Carnation

Chapters

1.2 Chaser
1.3 Circuit
1.4 Cloudominium
1.5 Caper
1.6 Consummation
1.7 Cadance
1.8 Castaways
1.1 Coup

1.2 Chaser

“What?”

Viscera, after being invited into Dr. Hooves residence, immediately set herself up with enough food from his pantry to last a week. Her first surprise came when the doctor notified her of this, halfway into her third bowlful of cheesy potatoes. She'd almost choked on a mouthful of food.

It only took Ambassador Cori seconds to hypothesize that it might be related to the transformation Viscera had undergone not four hours ago. The above word was Viscera's first response.

After swallowing, then shooting Cori a glance and relaying some words about her metabolism being fine as is, Viscera left the remaining food to Rappid (which took three long-winded apologies from the white pegasus to be reminded to actually eat) and Dr. Hooves.

Then, Viscera talked further with Cori. Apparently, the ambassador was not the only Crystal Empire resident to wilt at the sight of a Shadow Pony, like Prince Shroud. Princess Cadance realizing such a being was traveling with the new Queen of Equestria – by god, Celestia’s head on that alicorn’s scepter! Viscera’s inner pony bellowed – was the main reason for the travel restrictions for all but Crystal-Pony-accompanied equines into and out of that empire.

“I’m just happy you got Prince Shroud out of there before Cotton Sky showed up; who knows what might have happened!” Cori gratefully nodded. Viscera managed to play off her doubling over into the table’s edge as nerves. Dr. Hooves was less convinced. One hushed explanation later, and he was heaving into the nearby sink.

“I’ll tell her tomorrow,” he panted after three minutes.

From then on, it was bedtime for two-thirds of Viscera’s group. Cori had spent enough time in food stands to not need a nightcap, only slipping out a part of her dress out the side window as agreed to guide Gympis back before hitting the couch. Rappid had apparently nodded off after the meal, the Cloudsdale mayor’s head buried in the tablecloth. Viscera had taken that opportunity to ask Dr. Hooves to see the pony he had taken into custody from Iron Will. She'd seized the name from Rappid at the start of her second shows of gratuity.

Viscera swore she heard the rolling of Dr. Hooves’ eyes at the minotaur’s name, even if she couldn’t see it. “The pony you’re looking for is upstairs. Come on.”

At the base of the door leading upstairs, Viscera noticed a note on the stand between that door and the couch. Only five words were on it, but the grey hoof raised from within a pile of slowly rising and falling blankets on that couch was resting on it.

Viscera could only make out the following.

-ky Hooves / Drowned in Urine / 3:22

Only the insignia of a green puff tied to one corner of the envelope – and the emblazoned gold M.M. next to the letter - gave any hint to the sender’s identity. Before Viscera could clarify further, Dr. Hooves’ hoof on her should brought her back to focus – and up the short flight of stairs to the attic.

Well, more like a lab; almost every inch of the large room was crammed with machinery. Giant metal bulbs on the ceiling embedded with cathode tubes, golden crane arms next to antique alarm clocks, it seemed like every era of technology ran through this room.

Only two things caught Viscera’s attention in this chamber of wonders, though – the first a replica of that strange device she’d seen in the Mayor’s makeshift camp, sitting on a stand next to a large rusted pipe. But this one looked more put-together, craning over Dr. Hooves’ head like a blue-gridded altar around the artifact.

The second was a door next to that very booth, shut tight. It only took Dr. Hooves seconds to unlatch the locks.

“May I say in advance that I do recognize this pony, and may need more of a reason than Rappid gave to maintain that pony’s presence here?” The door clicked ajar by the time Hooves’ said 'reason'.

“Know that thing I mentioned earlier about what happened to Cotton? She was on the second floor.” A flash of light brought back the golden skin and snowy mane of Viscera’s altered form. “And this was all that stood between ‘that pony’ and Shroud giving her to Hel as a ‘gift’.”

“The Ponyville Preservation Society hub… I should have guessed.” Dr. Hooves’ blue eyes fell to the floor. “Still, I cannot imagine being in an isolated space is good for recovery, hers in particular… ”

Light shined through the door.

“This is why I wonder why she locked herself into this room just after I brought her to the lab.”

A swing of the door brought Viscera face-to-face with the retrieved pony. Four blue walls and a series of tiny gadgets illuminating them were all that separated the thief from. After several seconds of blankly staring at one another, the figure motioned to the door with their head. Viscera responded with the faintest nod and moved to shut the heavy door.

“Don’t think it’s where she is that matters, Doc: it’s who’s not there with her.” was all Viscera said.

“You are familiar.” Those three words hit like one of the many sparks contained in the lab’s chambers. “I’ll see about talking with another doctor tomorrow; Redheart’s been counseling this pony, and she may need to know the new locale. Panic’s been enough of a Ponyville issue as of late.”

“So long as she’s the only one.” Viscera said. “And that… “

“No worries – the Nurse is as repulsed by the Qu- Sparkle, as many here are. Goodness, what happened to Celestia… and I would’ve been in those Archives myself tomorrow! Just to… ”

Viscera quirked an eyebrow at this, de-forming at long last as the door sealed shut again. “… to what?”

The auburn-coated pony suddenly bristled in shock. “Nevermind. Wouldn’t have worked.” Dr. Hooves pulled at his scarf. “Requires more than just coordination. And Ponyville’s recovery takes precedence.”

“Well, I promise you; that’s that last time I bring someone around to surprise you with.” Viscera grinned.

“It’s less a problem than you think. Derpy’s been in her own pit too; anyone who can help bring her ouaaaugh!”

Dr. Hooves’ shout of shock was into the face of the far-too-close pegasus in the lab’s main entrance. Besides her blue-white fringe of spikes as a mane and her studious rosy eyes came, “I have returned from my travels.”

“Travels!? You’re supposed to be with Cloudki-”

Viscera shook her head. “Nah. I think I know who ‘Cloudchaser’ really is. Gympis; drop the 'guise, we’re among meal-tickets.”

The purple pegasus, after a long stare at the confused Dr. Hooves, complied. Much like Viscera currently, Dr. Hooves was more curious upon seeing the black chitin of Gympis’ true form than shocked.

“I’d like some time to sleep. N… near our guest, if you don’t mind.” Dr. Hooves’ accepted Viscera’s plea, motioning Gympis to move back out into the main room after setting up blankets on one of the lab’s plush workbenches.

“A word beforehoof, then?” Gympis asked of Viscera. Dr. Hooves looked worried, but sidled out of the door alone, giving the two their privacy.

Gympis’ relation of the entire conversation ‘Cloudchaser’ had listened in on between the Mane 4 got Viscera silent and rapt, until... “I’m sorry, a what-smasher?” Gympis looked particularly hurt recalling to the crimson pony what got Rarity that nickname among changelings. And Viscera gained a slight pang of regret over leaving clawmarks in that unicorn’s store.

Not enough to say it out loud, however.

“T… think you should be telling this to Dr. Hooves’ too. Everyone else is asleep, so… “

“Actually not.” The soft taps of cloven hooves brought in Rappid Fires. Viscera almost guffawed at the loops in the straw the orange-haired mayor was drinking her latest brew in, nestled in her forearms. However, exhaustion took over again. “Outside… I kinda need to…”

Finally, the lab was empty but for the light buzzing of equipment and muted grinding of gears. Within seconds of Hooves’ snapping off the lights, Viscera’s were out too, snoring into her cushions on the bench. Her mask slipped off her hood to lightly clatter against the floor.

Viscera awoke to pink.

Immediately, the crimson pony went gold-form. Even here, the nightmares over seeing a pony with that very colored mane falling into the yawning abyss before her no matter how hard she galloped flooded back into her dreary mind. Viscera’s added weight snapped the bench she was on in two and sent the cutiemark-less filly before her flailing back with a “WAAUGH!”

A clatter of what sounded like pans followed – not from the young pony before her, but the rooms below. Soon after, Mayor Rappid's head shot through the doorjamb, her frantic look finally softening when seeing the filly. “Piña! There you are, I was worried sick!”

“Piña…?” echoed the transformed Viscera, still awkwardly crouched over the bow in her busted makeshift bed. One of her eyes twitched.

“Yes, Berryshine’s little sister. Come on down, we can explain more.”

Viscera followed Rappid – who went into an eye roll herself upon noticing one of Iron Will’s posters just under the envelope from last night, only spelling out –nd all your problems will melt away!The envelope cut out the rest of the statement and all but one of Iron Will’s beaming eyes on the mini-poster from view. Viscera also idly noticed the missive from before – the 3:22 one, not trusting her inner pony to not reward her remembrance with more nightmare fodder – was gone as well.

In the dining room, Rappid was still in the clothes she’d… slept in? Viscera wasn’t even sure if Rappid had slept, but the way she was wolfing down food, she’d built up an appetite regardless. The grey hoof from last night had an owner, too – a pegasus with blond hair who, much like Gympis, was poking at the waffles in front of her, only half-eaten. Gympis’ however, was looking at her food with fascination, while the blonde pony seemed to almost stare through her meal, eyes gaunt and unblinking And the filly from before – Piña – had just buried her face in her cereal bowl, the crunching wrinkling Viscera’s brow.

“The young one is Piña Colada.” Gympis was the first to speak.

A swallow allowed that very filly to talk. “Yup! Apparently Doc's tryin' to get info from Pinkie!”

“Pinkie-?” No, Viscera remembered that name this time. One of those who once rolled with – and were currently confronted by – the Queen last night! She’d probably have to rectify seeing what this Queen fully looked like later - even the Canterlot Times camera focus was on the broken Luna. But for the moment, finding Pinkie Pie took precedence.

It wasn’t a long trip, either. In the living room, another, pink earth pony was next to Dr. Hooves. Both were deep in conversation. Diamonds threaded through Pinkie's hair, a closer look showing they were inlaid in carefully laid loops that allowed the hair to bunch up over her head in poofy waves. “So, they’ve confirmed it was Cotton Sky?”

“Yeah and then Powder Puff said ‘no that can’t be’ and ran off and-”

“You’ve said this before, Miss Pie, don’t worry. And Berryshine found her this morning.”

“Yup! Outside of the Golden Oak, but there was all this tape and Puff was busy trying to get over it and failing and-”

“I see. So Berry took her with her to Piña Colada to have somefilly to talk to. And then-“

“Then I came in with that last shipment of that weird fizzy drink form Café Hay! Berryshine got all red when Puff tried to drink one and then I cheered her up and then Berryshine said had a way to keep her distracted while she was taking that traveling bar through Ponyville-”

“Which involved having her take names of the people she served,” Dr. Hooves’ brow knit. Viscera was almost upon both ponies now. “Possibly, to give Powder Puff the impression that one of them may know where Cotton Sky… ‘really’ was.”

“Yepyepyep!”

Pinkie Pie didn’t seem like how Gympis had described her last night to Viscera. <Her attempts to rally her associates were… futile – her demeanor failed when the attempt did.>

“And as soon as Piña’s done eating, maybe some of your new friends can help!”

“Cori is doing so already. Though, I think it is my fault – just as I mentioned to her what became of Sky, she bolted out. Said she had to comfort Puff now.”

Viscera didn’t’ even hear it – to hear of someone so close to the Queen living still boggled her mind. She’s not the only one. Seemed her inner pony was in need of a good stomping before some particularly bad nightmares came roaring the hell back. And so it was that nagging curiosity that led Viscera’s hoof to touch one of the crystals in Pinkie’s mane, just as she said, “Okeydokeylokey - if anyone can find a w-”

And suddenly Viscera was spinning, the world twisting before her green eyes.

<~~~>

Wildly, Viscera looked around, thinking she’d dozed off and prepared to actually catch that pony this time. Alas, the only pink-haired equine in this vision was the same one from before, and in no danger – and for once, Pinkie Pie looked as Gympis described. Her bunched up hair was cast around her face, the diamond-studded band in her hair currently was draped around her neck now, and her head was almost at the chest-level of the unicorn she was talking to. The room they were in was dark, but chutes and ladders ringed the walls around the table they were at.

“R-Rarity…” Pinkie’s sobs echoed around the foreboding room. “We… we can’t let this be the end. Not for us and Applejack and Flutter-”

“-We… won’t, darling.” Even the unicorn winced at the lack of confidence in her voice. Viscera finally saw the bandages neatly wrapped around her front hooves, propped on the desk. “But, your request…. The Guards are at every northern route into Ponyville, Everfree is to the south! And the sky… my word, between what those beasts did today and what Cinnamon Chai’s said about the sky situation… ”

“But… it’s just a party list! For Qu-for Twilight’s eventual ‘Congratulations on not being an Evil Meaniepants Gummy-Hater Party!’” the pink pony cried. “Prepping for that shouldn’t make her mad!”

“Pinkie-!” Rarity’s rebuttal faltered when Pinkie winced, the unicorn’s voice cracking. “No… it’s a fine idea, but… you have read of the dreadful happenstance with Celestia and Luna. It’s… why… we needed to abscond to behind the Lucky Noodles to get to your… secret lair. Would not a… way to ensure she – the Queen - doesn’t do that at your… ‘Party’… be something you pursue first?”

“Sure!” Finally, Viscera saw a smile cross Pinkie’s face. “And I think I know who can help!”

“Very... well then. Please... be sure you’re careful.” Rarity’s voice trembled again. “I daresay; I will fall apart if I lose another of you. My associates are in Manehattan, S-Spikey-Wikey’s safe too, but…”

And suddenly, Rarity’s mane was buried in the desk, arms up in a desperate aim to salvage the rest of her fleeting dignity as her floodgates burst. Pinkie was at her side immediately, rubbing her head with one hoof while fishing out three cupcakes from her…

…tail? Viscera stood stock-still as the treats were offered to Pinkie’s purple-maned friend. “Don’t worry! I’ll be back in a jiffy!” And she trotted toward the door, a motion that got Rarity shooting up her head at the sound. Perhaps Pinkie noticed her mouthing ‘you can movewithout hopping?’, as she turned back. “And don’t worry! Applejack’ll be okay! I’ve already got ‘Shy the best pepper-upper money can buy!”

As Pinkie again turned to leave the spacious room, Rarity yelled after her, furiously wiping at the mascara staining her cheeks. “That rhyme! Pinkie! Pinkie! Don’t tell me it’s that ruffian Iron W-!”

<~~~>

“-ay to talk about that, it’s gotta be Mayor Mare!”

Viscera was back in Dr. Hooves’ room with a gasp – one that finally got Pinkie’s attention on her and her still-golden form. A soft cry erupted from Pinkie, and she was upright on the couch like she’d been electrocuted. Stammering out an “OhrightforgottocheckonShyIronWill’sprollywaitingtoogottagobye!” the pink pony barreled out of the Hooves residence.

Dr. Hooves was the first to reply as the door outside slammed shut. “This seems to happen a lot when you and your friends are around.”

“Yeah…” Viscera concurred. “For all the wrong reasons.”

“It may be because of the Queen’s missive.” Gympis was at Viscera’s side again, apparently finished with her meal. ”She said them being near any gold pony would be… cause for termination.”

“Great, our new forms are Sparkle-magnets! I’ll get Pinkie: Viscera; drop the gold before half of Canterlot bucks down the door!” Rappid yelled. One light-flash later, the crimson pony was right behind her. It took but a minute for Rappid to catch up to the speeding pink pony.

While an offer to pretend she saw nothing of Viscera’s new form was easy for Pinkie to agree to, getting more information on what to do with Piña was harder. Pinkie only let out a “Berryshine should be back from her mobile bar thing later!” to hint at a future encounter, bouncing away as the far-too-orange-red dawn broke over the village.

“Right – now that that’s over with, I’m a bit freaked by what I got from Pinkie recently too,” Viscera said to Rappid, ready to spill the beans on her new insight. “Look, when I touched Pie’s mane…”

But again, Viscera was interrupted – not by a vision, but by three incoming ponies. Two purple pegasi – one with a blue-white shock of hair once sported by Gympis, the other with a curling teal mane and tail – were upon Rappid, while the third, Cori herself pausing to catch her breath.

“Please – please, you’ve gotta help us! Flitter and I went off to share a drink when we were following that bar pony, and-!” shouted the real Cloudchaser.

“Help with what?”

“Talk with the Princes – they just swooped into town and snatched Berry and Puff, we don’t know why!” Flitter finished for Cloudchaser.

“We might!” Dr. Hooves was in the doorway again, and so was Gympis – though helpfully changed into a replica of Pinkie. Cloudchaser looked back in the direction the original pink pony had gone quizzically, but Gympis gave no verbal response letting Dr. Hooves continue. “We’ve been told the Princes were returning today for a public address! If it’s anything like their previous visits to Ponyville…”

“We’ll tell Mayor Mare; now where were they headed?” Rappid responded.

“They moved the mini-set from that talent show way back to the side of that burnt chapel! Oh, Luna, the first thing they did was magic up stocks at center stage! I’ve never seen so many spikes!” Flitter cried.

“Wait, you think…” Viscera trailed off. “No. Those horseasses are scum, but even they’re not that brazen.”

“Vis has to be right.” Cori finally spoke. She was drenched in sweat, her sparkling coat even more vivid in the tangerine-colored sunlight. “The… the town’s suffered enough, they can’t think punishing Berry for serving drinks is cool!”

Viscera looked ready to shatter that illusion, until Rappid whispered to her. “We're going to try to free them. Together. Secretly. Stealing two ponies out from under a prince’s snout should be cake for a ‘master thief’ like yourself, and ‘tis not the timeto draw further attention to ourselves.”

“Trying to butter me up for a fight I don’t have to fight won’t work this time.” Viscera shook her head.

“Saving ponies shouldn’t require buttering up,” pointed out Dr. Hooves. “And Cloudchaser and Flitter have been considerate enough to give you another target this time.”

Before Viscera could point out why their mystery roommate was an exception, Cloudchaser scoffed. “Great. First Cloudkicker and I lose the changeling I was watching on Mayor Mare’s orders, now that stupid joke’s set in…”

“Wait... what joke?” Rappid asked, shooting a wary eye at ‘Pinkie’ as well.

“Dumbass Dash kept calling me ‘Cloudchaser’ during rainwater collection ‘cuz she couldn’t be fucked to remember names after orientation! Stormwalker’s my real name!” huffed the blue-haired pegasus.

“Right then. Stormwalker and Flitter.” Viscera snorted. “Anything we should know about who’s with the princes this time?”

“Wait, they were here last time?” Flitter cried. “Then, Storm was transferring the last caravan to Thunderlane! Cotton Sky was supposed to be the relief shift while we watched that changeling, but…” Suddenly, two and two clicked for Flitter. “Wait, did the Princes-!”

“No one here can confirm,” stammered Cori. “But something’s gotta be done, and we’ll talk to whomever we need to.”

“… fine.” Viscera’s shoulders sank. “Stormwalker, Flitter; if you don’t have to be there, don’t.” The less mares who know our faces in the middle of the fight, the better, her inner pony added.

“Don’t worry –for once, us bein’ overlooked is fine,” Clou-Stormwalker threw back her mane. “Let’s go, Flits – I know a great spot at La Ti Da Spa for personal time, we can get in through the vents behind the sign.”

“Again? But we just had personal time at the back of Café Hay yesterday!” And the two purple pegasi were gone.

Despite the exhaustion, Cori smiled warmly after Stormwalker and Flitter departed. “Such good friends, to make so much time for each other even in crisis! Maybe you and Rappid could have that cohesion one day, Vis!”

Rappid stuffed a hoof in her mouth to stifle her laughter. Viscera fought back something more… visceral from erupting from her throat dragging Cori with her by the collar of her dress. “We’re leaving, so’s ‘Pinkie’. Any idea where we should stow these mares when they’re freed, and what I get for doing this?”

“Back here would be fine – but I can forward bits to any secure address you find!” Dr. Hooves offered.

“Fine by me, keep Colada here!” yelled the crimson pony, Gympis the last to turn the corner with her.

Despite the two-dozen strong pony populace, most could only gape at the construction at the center of the miniature stage. Flitter seemed to have only under-exaggerated the device’s look, as Berryshine and Powder Puff were already bleeding from several holes the spikes in the restraints had picked up. From a street away, even Cori drew back at the horror.

“This is terrible. We have to find a way to get them out!” Cori shuddered.

“No, I have to find a way to get them out. You’re with the crowd until I leave with ‘em.” And suddenly, Viscera’s fake claws dug into the sidewall of the adjourning Ponyville Theater, the pony behind them scaling up the theatre wall with them seconds later.

“Are you kidding – alone?!” bellowed Mayor Rappid. “We were supposed to get the mayor! We only barely escaped these princes before – and these forms aren’t invincible!”

Viscera smirked. “Yeah, the beam of Haze’s I ate like Hearth’s Warming Eve dinner last night says otherwise.” And with another pull, the crimson pony was almost halfway up. “Sides’, this is for show these punks don’t have the stones for raping somepony where another could stop them.”

“The ex-Princess of the Moon would say otherwise,” hissed Rappid. “And we’re not supposed to transform in public, remember?!”

“On that subject…” Gympis peered behind their position at the stage. “The DJ that was at the restaurant is not there. Her friend is, however. I shall use her form to investigate the proceedings. Perhaps…” And with a flash of flames, DJ-PON-3 was before them, sans glasses hiding her red eyes from view.

“You see the Princes anywhere?” Viscera was close to touching the ceiling of the theater now from her height. “Then they won’t see me – I’m sticking to the ceiling of the Chapel, incoming and outgoing.” A flip and Viscera was over the ceiling. “Sides, you’ve got places to be too,” came the whisper.

“What pla-” Rappid’s jacket was suddenly tugged on by the DJ-impersonating changeling. Following Gympis’ stare, Rappid paled at the sight of Flash Sentry. But before Rappid could question whether the Royal Guard recognized them from last night, Flash spoke. “Glad to see you, Rappid! Mare wouldn’t budge on refusing to oversee this ‘monstrosity’, so the second I heard Cloudsdale’s stopped for a visit…”

“Monstrosity?” Cori’s eyebrows rose.

“Speak of the devil – Cori, too!” Flash grinned as he turned to the ambassador. “Don’t worry; between us, Cadance sent me too! She thought I could get through to Sparkle after the mirror fiasco, but…”

“So she isn’t just sitting idle during the coup!” Rappid spluttered. “That’s amazing, but I think her attempts to get to the Queen will be futile.”

“Agreement…” muttered the Royal Guard. “First I’m shuttled off to Ponyville after Haze took over the guard before I can even speak to Sparkle, then that monster pony attacked when he… found Derpy...”

Cori’s next response took Flash’s eyes away from the bared teeth of Rappid at his hedged words. “Does Cadance have any ideas beyond this to stop Sparkle?”

