaching hooves made the newbie look up in time to see Princess Celestia and Luna approaching. The regal Alicorns moved into the locker room, manes billowing, until Luna reached a hoof behind her neck and subtly flicked something. The starlight mane drooped and became an inert, mundane thing.

“These are fun to wear the first time but I wish they could make em say 20% lighter.”

“You'll find no argument from me on that,” Celestia laughed mirthfully.

The newbie could have almost forgotten that the Alicorn before her was believed dead, but as the Princess reached up and removed a small device from the front of her throat the remainder of the illusion was broken.

“You up for a soy burger later, know what I’m say’n?”

The faux Celestia asked her counterpart in a nasal, East Equestrian accent.

“Afraid I need to get back to my foal. All the extra performance pay is great but my sister is going to start demanding a dragon's dinner worth of a ransom to watch Toola anymore.”

“Good luck with that then,” Celestia gently peeled away her mane, setting it into a box that popped out next to the mirror labeled as belonging to Snookie Sunshine.

“You realize Radiant Global Entertainment is set to keep running specials for the 50th anniversary of the Citizen Pine remake until the end of the quarter right? We’re going to have Radiant Pine wannabes booking session time at least through then. ”

Sunshine touched a photo tucked into the mirror as she continued.

“Shame dad's retired. He'd love the chance to play Pine.”

“Frankly I’d rather he did, an elderly Jersey Shore would be infinitely less infuriating than having to constantly fawn over Backlot.”

“He’s the best at playing cocky self-sure characters while still stroking a guest's ego, who did you think they’d pick for Pine?”

Sunshine began washing her legs, the white color running off to reveal pale yellow. ‘Luna’ who was washing the moon cutiemark off her rump just rolled her eyes.

15 MINUTE WARNING, CLEOPONTRA SET, INDIANA PONES SET. TECHNICIAN TO THE FLIGHT SIMULATOR PLEASE, ALL OTHER ACTORS FOR TOP BOLT, PLEASE STAND BY.

The old speakers droned out their instructions.

“Yo new blood,” Sunshine trilled, looking over her shoulder, “looks like you’re up.”

The newbie shrugged and straightened her slave filly costume before putting away her AR display.

“University Summoning?” Melody Night queried, her quick eyes flashing, “Mare-Friend, if you can do magic what are you doing here?”

“Have to pay my debts somehow,” she replied sweetly, “and I like the flexibility, one never knows when something might come up. Plus compared to the alternatives, is smiling, fluttering my eyelashes, and reciting the lines from some old trideo to some graying mid-level manager that, truly, he is the hero foretold while feeding him grapes so bad?”

Melody Night got a hard look around her eyes.

“It’s all fun until one day you realize you’re stuck here with few other options, living other ponies' lives gets tiresome believe you me.”

“So noted, but I have plans, and I’m not worried. And after all I find it fun to wear a mask on occasion.”

5 MINUTE WARNING, ACTORS TO STATIONS

The newbie gave her best smile and turned to head through the labyrinth of back corridors.

“Well have fun, the Royal Court awaits,” Sunshine deadpanned to the retreating slave filly, “By the way, what’s your name newbie?”

The slave filly paused, turning her purple eyes back to the two ersatz-Princesses.

“Amethyst Shadow.”

“A royal court awaits more than you know,” the whispered addendum came as Amethyst Shadow walked past access passages, small AR displays showing the appointment information and the scenes of fantasy being created within. Various ponies relaxed as they were feted in the general-purpose spa rooms. Eternally fluttering curtains billowed as various famous films flickered. A right turn then a left and at the end of the hall a door waited. She opened it, and stepped onto the terrace of an Egyptian palace, the blue waters of a fake Mediterranean Sea sparkling on the horizon, the smells of the fake ocean carried in from offstage blowers.

The Queen had arrived.