“None in front of me – said it wouldn’t do to have Sparkle get smart to it if I’m… compromised? Ridiculous, I’m tougher than that! But, I’ve got theories – it’s probably something from her mirror trip, or that previous Alicorn Amulet user, who I’ll get answers from when she quits her Great and Powerful disappearing act! But all this… it’s got to be something Twilight caught!” Flash adjusted his helmet helplessly. “Shoot, we already know she didn’t kill Blueblood! It had to be something before or after that!”

Another wince came from Cori at the curse, but she held firm. “So I assume we’ll have to be there too?”

“Only to keep the peace if I can’t. You’ll be situated in the back, and I won’t have any guards on you – hell, one’s the Cloudsdale mayor, I should be asking if you’ll cover us!”

“Maybe…” Cori began.

“No.” Rappid ended.

Flash took a step back. “Whew, must be a bad day. Right, then. You’re free to move in, but be quick – Shroud’s getting antsy. Oh, and DJ?” Finally, Flash’s blue eyes turned to the red of the DJ-PON-3 doppelganger. “Thought you were off making a music deal with Shores in Canterlot, but since you’re here… I love your music. So does most of the Royal Guard… well, my Royal Guard, anyhow.”

“The DJ’s happy to hear it,” Cori quickly replied, keeping Gympis from risking a verbal faux pas as the three ponies followed Flash to the rear of the crowd.

Viscera’s trip into the Chapel, walls still blackened and bubbled with fire damage and the deep blue paint of the arched walls, offered her valuable inquiry too. For example, the chapel’s spacious main room was full of royal guards: gold and dark-grey pegasi alike in sheets of armor, to the dozens. The looming catwalk she was on at the top was her only refuge from their cautious panning of the entryway.

Though, for two of them in an open-ceilinged pew to Viscera's right, their eyes weren’t drawn to the ceiling anyhow.

“What in - fuck, Thompson! We’re supposed to be keeping one eye out for those golden ponies, not rubbing one out to Shores!”

“Oh, like the Queen’s got a problem with voyeurism now?” drawled the second Guard. “And Saph’s fuckin’ hot. Can’t be in Canterlot for her new tour, so a stallion’s gotta work-around.”

“We’ve only got light from that chandelier we had to rig back up on the back wall and this is what you’re wasting candle power on?” Viscera was already making her way around to the section of the Chapel wall connecting to the mini stage, but the southwest corner gave her a hint to what ‘Thompson’ may have been clopping to.

On a crate in that corner of the catwalk were two bagels and a poster of Sapphire Shores pinned underneath. The top of her blown-kiss-frozen face, curving back and the frills of her dress were hidden, but the message below her seductively crossed legs was not (Sapphire Shores’ Shore-Leave Relief Concert/ In Canterlot For Two Days Only / Ring in the New Reign with Rock n’ Roll! / Proceeds go to the Rhythmus Charity for Homeless Horses).

”Yeah well – if Sparkle hears of this proceeding being interrupted, we’re all be departing Canterlot before Shores does, headfirst! And if we’re lucky, they’ll still be attached to our bodies! Now back to your post!”

“Fine- get off my ass, Gordon.” The shuffling of plate mail hinted at Thompson’s departure, but Viscera was already into the crawl space cut out between the catwalks of the Chapel and the mini-stage, bagel now in her mouth. Because she was hungry, of course. And also the snarl that was beginning to set in would have given away her position. Right, crooned Inner Viscera.

Regardless, nopony was on the mini-stage’s couplings or balconies with her, mainly due to it creaking lightly under her weight alone. None of the hordes of Royal Guards below heard it, but it explained why they wouldn’t be on that balcony. “Way too heavy,” Viscera murmured.

Regardless, Shroud’s voice carried fine, even as the small space between the curtain and Viscera’s position on the furthermost catwalk only showed his horned head. “Expected more. But this is enough.”

Probably more security than attendants, really. A twinkle behind the chandelier a chapel behind Viscera caught her inner pony’s eye. Who only have that to light up the room they’re in. Perfect for an escape!

“Don’t worry – so long as we get the little one in this demonstration,” said a blaring echo of a voice Viscera couldn’t place. Peering further, her neck straining, Viscera studied the scene further. Behind the entire crowd were Rappid, Cori, and Flash Sentry. Flash didn’t seem keyed into their alter egos, since he was pacing behind the crowd, right in front of them. To the left, the two ponies Viscera had met in the bar yesterday – Octavia and DJ-PON-3, which again drew a gag from Viscera – were in the backmost row. Octavia had her head buried this time, in the wary DJ’s chest, her eyes flitting back to Rappid every few seconds for some reason that escaped the crimson pony.

But the voice Viscera heard had come from closer by, and just to Prince Shroud’s left on the stage was –

Viscera gasped. Nopony beneath her position stirred.

Holy hell, it was Princess Luna.

Horn sheared and wings folded in, horn brace attached, but she resembled the spread on yesterday’s Canterlot Times, down to the distorting bow in her back. But she stood a significantly more dominant pose than before. Almighty, this might be too much to go for now, a Princess was here now?!

Viscera could even see Rappid drawing back a hoof in the distance in rage, before Cori dragged her and DJ-PON-3 away to the right, near the medical shops. Have I lost track of Shroud’s words that quickly? Regardless, Viscera had to join them – this was way too much heat to draw at one time, especially for-

“Ay, when d’ya think that little shit Powder Puff bites it?”

“Bout the same time Prince Shroud does – necks are a fine delicacy to a Shadow Pony, I’ve heard.”

Two grey-coated Night Guards and ten feet of vertical height, and suddenly, Viscera was right back in the Ponyville Preservation Society HQ. Shroud was there too, and so was…

<- You were right, Shroud, leaving the cells for this shitheap is so… illuminating- >

Even Viscera’s inner pony joined in on stomping that sentence into the dirt and pissing on it. Viscera back-flipped in the air, it’s whistling around her ears nearly keeping her from hearing Shroud’s next words.

“-day’s demonstration began. Starting with feeling the small one die on my sheath. Break one of the drunkard’s bones ever time she cries.”

“Berry or Puff?” came the echoing voice of Luna.

“Surprise them.”

Viscera grabbed the railing and span for a new target. The clap of her hooves halfway through the curtain and a flash of golden light was all the warning Shroud got before the thief’s rear-hoof crashed into the crook of his neck. Wasting not a second of time – not even to wonder why her left leg felt ready to crumble into dust, Viscera used the springboard to deliver another kick, landing on both forepaws.

“Round two, you literal and figurative motherfucker. Hook me up.” One side of the stage held the recovering Shroud and the wide-eyed Luna. The other held Viscera and the part of the Chapel facing toward Ponyville Theater. Between them… well, if Viscera’s golden paws and crimson hooves had anything to say about it, wouldn’t be between them long-

WAIT.

Viscera’s eyes shot down. Everything above her ribcage was golden. Below it, however, was unaltered trunks and smooth crimson fur. Suddenly the ringing pain in her feet made too much sense. How the hell did the transformation only go halfway?! Now Viscera’s inner and outer pony wanted to run again.

“Suggestion accepted.” And with a snap of ethereal kinesis, Viscera’s unaltered legs were caught, dragging her toward the Prince.

Until a speck of incoming dust from the alley behind Shroud ballooned into a full-sized medical cart and collided into Luna.

“Oh, NO!” Viscera’s heart stopped hearing Cori’s voice an alleyway behind them, noticing as she passed it that only Rappid had her full form up. Gympis was in the same situation as her, the changeling’s hindquarters set with paws and a white tail, her front half still magenta-eyed and chitin-framed. To Viscera's side the cries of Flash Sentry yelling. "Intruders! Come on, citizens, we've gotta evacuate NOW!" echoed from a stampede of hooves.

Thankfully, the crash disrupted Shroud’s attention and magical grip, and Viscera took the chance to literally rip the stocks holding Powder Puff and Berryshine out by the stand. Frog marching towards the Guard flooding through the curtain, Viscera took a leap that felt like it pulled more muscles than possible.

One last look at Princess Luna, however, didn’t make her heart sink. It made it rocket right into her left hind hoof. Specifically, the green flames surrounding her as the snarling Prince Toxic Haze emerged from the wreckage. “Knew the fuckers would go for the hornless one first. You’ve got the other pony?”

Shroud’s response to his lover was a rippling wave of tendrils in Viscera’s direction. Suddenly, Viscera's feet were pumping again, hooves slapping and scrabbling against helmets as she legged it back into the Chapel.

Viscera could still hear Berryshine and Puff’s screams over that of the guard, trying madly to evade Shroud’s spike columns. Looking up, Vis realized the two ponies she was carrying were still laced into the spike-lined cuffs, blood drooling onto her white plumage of a mane.

Wait! My pockets are still available to me, that means –

Viscera yanked out her pilfered crossbow from an Everfree chase ago, aimed it at the iron chain holding up the chandelier, and flung it. The chain buckled under the force and a half-ton of golden illumination crashed into space behind Viscera, cutting off Shroud’s tendrils. Racing up the stairs to the upper catwalks, Viscera finally chopped off the wooden bonds holding Berryshine and Puff. “Got any ways we can escape, barmaid?”

Berryshine whimpered in the spikes still embedded in her neck but replied, “T-the tavern! It’s in western Ponyville!”

“We’re out!” Viscera took one of the unconscious Guards and prepared to give him her fake wings. A look to her back in a cracked mirror beside her revealed that they were still under the baseline of her altered state’s golden skin. “Come ON!” Viscera galloped off again, Berryshine and Puff tucked under her arms this time. A violent rending of wood and plaster behind her notified her starkly of Prince Shroud’s arrival.

Leaping through the rear window, Viscera could see the thatched ceiling of one of the medicine shops before her – and a hotly pursued changeling and Crystal Pony racing behind it. Viscera then noticed the three stories between them and the ground Toxic Haze was covering to race behind them. Her mind reeled over which Prince she’d want to get in the face of – and what condition she’d be in after the encounter.

Two sets of tendrils slicing parallel gouges into either side of the Chapel façade she was on made her decision clear. Gilding herself, Viscera de-formed and leaped, her fake wings bursting free and screaming under the strain of the three ponies its glide carried to the ceiling of the nearest shop. Beside her, Goldilock came out from the north in a tight aerial loop and slammed into Prince Toxic's haunches, careening him into another cart just as his metamorphosed claws nearly snagged Cori’s jet-black tail.

“Yo, Wings!” yelled Viscera, waving at her two passengers as she tumbled onto the medicine shop’s awning. Ponyville Hospital loomed on a hill in front of her. Shroud’s eyes cut through the debris of the Chapel wall behind her. “Come get me and Berry! Gymps can handle the other passengers!”

Shaking her head from her previous impact, Goldilock turned, made Shroud jump back as she cut through the alley between him and the three-pony caravan. Then she twisted in the air even as Prince Haze’s telekinetic clutch washed off her like a water balloon and swooped, picking up…

Berryshine. And only Berryshine.

“You don’t think you missed someone o’er here?!” Viscera shouted at the cartwheeling figure of Goldilock, looping behind the windmill to try and lose the re-pursuing Prince Haze. Behind the crimson pony, the emotionless eyes of Prince Shroud rose over the ceiling’s edge.

A pair of perforated hooves gripped Viscera and shot her off of the building too, just as Shroud’s tendrils formed a giant claw and rent its ceiling to shreds of timber and straw.

“Rappid wishes to say ‘and by the way, I don’t miss either’,” said Gympis.

Viscera quirked an eyebrow. “Wait, wha-?”

“Could have asked you the same question one stage-dive ago, Vis!” bellowed the voice wheeling past the windmill, Goldilock using the blades of the building to loop behind Toxic Haze and kick him in the back. Another storefront shattered into pieces in the changeling prince’s wake.

It took Viscera several seconds to get it. “We… really need to work on your timing, Gympis.”

Gympis only responded with a sharp corkscrew, Powder Puff screaming as she and Viscera narrowly avoided another lash of tendrils from Shroud. “Nevermind, luv, your timing’s fine as is!” Viscera yelled.

“I am not in my altered state; this will make our travel short. Do you have a strategy?” Gympis asked as her altitude faltered, only just keeping ahead as Shroud tore down the alleyway after them.

Viscera took one look at Powder Puff, saw Goldilock streak down a parallel road with Berryshine, then held Puff closer to her. “It’s me and Puff Shroud wants. Aim us for that tea shop two blocks over, then take down Toxic and follow Goldi. I’ll lose Shroud myself.”

Transforming again as Gympis’s hooves disengaged, Viscera hugged Powder Puff to herself and curled in, letting her altered back take the brunt of the trip through the plate-glass window of the tea shop. A poster wedged in that ceiling landed in the locks of the hyperventilating Powder Puff’s hair, the words Iron Pony II – Cants vs. C- all that Viscera could make out before barreling over the counter. Tendrils startled shredding apart the front of the store as Viscera and Puff snuck into the storage room.

Only for Viscera to find another mare in the hay surrounding the bottles of spirits and jasmine brew. Another case of ginseng crashed from behind them in the storeroom. The rending of metal from the register stared. “Gonna guess you’re the owner.”

The owner nodded, her short-cropped curtain of pink hair bobbing over her plum mane and cup of java on her flank. “Then we all need to de-ass this area. Got any powdered coffee?”

“Y-yeah, here-” And she yanked out a can of sparkling brown crystals from the red-sheeted shelf next to her. “- but what for?”

Viscera then dumped a foursome of red diamond-shaped gems out of her right pocket – then some pieces of glass from what was now all four of her unaltered hooves – and dumped them into the pot. Idly, she noticed the doorknob to the storage room slowly warping from outside pressure. ”To hide my patented Blood Stones. Here’s what we do now-and you better believe we’ve no time for a repeat, luv.”

Prince Shroud finally got a hit on a heavy form, dragging it up to him from his vantage point atop the tea shop. It was a bundle of crimson cloth, limbs even encased in the same material. Shroud immediately turned its head toward him so fast it ripped from the force. “Hmm. Thought you stood up to more.”

Mid-monotone, Shroud noticed the smooth metal of its mask was the smooth surface of a coffee container. With four twinkling red diamonds spinning in the spray of grounds that floated before him.

“Not agai-”

The stones exploded. Then the fire caught onto the grounds and turned into a blinding pyre six inches from the Shadow Pony’s head.

“So, pretty sure Ponyville will fork over the bits for a castle when you’re known as the first resident to hear a Shadow Pony scream.” Viscera offered, tearing down the main street and toward Goldi’s last direction. “For all else, I hope the insurance is up to date.”

“Y-yeah, it’s a Cinnamon Chai property, think it’s good.”

“Nice.” Viscera came to a halt with Powder Puff heaved over her other shoulder; her heavily labored breathing drawing the eye to her traveling buddy. “But that’s not the insurance I was talking of.”

Before the earth pony could respond, Viscera opened the door of the nearby Potato Pot restaurant, shoved her inside, and slammed it in her face. “Keep it shut this time!” Hustling down the rapidly clearing street – a teashop’s destruction tended to quash commerce like nothing else – Viscera finally noticed a figure in the visage of a music stop. Goldilock quickly unlatched the wide window fast enough for Viscera to roll under. Viscera even got a glimpse of Cori, furiously working on something near the right wall outside the shop, before somersaulting over the back of another register-holding counter.

Goldilock breathed a sigh of relief when the half-metamorphosed thief finally turned, unloaded Powder Puff into her arms, then finally turned to face… Prince Shroud.

The mutated mayor’s hoof slammed over Viscera’s mouth before she could start screaming. “Don’t. It’s the changeling this time. Our changeling.”

“The ambassador said perhaps our best way of making it through the city was as our pursuers,” came the oddly-upbeat monotone from the princely facsimile before Viscera. “While I pretended I caught you.”

“Yeah, never mind that – somehow the forms aren’t working fully, what the shit?” Viscera pointed out.

“Gympis has it too! I’m the only one who fully transformed, and neither of us knows what occurred! Not that your suicidal stunt helped the escape efforts any, Vis!” Goldilock barked.

“C-can we talk about this later? Right now, we need to know what went wrong! Someone, get-”

And with a burst of light, Cori raced through the door to their left, her hair a mess. “Quick, get outside! Shro-” She then froze upon seeing the very Prince in the room.

It was that moment of silence between them that allowed Viscera to get hooves on a tuba… and use it to clock Cori in the face, sending her into a drum case with a violent crash.

“Viscera, what the hell?!” Goldilock rounded on the thief within seconds. “She just came in here and-”

“Yeah, from the wrong door.” Viscera jutted her finger toward the other door beside them. “Saw Cori on the right side of the shop as I rolled in! And if Gympis can impersonate the Princes to fool others…”

“She could have swung around after fin-!” And then Goldilock noticed the flames licking up the fallen Cori’s body, revealing perforated hooves sticking out of the bass drum. “But I’ve been wrong before! Let’s go, the Shroud impersonation plan’s a bust! If the real Shroud doesn’t know now, he will soon!!”

The right door burst open this time, and as if to confirm their fears, the actual Cori stepped through, oversized paddle in her hooves. “Alright gals, I secured Berry in a barrel, and then shrank down a paddle to bar the door wi-”

“What a coincidence, Cee – we’re all up Horseshit Creek!” came the reply from Viscera, almost falling over her two front hooves as she transformed again. They were halfway past the overhang of the music shop’s piano-key roofing when the golden flash took over, and once again… “Damn it!” Viscera’s front half was once more the only altered part of her.

“I’ll be on Berry duty this time! Cori, grab Puff! Gympis, Viscera, watch our front and back!” Despite Goldilock's plan, chaos ensued again once they got past the third house. A sharp beam from Prince Haze cut into the changeling’s cheek and sent her tumbling into another alley, the collision afterward hinting at a meeting with a chimney base.

Goldilock was lucky enough to clasp her forehooves around the horn of the charging changeling prince, switching to a headlock and barely keeping hold as Toxic Haze’s spade-tipped tail whipped into the walls, flanks, and arms of everything around him. Dents erupted in Goldilock’s new hide, and Cori, with a vulnerable filly on her back and no clear shot at Prince Haze, could only take cover behind the tenements.

It was up to Viscera at this point, and thankfully, the positioning of her partial transformation giving her both the strength to heave the barrel containing Berryshine into her left arm and space for her fake wings to bring her to roof-level after a pull of claws upon the wood framing of two houses catapulted her up. Turning back, she pulled out another pair of Blood Stones from her pocket and aimed at Toxic Haze.

“Gotcha.”

And whirled in midair, seeing Shroud on the building next to her, eyes diluted in triumph. Before she could turn – impossible anyhow, with both claws occupied and wings already folding mid-flap - Shroud’s tendrils plowed into her side, sending her and Berry crashing through the second floor of the Ponyville Tavern.

The snasnasnaps of several explosions, one visible enough for Gympis to see, brought her to attention. Prince Toxic Haze was before her, he and Goldilock swinging hooves into each other’s jaws with reckless abandon. But it was the lack of something, two somethings actually, that brought Gympis to full alertness. The first was her mind piecing together the lack of other changelings that joined Haze in his rise to power, and her inability to identify him before, meaning…

“He is… hiveless!” Gympis stood up from shock. Soon, she zoomed out past them both, breaking up their fight long enough for Cori to finally launch a supersized carriage at Toxic Haze. A sizzle from his horn blew it to pieces, but not before the debris blinding him to Gympis, focus now on on the Shadow Pony reeling himself into a cavity in the tavern’s wall. He was single-minded as well, and since Viscera and Berryshine were gone…

Gympis took her flight through the lower levels of the tavern, but nearly lost herself in its unlit interior, still too early to accept customers. By the hive! Darkness from below, shadows from above, and we do not even know what caused our new forms such disparity-!

The changeling finally blinked. And even the void of the tavern could not conceal her smile long as she clapped her hooves together.

Viscera felt like she’d been put through a blender. Exhaustion fell upon her in waves. Even the barrel containing Berry had deposited her disoriented cargo a full three feet from her, a rearleg with a grapecluster-and-strawberry imprinted cutie mark on its flank kicking feebly among a mountain of wood.

Struggling to raise her head, she could even feel how sluggish it had made her hooves. Her left arm was scrabbling for a grip on the impact-bowed oaken floor, her right arm flopped uselessly beneath her, and her left paw was-

Viscera stared for a second, then looked at her right paw again, buried beneath the splintered rings of the barrel.

It didn’t move.

The very much still-golden arm it was once attached to did wiggle on the ground again.

And suddenly, what could only be shock crushed what little fight remained from Viscera. Even as Prince Shroud filled the cavity in the second floor’s balcony window with his form. Even as Berryshine’s attempt to rouse her awake got her swatted into the taps in the wall, her struggles weakening under a torrent of tendrils. Even as more of those same tendrils, illuminated by golden light, coiled and rippled out toward Viscera’s unmoving flank-

-and the retracted, following the flailing Prince back out of the second floor’s new sunroof by a changeling left hook. Well, left claw, considering the changeling was fully golden once more. “It is the shadows! We must leave!” Berryshine weakly croaked in gratitude for Gympis but was still puzzled by the newest cryptic missive from the strange pony. Regardless, she swept up Viscera into her arms.

“They were all that obstructed you – us – when you turned!” Viscera didn’t seem to have the message, leading Gympis to follow her transfixed stare to the other five percent of her trapped between her feet. “Ah. Apparently, limbs can be lost in this form too.” Clutching it in her teeth, she continued. “Mish Behry. We must go. Ahpon my bahck at oncssh.”

Reaching Goldilock, Cori, and Powder on the alley again, the sight of the fully empowered changeling almost seemed to pump new life into Goldilock and Cori – a first in Ponyville, even Cori had to admit between pants.

The group tore down the street, leaving Haze and Shroud in the dust for once, until they reached the corner of a restaurant with a bed of noodles framing its roof and front end. It was here that life finally returned to Viscera’s eyes, and she all but leaped from Gympis’ arms, hobbling to one end of the store. Her jaw moved impotently, but words would not follow.

Gympis would though, and discreetly handed her severed claw again. Viscera, almost instinctually, took back the limb, and as Goldilock and Cori turned to ask what got into her, all they finally escaped her lips was “Has to be here, Pie sai-”

Then the floor gave out from Viscera, and she was tumbling into a chute nestled below the largest of the fake pasta pillars of Lucky Noodles. Powder Puff, upon hearing the roar of crumbling roofs from the out-of-sight princes, zipped into the crevice, followed lastly by Cori, Berryshine and Goldilock.
Before Gympis could follow, her ears picked up the arrival, and she turned into the spitting image of Flash Sentry just as Prince Shroud and Haze’s arrived.

"GREAT! Fuckers gave us the slip again and you're trying to stuff your face! Find out where they went, Sentry; Shroud and I've got shit to discuss!" Prince Haze's roar echoed off the glass front of the restaurant. While turning the corner was a relief for Gympis, her ears stayed perked, listening close to the two Princes' conversation as she scoured the ground for the dropped Viscera limb.

“True, they escaped again. But now we know more about them.” Shroud admitted, voice so low Gympis had to strain to hear it from the opposite end of Noodle.

“Yeah…” hissed Haze. “Attacked me as Luna, so no way they’re some counterstrike force by that whore Celestia.”

“They have forms underneath. A metamorphosis, likely.” Prince Shroud pensively added. Gympis found the limb at that point, clutched it in her maw, and backed up slowly toward.

“And one of them…” Toxic Haze licked his lips sadistically at the last tidbit. “…is a Crystal cunt.” He was already flapping his leathery wings in the air by the time turning to the Flash Sentry doppleganger. “Looks like we get to plan for a meet up with a pain-slut alicorn sooner than we thought, right, Flash?”

Shuddering, Gympis could only shrug, her back still to the Prince. It did not stop his sneering words. "I just love this idiot - one word and he curls up like some pansy! It's so hot seeing him cower."

“Unacceptable. Focus.” Shroud droned, unmoved from his position. “Considering this new group's pattern of retaliations…”

“Right: We've got something in three days that’ll draw them to us again, anyhow!” Toxic turned to face Shroud, his smile wide enough that it could have cut his face in half at this point.

Regardless, both their attention were on each other again, affording Gympis the chance at last to rush for the side of the restaurant and fly through the hidden slide, the lid sliding shut as Haze finished with, “Hells yeah, I’ve gotta tell Twilight – and all this just before Dash’s return to this her-forsaken hovel!”

For Viscera and company, the slide-ride spat them out into a room full of silver-tube openings like the one that the five equines tumbled out of. Brightly colored balloons surrounded the chutes and doorways, file cabinets ringed every part of the outside area that cupcake stands didn't, and the giant table before them was covered in decorative swirls and divots, carved into its great iron surface.

“What... is this place?” Cori asked.

“Almost reminds me of Sugarcube from all the decorations! But how…?” Rappid responded, de-forming at long last. Gympis was still not present.

“Dunno but... I don't think the Princes saw us or the entrance... And our rescues seem to like it.” Indeed, Berryshine and Powder Puff were marveling at the decorations, Powder Puff letting out a “Wow…” at every detail.

Cori continued on as Viscera stumbled toward the table. "Might make a good place to hide them for now."

“Assuming we even know wh-where it is, or we are, or the utter FUBAR that Viscera put us all through to get here!” Rappid yelled, her hooves flinging into the air in exasperation. “We had to give a Royal Guard the slip, Gympis is still gone, we've caused Celestia knows how much damage to the city… and for what?!” Her forehooves jutted at Viscera, finally easing herself onto the table. “So this zealous kleptomaniac can get her kicks playing Secret Agent Mare in the middle of a square where two princesses were defiled a day ago?!”

“Rappid…” Cori paled noticing a chilling new detail with the silent crimson pony. It was at this moment that Gympis finally arrived through the slide they'd gone down minutes before, only just finished turning into her normal form. The changeling was also clutching something in her teeth as she moved towards Viscera.

Rappid ignored them both.

“No! For once, I’m gonna have a good explanation from this egotist just why…”

And Rappid's gaze finally fell on what Gympis finally spat onto the table, then to the much shorter shave the ‘egotist’s' arm had resting on the table, and finally the columns of pink plasma shuddering from her wound. “….by Celestia's bloodied maw, is that her arm.”

Gympis nodded. “It is. Were it not for the shadows – or lack thereof – stunting our transformations, it may not have been severed.”

A slide down the golden cute at the end of the room permitted another guest. “Ohmigosh, what are you all doing in my Secret Base?!” came the shriek of Pinkie Pie, causing Rappid’s hair to stand on end and Cori to faint.

It would take fifteen minutes to roll in Nurse Redheart into the hidden abode of the re-hyperventilating Pinkie. Another ten to get over Piña Colada and Dr. Hooves bursting in (“Don’t worry, they’ll be out of your hair and in a safe spot by tomorrow,” promised Dr. Hooves, to Rappid and Cori’s relief). Two more minutes for Redheart to go into a fainting fit over Viscera de-forming as she studied the severed paw, revealing…

“My goodness, the arm heals entirely if your form switches?!” Dr. Hooves looked over the good-as-new hoof from the half-conscious crimson pony. Even then, it hung limply in the embrace, its owner near-motionless from fatigue. A column of lost bandages and four claw-like diamonds twinkled nearby.

“Thank goodness!” Cori yelled. “But... wait! That means…”

“Your forms… or whatever you’ve got…. aren’t invincible.” Nurse Redheart was at attention again, her spell over as soon as it began. “I heard the news from topside – apparently you saved some lives. I’d thank you if I wasn’t so worried about what’s pumping through your veins right now.”

“Later… need to sleep.” Viscera murmured.

“Seems the mare of the hour needs her beauty rest again.” Rappid was no longer masking the gratitude in her voice.

“Yeah, that’s likely the first step.” Nurse Redheart pronounced. “I’ll allow some time here to recuperate, and your secret’s safe with me – doctor-patient agreement, after all.” Scratching her ruby-red mane did little to ease the Ponyville doctor’s worries. “But I’m going to have to ask for a set-up in Sugarcube if you won’t let me move her to Ponyville Hospital.”

“You’ll have it – between me and Rose, we’ve enough bits.” Dr. Hooves was up in a flash, shaking her hoof. “I’ve got to check to Derpy. Oh, and…” His last look was towards Berryshine, Piña, and Powder Puff. “Thank Vis for everything when she awakes. If she’s this game for fighting those… usurious scumbags… I can work something out for her. If only to help cover her… mystery guest’s stay.”

Cori nodded.

“Thanks for notifying me of that – I’ll have to check up on that pony too.” Redheart stood up. “At least, at night. Both she and Vis have been through a lot, and…” Her gaze traveled to the crimson pony draped over the table that once held a rendezvous between two of the good Elements.

“… I’m not sure either might survive what they’ve facing without more help.”

1.3 Circuit

With Viscera and company holed up in Pinkie Pie’s Secret Lair, the next item on the group's agenda was food.

Though it seemed like an eternity had passed by from their hectic chase through northern Ponyville, it turned out that Cori was right about the altered ponies’ metabolism. Rappid’s rumbling stomach caused every single pony around her to take notice. Most prominently, Pinkie was part of the rush downstairs to tell everyone to maybe proceed to panic upstairs at the earthquake that was clearly rippling through the town at this very moment. In single file lines, of course. Hallways were narrow, after all, no need to get cluttered.

After this was settled (“Oh! My bad! I didn’t know! Oooh, maybe we can get some cakes in the Mayor’s tummy then!”), it was decided that Rappid would frequent the upstairs tables while Mr. and Mrs. Cake would ferry food downstairs. The trip through the narrow – and surprisingly well-lit – hallways of the basement gave the white pegasus time to talk with Dr. Hooves and Mrs. Cake some more.

This had just come off of one of the most chaotic rescues in the town’s history – “And that’s coming from the time this city one had chocolate raining from the sky before the Elements handled it!” cried Carrot Cake, to which Cori had busied herself with studying every window with intense fervor. So surely, the topic these business owners had with Rappid could only have been of the most pressing importance.

“I’m surprised! An entire cake during the last time Celestia visited this store?” Rappid’s jaw was agape at this.

“You bet!” Mrs. Cake replied. “And we’ve only had crazier stuff hit our shores since! The blasted parasprites, two rounds of showboating by that showmare… who was she?”

“Trixie…” Mr. Cake shuddered. “… I still remember the time she sent Pinkie to us without a mouth; it was enough to make a stallion faint!”

“Um… you did, dear.”

“Right. Sorry about that. But still…”

Mrs. Cake was at the top of the stairs leading to the main level of Sugarcube Corner at this point. Looking back, concern shot its way across her face. “Yes, our dear Pinkie has gone through the wringer – especially with this whole drama over Blueblood…”

Rappid could hear the temperature in the confectionary drop fifty degrees below. “Y-yeah… We all remember where we were then, I reckon.”

“And the days following… ” Mr. Cake’s voice almost came as a sob.

Cori’s attention was finally away from the window at that point. “Yeah – I mean, at that point I was just working toward some... little promo with Minuette.” Cori started fiddling with the horseshoes on her hooves, the white leather creasing almost at the same time her brow was. “She thought a sparkling grin on an already sparkling pony could work wonders for her hygienist practice. We were, like… only two minutes away from Blueblood’s house. I-I don’t even think I heard anything.”

Mrs. Cake almost stopped midway to the tray resting on their counter, heaped high with cookies and a chocolate pie. Even Rappid’s eyes were stuck to it for a second – which made Mrs. Cake’s words all the more dissonant to the delicacy in her hooves. “It was… it was terrible. Not just for our little mare, but… all her friends who’d stayed here.”

“Don’t think I’ve seen Fluttershy cry that much… and then after we’d heard of those poor pegasi…”

“I… I can understand if you don’t want to talk about that.” Rappid did indeed try to change the subject for Mr. Cake, sweeping up a cookie in her hoof as she fluttered her wings to the back rooms. “Perhaps something different. If there’s space up here, I’m wondering why we don’t have the others come up. Viscera… seemed okay, at least.”

“I think it’s because of us.”

Four pairs of eyes turned to the large banquet table laid out in the center of the room beyond the kitchen. Glittering jade banners draped the walls, possibly from a party previous, and in the center of them were two people – a fuchsia unicorn nuzzling a grey pegasus, one Viscera realized as…

“Miss Hooves!” Apparently, Dr. Hooves knew too, as he galloped toward Derpy.

“Who’s the new mare?” followed Cori, eyes still locked on the accompanying pony. “I don’t think I’ve seen he-“

“Hold it!”

Both Dr. Hooves and Cori froze mid-move. Mr. and Mrs. Cake were only held for a second before a wave by the mystery mare afforded them the chance to move closer. “It took three hours of counseling just to get my beloved into this house; I’m not going to have you ruin this progress by mobbing her!” “And the name of this ‘new mare’ is Amethyst Star!”

“… Whoa. Intense.” Rappid’s head peeked around the corner slowly, chocolate cookie crumbs still decorating her snout.

Amethyst Star’s hardened expression crumbled almost immediately after seeing the white pegasus, however, letting out a piercing “Ohmigosh!” as she rose to full height. The yellow flower tucked in her left ear almost bounced off her head as she leaped the room’s length to hug Rappid. “Oh, Rappid! I didn’t think we’d meet again!”

“…again?” Mr. Cake raised an eyebrow, slice of carrot cake already offered to the still-silent but grateful Derpy.

“Yeah! Um, Rappid, she was the one who helped make sure the house I was at wasn’t robbed! She’s… she’s amazing! And I think she said she was mayor!” Amethyst babbled as she backed off from Rappid. “I…" And then the brightness in her eyes cut off. “If… I hadn’t been so focused on making sure my house was okay, I could have known about Derpy before she was… was nearly…”

Cori was close to saying something, but Rappid slammed a hand over her hoof, the words “We weren’t there when that happened, remember?” a low whisper to her that Amethyst was too busy being hugged by Mrs. Cake to notice.

One nod by the ambassador finally put Rappid’s mind at ease. “Well then. We’ve… got to be out of your hair. ”

“You’re right, Rappid.” And with one last mournful look shot toward Derpy, Cori and Rappid retreated into the room.

“Actually, arrangements are something I’d hoped to discuss.” The brown-haired earth pony was back in the threshold, the colored scarf and green jacket he was sporting oddly fitting in the brightly lit and decorated kitchen. “I’ll be happy to pay whatever Viscera goes with for ensuring Berryshine and Powder’s… ”

As if summoned by this call, the pegasus filly Powder Puff was back at the entrance to the basement, poofy pink pigtails askew and shiny eyes darting between Rappid and Cori. “Um… I was wondering. I… I still have the book of names Miss Berry had. From the people who took drinks yesterday.” From the crook of one of her silver wings, a small ledger was pushed to Dr. Hooves, who took it with confusion.

“Not sure what it’s about, sport, but congrats on keeping that with you through this whole… ordeal…” It was then that Cori realized the dreadful state she was in. Dirt caked her shining coat, her black hair was swabbed brownish-black with dust, and even her flowing dress-some of which was in a raised veil that ran over her snout was blackened with soot – likely from the slide into Sugarcube Corner’s underground. “O-oh my! Hold on, Mrs. Cake, do you have a bathroom?!” Her gallop into the room almost had her tripping over her clambering hooves.

Dr. Hooves would end up having to continue Powder Puff’s curiosity. “Well… yes, this is great missy, but...what is it that you think we can do with it?”

Powder Puff gulped. “J-just to make sure you’ve got some people to ask to where Big Sis is?”

‘Big Sis?” Then it lit the doctor like a full-speed Friendship Express. “Cotton Sky…” Just as quickly, he started pulling at his striped scarf, sweat collecting on his brow. “Um… well, Berry was about to tell you – in fact, I would have if I’d seen you before Ambassador Cori did-”

“Junior Ambassador…” came a pleading whine that was migrated up the stairs, Cori still shielding her damaged attire from the sightlines of Amethyst and Derpy.

“-Yes, that… but – well, look, Puff, what I’m trying to say is-”

“Your mother is resting.”

Rappid’s words to the filly brought and interest-heavy expression to Dr. Hooves' face and surprise to Powder Puff’s. “I… know this might be a bit hard to comprehend, but the tough time she likely faced during the Ponyville fires yesterday…” Goodness gracious, that was yesterday?! Rappid’s inner pony almost slumped into the chair she instead carried Puff into. “… it had her resting. And if I know Ponyville Hospital, they’ll likely have a new place for her to rest in due time – when the chaos around the city settles down.” Rappid then flipped up the ledger before Puff’s eyes. “But don’t you worry – Dr. Hooves can find you someone to hunker down with while she rests, away from those…”

Bastards… the mayor’s mind started.

“… sick royals… ” Rappid actually said. “… Until you’re better. And I’ll make sure that as many people in this book as possible are there to accommodate your big sis when she’s moved to that… new resting place.”

A beat of silence ensued. Then Powder Puff let a cautious smile cross her face. “Wow! Thanks, Miss Mayor, you’re the best! I’ll be sure to be there! Big Sis would want it that way…”

“Nice work. I’ll have to work on smoothing out some of those cryptic edges there, but… you’ve had experience breaking the news?” Dr. Hoovers started, after Powder Puff’s bounds vanished into the main party room to enjoy the Cakes’ cookies.

Rappid shook her head. “Both… more and less than I’d expected.” As Rappid stood up, the wear in her eyes almost seemed to stretch years instead of minutes. “A lot of the more severe notifications have already been handled by Mayor Mare, and despite my… investment in this list, I don’t qualify enough to see any part of it. Much as it pains me not to know…” Rappid’s head shook, sending crystalline tears and orange locks flying to and fro. “… Subverting a safety measure for a mayor of a town suffering like this would hurt more.”

“I... see,” Dr. Hooves leaned against the kitchen counter. “Then it really pains me to tell you that you’re… likely not the only one with accommodations currently on the mind.”

“Don’t see much of an issue, good doctor.”

“In my case, it’s more terms of… living accommodations.” Dr. Hooves turned to her. Between them, water tinkled in the empty sink, tapping a beat that nearly matched Dr. Hooves’ blinking eyes and the steady chews of Derpy a room away. “I was hoping I would have time enough to oversee the moves myself, but with Amethyst demanding a place in my home to watch over Derpy, and who I’ll be allowing in over the next few days…”

“I mean, it’ll be a tight fit with us and the mystery mare, but…” Rappid finally realized what it was the doctor was hedging toward. “And we won’t be there, will we.”

“Don’t consider this a goodbye – far from it.” Dr. Hooves reassured her. “In fact, part of what I need the house clearer for might keep you from having to make that painful call to al lot more Ponyville citizens.” His eyes shot downward. “But we’ve got to keep the… well, whatever counterbalance against the Queen we’ve got here… from being taken down in one swoop. I’ve secured more fitting living space for you, and with Viscera’s permission, I’d like to offer her the chance to visit the pony she saved, if not move her to Ponyville General.”

“We’ll take it.” Both Rappid and Dr. Hooves whirled to face Cori, suddenly a lot cleaner and with freshly washed black tresses collapsed behind her head. “You’ve been more of a host than I could ever imagine as it is. Thank you so much, doctor.”

Dr. Hooves nodded. “You’re welcome, ambassador. It was wonderful to have you.” His brow furrowed, however, at the mention of the word doctor. “That does remind me of one final thing.” Dr. Hooves said. “Redheart will be accommodating visits to my house for Derpy and your rescuee’s sakes, but another specialist is waiting to see Viscera at your new abode.”

Rappid nodded. “And the new abode would be…”

“A flower shop. You agreed to have us moved from a bakery… to a flower shop.” Viscera’s eyes could have cut holes into the back of Dr. Hooves’ head from the intensity. “Did this outfit become Greenprance while I was out?”

“Considering you were out until nearly midnight,” came the light tone from the brown-coated – and scrub-covered - earth pony next to Viscera. "I’d say there’s a lot you’ve taken in the last few days – whichever outfit you’ve been in!”

A grid of glass wrapped around the area currently around Viscera, Rappid, Gympis and the earth pony next to them. “Doc Top, and it’s a wonder Hooves could get him on retainer, every hospital here’s packed to capacity!” chirped Cori as she’d taken Powder Puff toward the back. Thankfully, the store was brightly lit against the cold stars and cerulean curtain of the night.

Persimmons and magnolias sat in dust-brown pans clustered around the ceiling, while the tables next to them contained more fragrant blooms, roses chief among them. The white clusters of them nearest the entrance got Viscera’s nose wrinkling. However, it was not only the plants in that room that shared the namesake.

“Guess Hooves was right about the prickly personality,” said Rose, a crescent of raspberry locks bobbing as she handed the bouquet of roses between her hooves on the counter toward the waiting arms of Piña Colada. “But given every other part of you is who I’ve gotta thank for Berryshine and Puff breathing today, I’ll manage.”

“The little one. It seems she has taken to this flora.” Gympis’ eyes were aflutter, between her study of the filly Colada, the doctor Doc Top and the thief Viscera, her focus back at work on the table opposite the rose-holding stand. Four sharp diamonds were currently being nestled into a bed of black wrappings, then fashioned into a shoe-like shape with trained ease by the thief.

“Indeed, the caretaking of plants is a sound way of dealing with trauma.” Doc Top added, turning to Viscera. “But since the pony next to her and Rose somehow recovered from losing an entire hoof, I’m not sure putting constraints on it is too helpful. Especially ones that…”

“Say macabre if you’ve gotta; it’s not like a new occurrence in this town,” grumbled Viscera, stepping the leg of hers that was once in Gympis’s mouth ion to the construction and flexing it. Immediately, the sharp protrusions on her bindings curved into the soft timber of the table like claws, allowing the thief to move it within its grasp. Roughly a foot above her head, to Doc Top’s continued dismay.

“Actually… ” Gympis had returned her focus toward the lilacs in a crate beside Rose’s desk, the attendant still unaware of Viscera’s stunt. “It seems that many ponies are taken in by this type of life. The love here is quite vivid.”

“Gotta say, though – the changeling you’ve brought with you might take getting used to,” Rose muttered, leaning over the counter. “I do like that you like these, Miss…”

“Gympis is fine. But I am not the one for whom receiving these would be interesting.” Gympis fluttered back to the ground. “It is for Octavia.”

“Wait- you’re still on that mare?” With a heavy thud, the table Viscera was dead-lifting crashed to earth, sending Rose tipping over the counter in shock and Doc Top to her side in seconds. “Wasn’t this morning’s horndog-and-pony show enough for her?”

“It seems that this Melody is blocked off from the chip of ages.”

Viscera’s left eyebrow could have disappeared into her hood. “Come again, Gymps?”

“Think… she means…. ‘chip off of the old block’…” moaned the pile of pale-yellow fur and raspberry mane being looked over by Doc Top. “Speaking of, it feels like I just landed on blocks!”

Doc Top helped her to her haunches. “Thankfully, no fractures.”

“The Melody’s relations would imply otherwise.” Gympis continued. “She has had her DJ friend attempt to visit Canterlot to attempt to work for the Shores of Sapphire. Strange, however; her tone of voice around that attempt seemed to have evoked a conflict between them, yet when I approached her today; she was overjoyed to see me. Called her words between us a ‘mistake’. Even though I had not spoken to her that day.”

“Well, it’s good to hear that you’re a comforting force here.” Doc Top beamed. “Speaking of which, since Viscera’s stunt certainly doesn’t hint at the threat of…” A din lowered over the room. “Phantom Pain!” “I’d like to check on Berryshine and Puff, see if the bandaging I’ve given them needs replacements.”

“Go for it,” Rappid admitted, the orange-maned doctor finally shuttling into the back area. “And I do not think we’re mean to stay here, Viscera. Rose?”

“R-right…” Rose wobbled a little on her full four hooves. “It’s just downstairs. I’d used it to hold the day's earnings, but after Lily Valley left and Dais… Daisy…” Suddenly the unease Rose had remaining on all fours had little to do with vertigo, if her reddening face were any indication. “Nevermind, just remind me to thank Miss Cori for suggesting closed-casket. This way.”

The trip down the far-darker flight of stars from Sugarcube’s was almost silent this time, save for Rappid’s snarl at the whispered suggest Gympis made to her. At Viscera’s raised eyebrow, Rappid continued. “Turning into ponies to make other ponies feel better works more often when said first ponies are alive, don’t you think?”

A swung-open wooden door below led to a large rectangular room with several squashy futons laid against the east and back walls, a small overhead projector, and a table on the opposite corner. “Yeah, could never find a reason for half the stuff in here before: the project's an old gift from the Doctor and I usually sleep on ground floor anyway. While I’m talking of the doctor…”

And Rose finally presented a metallic mask to Viscera, the goggles sandwiched between the layers of metal all too familiar to the thief. “Doc Hooves said you left this in his lab; didn’t peg you as the ‘shaded glasses indoors’ type though.”

“Well... thanks, luv.” Viscera related the headwear around her head again, revealing a shock of sharp pink petals of a mane before the sharp silver slid over them. “We’ve… got a lot to cover now, though, so I’d like to see Cori if possible.”

“Neat, so do I,” said the aforementioned ambassador, a rolled-up poster in her hand. “Berry and Piña are playing in the backyard now, so I thought we’d have time to settle some stuff.

“Like…” Viscera trailed off.

“Why this ad was on the barrel I slapped Berry in this morning…”

Cori unrolled the length of laminated parchment, revealing the raised rivets and curling pose of a mechanical pegasus stamped in its center. Below it was the words Iron Pony: Cants vs. Cunts.

“…and why the rules on this says the participant ponies have to be age twenty or younger.”

It would prove to be a long night and following morning. At the center was Viscera and Cori, one-off a near eleven-hour nap from nearly losing a limb as a magic-rebuffing hybrid pony, the other on adrenaline and a careful regimen of cleaning herself with wipes and combs at almost every other hour’s end. Theories rebounded over this competition, and the widespread notices about it, but that age limit stuck in both Viscera and Cori’s craw. “So, besides the… colorful name of this event, I’m trying to understand what the sudden shifts in the new regime’s priorities are about.” Cori tucked a hoof under her chin. “First they’re going medieval and robbing the place blind – no offense.”