Four Weeks Later

The thrum of a heavy bass wanted through the floor. Rising Mist frowned as the beat ate at her concentration. A small pot bubbled on an electric burner. She fanned away the purple fumes and checked that this batch wasn’t burning like the last. It couldn’t be helped, such were the trials of the learning process, but still, it felt terribly decadent to ruin the reagents forged from such rare ingredients. The ponies had so little serenity these days, to ruin another batch would have pained her almost as bad as if she had spilled a case of real cider. She stirred, a thick viscous goo that faintly glowed Amethyst coated the rod. It looked like what had been described in the ancient Equestrian texts. Whether she had forged the necessary ingredient was yet to be seen.

Soon...

Two Weeks Later (8 weeks after It’s About Time)

The distant thrum came through the floor. Good, let them party the night away while their doom manifested. Tisiphone looked over the five pony-sized barrels spread through the living room. She had put down plastic, covered over the windows, and the mightiest ward she could manage set its anchor trembling, it’s astral haze at the edge of her awareness. Eight weeks of preparation, natch a lifetime, no, millennia of preparation had led to this moment.

A small part of her still whispered doubt. Up to this point, she could walk away, disappear into the crowd, let Radiant Pine fume as his minions chased a ghost. But no, this was her purpose. She existed because a sacrifice had been made to ensure that the seed of a new Amethyst Hive might one day rise again. To walk away, after so much had been spent to bring her to this moment was unthinkable.

“Three deaths can be suffered,” Tisiphone uttered.

“I speak the name,” she began, then switched to a language of clicks and buzzes. “The Amethyst Hive was laid low by treachery and squandered opportunity.

Lines of flickering Mana began to burn purple on the floor, running between the barrels. Five symbols, one on each barrel began to glow.

“I yet remember, my birthright, my heritage, my nobility.”

Shapes danced in the wisps of Mana, in one corner the final instructions of Queen Alecto, in another the first flight from Canterlot City. Moving to the middle of the ring Tisiphone paused as a seeming mother mare clutched her seeming foal tightly as a patrol eyed them suspiciously.

“…and I remember the lies, the empty platitudes, and the wounds the ponies have inflicted upon me, upon my people. I offer up all of it, all bound within my offering.”

Tisiphone withdrew a sharpened knife and held up a leg over the first barrel as she nicked herself deeply. A few greenish drops flowed and fell into the barrel, the Amethyst goo within beginning to boil.

“Queen Alecto is dead, the rightful Queen of the Hive fallen in battle against the ponies, loyal to her children unto the end. Her mantle is mine, I am her heir and successor. I offer myself, in blood, soul, and deed. Harken and answer my children, come to your Queen's side once more. For Tisiphone, the Amethyst Queen calls.”

A few drops of ichor blood were given to each barrel and as Queen Tisiphone chanted lowly, solid masses churned and grew within each cylinder.

A pulse of arcane power radiated out through the mists, through the lines running to the barrels.

“It is done,” Tisiphone mouthed to herself.

A meaty leg thrust up through the surface of the goo in the first barrel, erupting into the dim space. Hard thick plates carried a small bit of aquamarine edging but the changelings’ form was given over to rugged durability. Tisiphone's twisted horn glowed bright, but she still struggled to lift the heavy bulk with her magic. Slowly, gently, the nascent changeling emerged dripping goo. With a final sputtering shiver, she coughed up some goo before remembering herself and snapping to attention.

“You called me….my-my Queen?”

Tisiphone smiled faintly, “Yes, I did. I imagine this must be confusing, there has not been a Queen for an age, but the long interregnum is over. Now Soldier, what is your name?”

The Soldier blinked, “This one does not remember if this one ever had a name.”

“Well, that won’t do at all,” Tisiphone laid a hood on the Soldier's shoulder. “Let's see, you will be Prima , for you were the first to answer, may many more follow.”

The Soldier began to tear up before collecting herself.

“Queen gave me a name. This-… Prima is so happy. I will let no harm come to you my Queen.”

“I certainly would hope not, now let us see to your sisters.”

Tisiphone moved to the next barrel. Again a trembling changeling was lifted clear.

“Welcome, Scout, by what name are you called?”

“I,” the Scout paused, “it has been so long, I was, I mean I am… Flitterwing? Yes that’s what Alecto called me.”

“You knew my mother?”