“Some taken.” Viscera snapped.

“Sorry – and now, they’re trying to grouse it all away with a… friendly competition? I heard about this event’s previous go-around from Bon-Bon, but… wasn’t this just between two ponies before?”

“Yeah, well – apparently, this is what’ll be driving their attention, so we can probably beat the heat that we’ve got on us.”

Cori shot a withering look at the pulsing sun above Ponyville, the garden around them wavering in the mirages its rays threw across them. “If only.”

“What? I’m not saying stuff like this doesn’t deserve stopping, but… seems like there’ll be huge Guard presence. And we just barely escaped a thrashing by the princes with 2-to-1 odds in our favor.” Viscera swiped another layer of sweat from her brow. “Count the blessings here, luv.”

“Issue’s less the blessings and more who they’re going to,” Cori replied, threading a comb through her hair. “And I still can’t believe you’re wearing a hood that thick in temperatures like this.”

“Yeah, the fewer details I can give to this town about who I really am, the better.” Viscera tossed back her head – and the fifth shot of cider that Rose had been so gracious to provide them with an hour ago.

“Viscera – Rappid runs the same risk and she was gracious enough to confirm Gympis’ form blocker theory before leaving too! Identity shouldn’t be that big a deal.” Indeed, the pitted ground between the pier of concrete and the lanes of grass of outdoors was filled with markers in the dirt of cloven hooves, the one farthest away with them re-outlined with gold chalk instead of white. FARTHEST TO T-FORM was scribbled to its side.

“Those roses are staying put! Have you not robbed me of enough, Clover?!”

“Highway robbery seems more a Rich family thing, Spoiled!”

“Speaking of of high temperatures and the oppressively thick,” Back onto all fours again, Viscera started trotting back into the flower shop's main floor, Cori a step behind her.

The thin hall connecting the front and back of the store provided a short trip to the scene at the counter. Two couples were bickering while Piña Colada’s head swung between each pair, a bouquet of white flowers with thin, scythe-like petals collected in the basket between her teeth. Rose was at the counter and looked like she’d rather be in a burning building than between the two bickering couples.

“We didn’t steal anything either! Admit that not everything in this town belongs to you – so Lucky Clover can hear it!” came the cry of the brown-maned cream-coated pegasus to the right of the silver Earth Pony (apparently, Lucky Clover, with his shamrock-spread namesake upon his flank. Hers sported a burning tire, almost hidden beneath her flared wings.

“What we continue to possess is not the issue here, Wild,” came the measured tone of the pony to the left of Spoiled Rich, a slicked-back black mane and tail between an amber coat. His piercing blue eyes cut into the floor in a deliberate gesture, and his collar and tie, perfect as they were, were being adjusted rapidly by his front hooves. “But these are ghost orchids we sought here, and considering their price, respecting the pre-order we had for them seems fitting, yes?”

“A pre-order that expired three hours ago, check the sign!” Wild yelled. “And I’m tired of Spoiled here saying we’ve taken something from her. Land like that’s never supposed to be in short supply, to begin with!”

“Neither are the flowers, but you’ve seen fit to deprive us of that too! And not just us, all of Ponyville!”

“Was this about the money from the last meeting we had? I knew we shouldn’t have told them of this, Lucky!” Wild shouted to Lucky’s direction.

Lucky was more adamant. “They’d have found out anyway, and considering what we had to let go for it – and what we both lost before it – I’d have thought the gesture would be appreciated.” Lucky looked back toward Rose. “But if this is how every exchange between us is considered…”

“Wait! Lucky!” Filthy Rich took a step forward. “At least let us talk of this at the next meeting! We’ve already had enough of an issue getting Miss Holiday to attend, and so much has afflicted our city…”

Wild looked ready to go up another octave in talking, but Lucky Clover was faster. “Alright, Rich. Fine. But we’re gonna need more than Amethyst there, then. I’m getting tired myself of holding so many meetings next to… that place.”

“You’re not the only one – and I have to arrange them,” Spoiled’s voice could almost qualify as a growl. “But Wild Clover’s not sitting in this time. Not after what she’s taking from our departed little Tiara.” Turning on her heel, she almost stumbled on the way to the door, only for her husband Filthy to ease her up and rush her out the rest of the way.

Rose, at this point, sighed wearily and turned to Wild Clover. “Not that I’m not sympathetic, Wild. But, I’m not blind to who’s missing from here since the Ponyville Massacre. Don’t you think the Rich family’s gone through some hardship to-?”

“Don’t, Rose…” Wild was out the door, the flowers remained untaken and unpaid by either couple as Lucky gave a short bow and followed her. “It’s… just don’t.”

As they disappeared, the returning clipclipclips through the tinkling shop door were held open by another passing pair of ponies, Amethyst Star and Dr. Hooves. Amethyst looked upbeat, holding another pair of roses in her maw and a yellow skirted saddle Dr. Hooves only had his scarf, looped around his long neck and shoulder, and a stern frown just over it.

And both were strolling down to meet Viscera.

“I swear, didn’t say a word over that last spat,” Viscera raised her hooves in surrender.

“Surprised as I am at how surprising as that is…” Dr. Hooves began. “I’ve got news for you. So does Star – in fact, about a situation centered on what you just saw.”

Cori grinned. “Sounds like a shining oversight, then – perfect for a Top-Class.”

Viscera grimaced. “If this is about the pet name thing, Cori, I’m working on it; cut down on the jargon-”

“From a book. I’ll explain later. What is it, Star?” Cori turned to Amethyst. Dr. Hooves only gave the fuchsia unicorn a curt nod, allowing her to continue.

“It… it’s the school board. I’m one of them; the organizer. Things were a hot mess even before the Massacre, but now…”

“Co-signed: the Rich and Clover families used to wait ‘til behind store doors to argue,” piped in Rose.

“And, as an ambassador, we were hoping you could help bring… some stability to the next meeting. Wouldn’t ask, but it’s important for progressing a critical part of Ponyville infrastructure and Rappid turned it down.”

“Did she say why?” Cori asked.

“Muttered something about a Protocol, and that two-thirds of our rank being victims would be too… risky to maintaining it for her.” Amethyst shook her head. “It’s this afternoon. Please? As a favor?”

“Certainly. Feel a bit too much like the good tableware lately anyways.” Cori stood up.

“My part involves you both as well – the changeling and mayor, too.” Dr. Hooves pulled out a sheaf of papers from the crook of his scarf, then laid them at the table Viscera had affixed her new pair of claws on a moon ago. “It’s the other reason for the new arrangements.”

Viscera took one look at it, and almost choked on her saliva. “Y-you’re hiring us?”

“Not out loud! Look…” Dr. Hooves began. “This… scoundrel at the helm of government doesn’t know what she’s doing, and how much ponies might die, or worse, buy into her methods to get power. Good alicorns are kind of a party of one right now.“ Dr. Hooves sighed, looking at the glinting light from the grid of glass above them. “So we need some time to think of a better plan to handle this, and make sure the town is still standing when we carry it out.”

“No pressure, but continue.” Viscera pointed out.

“To that end, we’ve got only four ponies that have gotten away from any of them by their power; you two, Rappid and Gympis. And some would like to see that magic-immunity put to use since they can’t. To that point… we’ve got tasks, and I’ll be happy to cover the costs for it and any payment you need for the risk in executing it.”

Dr. Hooves pointed to the paper before them.

“Rappid and Gympis agreed to it when we proposed it to them in the center. We’d like to offer it to you as well – no strings, we can work with how many of you decide to agree, but the best results come from a full quartet, and the bits will grow to accommodate the results.”

“I… I’m okay with it if Rappid is, but… are you sure? Viscera was right, we’ve been struggling ourselves.” Cori pointed out. “We’ve got obligations ourselves, and…”

“Oh I’m aware of that from your time with us, Viscera’s especially. Which is why I’d like to announce, sign or decline, we’ll be happy to continue taking care of your rescue patient – don’t let that hang over your decision. But… well, even you have to agree here isn’t the best spot for that pony. Not for a lot of them, and Cloudsdale’s sending no convoys unless the city can reliably secure them. So either Queen Twilight has to relent on the lock…”

“… which she won’t, since that’ll make our movements harder to track…” Viscera drawled.

“Or we’ll have to show the enforcers of her will are too incompetent to enforce it.”

“…which is possible, but suicide to repeat for any, except… us four in Ponyville.” Cori finished. “Wait a minute, you said ‘will’. Does that mean…?”

“Yes, the new Iron Pony contest is the first step. One of our intermediaries will provide a briefing and a safe house to work from, but we’ve got full details on the event. And I have the intermediary to thank for the specific incentive I have for you, Viscera.”

“No offense, but it’s gonna have to be something big this time, Hooves.” Viscera leaped into the plush chair next to the table, slapping her left forehoof onto the wooden surface seconds later. “I… I lost part of my mobility, and from what Gympis told me, nearly my… to one of those Princes yesterday.” Viscera’s inner pony scolded the quiver in her voice. “No way they’re not in future engagements.”

“Which is why, if you agree, your main objective in the field will be to steal something for the intermediary.”

Viscera’s ears shot to full mast. “Continue.”

“That’s for signers’ ears only, and so is the funding for the tools to get it.” Dr. Hooves tapped the parchment with a quill produced from his feathery brown mane. “What say you, prizefighter?”

Suddenly, Viscera was back on that catwalk in the Ponyville mini-theatre, and those two royal guards were below. The ones crooning, while Shroud was ready to publicly…

“Look. I… I’m aware of the risks. And I still don’t know why I haven’t am-scrayed from this place days ago. But… well, a being I encouraged to come along with me signed, and I’m not too big a fan of skipping out on the new blood.” Viscera nursed her chin with one of her hooves, careful to not let the claws on it anywhere near the sensitive fur. “And, well…”

<“…when d’ya think that little shit Powder Puff bites it?”>

“This isn’t right. I’m a thief, we all know this. But of valuable gems, treasure, art. Not lives. Not…”

<“Bout the same time Prince Shroud does – necks are a fine delicacy to a Shadow Pony….”>

“… the things within a pony that actually makes life worth living.” Viscera’s hooves hit the table edge, her body shaking slightly as Rose walked up to them. The basketful of ghost orchids was nestled snugly on her back, just behind Piña Colada. “No fun or honor in that. And if anything I can do can bring back the Equestria I knew before that Twilight became queen… whatever it takes, I’m game.”

A craning of her neck brought the quill to a rigid point from her maw, and with a few quick strokes, a scarlet V joined the Rappid and Gympis inlaid on that paper. “Cori, you in?” she asked the ambassador.

“Well… I have to make sure Cadance gives blessing – a member of the Crystal Empire’s government openly and actively resisting the Equestrian government, I mean… wow.” Cori slapped a shoe-covered hoof on the paper. “But I can help Ponyville, and I want to help the Mayors. I’ll do what I can.”

“It’ll work. We’ll try and set up a line with Cadance to help the process along.” Dr. Hooves said. “For the rest, however… we’ll need Gympis and Rappid on site. And one other you may have met before, if Rappid’s talk of you cutting through the Chapel is true, Viscera.”

At that moment, those two ponies arrived. Gympis was the first in, taking a hooful of the lilacs she observed earlier. Rappid was behind her, slowly moving to close the door. “It is successful. The Melody is joyous.”

“So, guess you saw what Hooves had to offer to?”

“And it seems like we really are in this together now.”

“Yes. I still must know what has happened to Dash to force her into this, but… Queen Twilight is an unavoidable obstacle to the safety of Cloudsdale. I’m in – as long as my alias is maintained.”

“I’m… not too sure on how unwilling the Princess was…” Rappid visibly winced at this. “But regardless, welcome aboard. We’ll have the main details of the events and ‘participants’ later – honestly, twenty and younger! – but we’ll give you the main body now. Rose, take Piña into the back, this isn’t for her ears.” Amethyst Star unrolled another slab of paper as Rose nodded and backed into the basement of the flower shop with Piña. “So, short story: Canterlot’s Guard and elite apparently want a crack at Ponyville’s young that the Queen and her court got.”

“WHAT?!” four bellows rang through the store. The sign – Roseluck’s Botanicals, a wooden edifice of curling white and red on the rightmost panel of windows – shook a little under the vocal force.

“Celestia only knows how they plan to make them – or their family – stand for this madness, but it’s nothing like it was before. Only three events, featuring four ponies each – winner of each reaches the final round, winner of that passes the whole thing for the grand prize – a rather priceless book.”

“Which is the target of your larceny for this task, Viscera,” Dr. Hooves pointed out.

“… and a meeting with Princess Dash, the day after that event.”

“Dash is coming back?!” Rappid was bolt upright. “Then we must know how this event ends!”

“For this task, you’ll gonna ensure only one ending happens – one with no winners.” Dr. Hooves’ tone turned icy. “Because your task is to sabotage the proceedings so there are no winners.”

“Pony who hired the intermediary – it’s a she, by the way – also had some provisions in this request.” Amethyst Star tapped the bottom of the list. “Rappid was right when we talked over the signing. Property and personal damage is a pressing matter for this city, especially with no air imports and exports at a crawl – so for this task, you can’t be noticed by the guards during the preliminaries.”

Hooves took it further from there. “The second it does boil down to that final event, however, all bets are off – get whatever Ponyville residents are left there out ASAP and to a safe place. Discretion’s on you for whatever building in Ponyville suits your purpose and the plan for the race, considering ours center around making sure it never happens.”

“What isn’t up for debate is the second and final condition.” Amethyst pointed out. “Should the Royal Guard be up and about when you rescue the Ponyville participants during the final leg, they’ll likely scour the town for them – and the second part of this is to defame them so much that they’re pulled back and the Ponyville-to-Cloudsdale skies are open again. So by the end of the final leg, should it go through, all of the Royal Guard immediately present at the event grounds needs to be incapacitated.”

“Non-lethally, too; we’d like to not inspire another Massacre from Sparkle if possible.” Dr. Hooves again adjusted his scarf nervously.

“Think we can… do that. They’ve got thick enough helmets that I reckon rattling them enough could put them down.”Rappid pointed out.

Viscera said. The rescues, however… we’ll need as fast a getaway as possible. Which means I’ll need to repair my wings again.”

“And for the rest, we’ve got some provisions that might help with the incapacitation.” Dr. Hooves continued. “Don’t know who from Canterlot’s gonna be there, however – any little bit might help.”

“I can give that some thought,” Cori placed out. “Right now, however; I’ve gotta get to that board meeting. Amethyst?”

“Right! Let’s do it.”

As Cori and Amethyst shuffled out of Rose’s store, Rappid turned to him again. “Absconding ponies from a public event. I know what happened yesterday was a clear exception, but this might be more than we can handle.”

“That we can handle it at all… mayor,” Gympis pointed out. “Maybe why we’ve been employed to do it. And I must have more ground for my investigation into our Queen’s death; this will provide us with insight into the co-conspirators.”

“If you want them, Gympis, Canterlot’s a train ride over,” groused Rappid. “But I refuse to believe anyone raised in Ponyville would ever willingly assist the Queen’s depravities.”

“The classes are not stopping!”

“Over my dead body, Cloud Kicker!”

“Think Ponyville’s suffered fourteen too many already, Holiday!”

The back-and-forth argument going on in front of Cori – swathed in a thick enough cloak to hide her features, but not the comb running through her mane like a nervous tic – was being commenced by Mrs. Holiday and Cloud Kicker. Both were seated at a large hexagonal table, the polished oak between it glinting red-orange with the reflection of the afternoon sun overhead. Only two thinks intruded its rays’ path into the room –the drawn curtains and the silhouette of the Ponyville Schoolhouse only twenty meters from the School Admin building they were in, Town Guard tape still encircling the schoolhouse and its many windows.

No such obstruction existed in the room especially not between the mouths of the six quadrupeds in the room (except Cori.) Between the plump earth pony and the thin purple pegasus, the charged air between them might have been from their contrast. “This is why we should be devoting resources to opening the cities’ sky, not stacking our children together for some zealous predator to come crashing on them!” Mrs. Holiday protested.

“The first and only time that happened, nothing short of a literal disaster would have stopped it! I’m not going to let Twilight be why progress in this town screeches to a halt!” the lavender pegasus shot back.

“And where would that new classroom be? I won’t let another filly in that schoolhouse, and neither will Mayor Mare!” Holiday’s hooves pounded on the table. Cori swore she heard a crack, likely in the table since Holiday’s frustrated expression – or thickly accented voice - didn’t relax in the slightest. “And I hesitate to add this, but can we leave the arguments around the welfare of sons and daughters to those on the board who’ve lost them?”

“My sister Erroria is Scootaloo’s age, Holiday! Only a cold kept her from that classroom on the day of the Massacre! And if this is about those who’ve lost daughters, Amethyst came up with the idea of having the other children be taught by Miss Play Write in Apple Acres’ barn, and Spoiled’s signed on! Isn’t that right, Amethyst?”

“Well… yes, I did, but-” Amethyst’s sudden squeak of a voice sent Cori’s eyebrows up.

“If the money we’ve got should be going toward anything, it should be towards getting ponies out of the belly of the beast – Canterlot!” Lucky piped up. Once again, the grey earth pony was present, his blue eyes shooting between Holiday and Spoiled Rich with suspicion. “We’re not the only city suffering under Sparkle, and more ponies here means we’ve got more hooves on board to help with its upkeep! Especially with the budget getting tight!”

“We wouldn’t have to worry about the budget if we’d have the cashflow we’ve collected going into this city, Treasurer Lucky Clover!” Spoiled Rich spat out the word treasurer like it was a fly in her soup.

“Look, Spoiled, no one is complaining that the number of bits you placed into this town following… the event… is appreciated!” Holiday pointed out. “But surely, the money should be put toward making the Royal Guards from aiming spears and spells at any pegasi that flap a wing near here!”

“That blockade is not important; we’ve got enough supplies coming from other cities to repair the buildings!”

“Even though that blockade’s the reason why Cloud Kicker’s filling in for Thunderlane?”

“Thunderlane-!? He quit the Wonderbolts over it being taken over by one of those foal-fiddling lowlifes! And you want to give another of those monsters’ new outfits more bits!?“ Spoiled’s purple hair was falling over her eyes, but neither she nor the orange-maned Holiday seemed to care.

“Absolutely not - but what else are we going to do? Fighting them's suicide! Our Town Guard’s stretched to the limit between fixing the Town Center and retrieving bodies! And we’ve still got fourteen foals wondering what tomorrow’s going to bring since the schoolhouse is closed!”

“Which is why this Board should be assuaging those fears! Progress does not stop because our Queen decided to crash a class!” Spoiled Rich retorted. “Apparently living in a mansion’s the only way one can see such an obvious point without help!”

“And again, Spoiled, this new donation drive from you to help set up the remaining students in a new location is great; but you can’t expect everyone in here to follow that generosity!” The donkey to Spoiled’s left finally spoke. Her brown hair was

“Generosity, Matilda?! Spoiled is doing this to spite Sparkle for killing her daughter!” Lucky finally yelled.

Spoiled Rich was quick to respond. “And you’re snapping up all the buildings with your new windfall to spite the town for letting your daughter die!”

“Silver Spoon has nothing to do with this!”

“Oh, so this is being done for another of your wife’s hooficures with Upper Crust?!” Spoiled yelled. “That her husband’s funding the Knights that are polluting this town’s skyline should have been enough for you to cut all ties!”

“G-goodness Spoiled, we shouldn’t be debating what we should do!” came the whinnies of an elderly donkey to Spoiled’s right. “We’ve got the golden ponies in Ponyville! We should have them help us!”

Cori paled. Besides her, Amethyst, between Matilda and Aunt Holiday, shrank further into her seat.

“Matilda, it’s already enough of a stretch that you said they saved you during the Riots, but getting those ponies risks causing more damage than we’ll fix!” Cloud Kicker said. “But saving you from one of Octavia’s quartet assaulting you!? I talked to Octavia and the DJ; she’d never stand for it!”

“I know what I saw, and so did Cranky!”

“Cranky was cowering in the store! And what could Beauty Brass and Caramel want with you anyway?”

“An argument over supplies! They were both convinced I had enough for them to split… then Cranky told them to leave, they rushed me out to eke out a better deal! When I told them I couldn’t they tried to take the key off me! If it weren’t for-“

“Matilda, it must have been a mishap from the riot happening outside! Both of them are model citizens, and they’ve got no reason to try and overpower you!”

“… I, um… I heard Brass and Octavia had a falling out, and… and Caramel and Sassaflash lost their savings in a truck when… when Celestia was taken down… ”

“Oh Celestia, don’t encourage Matilda! We’re not looking for that wrecking crew, and that’s final! We don’t even know where they are!” Holiday huffed. “Which I could also say for you, Cloud Kicker!”

“Me?!” spluttered the lavender pegasus.

“Up until now, both you and Thunderlane have had all the presence here as a ‘Have You Seen Me?’ sign on a milk jug!” Holiday started. “Now the second we start talking budget concerns, you’re all too happy to sub for Thunderlane… to do what? Entertain Amethyst and Spoiled’s delusions?!”

“I beg your PARDON?!” came the howl from Spoiled Rich.

Cloud Kicker’s face flared so vividly, the contrast with her fur nearly turned it black. “How dare you call Amethyst deluded! She’s why you knew where to send Lofty, to find out what became of your niece!”

“That was Rappid, actually.” Amethyst Star, both from visible parts of her above the table’s lip and her voice, could have been mistaken for a mouse. “I just… told her either the mayor or Rappid would kn-”

“And on the subject of rapid, it’s time this meeting adjourned. “ Lucky Clover was up and trotting to the door before Holiday could stop him. “Good day to you all, hard as that is for with Spoiled in it to have.”

“Adjourned, Clover – and we wouldn’t even know when a happy day came, your wife’s swollen head would block out the sun!” Spoiled was stomping out and taking the opposite direction from the waiting room to a side exit, Cori right behind her. Amethyst was whispering to Matilda as they left, and Cloud Kicker and Mrs. Holiday were studying the cracks in the table from Holiday’s rapping blow upon it.

This meant Cori’s next words were almost as sharp as the door slam between her and Spoiled Rich, forcefully shut in their faces. “Well… didn’t expect a school meeting to be this hectic.”

“Any meeting between high-up ponies will be, dear.” Matilda pointed out. “With the Mayor’s hooves being tied tighter by that dreadful Queen every other hour, it feels like its everypony for themselves.”

“But… none of what we saw made sense!” Cori said, her comb flying through the hair at almost light speed. “I’ve heard horror stories about Spoiled’s conduct as head of the school board but here… she’s made some good points! Lucky was just inside Rose’s shop, what did he ‘steal’ from Spoiled that’d get her worked up like this? And Amethyst…!” The Crystal Pony finally turned to Amethyst Star. “You were about ready to set up cones around Derpy yesterday – what’s with the hide-and-seek you were playing here? You’re the organizer!”