“I am afraid not well my Queen, I was often away from the Hive, forgive me things are fuzzy, the last thing I remember was patrolling the Hive approaches and then a flash of terrifyingly bright rainbow light and then nothing.”

Tisiphone's face was drawn.

“I know the weapon of which you speak. Regardless, I welcome you, Flitterwing.”

Tisiphone did not doubt the Scouts words, the changeling was small compared to Prima, a few bands of white almost reminded Tisiphone of racing stripes, and Flitter's wings were as easily large as Tisiphone's despite the Queen being easily a quarter larger.

Tisiphone moved to the next barrel. Another small changeling…plain, mostly white, but a dark band around its eyes gave it almost a raccoon-like look.

“Worker, I welcome you…what is your name?”

“I don’t understand? I am of the Hive’s fourth generation, the Seventh of Nine in the 353rd spawning.”

Tisiphone rubbed her chin, “You came in being within the formless depth of the Hive after Queen Alecto?”

“Yes, this would seem to be correct given the facts…”

“Hmm,” no sentimentality would be appreciated here…, Tisiphone decided the path of least resistance would suffice. “Very well Seven of Nine. I welcome you…”

A quick assertive buzz came in reply.

Moving on, Tisiphone smiled proudly at the growing group of changelings trailing her. Her self-assuredness was tested as a form erupted out of the goo…

“A QUEEN! A QUEEN, We have a Queen again!!! Oh, it has been so very, very long! Oh, I’m so happy I could just BZZZZZZZ.”

“Please let go of my face…,” Tisiphone mumbled…the almost pure white dynamo had amethyst wings and cerulean accents, though it was hard to get the full picture as the small Caretaker was doing her best to mimic a face-hugger from a long-dead horror franchise.

“Oh, my manners… I’m Frizzle Gleam…and I…I got you dirty…you’re all covered in goo…what should I…”

Frizzle began pawing at the goo smudges, though this was less than effective…

“I made it worse didn’t I, Please be merciful, oh mighty Queen, I beg that you do not ask me to commit Sudoku for my transgression…”

“That, that, will be unnecessary…,” Tisiphone struggled to regain her composure, “there are some cleaning cloths in the counter…”

“AIEEEEE, your mercy is as great as your beauty…”

Tisiphone forced her faint smile to return, now just one more…

“Umm, what’s a counter?”

Frizzle’s question came from across the room.

Tisiphone pointed and turned to the final barrel.

“Now, my Nymph,” she quietly intoned….

“Hey, what’s this thing in the cleaning closet do?...”

“ALERT, HEAVILY SOILED GUEST REQUIRES IMMEDIATE DECONTAMINATION, UNKNOWN BIOLOGICAL SUBSTANCE DETECTED,” the cleaning drone began to repeat in its tinny voice.

“Ah! PLANAR INVADER Robot Thing!!! GET BACK…”

Tisphone rolled her eyes.

“Seven of Nine,” Tisiphone deadpanned.

“As you wish,” Seven of Nine raised an eyebrow and turned to deal with the calamitous events unfolding in the kitchenette.

Tisiphone pulled the form from the last barrel and gulped, it was nearly her own face that looked back, on a body that was all but a less mature version of her own.

The Nymph brushed some goo from her face and swept her cerulean fringe back behind her horn.

“You seem surprised, my queen,” the pause was palatable, “I believe this form was created using your blood. I am, honored, but of course, this does mean I and my sisters are all,” the nymph paused as Frizzle fought off the cleaning drone, “to a degree clones of yourself.”

“Of course,” Tisiphone demurred, “I was simply a bit, well, the uncanny valley is a harsh place.”

“Indeed, I am Shifting Facet, and I must ask, there is a strangeness to my thoughts. I feel a certain ponyness skittering in the back of my self. It is different from before. Alecto, pardon, Queen Alecto always was a bit odd compared to the others. I chalked it up to the nature of our food. Do the ponies still have that saying about one being what they eat?”

“Yes.”

“I trust this has something to do with how Queen Alecto hid you beyond the hive, within this realm?”