“I… well, Cori, it’s complicated…”

A sharp yet stifled sob shot out from around the corner of the shop, startling them all. “Matilda, what was that?”

The donkey moved closer to the glass of the door, stealing the faintest of glances. When she turned back, her eyes were wide. “I knew it! I knew it was Spoiled that last time too, she’s a terrible liar! Goodness, she’s fallen apart!”

“Wait, Spoiled Rich’s cr-”

“Ever since the Massacre, and I think it’s obvious why, dears.” The donkey turned to the main front doors. “If you don’t mind, I’ve got to make sure Cranky’s okay. He worries so much over me… and I don’t want him to worry like he did when… that golden pony saved me.”

As the front door whistled shut, Cori was stood for a minute, looking at the space and Amethyst. Finally, a thought struck her. “I’m going to head back – we got a briefing to look over. But I’ll need some things to work through this group’s issues.”

“L-like what?” Suddenly, volume was returning to the purple unicorn’s voice.

“Exactly what money deal’s got the Rich and Clover families jawing at each other in a flower shop, a copy of these ‘protocols’ that Mayor Mare’s enforced, and a copy of the last three meetings you had – think it was Thunderlane that had the minutes, and if so, Cloud Kicker should have them now.” A tinkle of the bell at the front door rang out again. “Oh, Matilda, I-”

But it was not Matilda – it was two ponies Cori didn’t recognize. “Miss Star, you’ve told them of the meeting we’d like to have with them tomorrow?” The chirpy tone of Beauty Brass filled the room. A stallion was next to the blue-coated mane, feathered hair just as brown as hers, his cutie mark a collection of three horseshoes.

“Sure, Brass. Um, but I’m not sure you and Caramel will be as welcome as you think. Matilda still thinks you two…”

“A misunderstanding, nothing more.” Caramel dismissed, his voice as slick as his namesake. “I’ll bring over Sassaflash; we’ll get that mess straightened out. Who’s the mare you’re with?”

“Oh, she’s…”

“Making her exit. Thanks for having me, Star.” And Cori was out to the door, the words of Matilda still tumbling in her mind. As she left, she couldn’t help but overhear Brass’s last words as she passed out from the School Admin building.

“… bring the other three we agreed on as well, Star! I promise you, our proposal to them for the Iron Pony event will root them to their seats.”

By the time Cori was busy returning to Roseluck’s Botanicals, it was afternoon once again. Viscera had disappeared to collect supplies for her wings, and Rappid was busy eating dinner with Berryshine and Piña, leaving her and Gympis to head down to the basement.

“You’re still got an eye on those lilacs?” asked Cori, seconds after the door was shut between them.

Gympis tilted her head. “It appears to be a favorite of Octavia’s – like that comb of yours seems to be your favorite, since you have it in your hair all the time.”

“What? Oh no, that’s been a bit of a habit of mine from the Empire – see, Crystal Ponies have the same coats and mane from birth, and losing it – to disrepair or cutting off – it’s seen as a travesty, so I alw-” Cori shook her head. “Nevermind, I can focus on that later! Gympis, you’ve been lucky so far, but…”

“Yes?”

“Well… I’m a bit hard-pressed to say, but if you want to stay Octavia’s friend, you might want to learn to talk to her. Right now, you’ve been her shoulder to cry on. It’s nice – but she’ll ask you to speak, and I don’t want you to freak her out.” A thought of Matilda’s words flashed through Cori’s mind again. “Especially since she might be going through personal problems right now.”

“But the investigation,” pointed out the changeling. “How will I know of this DJ’s presence in Canterlot otherwise? It could be a window into what influence has affected this… hiveless one stuck in Twilight’s thrall.”

“Wait, Prince Haze is hiveless – again, for another time. Gympis… I’ll teach you some lessons. On how to… better associate with others. You do realize how many times your… unique rhetoric has nearly let Ponyville know you’re a changeling?”

“The… problems with maintaining a transformed state have been persistent.” Gympis said. “Alright then, Ambassador Junior Ambassador Cori, I accept.”

“Ambassador Junior...” It clicked for Cori. “Stars above, do I correct ponies that often?”

Gympis stood up straighter, looming over the Crystal Pony. “I would hope so, for that is what you will do for me.”

“Oh. Right.” Cori flashed a large grin. “And I will, with the same tricks of the trade that made me a Top-”

“After all, being able to blend in with the ponies of this village will be invaluable in allowing me to gain the information I desire.”

Cori’s grin fell. “Gracious, I’m giving changeling ways to more easily assimilate into pony society. This could backfire in so many ways.” Cori swallowed thickly. “But it can help us too. Gympis, first up…”

The first lesson took all night, but eventually, Cori got the changeling to agree on proper naming (“Ah, the Cori Ambassador then?” said the changeling, to which Cori shrugged and continued, hour arguably well spent), a long way towards reacting to confusing situations that didn’t involve bombarding the other pony with questions or fists (“But Viscera said that was a good quality of mine!” replied Gympis, to which Cori slapped a hoof down her face) and that scouring the place every nine minutes looking for clues in the middle of a conversation could play havoc with her investigation.

“Perhaps I could continue it in Octavia’s case – she gets all red-faced and eager to talk when I do so near her hooves.” Gympis tentatively suggested.

“Do they involve the same subject you were talking about at the time?”

“No. But she has not asked me to cease the activity either.”

“… fine, play it by ear.” Cori’s face hit her futon in exhaustion, the exhalation of “It’s her first day… it’s her first day… ” pulsing through the pillows.

At noon the next day, the four – Viscera, Rappid, Cori, and Gympis – were set up in the main room. Finally, that projector in the center of the room was being put to use, the flickering of reflected light and hum of gears relaying an imprint of the Iron Pony poster on the wall before them. To their side were Dr. Hooves and Rose, the fillies and Lily Valley manning the counter for the day.

However, only Hooves, Viscera Rappid and Gympis were sitting. Rose and Cori were at the front. “Take-charge, are we?” Viscera mused as Cori dropped a large stack of papers on the counter before them.

“Can sleep before tomorrow. Besides, my talk with Gympis on phonics took all this morning to sink in. How’re we doing, Gympis?” The unicorn Crystal Pony asked of the changeling.

“Quite alright. But what do hooks have to do with that topic?”

“Hook was a metaphor, Gym-Right, to the matter at hand.” Cori slapped up the first slide –a copy of the Ponyville Express’ front page, this time of a desiccated mini-stage and the yawning chasm it opened into the half-burnt Chapel. “With collateral damage in the town a bit of a sticky issue, for now, I decided that this operation we’re on deserved a more personal touch from me… y’know, considering I’m still debating my role in the field.”

“Certainly, Cori, but why are you heading it?” Rappid asked. “You’ve never volunteered for much beyond your duties to the Crystal Empire.”

“Well, the task we’ve got before us kinda… changed my mind on what I should be open to.” Cori tossed back her hair, knotted into a braid beehive this time. “And adjusting oneself to the situation at hand is one of the main skills of a ‘Top –Class Ambass’.”

“Top Class…?” began Gympis.

Cori quickly whipped her head to a spot on her tail and fired off a thin beam. A poster, apparently miniaturized inside her tail’s depths, exploded to sheet-size and Cori displayed it to them: a golden-sun-framed silhouette of Shining Armor painted on it. Below it was the block-like words:

SHINING ON A HILL

HOW TO BECOME TOP-CLASS PONY IN 17 EASY STEPS

AUTOBIOGRAPHY PREORDERS START TODAY/WITH FOREWORD BY PRINCESS CADANCE

“Bit dated, yes, but I’ve got a copy of the manuscript in my room in the Crystal Empire as a reward for getting Ambassador rank!” Cori bubbled. “And one of those very segments gave me the inspiration to overcome my previous station: the ways to become an Equestria-wide respected ambassador, or as I call it, a ‘Top-Class Ambass’! Step One’s to have a plan for everything if you’ve got the time to make it!”

Next up on Cori’s apparent slideshow was the expanse of Ponyville, eclipsed by the last three words she’d soon utter. “So here’s my first of hopefully many successful plans, ‘Operation: Pocketful of Ponies’!”

“Amended, of course, by me,” Dr. Hooves calmly added, waving a hoof forward. “Cori is… quite enthusiastic about this, though. Continue.”

“Right then!” Cori’s next slide showed the picture of the Ponyville forest to the east, only a river away from connecting with Everfree. “Cloud Kicker, on her latest shift for Cinnamon Chai - gotta remember not to mention that to her, Amethyst said she gets furniture-kicky about the name these days – snapped these photos of the grounds. It’s the staging place for the prelims of Iron Pony: Cants versus… well, the new Iron Pony contests! And from what I’ve gathered together from Amethyst Star’s notes, there was a building crowd at the first event, so it’ll be hard to operate directly without being spotted!”

A curt smile graced Cori’s lips.

“And that’s why we’re not going to be on site when we interrupt the proceedings – because we’re going to use the environment against them!”

“That sounds interesting, but how?” Gympis asked.

“Well, the three events are as follows: We’ve got the Blue Ball Bouncer event; six of the Ponyville contestants will each be paired with a stallion from the Canterlot Royal Guard, and they’ve gotta balance balls on their tails and backs while…” Cori looked at the slide, realizing the black lines on the description of the event. “Wait, why is this part redacted?”

“This is from the Mayor’s briefing on the event – suffice it to say you don’t want to know specifically what else they’ve gotta do, Miss Junior Ambassador.“ Dr. Hooves’ head was down and he was heaving slightly at these words. “It involves… other balls – and the last pony/Guard to keep theirs aloft wins. That event must be disrupted before it begins.”

“Well… alright then,” Cori looked a little green now as she changed slides. “The second event’s the Extreme Hoof Wrestling event –which sounds like what it says on the tin. We’ve got four of the Ponyville competitors squaring off with four of Flash’s Royal Guard contingent, the first team to pin any member of the other for a count of three wins it.”

“Probably what happens to ‘em after that’s the issue.” Rappid looked closer at the blueprints for the event. “Seems they’ve put up a full wrestling ring, though – that looks like we can do work underneath it and not be caught.”

“Definitely! And the rings wooden too, so there’s a great possibility for sabotage.” Cori’s next slide placed up a silhouette of two ponies between a… well, a collection of twigs. “Finally, there’s the Bronco Buck Passer event. Four teams – seems the Canterlot guards have to escape and the Ponyville fighters gotta buck off… ” The ambassador’s eyes bugged out. “Recently matured Timberwolves?!”

“No way this won’t end with one of them trampled into paste!” Viscera studied the chart furiously. “Okay, apparently, if a guard is caught or the Ponyville pony on each wolf is bucked off, the team is eliminated, victory’s ensued when either all the Guards are caught or all the Ponyville contestants are bucked off. Think I know which one I’m game for seeing, luves.”

“And I’ve got plans for each. We’ve gotta ensure the final event doesn’t happen, and for that to happen, we need three no-contests. So here’s how the plan goes down.” Cori stopped the projector and braced her hooves on the table containing it. “Viscera was nice enough to retain several things from the joke shop she raided during the Ponyville Riots, one of them being itching powder. I was planning on using them during the wrestling event, but we’ve got limited supply, joke shop’s still closed for repair and you said that the Blue Ball Bouncer event needed nixing immediately, so…“

“We use it on those participating Guards?” Rappid asked.

“Close, but no – we use it on the Ponyville players, no way they’ll be able to hold a single ball aloft then!” Dr. Hooves’ cheeks ballooned with nausea, but he managed to force it down. Cori noticed. “Oh wow, and I thought Gympis needed phrasing advice. Apologies, doc.”

“Continue, Cori.” Rose was busy massaging Dr. Hooves’ back, allowing the ambassador her out.

“Sure. For the Royal Guard participants, however, we’re gonna need something hardier to put them out of action, I’ll get it since it’ll likely keep me from being in the way and its deep in Everfree – have Viscera to thank for its location. It’ll give Goldilock enough time to knock ‘em out quick.”

Cori then produced a map of the Ponyville Dam. “Next up is stopping the Extreme Hoof Wrestling with Iron Standard’s ceremonial Royal Guardsponies. If I’ve got the measurements right – and I ALWAYS get my measurements right – these explosives I’ve rigged together should be enough to rush Bucephalus Brook’s river flows onto the ring’s location, knocking out everyone there. Be sure to recover the chunk of dam these explosives jar out; I’ll need to floss out a replacement piece to wedge in for the third event.”

“Superb strategy, Cori,” whistled Dr. Hooves, finally recovered from his unease.

“I try. The problem is, the Brook’s on too low a flow normally, and after I compromise the dam, it’ll be too raging to redirect onto the ring without additional force. Plus, these were the only explosives I could get. So Viscera, I need you to find a way to re-focus that river.”

“No problem, Cori.” The crimson pony waved a hoof. “Think I’ve got a way to amplify my Blood Stones from the last rescue we did. But it’ll be close.”

Cori then finally turned on the projector again, then flipped the slide to show a picture of Town Hall. “This leads to event number three. It’s the trickiest since it’ll be Hel’s troops – which I think is the point, they’ve got batwings, they could evade the Timberwolves all day and leave the danger to the Ponyville participants alone to suffer…”

Cori turned to Rappid and flicked the projector to a crudely drawn image of a four-sided metal tower lined with golden bells.

“… which is why I need you, Rappid, to grab the weathervane on this store's roof, then get several cowbells from Sweet Apple Acres. Fix them in the configuration shown here; then bring it to the end of the stage opposite from the tree line. When I plaster those Guards, give the contraption as much wing power as you can get and bail!”

“What will happen?”

“Quite a bit, if Hooves’ talk on the habits of Timberwolves is correct. But we need a specific type of plaster for this to work, so I’m gonna need to bum a jar of Zap Apple Jam from the Rich family since it’s too out of season to ask the Apples.”

"And when this is all complete, the drop-off will be at the Sweet Apple Acres barn, at an hour before midnight," finish Dr. Hooves.

Cori stood up. "Now, I've gotta catch up to Spoiled Rich for the Jam - right now, she's probably at that emergency meeting with Brass and Caramel. I’ll be back soon.”

And with that, Cori was out of the door, only to be intercepted again by Gympis. “Miss Octavia has talked of that meeting: I shall follow you, under the guise of the DJ.”

“Well… I supposed. You said your forms were a bit unstable, yes?” Cori asked.

Gympis would only give a shake of her head in response. “The Melody is different – the affection she shares for this form can… help with my issues.” And with a flash of green flames, the white unicorn was before them all again. “We shall implement your lessons together.”

Cori’s first destination took her inside the Ponyville Theater. Mostly, it was because she ended up following the doppelganger D.J., nearly stumbling as the changeling turned away from the Ponyville School Admin Building. Regardless, the main room of the Ponyville Theater was empty, save for five-sixths of the Admin Board, Amethyst Star not available.

However, Golden Harvest – Cori realized her from the fracas at the Ponyville Market due to power – was to Matilda’s left, keeping her even further away from Beauty Brass. “… I knew it, Caramel nipping stuff from my carrot garden happened last week, and I know I saw Written…” emitting from her as Coir got closer. Passing Cloud Kicker and Lucky Clover, Cori noticed another pair of ponies they were in hushed conversation with – a pink earth pony with magenta waves of hair, and Octavia Melody, black hair pushed into its familiar sweep over her head. ‘DJ Pon-3’ was at her side in an instant, and she was all too quick to nuzzle her, allowing the pink pony before them to shoot a nervous grin to her.

“Oh, don’t mind Winter Lotus; poor doll has her daughter mixed up in this god-awful Iron Pony event.” Coir nearly jumped a foot in the air, travel cloak almost becoming a parachute as she landed in front of the matronly Mrs. Holiday. “And so’s Noi – little sister of that carrot-flanked pony over there. Think her name’s Carrot Top?”

Before Cori could respond, a slight nudge had her eyes shooting towards the arriving Matilda. “You’re Amethyst Star’s friend from yesterday, yes?”

“Sure am,” Cori replied, still rattled.

“Oh goodness, poor mare’s been cooped up in the doc’s house all day! Only had time to give me this, she said she couldn’t make the meetin’, but knew you would.” Matilda pulled a small stack of cue cards out of her saddlebag and gave them to the ambassador. “Do be quick about it though – I know that blasted Brass and Caramel are coming soon!”

Cori gratefully nodded as she took the cards, rifled through the first few, and slowly let a somber expression grace her face. With almost pinpoint precision, her hooves took her back to Mrs. Holiday.

“A moment in private please?” Holiday only took a moment to excuse herself from talking with Winter Lotus, and she was suddenly with Cori at the side of the large stage they were gathered under. “Yes?”

“Well… it’s about the meeting yesterday.”

“Oh. Well, little one, I’m sorry I got a bit heated –tables are hard to repair, after all – but I still stand by every word. After what happened in that schoolhouse, it’d be suicide to re-establish lessons now."

“But…” and suddenly, Cori’s voice took on new life. “Wouldn’t it be just as dangerous to the children to not know crucial information? If it’s all in one place, with a new teacher, it could prove a nice, controlled way to impart lessons from this… new Equestria. So they’re not vulnerable to the same mistakes.”

“Yes, but…” Holiday stammered. “It’s still too risky – placing them so far from all they’ve known and loved, all they can feel comfortable about, and not knowing if they’ll come back?”

“Do you… mean like Miss Lofty in Shire Lanka?” Cori recognized the slight error in.

The air between Holiday and Cori grew ten degrees colder. “How do you know that, missy?” Holiday asked.

Confess to something intimate now! Came the bellow from Cori’s inner pony.

“I’m… well, I’m an ambassador from the Crystal Empire. We tend to travel a lot – and know a lot about handling tragic moments.”

Okay, doing well, continue.

“And I may not have known the late Scootaloo, but the Mayor can’t not disclose where the victim’s closest parents are – the Donneigh Protocols don’t prevent that, as you probably knew. I… was planning to visit some of them, to help get them through their loss and trauma myself.”

Bring it home, Cori… wait, that’s it! Home! Because it brings the most important thing of all to a filly and a parent alike…

“Because that’s what everyone connected to Ponyville needs most right now: comfort. Enough to get out of bed and face a new day, no matter how bleak yesterday looks. If we let the Queen take that away from us like she did two Princesses… then we’re as lost as they are.”

Mrs. Holiday was silent for a minute. “Y… you’re right. Heavens, my little Scootaloo, she’d never let danger keep her from a great experience, and here I am denying it to fourteen fillies and the parents lucky enough to have them!” Holiday wiped a tear from my eye. “It’d be their Crusader way. I’ll… see what I can do about talking with Miss Play Write – find a new area to teach in. Perhaps teleport-proof.”

Score! Cori could almost hear the energetic taps of her inner pony’s victory dance. But her focus here had another goal in mind, and here it came, purple hair in a perfect bob and disdainful scowl set in place on her pink face. “I understand, Miss Holiday. Do you mind if I speak with Spoiled Rich for a minute? I’ve taken you away from Lucky for too long as is.”

With Holiday back on board –and a surge of restructured harmony back in Cori’s hear, she was at the front of Spoiled Rich within seconds. “Miss Rich…”

“Yes?” The barely-concealed ire in the aristocrat’s voice came back full force. Goodness, Spoiled’s eyes could cut through the stage right now. Cori thought.

“I…” well, I’m aware of the fact your husband may have some Zap Apple jam in stock. I was wondering-”

“Not going to ask who you’d know of either this or that I’ve had one on me to show Clover what real effort puts forth in this town… but yes.” And Spoiled Rich shook loose a clear jar of rainbow-colored paste from one of her diamond embroidered saddlebags. “Feel free to have it after this meeting ends, the less I have to worry about carrying home to my mansion, the better.”

“Oh-well, certainly, I suppose I could-”

“If you can fork in the hundred bits such a jar as this costs.”

Cori’s jaw could have been halfway to the Macintosh Hills at this point. “Done and done – the second I get the DJ over to help pool up the bits.” A quick pardon to Octavia and toward the bathrooms the two ponies went.

“Right then DJ Gympis – gonna need you to help me ask Octavia for…” Even now, Cori hesitated. “… a loan. Just enough to get this jam.”

“I am unsure. You have given me great options to converse with Melody.” Gympis pushed forward. “But I still find myself short on ways to drive conversion toward preferred topics, instead of away from the un-preferred.”

“Like how?”

“I tried to steer our conversation into how she had managed to keep herself occupied the time the DJ had left – to gain a better appreciation of her habits. She again got quiet and tried to talk of anything but it. But when I attempted that, she then interrupted me, talked of how risky it was to do something or other with all these other ponies nearby and instead simply asked me to come here and wait several minutes. She said I would recognize what I saw, for how often I’ve I’d helped her relax with it.”

“Seems ok.” Cori brushed back her hair. “So what did you say?”

“I did not have a chance to say anything – you pulled me toward the bathroom before I could inquire further about this activity.” Was that a deadpan? Cori thought, utterly unsure of what the fledgling form-shifter could utilize now in the vocal arena.

“Well, I think I have a way to help you out in there. Tell her you’ve got little insight into her skillful that act of hers is, and that you might need someone to witness it – someone like Spoiled Rich.”

And when they’re all in the same area, I can get Octavia and Spoiled to possibly reach a deal on that Zap Jam jar! The jig in the inner pony’s step was back for Cori.

“I shall relay the message.” Gympis-as-DJ-Pon-3 left the room, and Cori quickly washed over her hair, rearranging it into the new looping ponytail she’d seen sported on an empress in Mistmane’s legend. What was her name? Sable Spir- Regardless, the process took several minutes, and just as she was setting the last layer in – the one that would make it look like a butterfly – voices sprang up from the main room.

“What the hell – Royal Guards!?” This Cori recognized as Golden Harvest’s voice – a lot louder than she thought possible.

‘Look, everyone, calm down, they mean no –hey?” That voice was recognized as Brass.

“Leave Spoiled alone, you brutes! This is a place of art!”

“Octavia, I do not think they’re listen-!”

DJ Pon-3’s voice was cut off, and the door to Cori’s position in the bathroom swung open. It took several seconds – and a crash of wood in the opposite end of the hallway – for Cori to realize it was because the white unicorn had been flung several dozen feet into the wall.

“You said none of them would be hurt!” Was that Caramel?

“And you said no unicorns would be here, quilldick. Guess somepony’s leaving disappointed.”

Cori’s heart could have burrowed its way into the tiled floor. It’d be hard to forget that voice, even when it was originally screamed not five seconds after Viscera’s first flashbang attack. IT’S COMMANDER HEL, her inner pony blared into her eardrums.

“Damn it; get your hooves off of us! The second my husband hears of this, we’ll have all your crests!”

“Sorry ma’am!” Spoiled Rich’s grunts and struggles did not hint at her taking the apology from the Guard seriously. “Security precautions for the Iron Pony contest must be maintained – and they’d be easier to do if you stopped resisting!” A cry rang out that was not Spoiled’s. Cori only barely recognized the squeak of a voice as Cloud Kicker’s.

“We shouldn’t be the only ones! Brass, Caramel, do something!” Octavia’s desperate voice was back.

“My goodness, I knew it! I knew it was them during the Riots! Holiday, help!” Clearly Matilda.

Holiday’s voice was next. “Brass, at least stop them! Don’t just look at the ground, for cripes’ sake!”

“Caramel, did you know about this?! We shared rooms near the Carousel – don’t tell me you couldn’t have told me and Wild about th-!” Lucky Clover’s voice was cut off by another painful thwack of horseshoe-assisted hoof against cheekbone.

“And don’t you ever mention that mud-thick, glue-factory-destined whorse in my presence again! Night Guard, take them away!” Hel’s thunderous cackle of a voice was already drifting farther away, and so was the parade of hoof steps. Cori was already out of the room and moving toward DJ Pon-3, already stirring from the cavity her body had left in the soft wooden wall.

“I… I do not think I will find out about Octavia’s newest relaxant trick today.”

“Nevermind, we’ve gotta get out of here!” Cori paced back to the stage, idly taking up Matilda’s saddlebags… and Spoiled Rich’s scattered necklace, pearls dotting the wooden floor of the orchestra pit. “Matilda was right – Brass and Caramel are working with the Guard! And if the School Board is being targeted, we’ve gotta warn Dr. Hooves about Amethyst!”

“Indeed. I could fly us through the back entrance.” Gympis was right-side-up and trotting back to Cori again. “But if Hel and the Night Guard are here, the skies may be unsafe. I will have to fly low.”

“Well, we could wait them out too. It isn’t like they’re coming back fo-”

Suddenly, another Night Guard’s voice broke through the din, muffled by the closed front door. “What shall we do about the unicorn you bucked into the back?”

Hel’s tone was next, and the words sent a spike of ice into Cori’s heart. That, if one recalled, was spelunking its way to Tartarus in her shoes. “Break the news to her. Then break her fucking neck.”

“Ma’am, but she-”

“It’s exact my will or explains to Twilight. Either way, I’ll have another bleating head to decorate my new office’s wall. Get to it – that brat’s a trespasser anyhow.”

“… nevermind, hi-ho Silver,” gulped the ambassador, too stunned to curse her fleeting luck.

“I believe my chitin is black.” But despite her protest, the de-formed Gympis was already nestling Cori within her hooves, zipping out of the back entrance and through the alleyways before the Night Guard had even gotten back into Ponyville Theater. One of Spoiled Rich’s beads still rested in Cori’s hoof, and both saddlebags flapped from between her teeth.

“Got the brew that was asked, but I didn’t know whether or not it was for Rose or – the Gold Pony!”

The tea-shop pony had only just gotten past Roseluck’s Botanicals front door before running into a transformed Viscera, behind the counter with the aforementioned Rose. “It’s Vis, and thanks a lot.”

“Wait…” Rose looked between the transformed thief and tea shop pony. “You know each other? I thought that story you shared was a brag, Jasmine Leaf!”

“Oh boy, the full name.” Jasmine sheepishly grinned, tossing the bag of ground coffee towards Vis. “Yea, this was the dame that got me up, up and away from that home-wrecker Prince Shroud. Shoulda told me you’d found a way to get up housing dibs on one of ‘em!” Jasmine’s smile grew. “Tell ya what, that bag of crystals are free of charge – your bet worked, Vis, I’m already halfway to a new store’s funding.”

“Speaking of that…” Rose rubbed a hand behind her hoof. “Just finished hashing out Lily Valley’s last paycheck, so I might need a delay on my paying up.”

BANG!

Both glass doors flew open and Gympis and Cori were through, Jasmine only getting out a “Whoa, is that a chang-” before Cori was over the counter and in Vis’ face.

Viscera only had a second between Cori’s catching of breath. “Sure you didn’t let Cori into your stores before you came here, Leaf?”

And the second was gone. “VIS! Hel and the Night Guard crashed the School Board meeting – they took everyone! I think Beauty Brass and Caramel are working with them!”

“The Board?!” Viscera almost choked on her saliva. “But that’s impossible, I just got back from a visit from Amethyst, she’s right as rain!”

“Believe me, Vis! Gympis and I just barely escaped!” Cori was close to hyperventilating. “And no, I don’t know why they haven’t got Star yet!”

“Perhaps it is because she is a unicorn. This Commander Hel did mention that none were supposed to be at the meeting.” Gympis offered a look back at the still-gaping Jasmine Leaf. “As her kicking me into the back halls proved.”

“And you were the DJ…” Viscera’s eyes shot open. “Cori! Tell me everything! You said Hel was there! What was she-”

But Viscera’s shaking of the ambassador caused the gem bead of Spoiled’s to fall from Cori’s hoof into hers. And the world fell away, piece-by-piece, for the formerly-crimson pony.

<~~~>

“-the fuck? Keep your hooves off my jewelry!”

Viscera could barely identify most of the ponies before her, but if Cori’s description held, the yeller was likely Spoiled Rich. Regardless, her vision shimmered almost every other second, and her keen eyes realized it happened each time the purple-maned pony’s broken pearl necklace skittered across the floor.

“Don’t let them do this… Caramel, we’re friends-”

THUD!

And the pink Earth pony who had spoken was face down in the sage floor, her teal mane fluttering down around her bruised face. “Winter, don’t make me regret letting you and Stix enter Iron Pony – it's already enough that I’m allowing what’s gonna happen to you all to finally catch those golden ponies, I don’t need you whining about that blabbermouth Jasmine Leaf being ‘safe’.”

“Where are you even taking us?” That came from a light purple pegasus to Viscera’s right – goodness was it hard for Viscera to take command of the scene! IT was already a miracle none of the bat-ponies surrounding her had gone for her, especially y that one with the frizzled crest and green eye-

Viscera froze stock-still.

“That’s Hel!” Her lips moved but no sound came out. What was with this vision? Thought the thief, the aforementioned Commander Hel stalking that pegasus from before.

“Oh save your breath, Cloud Kicker. We know who’s been naughty and nice in this town. And there have been four ponies here that have been particularly naughty. So, you’ll be our insurance policy for this event.” A cruel smirk crossed her face, almost crammed into Cloud Kicker’s side and pinning down one of her wings. “For every one of them that ruin one of our Guard’s fun, I hop back in and kill one of you.”

“N-no!” came the muffled cry of a donkey to Hel’s right. Unlike the others, moving every which way to get past or away from a Guard, this one was seemingly obsessed with getting away from two ponies in the front row of seats, eyes glued to the carpeted ground.” We’ve done nothing to you! Why are you letting them do this, Brass?”

A flick of Hel’s tail sent one of the crystal beads formerly around Spoiled Rich’s neck dinging into the donkey’s temple. “Don’t make this harder for me, jackass. I’m participating in this too, and I expect some fight left in the finalist.”

“You bitch!” erupted the orange-maned, butter-yellow earth pony between Viscera and the orchestra pit. “Stay away from my sister!”

“Will as long as she doesn’t make it to the finals, Carrot Top.” Hel trotted to face her. “I have anybody mess with my fun while the finals are going on… well, there’ll be plenty of losers to take it out on.”

“Ma’am…” came the whisper of a Night Guard that sprang from the curtain, running back to the commander’s side. “No one but the unicorn you kicked is in the hall. I wish to ask personally; what will we do if the Town Guard notices we’re keeping these ponies in their hall?”

“Nothing, since by the time they semi-finals are over, their purpose is served. Cut the gas lines in the barracks and blame it on ‘em. Spearhead’s being a megacunt about crowd control; he can walk on home to his new reward.”

“Ma’am, that’ could start a Guard war! That’s suicide!”

“That’s a Prince Haze order – Town Guard here’s posing too much of a threat to our Guard’s blockade and Spearhead’s too beloved to kill right now.” Hel’s hiss couldn’t even be heard by the struggling Cloud Kicker and Winter, the forced procession already halfway to the door as Viscera looked on.

“Now haul that rich bitch out by the plot hole if you must – we have one other pony pair to secure for tomorrow that should have been here! Goddess, can’t even trust Jet Set to get the notices right, can I?!”

Spoiled Rich, almost upside down at this point due her struggling between the hooves of two Night Guards as they hauled her through the front door in midair. Hel followed them out, only for a familiar blue Crystal Pony to finally grace the empty stage. She scanned the area and grabbing one of the beads left there, as well as both embroidered saddlebags. Viscera was about to call for them to run vision started shimmering away, only for a distant voice to cut off her already-silent cry.

“What shall we do about the unicorn you bucked into the back?”

<~~~>

Viscera was back in the flower shop, Cori still silently staring at her. “Vis? Vis!”

Shaking her head, Viscera’s voice returned. “Cori! The Night Guard isn’t going to stop with just the School Board; they’ve got another pony they’re prowling the streets for!”

Rose slammed the register shut. “Then this lit-up store is a target – Berryshine, get the door, we’re closing early!”

The magenta earth pony was hustling to the door, but it ended up opening to reveal two more people. Dr. Hooves and Wild Clover. “Rose, close the shop, hurry!”

“Already on it – what’s the rush?”

“We tried to catch up to Viscera but she left way too long before us! Flash and the Royal Guards were at the house next to ours; they took Rainbow Stars from there!”

“We’ll tail it back there right away – where’s Amethyst?”

“The second she saw the Guards, she panicked and locked herself in my lab! Not even Miss Hooves can get through to her, she told us to make sure Rose was safe instead! Everyone downstairs!”

The journey into the increasingly filled room almost felt like a stampede – to all ponies except one. “Oh goodness, the Cloudsdale Mayor’s here too!” squawked Jasmine Leaf.

Mayor Rappid nodded. “Yeah, so you’ve noticed. Cori, you realize this means -”

Cori’s face turned white as chalk. “Yeah, the plan’s toast! Hel’s here and so is Flash… which means the Princes might be coming too!”

“No! The plan… it’s not squashed but we have to know where the School Board’s been taken to!” Dr. Hooves declared.

“The Town Guard Hall!” Viscera yelled out. “The Town Guard’s gonna be too busy chaperoning Iron Pony to notice, and when they get back it’ll be too late!”

“How do you even know this?” Rappid shot back.

“The same way I figured out how to get to Sugarcube!” Viscera replied. “The visions – and both times that I got them, it was holding a gem somepony else already had!”

Rappid was about to shout back about Viscera’s susceptibility to superstition, only for Cori to interrupt. “No… wait that could make sense! It’d be large, heavily fortified, and runs off gas supplies so it can be isolated and still hold out!”

“This also means when their lines are cut, the Town Guard will have another mass murder on their hooves!” Further realization struck for Viscera. “Well, if it’s even regarded as that and not the Town Guard buying into the Queen’s depravities!”

Jasmine was getting more hysterical by the second. “Gas what? What’s going on?”

“Wait, you’re still here!” Dr. Hooves’ shout was not a question. “Look, Jasmine-”

“No! We can have her help!” Berryshine finally spoke, her voice a sharp cut across the room. “Look Jasmine, we’ve all had problems with the Royal Guard. But if what happens here continues, we’ll all have a lot more! Can you keep a secret?”

“Besides the one about being saved by a gold pony?” Jasmine nodded. “Sure. Should’ve been the Prince who fucked my shop up that’s paying for it anyway! What do you need?”

Cori finally righted herself. “Right. Fine. This can still be salvaged. Alright, here’s what we have to do now.

“Since I’ll have to work with Dr. Hooves to find the School Board and company, secrecy is utterly crucial now. Get a good look at the grounds, without being caught.”

Both Cori’s words previous on today and the vision she’d seen yesterday flitted through Viscera’s mind. Almost a quarter-mile from the spot, the residents of Ponyville filing into several bleachers ringing the woods. It certainly seemed like a nice area for the event.

But the wicked six-sided star over the entire event, fashioned from three curved hooks, hung over the main area like a harvesting scythe. It also served as the “O” in the Purple glass that made up the “IRON PONY” logo hanging over the stages. But it was not the only object over the gathering ponies’ heads.

“Up there. A balloon.” Gympis’ acknowledgment of the purple balloon carrying the IRON PONY logo. Below the balloon was a wide metal stage, housing three unicorns: one Maya blue unicorn with a blue-and-white striped mane, one with a fluffy tuft of teal hair breath a bright yellow coat, and one white-coat with a beautiful curling pink mane.

Above all of them in the balloon was a fourth unicorn. She had a frazzled red cut of mane, light-and-dark streaks of purple threading through its center, over a cream-colored coat and a thick pair of glasses. She almost looked like she’d shake herself out of her black turtleneck sweater in fear.

“Got the roster list from the Mayor today.” Rappid pointed out, now transformed into her golden form, as alias Goldilock. “Ones in the balloon are the judges Minuette, the blue one: Twinkleshine, the white one: and Lemon Hearts, the yellow one. The one in the balloon is the announcer, Moon Dancer. Claims they’re Twilight's former friends from Canterlot, and this is apparently their ‘get-together trip’ since they’re reporting back to the Queen on any developments. Even Mayor Mare doubts any of them are doing this of their own free will, and after that stunt with the School Board yesterday, I don’t blame her.”

Goldilock then produced a pair of notes tucked between her golden wings. “And… Mare’s confirmed the losing semifinalists are to be detained at her house, as Viscera said.” Her snout wrinkled. “Still think whatever ability you’re getting this info from is a crapshoot, but we work with it ‘til it’s proven wrong.”

“Think we can carry off the platform with the first three unicorns in a pinch, and the balloon’s as easy to take care of with a well-placed claw in the hull.” Then, to Viscera’s dismay, an all-too-familiar peach-coated Royal Guard settled into the basket with Moon Dancer. “Flash there, on the other hand…”

“Just means the distractions will have to get the panel’s attention too.” Cori pointed out. “Speaking of which, Jasmine, you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.” Jasmine was up with three platforms balanced on her back with help from a wide saddle, the jar of musk in her hooves. “Still, don’t know if I’m lucky Fluttershy was willing to part with this so quick or unlucky that I’m holding this bottle of rank.”

“We need it to smell like what it looks like.” Cori was there too. “And remember, cheese it the second you get on the musk – we don’t need this getting on you and getting you tracked down.”

“Got it.”

“Also have a life preserver for you when you start your work, Vis, but it’ll be Jasmine who catches you – which is another reason you’ve gotta move, Jasmine,” added Cori. “The replacement piece for the dam can wait; after the third event, I’m gonna assist Gympis with finding and freeing the School Board.”

“And the third event?” Gympis asked, turning to prepare for her journey into the woods.

“Still goes on as planned. But Goldilock? You’ll be using a different way to get out the noise this time.”

“All ears.” Goldilock offered.

One explanation later, and the group was off, only barely being the cloud of balloons raised to begin the new Iron Pony competition.

The first event’s sabotage went off without a hitch, with Jasmine Leaf’s setup of the three hollow squares deep in the woods surrounding the stage. With a dash of the new musk and a rush into the distance, three things happened at once.

Thanks to the timely intervention of the spring-loaded mechanisms, the contained inflatable sprang to life over the field, reveal three dust-orange serpentine necks leading up to three dragon-like heads. Or, as Bon-Bon was so courteous to point out in max decibel…

“A HYDRAAAA!”

Everypony’s eyes locked to the titan – all Goldilock needed to sneak powder on the Ponyville participants and Poison Joke on the Guards. Chaos followed instantly, as the itching Winter Lotus and Rainbow Stars started pushing their backs against each other to ease their prickling torment. Lilac Links and Sunshine were already bolting for the trees to use the bark as backscratchers, even as the 'hydra' looming above drove Commander Spearhead into the forest, the crowd only barely kept in their seats by the Town Guard. And Sugar Stix and Noi were racing into the stream, the placid Bucephalus Brook a desperate reprieve for the two fillies.

Their ordeal would end in several minutes. The Poison Joke, however, would send several of Flash Sentry’s Unicorn Royal Guard toward Ponyville Hospital, all of them belching up voluminous amounts of thick white pasty liquid. Goldilock’s scowl as she moved to the dam to relay with Viscera resembled a crescent moon.

“Sentry’s either thick or sick for his Guard to do this under his snout,” Goldilock hissed.

“Think their relief pitch coming out of the wrong holes should be enough for you, luv,” winced Viscera. Regardless, the thief had almost completed her work at the dam, with crystallized coffee poking out of three incisions into the dam. A Blood Stone of hers was soon tucked into each, the sabotage was set, while Viscera strapped on her lifebuoy. By the time Goldilock had gotten her several meters downstream, the explosives had blown a small chunk out of the dam – enough to turn Bucephalus Brook into raging rapids.

Viscera could only shake her hooded head. “Whaddya know, Cori’s measurements were right.”

“Told you.” Cori was studying the stream. “I’ve been checking the posters too – apparently Moon Dancer wasn’t originally the announcer – there was something else here, but it just says it’s… garbled.” She ended up shrugging at the news. “Would like to know any new threats coming our way, but we’re still on track. Vis, you got the tools for the splashdown?”

“Hard to make one work in a raging stream, but yeah: you weren’t the only one thinking of sneaking stuff under the ring. Heard from Mare that Ponyville’s residents are chained to the ring during Extreme Hoof Wrestling, and their side’s rigged to blow if they try to move anywhere but into the ring.“

Cori gasped. Goldilock’s gritted teeth looked ready to crack.

“Slight good news is: they’re pegasi and my tunnel underneath got me close to the bombs. Can’t defuse em, but I can move them – to redirect the river as you said.”

“Go for it, the event’s about to start!” Indeed by Cori’s warning, the opening bell was starting.

This task proved trickier. The tunnels Viscera had to dig earlier stretched into the tree-line, but it meant that she and Cori had to move around the woods, and then into the entrance. And with only Spur, White Lightning, Sprinkle Medley, Flitter, and Prim Posy against four of Iron Standard’s Royal Guard, the odds were grim.

Thankfully, Viscera’s handiwork with the explosives got Cori to the point with the explosives, and quick setup on the bank of the stream gave Viscera enough time to make it into the frothing Brook - and away from the new lightshow. This time, the explosives sent up a massive tidal wave onto the ring, knocking out all present in the ring.

Flash Sentry was out of the balloon and toward the bulging riverbed this time – in time for Cori to see the smirk on Viscera’s face as her visage faded under the current and the second batch of explosives knocked Flash Sentry into the stream. Immediately after, Cori leapt into the stream, swimming with the crushing current to catch Flash Sentry.

Jasmine Leaf was able to catch Viscera on the bridge connecting Carousel Boutique to mainland Ponyville, but Cori had to fight her way to that same position with the unconscious Royal Guard's collar clenched in her teeth. Needless to say, Goldilock was surprised with Cori’s cargo when she met them, the Crystal Pony’s form thankfully still shrouded by her waterlogged traveling cloak.

Cori’s hoof to the chest helped Flash up, and he was spluttering up water within seconds. “Holy crap, I thought I was going to-waitasec who are you guys?!”

Goldilock hauled him up in the air. “Fishermen – but scum like you who were willing to let six ponies get raped in front of a crowd barely qualifies as bait.”

“Wait, what?” Flash was stammering – that was mentioned nowhere in the planning! Those are my Guards; they’d never do something like this!”

“Hel coulda threatened ‘em, not like it’s beyond her.” pointed out Viscera.

Flash’s look darkened. “Hel?! I knew her being brought back was a mistake! Detained School Board, my foot – even that fight I was watching was as one-sided as it could get!”

“Yeah, this doesn’t matter. Flash is going back in the stream.” Goldilock hissed.

“Not like this – the current’s too strong and my armor’s too heavy, I’ll drown!” To lend credit to his words, Flash’s soaked wings were even flapping impotently.

A buoy was soon slapped over his form, Cori finally taking action.

“What in Tartarus-? You’re helping him!?” Goldilock yelled at Cori. “This is compassion the Guards will not return to you.”

“Compassion’s only wasted when it’s withheld.” Cori’s glare back at Goldilock could have frozen a cockatrice. "And Flash’ll still be on the other side of town.”

“Thanks… whoever you are.” Flash Sentry gratefully nodded.

“No pro-” Viscera finally slapped a hoof over Cori’s mouth, then kicked Flash back into the raging river, the buoy keeping the flailing pony aloft this time, and turned to Cori. “Bad enough you gave him my floats, don’t give yourself away too, Madam Blueberry.”

“Sorry about that. L-let's get Jasmine; we’ve got a third event to stop.”

The last event, after the short run back to the main area, was Bronco Bark Buck, and this had the most moving parts to disrupt. Indeed, Hel’s Night Guards took point in this event, and the lavender-armored bat-ponies were flying too high in the air for the Timberwolves to catch. The braces on the Ponyville participant’s horns did not help matters. “Think I saw one of them on Luna, bet you it’s why they didn’t magic out and bail.” pointed out Viscera, her grimace growing.

“Well, set up the noisemaker –we’ve got Guards to tag.” Immediately, Cori rifled through one of the saddlebags Jasmine had been nice enough to get her from the flower shop – Spoiled Rich’s, as she said, with a fervent vow to return this to the purple-maned mare - and enlarged the jar of Zap Apple Jam before tossing its contents past the tree line. Immediately, the Night Guards were drenched, sap clinging to their wings. They were sent running from the Timberwolves soon after due to their attraction to the Jam seeping on them. Hel flitting after them in shock.

It was during this time that Goldilock struck, letting the phone from the Mayor’s office to ringing, which sent the Timberwolves hurtling back from the wood into the surging Brook with Lemony Gem, Cherry Spices, Diamond Mint, and Bloo still on them. Well, the unicorns would have stayed on Cori hadn’t shrunk the chains enough to let snap them from the whiplash and tumble to the ground. With the phone hung up, and all three events now successfully sabotaged, the three made their way back to the rendezvous – a perch above Rainbow Star’s still-vacant house, where Dr. Hooves was quick to meet them.

“Nice work we did, huh? Viscera said, didn’t even need but for two of us to go gold, and all three vents got disru-“

“We’ve got problems, folks!” His voice got all three of them down. “Final event’s still happening – apparently the judges were real spooked by the Queen, they ended up picking three anyways!”

Goldilocks spluttered in surprise, Cori’s hooves went up to her maw. Viscera’s curse, however, spoke volumes.

“Luna screw us all with Daring Do’s daring dildo!”

“VISCERA!” Goldilock snapped at her.

“What? Find a bigger prick than Daring and I’ll switch quotes!”

Gympis was also quite a busy drone during this time.

She and Rose were galloping right to where Viscera’s latest vision had said the sequestered School Board was at, prepared to re-scout the city should the School Board not be present at the Town Guard building. Upon reaching the fort-like brown brick building, however, it only took Rose seconds to hear arguing.

“That’s Clover and Rich!” Rose whispered. “Musta been there a while too; usually they’re only that hushed if their voices are failing.”

“I see. Then let us go,” the changeling whispered back. “We should make our jailbreak now then. Stay back, I may trigger alarms.”