Tisiphone eyed the Nymph, “Almost certainly, given how my mother hid me, did you know her.”

“Of course, we were all her children, had she perished before creating you as her heir, then I or one of my sisters would have mutated into her replacement, but I can hardly claim to have known her thoughts, she touched me once and bade me lead a contingent…

“Dare I ask how that ended?”

Shifting Facet gave a hard look in reply, “Do you make a habit of asking questions you already know the answers to….my Queen?”

Tisiphone's horn crackled, below the music thrummed to a high cadence in silent answer.

“Good,” Tisphone’s eyes glowed, “now there are a few things you need to know to be brought up to speed.”

9 weeks after (last week of downtime)

Tisiphone walked into the dining room. A group of apparent Pacific University Mares clustered around the dining table…on the balcony an apparent large Earth Pony, in a shade of earthy brown went through a workout routine.

A frizzy-haired Pegasus in muted blue colors worked her way through resetting and checking Glass Darkly’s commlink.

Another magenta earth pony on the small side cooked breakfast….while a cyan Pegasus and lavender colored unicorn, discussed the research laboratories at PU they wanted to visit.

“Good morning, Seven could you let Prima know she can stop looking for surveillance, than you for checking my link for spy programs. The food smells great Frizzle. Flitter and Facet, disguises are looking much better.”

Murmurs of assent came from around the room.

“Okay…everyone…” Frizzle bounced over still wearing her apron, “Hay toast and alfalfa hash for the Queen…,” Frizzle slid a plate in front of Tisiphone that made her mouth water, she was so happy that Frizzle was finally getting the hang of pony cuisine.

“And for everyone else, sugar water syrup and soy gruel….”

“Little Caretaker is so kind,” Prima sat down with a thud, “…and praise be to the Queen who provides such a rich bounty.”

Tisiphone paused a moment as the changelings before her began to dig in with gusto, save for Facet who ate like Rarity herself was judging the nymph’s etiquette. Tisiphone wondered if the fact she still preferred ‘pony’ food was making things awkward. Whatever.

Facet cleared her throat…

“The various lines of investigation at Pacific University and elsewhere are ambitious, we will do our best to look into the Cores, but I fear we will need more changelings to stay on top of your inquiries plus secure food and resources….My queen.”

Tisiphone looked up, “I have considered this, and yes, there are whispers from the team I am deceiving that more work will be offered soon, the same work that lets me keep you in such abundant. Sugar gruel. As soon as I have resolved these I will work on preparing the second batch of goo and summoning additional changelings. with Seven of Nine to help, it should go faster than my first batch.”

Frizzle looked at her Queen innocently…

“You know, you could just get with the…uh what do ponies call it…the boom boom like other Queens.”

Frizzle gave a rather obvious pair of hip thrusts….

Tisiphone turned beet red.

“Uh, well…I will consider your suggestion…but um… it would be a bit hasty…and would impact my ability to shadowtrot..and…yes…if I can’t shadowtrot then I would lose my best opportunity to gain further windfalls of cash and magical power.”

The changelings looked at Tisiphone interestedly…

“Time is getting away from us…cough…” Tisphone looked back and forth defensively…

“Ho-kay,” guess I’m not getting any larva to care for soon, shucks…they’re just sooooo CUTE,” Frizzle sighed.

Later

Facet sighed, another day trawling Pacific University… it was a difficult job tracking down knowledge that even the ponies had forgotten, but it was painfully easy to get lost in the crowds of students…and the young stallions so sure of themselves were so tasty…

She took off the Pacific University jumper and went to the laundry machine…it was already running. She went to stop it, she’d just add her jumper and…

THWACK

“That is the Queen’s things,” Frizzle glared, the broom handle in her hoof brandished menacingly.

“It’s one thing, I don’t think our mighty Queen will mind.”

“You’re trying to sabotage her, aren’t you…,” Frizzle’s eyes narrowed… “Oh, you’d like that…she’ll be out on her mission, and then in the moment of peril, she’ll sniff something…malodorous, and she’ll lose her concentration, and then when she comes to harm, then you’ll make your move. I’m on to you…”

“I’m not sure you were summoned with your full share of reason, Frizzle. I’m not trying to supplant our Queen.”

“Oh that’s just what you would say, if you were secretly planning a coup… are you…the STARSCREAM?”

“You’ve been watching pony cartoons again haven’t you…”

“Yes, but that’s not important, I have a sacred duty as Caretaker. You may act like a high and mighty Nymph, but I will wage my own battle. I will do the wash and it will be perfect. I will be the Queen’s champion, her Knight, of the Wash and by ensuring that every sock is returned to its place. I will pave her ascension.”

The broom thwacked into the empty hamper bin…

“Make your choice,” Frizzle drawled.

“Fine, you pipsqueak,”

The jumper was dropped into the bin for the next laundry…

“I expect you to use the good soap…”

“My queen has commanded that I ensure even you are cared for…so I will, such is my duty..”

Frizzle began to pace back and forth in front of the laundry machine, bearing her broom…

“O-reo…Ohhhhh….O-reo…Ohhhh,” she chanted…

“What are you doing,” Facet queried…

“The ponies have a martial chant, the guard of the green queen of the West used it to protect her castle.”

“Whatever.”

Both changelings froze as Tisiphone crossed the hallway mumbling as she looked over a selection of readouts and entered her room…

The door still open the two crept forward to see Tisiphone holding a pencil and making notes…

“She’s planning again,” Frizzle whispered…

“Of course, she charts our victory to come, who can say what mighty stratagems she is concocting, what masterpieces of conspiracy and deceit she will lead us too…it gives me shivers…”

Facet smiled gleefully.

….

In her seat, Tisiphone noted the sketchy details on a Radiant Pink shipment by truck that Split Klaw had mentioned, and went back to her earlier thoughts. In big bold letters she had asked a question almost as pertinent as her earlier one, “Who is Tisiphone?” had been answered…Now…

“Who is Ms. Who?” loomed large.

Below… a shortlist of plans

Steal Alicorn Amulet back from CMC.

1) Setup Hive at Silver Screen Dreams

2) Get to Firebase Harmony for the Golden Heart.

3) Get other cores…How…A miracle occurs…

4) Profit?? -

Tisiphone - Note to Self: I have no fucking clue how I’m going to accomplish all this…

Author's Note

Game Notes: Missions 14 & 15 were played during a summer period where a number of players were not available. These were not particularly noteworthy and involved minor efforts to help contacts.

Mission 16 involved the expected follow up from Mission 13, Power Ponies. The mysterious Ms. Who tasks the team to steal a data brick storing highly important information from the 35th-floor data vault of Sweetwater Industries following their acquisition by Radiant Industries. The building is highly secure. A smash and grab is out of the question.

A dual pronged plan is set in motion. A Sweetwater employee by the name of Rabbit Slip is abducted from a baseball game and replaced by Glass Darkly. The ruse requires her to pretend to be Rabbit Slip overnight. Later, the remainder of the team steals a helicopter and rigs it with a machine gun and equipment to extract Glass Darkly, with the plan being to blow out a wall after Darkly has located the brick. As there are drone defenses, the helicopter cannot linger and will only approach on receiving the signal.

The plan goes off well until one of Rabbit's Coworkers is noted to be acting odd. Soon, it becomes clear that the old nemesis for the Team, the CMC mercenaries, have hit on a very similar plan, with the co-worker, Gemstone, replaced by the white unicorn mage that has tried twice before to kill Glass Darkly. A race to the data vault sees Glass Darkly win, but after sending the signal for pickup, the CMC mage still gets to the vault and a lethal game of hide and seek develops. Glass Darkly almost succeeds in evading, but is found just before the helicopter arrives.

Glass Darkly is gravely wounded, but manages to hold out until the helicopter arrive. Supporting weapons fire drives off the CMC mage. The extraction is complicated as the CMC's own helicopter moves in an attacks. Trading fire, Split Klaw shoots down the CMC helicopter with an RPG causing a number of casualties among the CMC mercenaries.

Glass Darkly gets away, but the security response is severe.