“Wait. There might be a better way to handle this.” Rose offered. “Vis was right about this – was she also right about Spearhead being too high-value to kill off immediately?”

“She… may.”

Three seconds later, Commander Spearhead was rapping on the door to the Town Guard building. A voice soon answered her. “Damnit, we said this abode was closed during Iron Pony - Celestia’s plot, Spearhead?!”

“Yes, it is me,” came the un-armored Iron Pony, brown coat, and spiky blue mane helping him loom even more over the Night Guard. “The prelim’s ended early – accompany Hel for the final event, I’ll finish up here.”

“R-right sir.” After whispering in the back, the door opened again. “Sorry, Commander – just make sure the ponies in the cell block are taken care of… and if they start asking, it was all on Prince Haze’s orders. Had to be careful with the security.”

“Certainly.” When the last Royal Guard left the barracks, Spearhead walked in- a flash of green flames revealed Gympis beneath. Another golden glow brought forth her more durable golden form. Bt the time she reached the cell containing nine ponies, her jaw was working.

“Greetings. I am Gympis, and I shall see you free from this cage.”

“A gold pony!” Matilda was the first to the bars, tears streaming down her face. “I knew they could be trusted.”

“Hold it!” Lucky Clover’s voice was hoarse. “How’d she even find us? And where’re the other Guards?”

“Currently on the way to Iron Pony,” Gympis explained. “We must leave now while we have the element of surprise.”

“Can’t, much as we’d love to!” Spoiled Rich was pacing the cell impatiently. “That bitch Hel was all too eager to point out that if we leave this place, she’d make sure to kill all the failed semifinalists!”

“Well, if you remain in this room, they will erupt the gas mains and poison you – they wish to defame the actual Spearhead.”

“WHAT?!” Golden Harvest was on her feet and pounding at the cell doors at this.

Gympis would have to think fast at this juncture – with leaving a fast death sentence for upwards of fifteen ponies, and staying a slow death for nine, only one avenue presented itself.

“Once the ponies leaving find the actual Spearhead, they may return. You, even if you must stay in these barracks, cannot be in this cell. And since the gas likely suffocates before it kills…”

Five minutes later, and the plan was relayed, Gympis out and catching Rose in her black-spotted hooves, before setting off for the

“So how did it go?”

“They shall endeavor to embarrass the Night Guard. The situation in Ponyville is too unstable to risk a Guard war right now – Golden Harvest assures me she has a way to break it to the Town Guard when they return.” They were almost at Rainbow Star’s house by this point the street between the Chapel and the Theater providing a great straightaway to the rendezvous.

“I could have stayed them – provided more marepower should the wrong Guard come calling!” Rose gasped.

“Making sure the Town Guard are there first will be the group’s priority. Now we must-“

“VISCERA!”

“Alas, I can hear them now.” And Gympis settled in just as the strings of “….and I’ll switch quotes!” came from Viscera’s mouth. “Hello all, we may have a complication.”

“More so than the final leg of Iron Pony plodding along?”

Gympis nearly dropped Rose in shock. Rose was more vocal. “But I thought you shot for three no contests!”

“The Queen isn’t!” Cori yelled. “Bloo, Prim Posy, and Winter Lotus are in the footrace now! We’ll need to make grabs for them and knock out the Canterlot reps!”

“Might need to handle the balloon full of judges and announcers too – they’re scared enough to pick finalists in a contest with no winners, they’ll be scared enough to point us out when we bail with ‘em!” Viscera returned to action.

“Leave it to me,” Goldilock said. “I’m the only flyer with the strength to carry them off.”

“And the second you draw everypony’s attention, Jasmine will go for the book at the finish line and swing through the forest – you should lose any Guards there, and I’ll give you my cloak so nopony knows who you are!” Cori asked the approaching tea seller.

“Righty-o!” replied Jasmine. “But I gotta tell you, gonna look forward to a nice long nap after all this is over.” She gave a sly look to Viscera. “Or someone to tuck me in, if they’ve got the time.”

“Tempting. No.” Viscera gave a sheepish grin, noticing Goldilock was glaring at her.

“Gympis: help with the subduing of the Canterlot players! Viscera will take your place in rescuing the ponies once we know where they are,” Cori added.

“We still don’t know where the semi-finalists are being held though!” bellowed Dr. Hooves. “And without that, the Board can’t leave the barracks safely.”

Cori’s ears perked up. “Think I know who does. Doc, got another way into your lab?”

Three minutes later, and Cori was being funneled in through the high side window, landing in the lab room to startle Amethyst Star. Idly, the panic room doom was ajar, two green eyes peering out from the crack in the door frighteningly at both unicorn intruders. Cori ignored it –mostly because it was the pony Viscera rescued and in a safe place, and mostly because her real target looked ready to bolt into the distance.

“Hold it, Star! Really, what got into you?”

“I… its’ everything!” screamed the unicorn. “First there was the notice from Jet Set that he’d shutter Derpy’s post office if I showed up at Iron Pony, then I heard of the Board being taken, then Rainbow Stars got yanked from the house right next to this one!” Her hooves slammed over her ears. “It’s too much! I’m not good enough, and I don’t know why Thunderlane thought I ever was!”

“Thunderlane…?” It took a second for it to click for Cori.

< “Up until now, both you and Thunderlane have had all the presence here as a ‘Have You Seen Me?’ sign on a milk jug!”>

Holiday’s words rang through Cori’s head, and she knew he’d have to guess what it meant – time was slipping from her. “Thunderlane was the one you brought out that assertiveness in you, wasn’t he?”

“He… how did you know?” Woohoo, the guess worked! Cori’s inner pony cheered. “…yeah, he did. But I could never really invoke it on my own… unless Derpy would find out. She…we’d suffered so much losing Dinky.”

“And you think being here will keep everypony safe, right?”

“It’d keep Derpy safe! All I invite are threats, and dysfunction, and disappointment! I don’t have enough power to stop the guards, or Jet Set, or anypony!” Amethyst Star was sobbing at this point. “He even taunted me with the address, because he knows I can’t do anything!”

“You might not.” Cori’s next words brought Amethyst’s hair up. “But I think I know who can. Gonna need to know where it is.”

“You… you’d do this for me? Even after seeing me act like a coward like this?”

“You’re not a coward, you’re… overwhelmed. As anypony being pushed and prodded every which way would be. But you have to stand strong, or else they’ll continue with it!” Bring it home quick, Cori. “We can’t go through all this alone – but I can make sure they’re saved! We’ve evaded death twice already!”

A weak smile graced Amethyst Star’s face. “It’s the Mayor’s house, but you have to hurry – the previous spectator’s there too, and it’s because his molting hit early!”

“Not a problem. Stay here – and let Derpy in for once, she’s worried sick about you outside.” And Cori, with three short hops, made it out of the window again to meet Dr. Hooves.

“I don’t have to worry about her barricading the door now?” asked the inventor pony.

“No, and she mentioned someone there’s who’s molting – likely a griffin. I’ll send Vis – for once, that griffin disguise she has might buy her time if she’s caught.”

“Well, we’ve got two bigger problems now.”

“Of all the… continue.”

“Canterlot’s reps in the race are Jet Set, Upper Crust… and Hel.” Dr. Hooves bowed his head. “And Prince Shroud’s been seen in the city, so if he’s not overseeing the event…”

“He’s likely guarding the finalists.” Cori’s look dropped. “The second thing?”

“Look at the river.” To Cori’s horror, it was threatening to overflow even its enlarged banks.

“Holy- the gap must have gotten wider; I need to seal it now! Vis!“ The thief was alerted by Cori’s desperate one. “Head to the Mayor’s house, and go gold – if you can get out the semi-finalists, fine, but when you do…goodness, there are no good rendezvous points now!”

“We’ve got one, courtesy of our intermediary. It’s close to where you’ll be debriefed – a small treehouse, just outside of Sweet Apple Acres. It’ll be a tight fit – was supposed to be an emergency spot – but…”

“Works for me!” Just then, Goldilock was upfront, wielding the large platform that once housed Lemon Hearts, Twinkleshine, and Minuette. “Wait wha-”

“Got the judges quick, Jasmine and Gympis are beginning their runs! I managed to lose the Night Guard in the forest, and landed the unicorns in Town Hall but I think they’re ones near Iron Pony wise to me – getting to Moon Dancer won’t be easy!”

“Well scratch that we need to – wait, is that platform metal?”

“Yeah, it is – weighs a ton, but I thought we could use it to carry the Ponyville finalists out!”

Cori grinned.

“Or to keep a city from flooding! Goldi, roll that into the dam cavity, it should be large enough to plug the hole! I’ll go to help secure the finalists! Vis…” But Viscera was already off. “Right – second you’re done; make a run for Moon Dancer! Where did you place the others?“

“Right in Town Hall, the second they said they wouldn’t try to escape if I could get Moon Dancer!”

“Then break!”

At Cori’s words, three ponies jetted out, hunting to stop two events before tragedy could strike.

Cori was first in the woods, and her immediately first encounter was with Bloo. The unicorn filly’s hooves were paddling rapidly on the ground, but regardless, the male unicorn hot on her heels was gaining. Two hooves to the jaw put Jet Set into the side of the tree, and Cori scooped up the filly with a cry of “Bloo’s half my age, Jet! What is wrong with you?!” over her shoulder.

Three trees later, Cori herself felt the pain of an incoming charge, Upper Crust slamming hooves into her face with a cry of “How-dare-you-lay-hooves-on-my-husband!”

Cori had to brace hooves into the dirt, grab on to a root, and slide her way out from Upper Crust’s frantic swings- then leap up to a branch as the Canterlot pony’s magic strike turned that very root into a ball of spikes. Needless to say, with the weight of a Crystal Pony and Unicorn on the limb, that branch snapped off.

Cori’s next bit of magic was sent to the spike ball underneath her, shrinking it to the side of a marble, and she kicked it at Upper Crust, who managed to turn her head to avoid it. It re-sizing to normal and snagging her shirt sleeve as it passed by, however, would pin her to a tree all the same.

“Seriously Upper Crust1 you too?!” Cori’s kick toward her again only ensured the pierced shirt sleeve was ripped off entirely, the makeshift collar gone as Upper Crust twirled away unharmed.

“Oh please – like a thespian like you would ever understand what it feels like to have something at your mercy!” Upper Crust’s next lariat whistled past Cori’s head, nearly hitting Bloo as well as Cori whirled around. Bloo’s flailing legs caught the yellow unicorn, however, sending her skidding back – but not silenced. “Seeing the almighty Luna get pierced by Twilight and her new friends finally freed me and Jet Set from our restraints!”

“But this is Ponyville – why prey on them?!”

“Because we know it’ll l hurt that bitch Filthy – could have dumped that hook-nosed wank-stain Spoiled ages ago and moved on up to a real city and a real mare, but nooo1”

Cori’s disgust only grew at this as she avoided two more roundhouse kicks, then vaulted Bloo into the air and rearing back as if to head-butt Crust. She held back at the last second, however, and elected to sweep out her legs from under her. Bloo falling from the sky and onto the prone unicorn’s back did the rest. “Sure Jet must be proud!”

Despite two trips into the dirt, Upper Crust remained unperturbed, blasting another hole where Cori’s hooves used to be as she plucked Bloo off Crust’s back and shot off another silver blast of her own upwards. “Why – I’m not cheating on Jet, let alone with another stallion - and he knows he married for status!” During the pause, Crust leaped back to avoid a falling branch – the thickness of the very tree Cori’s shot has snapped it off from with its altered size – and blew the branch to pieces. “And that I stayed married for access… to whoever I when, whenever I want.”

Cori’s barreling rear foot came from the cloud of dust and splinters at this –

-only to freeze three inches before reaching Upper Crust, her horn glowing and Cori struggling to get out of midair. “By the way, doll – you’re resistant to magic, not immune. Food for thought.” Her gaze turned west. “Now to find where that brat Winter Lotus whirled off t-“

TSEEEW!

And another beam sent Upper Crust hurtling into the distance headfirst. “I have recovered Winter Lotus,” remarked Gympis, horn smoking as she transformed into gold form again. “Your aim has improved from the Riots, by the way.“

“Easy to do when you don’t have fire and Shadow Ponies surrounding you,” Cori said. “Now come on, we’ve got to find –

And Cori’s diatribe would be cut off again, as Commander Hel barreled out of a bush and into Gympis. “Nice of you to stop by.“ And one of her horseshoes raised, claws set into it gleaming like opals.

Cori’s newest laser rocketed out to intercept the Night Guard, only for her to unlatch her helmet, hold it in front of the beam until it enlarged to the size of a truck, and heave it back at Cori. “That doesn’t work twice, brat.” Cori only barely dodged it before it toppled two trees in its wake.

That moment, however, was when Goldilock returned. Her first target was Hel, knocking her off the golden changeling with a flip-kick. However, before she could even ask how Gympis was doing, she saw another unicorn about to creep up on the recovering Cori and Bloo.

In an instant, Goldilock flew behind the trees, around the still-gigantic helmet of Hel, and around to catch Jet Set by surprise. And only met the confused faces of Cori and Bloo. “You’re back! Is the dam sealed?”

“Yeah, but…”

“So’s your fates,” hissed Jet Set, swinging from the crest atop the helmet – how did he get there so fast?! thought Goldilock - and smacking into the pegasus, sending her tumbling into Cori, and then the dirt. Cori tried to get out from under Goldilock, but Jet Set was upon Goldilock, compressing them both into the twigs and dirt. Gympis would have been on Jet Set within seconds if not for Hel to charge and plunge them both through another thicket of timber.

“Something’s not right…” hissed Goldilock, her breathing labored. “He’s not supposed… to be able to move this fast….”

“Cori realized it a moment before anypony else, as ‘Jet Set’s’ skin flamed away to reveal the smirking face and whip-like tail of Prince Toxic Haze. “I just love it when you refuse to learn from your fuckin’ mistakes. Like thinking you’re the only ones that can change size.”

However, Cori was already wedging out of the crevice, Bloo’s flailing deepening the rut they were in and affording her the chance…

…to move three inches before Haze’s tail whipped around her butterfly locks and started dragging her back. “Cori cut your locks and run!”

“But this is-!”

“Now! If Haze gets you again, we’re all scre-”

Haze’s perforated hoof crushed down into Goldilock’s maw, bending it slightly with every push into the ground as the tail dragged Cori closer. “So your blabbering stops now. The first thing I’m doing is sealing that mouth closed with every last inch of me.”

Cori yanked out one of the pins from her hair, then enlarged to broadsword size. But even then she hesitated. This wasn’t just hair, this was the perfect statue of a Crystal Pony – Unaltered despite all elements and forces! Her inner pony was reiterating the lessons from the Crystal Empire Embassy well. Even Sombra couldn’t force this mutilation on a Crystal Pony! If you do this, you’ll be less than-

“And then I’ll claw apart this Crystal Pony while I fill that filly.”

Cori’s hoof moved in one backward stroke.

SWIP.

And five pounds of hair was lashed away as Cori finally fell free. “YOU LITTLE-!” Cori didn’t stick around to her whatever pointed barb Toxic Haze would send her way, physically or verbally.

Ringing around the large helmet, she barely registered the incoming Commander Hel before sliding under her. The maneuver kept Hel going forward as she struggled to recover – and with her eyes on Cori, utterly ignorant of the changeling prince incoming for the same quarry.

Both quadrupeds had a meeting of the minds as their heads collided with a sick crack, and another snap of Cori’s magic brought Hel’s helmet to semi-normal size at long last. Before either Hel or Haze could respond, the helmet was wedged over both their heads, and Cori whirled her hind legs back, ready to buck them into Everfree.

KLANGKLANGKLANGKLANGKLANG

Only for a pan to smack five times into the helmet and knock them both out. Jasmine Leaf was wielding it. “Sorry about that. Just followed the sounds of crashing steel – thought I’d find you.”

It was only then that Gympis returned. “Hel got away from me, keep an eye-” Hers then fell upon Haze and Hel, tongues lolling on the dirt before her. “-oh.”

“We’re all here now – did you get the book, and where are the other ponies?” Cori asked, yanking Goldilock to all fours and saddling Bloo atop her again, the little filly limply lying on her back from exhaustion.

“Couldn’t – the stands started getting evacuated the second someone got to the Town Guard – apparently something went down at the barracks I’ll have to wait until the place clears or Vis returns.” Jasmine pointed out. “Met Prim Posy on the way into here, she’s taken the river route back.”

“I’ll find Winter, she couldn’t have gotten far. Then I’ll go for Moon Dancer – poor thing’s literally cowering in the balloon now.” And Goldilock was off into the forest again.

“We’ll swing by the Mayor’s house and see if they need help then - garbled commentator or not, we’ve got a job to finish.”

“Commentator?”

“Yeah, apparently one of them got held back because of molting, but a griffon’s no threat to Vis.”

“Don’t think that’s the case.” Griffons preen too often to molt, at least the ones in Ponyville.”

“Then what else could it-oh no.” Cori whipped out and re-studied the back of the Iron Pony poster, her face paled as she re-read a line. “Did this line say garbled or Garble?”

“Does it matter?” Jasmine asked as the two ponies and changeling set out for Ponyville again.

“Yes, it kinda does! Because garbled is decipherable and Garble is-”

“-a bloody dragon?!”

Viscera’s trip into the Mayor’s house had been glorious at first. The pre-lim ponies were in cages, yes, but the lock was easy to break, and after assigning Rainbow Stars and Lilac Links to drag the carriages to a safe spot, they were off. Of course, Rainbow Stars had to then mention her daughter Rainberry was still in the Mayor’s house to be delivered to Shroud which the Mayor fielded her concerns with the Prince. Of course.

Man, Viscera’s inner pony just loved this day.

That was not where things went sideways-screwy though, for the transformed Viscera took a journey through two halls, a staircase, and used the last of the Poison Joke Cori collected to send the Royal Guard about to deliver Rainberry over to certain violation-happy death into a rash.

It wasn’t even when Viscera found the letter explaining exactly what it was that Mayor Mare was pointedly shouting out to Shroud two rooms below the Poison Joke smacked, almost crumpled as if trampled by Shroud’s hoof.

Mayor Mare –

You decided not to show for my sexy boys on their visit, you can cover the bill for what my boys had to wreck that day. Do keep it from happening again.

And keep those inbred Apples away from Iron Pony this time around. This is for Canterlot’s good, not those negative-IQ-nabobs – and since my previous commentator decided to molt on me, I’ve decided to send a suitable replacement. It’s a dry run for another event of mine they’ll be announcing. Make sure their tracheas are all warmed up for me.

Yours,

Queen Twilight Sparkle

No, it was when Viscera turned to make for the exit and got down one flight of stairs before an red dragon almost twice her height stumbled out with a “Sweet, finally got something to eat while I’m here mol-“ and his eyes locked onto Viscera.

That was where Viscera knew she fucked up.

“A dragon?!” Rainberry agreed as they took their fifth right through the streets and an increasingly dense collection of ponies. They were splitting away, however, as Garble swooped down after Viscera and Rainberry. Notably, Viscera had one problem with Garble that she hadn't with any other being in Ponyville up to this point: findability. Viscera had broken line of sight with this red dragon six times - through buildings, in food cards, among facade signs and pillars alike, and it had only taken seconds for Garble to sniff her out and nearly broil her and Rainberry.

Just as they galloped past Café Hay - and were running out of hidey-holes - two golden hooves swept up Viscera and Rainberry, Goldilock pumping her wings through the air. “Just followed the sounds of screaming, right?”

“Tell me about it.”

“Think that’s your job now, Gold – we’re cool on everypony else.”

Goldilock turned back to face Garble, possibly to try and deliver a kick to break pursuit – and ate a face-full of fire Rainberry shouted in fear, Viscera’s eyes bugged out and the train of momentum that the group had been on apparently smashed through a barricade and kept going since Goldilock showed no ill effect from the earful of embers she’d gotten.

“Gonna need to stress test these forms later,” mused Viscera. Goldilock, not willing to push Rainberry’s luck on where the next fire shot landed, turned around and rocketed for Everfree. “Want I should go for the river?”

“Not sure if Rainberry could survive the currents, Goldilock.”

“Plugged the dam already, Vis – and I more meant to get that atrocious odor off you!” “Where is it coming front?”

“Viscera looked to that large flaps and flakes of fossil-white material still flapping from her hooves. “Garble and I got into a grapple in the halls – he’s molting, I think this is his shed skin – eeeeurgh!”

“Great – I’ve only just got back from checking on the Board after dropping Winter and Moon Shower at the Hall, and now you’ve got half a dragon on your hooves, and we still don’t have the book! Oh, just give that to Rainberry, we’re going for the last thing on our list now!”

As Viscera obeyed, Goldilock made a beeline straight for the evacuated Iron Pony finish line. It would take only five minutes to go for the book, Viscera finally nabbing it on the stand and barely missing the Guard racing off en masse.

Iron Pony II was likely fully aborted now, as evidenced by the emptied stands, and the grab was easy for the thief. “I don’t get it, I’ve been trying to shake Garble loose for five blocks myself; how does he keep dogging us?”

“Worry about it later, the charge form this golden skin’s getting in my eye-that’s it!” Goldilock turned and swooped for a building at the end of the Market Row. For once, going through it did not result in Garble pursuing.

“Whoa, nice Goldi – what did you do?”

“Our coats are gold now – that’s what’s likely been attracting Garble! So I cut us through one of Ponyville’s treasury – should be more than enough gems in there for Garble to chomp through instead of us.” Setting down after a five-minute flight in a treehouse just outside the brightly painted red of the nearby Apple Acres’ barn, Goldilock finally de-formed over the roof. “Just gotta hope the Queen doesn’t find out…”

Just then, Gympis, Jasmine, and Cori touched down – the latter two on Gympis’s golden back – finally reuniting the group. Viscera’s one look at the shivering Cori’s heart line told the story. “Oh hell, Cori, don’t tell me somepony…”

“They did not get the chance. Cori was quite capable of defending herself.”

“Also, we just got back from the center of town, shit got crazy!”

“Bet our crazy outlasted yours, Leaf.”

It didn’t.

Alter Goldilock’s air run, Gympis, and Cori would soon meet with Winter and Jasmine. The four would take a route through the center of town, in hopes of catching up to Minuette, Lemon Hearts, Twinkleshine, and Moon Dancer in Town Hall before they got froggy and tried to bail.

For once, however, the center of the action was two streets away from the center of Ponyville, and Jasmine checked it out, Cori too shook up by the impromptu loss of her hair to immediately respond.

As Jasmine told it, it was insane. The Town Guard had been warned of a potential changeling in the midst after most of Hel’s Night Guard returned to the Iron Pony grounds and found another Commander Spearhead still there, overseeing proceedings. Naturally, the Night Guard hustled back, and after several minutes of them not showing – and the apparent scare from someone absconding with the three judges – the Town Guard rushed back to the Barracks to suit up.

What they saw was the Night Guard, almost knocked out and all collected in the jail area. The School Board was there, fully conscious – and all too eager to point out that Caramel and Beauty Grass and nearly led them to their doom from a mismanaged gas main by the Night Guard that nearly killed the Night Guard. The Night Guard, uncharacteristically given their bombastic attitude under Hel, refused to contest this.

Jasmine almost fell out of his suit when Flash Sentry arrived, dripping with water and shaking with rage, to help Spearhead arrest both Caramel and Brass when they showed up. And then to nearly do the same to Octavia when she leaped the ranks to try and strangle Beauty Brass. Even Jasmine couldn’t reckon she’d heard the last time that many expletives leave the violinist’s mouth.

But the best part came when Upper Crust and Jet Set came to yell that there was likely a break-in by the golden ponies at both the Mayor’s house and the Iron Pony’s final racing grounds. IT only took Mayor Mare and Spearhead one look at each other for them to deduce a theory.

Since neither Jet Set or Upper Crust could confer on where the close-knit ‘gold ponies’ were – heck, Jet Set hadn’t even seen one, being in a conference with Shroud and Mayor Mare when the crash of a window gave only the slightest hint of Garble taking off - clearly both accountes were unverifiable.

Viscera chuckled the most at that, finger another gem Goldilock anxiously and repeatedly asked on whether it came from the same treasury the red dragon was likely feasting in. Answers were not forthcoming on that front.

Actions were at the barracks though, from Jasmine’s perspective, as Jet Set and Upper Crust’s disputing of the record – and attempts to try and keep the Town Guard from arresting Caramel and Beauty Brass – became physical. Not too much so, as Commander Spearhead helpfully reminded them of the fact that the Queen's deal with the Canterlot ensemble only extended toward ponies other than the Guards putting hooves on them – and that what they did effectively transpired to obstruction of justice.

Cuffs were produced for the unicorn couple as well, and with the Princes all too busy tracking down Garble to bring back to Spark for abandoning his post, nopony was available to speak up for the aristocrats during their arrest.

The scene at Town Hall for Gympis, however, was different. Apparently, the judges and announcer had had previous experience with changelings, for Gympis’ reverting to her original black chitin had them on their knees before her in seconds, begging for forgiveness.

“Please don’t hurt us!” Twinkle shine asked.

“We swear, that Queen’s insane – the looks she gave us all, I’ll still be seeing it every time I close my eyes! We agreed to everything just to get away!” Twinkleshine added.

“Swear no one’s finding out about of this spot, we promise!” Minuette’s nodding head stood in danger of falling off from her intensity. Moon Dancer could not respond, her shaking like a leaf continuing interrupted since her retrieval by a different golden pony.

Thankfully, Cori had recovered enough to give them some nice counsel about how well the Queen likely rewarded failures in such a capacity, and what likely awaited them if they returned to Canterlot. Regardless of the consequence, they agreed to leave with the Princes regardless to not cause a struggle and come to a decision in Canterlot, their promise to keep the gold ponies’ names out of their maws met with a quiet nod from the changeling. From there, it was a short trip to Mayor Mare for the four unicorns, and a trip back to the treehouse for Gympis, Cori, and Jasmine.

Y’know, after the tea-shop pony had stopped laughing out a lung at how frantic Upper Crust looked when she was being cuffed on the ground.

“You should have seen it, it was freakin’ hilarious! All ‘You can do this, I’m Upper Crust, I’m the richest unicorn living today’ and then Hel – Commander Hel! – stomped right in front of her, saying ‘oh shut it Crust before I forget your fuckin’ pardon plea to the Queen, you butter-brained ditz’, and then Flash was all ‘holy shit, might be the first time I’ve agreed with you on something, and Hel was like-”

“We get it Jasmine.” Goldilock had come down from the roof at last, de-formed, and orange-haired once more. “We’ve gotta get all our stuff to the rendezvous, now that everypony’s safe.”

“As the can be in an Equestria that lunatic Twilight’s running, yeah.” Jasmine snorted.

“Come on Cori, let’s go.” Viscera’s tugs of Cori got her moving, but not her normal pace, her hooves still flying up to her massacred hair.

Their trek up the hill had them finally stand before the gate to Sweet Apple Acres’ barn. Viscera finally fished out the book, still enclosed in a sparkling golden cover, and pushed open the door. Her envisioning of whoever had employed this grand scheme for the four of them was appropriately well-connected – the four of them only known by codenames, a series of ever-changing hideaways, and the ability to not stay down when the Queen and all her men tried to put them down. To have them rescue nearly two dozen ponies in one day without being seen until the last minute had her envisioning some grandiose galloper, a possible entry into the vaunted halls of the Royal Archives , perhaps somepony in Canterlot themselves fed up to the spurs with the stark debauchery of their malevolent monarch.

Instead, it was a face Viscera knew all too well for different reasons.

“A.K. Yearling!? Goodness, I nearly got smoked by a dragon for this chicken-scratch writer?!” Yet, despite Viscera’s utter dismay at the intermediary for this scheme, the low-brimmed hat and violet cloak did not change a bit.

“Good afternoon to you too, Viscera.” A.K. voice was far more clipped than their last interview. “I assume you have the book, since I’ve heard good reports on the ponies supposedly conscripted into Iron Pony on this city’s side.”

Viscera chucked the book toward her like it had caught fire. “Take it, A.K. I just stomped through a dragon’s molt and I still think knowing I touched something you wanted’s dirtied me more.”

Yearling’s opening of the covering revealed “Hm. Daring Do and the Ring of Destiny.” Rappid whistled. “It must be quite immaculate, considering the amount of valuable material it and the cover have. Is… is this a premiere issue?”

“The very first.” And with a cursory drop into the water barrel next to her, A.K. drew up a match in her mouth, scratched it on the side of the barrel, and dropped it in, the act shocking even Viscera. “And last.”

Viscera’s eyes shot open. “Wait, what the hell was that for? You realize how much we had to go through for that?”

“Yes. And more than that, I know who it belonged to that supposedly made it possible – Queen Twilight Sparkle.”

Realization barred into Viscera like a cloud of parasprites. “My goodness. I… but how did you know?”

Face illuminated by crackling sparks of yellow and red, A.K.’s look only hardened. “Half of them were ones she pleaded with me for. Before she had wings. Said they were wonderful thing to give to one of her friends while she was recover, some prodigal little Cloudsdale prodigy by the name of... of…”

Her voice started crackling much like the flames next to her. “It doesn’t matter. Bag here’s double the bits I got for the advance for that book. It’s… yours. Hard as it may be for me to admit, you did and honest day’s work.” As Viscera hesitantly took it, another voice rang out behind her.

“And honesty’s kinda what Ah’ve been missing out on as of late.”

Four eyes turned to face the source of that statement. A tan Stetson hat, curing brim lit up by the flames just behind them in a woven barrel she’d likely made. Blond hair tied into a tight braid. White freckles that stood out against her orange-coated face, worn with the effort of trying times as well as hard-earned satisfaction. And a cutie mark of three apples emblazoned on her flank.

Cori had finally stopped fiddling with her hair, gaping like she’d seen the face of Celestia once more – one attached to a body, in this case.

Rappid had taken several steps back, but her look still betrayed her wonder.

“The Element of Honesty herself…” was the only response from the changeling.

Viscera’s rejoinder came in two words. “No. Way.”

“Believe that’s your true employer.” A.K. smile almost looked alien on her face, but it was warm all the same. “And she doesn’t concur that there’s no way to fight the Twilight.”

1.4 Cloudominium

<~~~>

“…Mac, Ah’ve already tried every other route! There’s no way to stop Twilight now, especially with that blasted Alicorn Amulet ‘round her neck!”

Viscera looked around wildly. Again, Sweet Apple Acres’ main barn loomed over her – but each of its red-planked walls stood out brightly in the rich sunlight. It was also empty except for her and two other ponies - one she’d met when breaking through to Sugarcube Corner during the Ponyville fires, and the other not even minutes ago after seeing A.K. (that arson-happy hack!) set the very prize of the Iron Pony competition on fire.

Granted, A.K. had also landed her enough bits since then to buy out the printing press that made that book, but still.

“Ah still don’t like this, A.J.” Would wonders never cease, that big red stallion Mac could talk! “We already lost Bloom an’ Fritter – how’dya think Granny’s gonna take it if we lose you too?”

“Which is why ah’m not gonna be here when I meet ‘em!” Applejack’s voice was hushed. Did Twilight scare her that much? “Ah hate this sneaking around – but we can’t afford to miss this shot! I’m heading to see those three Celestia introduced to me with Jubilee, an’ that’s that!”

“Well…. be quick about it! Granny’s been takin’ longer and longer to get to Sugarcube… an’ Ah think it’s b’cause she's…”

Applejack’s hoof settled on Mac’s should before he could finish, his big shoulders heaving in tandem with his sobs. “Don’t Ah know. Mine ain’t doin’ that well either.”

The hoof on Mac’s shoulder finally fell away, as Applejack turned toward the door. It was then that Viscera saw a diamond-inlaid dress, its edge peeking out of one of the saddles.

One such diamond twinkled on the hay-lined flooring underneath them both, fallen from its mooring.

“Don’ worry Mac. Cheerilee’s still got the other foals in the schoolhouse calm. Don’t know how’d Ponyville deal if something happened to those fillies as it did mah… our sister.”

Viscera’s heart trembled in that same tempo. No matter how much she despised this… well, not this palpitation, but that it happened so often in a city she supposed sought out for its solace. And with that sentence the orange earth pony uttered, she knew it was before… the unthinkable occurred in this city. The helplessness in the face of a family’s ruination was no longer alien.

Not to her.

Not to Applejack.

That look on the orange earth Pony’s face was only a mirror’s surface away for the phantom overseeing this time-twisted proceeding.

“Ayup.” There was that soft-spoken stallion Viscera knew and busted barricades with again.

”An’ for Trix, Spike n’ Princess Cadance… I only hope they found who they were lookin’ for,” sighed Applejack. “Ain’t been much time that passed since the Spitfire n’ the other ‘Bolts got killed.”

“Nnope.” Big Mac morosely prodded the ground. “But Sugar Belle’s… been a great help.”

“Yeah.” Some brightness returned to Applejack’s voice. She was almost to the door. “All the work we’ve been doing to spread the word about Twilight and Dash, she’s been there with us the whole way. An’ her hometown’s a great sanctuary to consider, too… in case the worst happens.”

“Shouldn’t be the case,” reassured Mac. “Don’t think Twilight’s insane enough to push her luck that hard after killin’ the Wonderbolts.”

The orange earth pony shook her head. “Didn’t think she’d kill Zecora to get a trinket we fought Trixie so hard for, either. This alliance I’m overseein’… it prob’ly won’t be needed.”

The beautiful yellow sunlight bled into Sweet Apple Acres’ interior. How long had it been since so natural a piece of the sky had felt so… inviting? Instead of penetrating? Perverting?

“But if it is, and mah discovery’s right…” And Applejack passed that large door, turning to finish her reassurance to her brother. “… that very Amulet might become its bearer’s end this go-around.”

<~~~>

“-hink it started with losin’ Apple Bloom.”

Viscera returned to reality. Again her eyes swung back and forth. Her flicking tail finally produced a possible culprit for the vision she’d had knocked into her head – that very same detached diamond from the dress in her vision, stuck in a knot in her tail as it swept the ground.

A flick brought it back to terra firma, and Viscera returned her attention to what was in front of her. Much as she could, with what was now the third time she had done something she clearly couldn’t do normally.

Although her entire time here seemed to be full to the rafters with shit she couldn’t do normally.

With the fire that had fed on Daring Do and the Ring of Destiny having long turned to ash, the welling light form several lanterns was the only illumination in the Sweet Apple Acres barn. Viscera, Rappid, Gymips, and Cori were all nestled together. Applejack and A.K. Yearling facing them.

Applejack’s head slowly listed downward as she continued. “Ah had t’get my head straight – it’d been a while since Ah’d had one o’mah own die b’fore their time. Then knowin’ she was murdered. Ah’d wanted nothin’ more than to gallop into the Badlands and stomp the life outta that wretch Chrysalis mahself.”

Viscera was rapt at attention now. Slowly but surely, the crimson pony was starting to get a grasp of the havoc Twilight’s ascension to queendom – and the bodies left in its wake – had wrought on this town she’d originally sought out for refuge.

“Imagine mah shock when I found out later that it was… our own Element of Magic,” The farm mare was clearly fighting back the urge to throw out a nastier barb. Maybe she’s trying not to remember this, Cori herself thought, looking back to her mauled hair. Almost immediately, shame at lamenting over so trivial a part of herself surged through her like cider.

“She wasn’t even supposed t’be on this end o’Equestria, and yet she’d gotten to mah sister? Her and Zecora… and I think y’know how it all fell apart from there.”

Actually, this is the first I’ve heard of what happened after that alibrat’s arrest, Viscera didn’t say. Her inner pony scolded her for holding back so much from a person so invested in fighting the Queen without the benefit of magic-deflecting coats. Viscera reminded it of how well that’d worked out for the last two alicorns. This is more of a reason you should be accommodating, came the inner retort.

“I couldn’t imagine what that was like,” Finally, Rappid’s voice cut through the battle Viscera was fighting.

A.K. Yearling, still next to Applejack, solemnly nodded. “Some things are not meant to be experienced. And yet too many in this city and beyond already have.”

Fucking ominous, ainnit? Viscera thought.

“But now, we’ve found ways to turn back the tide.”

“Fucking reassuring, ainnit?” That came out loud.

Rappid swatted at Viscera’s side. “Quiet.”

Yearling thanked the Mayor. Then, “The efforts here have been sporadic, but as this day has shown, you provide a critically valuable multiplier to our efforts.”

“It… did feel like we were in the deep end of the water, though,” Cori pointed out, a slight shudder accentuating her words. “No offense.”

“Sorry, Cori.” Applejack, finally, crossed the distance between delegator and diplomat, taking up Cori’s hooves in her own. “The ask was high ‘cuz the risk is. I don’t wanna mention exactly how we found out, but the Queen,” and here, her voice adopted a harsh growl. “Won’t take well to us bein’ directing involved with you.”

“Appreciate you saying ‘nuts’ to that and everything.” Now it was Rappid’s turn to be startled by Viscera in a positive way.

“Also, I’ve gained some… insight into what it is you’ve acquired that’s given you such longevity.” A.K. immediately presented one singular page from within her cloak. “You’re – well, the original versions of the forms you take – are called Thestrels.”

“Thestrels…?”

“Right. Apparently, A.K. says they’re from a race o’ ponies almost as old as the Sphinx,” Applejack’s hoof tapped on the side of the paper Yearling had reveled the ancient visage of the fanged equine on it dipping under her pressure. “Not much on em’ – part o’the reason A.K’s headin’ to Appleloosa, really – but they’re hardy. Tougher than sun-dried leather, twice as dangerous when banded together.”

“And soon about to be the talk of the Crystal Empire’s caretakers,” Yearling nodded curtly. “I’ll be taking my notes on this and what I find in Appleloosa to Cadance.”

“With any luck, we might be able to rustle out the biggest roundup Equestria's ever seen – ‘gainst the Queen and her court all in one.”

Applejack’s grateful grin returned.

“But for now, y’can rest – Ah’d reckon you’ll need to keep a low profile till the next task is up. If Big Mac’s right, I already owe ya plenty for keepin’ Granny Smith safe durin’ the Riots. “

“Stayin’ around for Pinkie might help you some too.” Before Viscera could stop herself, those words escape, and her error almost made her wish to spend her own millennia on the moon.

Applejack raised an eyebrow at this, a “How so?” escaping her looks.

“Well… I mean….” There were many ways this could go wrong now for Viscera. She’d heard plenty from Cori about Holiday. “Four Elements together are better than none, right?” Cheesy enough to work, right?

“Need all six for the true power to shine, though,” Applejack corrected her. “An’ if the actions of a third of ‘em are any indication…”

“And the issue of Princes would make such reconciliation improbable as well – if the queen’s corruption is enough to turn a hiveless one against Chrysalis…”

“Hey now! Your Chrysalis ain’t some simple street litterer!” “Much as Twilight’s done on her own to ruin Equestria, she’s the same being that nearly took Princess Cadance’s place –and her life – to conquer Equestria!”

Gympis’ nostrils flared at this. “Conquering that was done since this land would never have us after learning of our means of survival, Element!”

“Wait, Gympis!” Cori shoved her way between the arguing quadrupeds. “We shouldn’t be fighting each other – especially not after knowing we’re both after the same goal! We’re all together now – let’s have what we do now show our character!” The Crystal Pony’s voice wavered at this. “L-like it’s showed Queen Twilight’s.”

Everyone present in that bar busied themselves with studying the floor at that moment. Regardless, for all of them – Viscera especially, knowing who well her profession would be regarded in the town that hadn’t suffered the loss of most of its fillies, by the actions of two of its formerly lauded and ironically named Elements of Harmony – the impact of Cori’s words hit like a Cragadile to the solar plexus. Rappid especially, looking toward the bright red bow sitting on the precipice against.

“I think that belongs to Fritter or Bloom?” The white pegasus’ hoof slowly extended toward the knotted fabric.

“Yeah. It’s Bloom’s.” Applejack answered. “Commander Spearhead was… nice enough to bring it to me some days ago… when they moved the bodies. Still… waiting on Fritter and Braeburn’s, but they’re still in Canterlot.” Suddenly she was pacing the floors again. “Ain’t that optimistic, mahself.”

“Rappid!” Cori’s ears perked. “You said before that Dash was clearly manipulated – maybe getting her to act on stuff like this could be our way to break through to her!”

“Not likely, with whatever spell Twilight’s got over her.” Rappid’s eyes narrowed. “And I will seethe others around that vile Queen stopped first, like that monster that drowned Dinky in…” A cloying heave came from the Cloudsdale Mayor, threatening to disturb the dust and hay streaming the barn’s floor. “Goddess, even thinking of it sickens me!”

Gympis stomped the ground with her forelegs and flared her wings to full mast.

“I will see this apparent misconduct within Toxic Haze for myself – until then, I must announce from this on onward, that I will not strike that changeling!”

Rappid bristled at this. “After all he’s done?! And you’re willing enough to go after his boytoy!”

“And I shall continue to.” Gympis drew herself to full height. “Unlike Haze, I feel nothing for this Prince Shroud. His end holds no concern to me. But I shall not fire a spell against my race’s equivalent of an orphan. It is… beyond comprehension. And I will not abandon my changeling standards to see him subdued.”

A gasp spilled from Cori’s lips. “That prince is an orphan?!” the junior ambassador nearly shrieked. “I didn’t even know? An-and yet he threatened so much… evil on me and Rappid!”

“Look, ride this pipe dream all you want,” A.K. grumbled, her amber coat flushing with indignation even as Cori’s shivering made her body curl in on itself. “But not while that foalfidding fanatic Twilight’s in power. Way too many know of your presence here. I’d rather not the last hope of all Equestria was smoked out when you quashed your reputations from playing ‘Let’s Spare the Sadists’.”

Viscera took several slow, decisive steps toward the author at this. “Know how much it tans my hide to say this…” And the crimson pony drew in a long breath. “… but you’re right. Sympathy for those devils comes after Equestria’s exorcised ‘em. However that happens – for all of them – I’m down.”

“Hear, hear,” Rappid nodded, though her eyes met nopony as she spoke. Cori looked uneasy, but nodded. Gympis’ look wouldn’t have looked out of place if Viscera had run over her favorite pet, but the changeling did not protest.

Applejack’s smile gained a little more rigidity. “Thanks, again, for all this. I know it’s not your fight, but…”

“Wasn’t Zecora’s, Apple Bloom’s or those poor fillies at the Schoolhouse’s, either,” Rappid‘s eyes retuned to “But we’re not gonna wait for death to rap on our doors and rape our beloved.”

“Well, we’ve gotta get back to the shop,” drawled Viscera. “We’ve got some repairs and rest to get done before any further tasks.”

“Might not have ta’ – one of the ponies in Rose’s shop wanted to know from A.K. when you got here.” Applejack’s hoof swiftly pointed to the moon hanging lazily in the small window atop the highest arch in the barn.

“She’ll be up by first light tomorrow. Wanted t’make sure you go something important before you went on your next mission.”

Viscera’s curious stare deepened. “Enlighten me.”

“Yo-you’re all fuckin’ despicable, is what you-ggglglub!”

Granny Smith only chuckled at Viscera’s invective. With Big Mac holding down the now three-pony-wide rain barrel to counteract the crimson pony’s struggles, and Pina Colada emptying another load of shampoo into the frothing mix crashing over its sides, there were quite some obstacles to Viscera making good on her threat. Of course, the two most prominent were the fuchsia hooves of Berryshine massaging the soapy mix into Viscera’s collar and ribcage, while Cori did the same with the pony’s pink-to-red locks. Even logged down with water and suds, the layered tousles of Viscera mane resembled the petals of a rose. (Well, a wilting one, Cori airily thought.)

Nevertheless, the soaked thief would not let the dying dregs of her reputation go without a fight. “Out of all – all! – the bullblulululhit I’ve braved, you dare do this Corblblbulbluh!”

“Don’t include me in this equation, Vis,” tittered A.K., leaning on the barn’s side door at the show before her. “I, for one, couldn’t be happier to still be here right now.”

The look Viscera shot Yearling could have vaporized the wooden wall behind the author. “Do you not have everywhere else to blublbul-be right now?” A particularly nasty splash by Cori after three failed attempts to straighten out her hair had the Crystal Pony halted her speech.

“Will be within the hour, actually,” A.K finally unmoored herself from the Sweet Apple Acres barn, snagging an apple on her trek back to the side of the house. “I’m waiting on A.J..”

“Plus, I wouldn’t be so quick on wanting to see that Express go, actually,”Cori replied. “By the way, you’re done. Hop on out.”

Viscera was out of the makeshift bathtub within seconds, shaking dry her mane and coat and nearly drowning Berry shine as she fetched a towel next to Big Mac. A pair of shorts hid the crimson pony’s flanks from view, a lighter shade of black than the dust and debris-matted trunks and hooded barding lying next to Pina in a crumpled heap.

“What, haven’t seen enough of me already?” came a reply that could have sounded saucy were it not the growl not overtaking Viscera’s voice.

As the fluffy white wrap found its way around Viscera’s haunches courtesy of Berryshine, “My seeing isn’t the issue now, it’s my hearing. How do you inhale half this tub and still find time to talk my ears off?” One spark from Cori’s horn and the worn water barrel was back to its normal size, though sitting in a nicely muddied pit in the otherwise bare lawn of Sweet Apple Acres.

“Sorry I’ve drawn your concern to the soap in my mouth and not the knife in my back,” The second Cori moved a hoof-step toward her with a blow dryer, Viscera snarled out, “Don’t touch me.”

Cori shot a disbelieving look at Viscera, Berryshine quite obviously in contact with the mare as she massaged the towel into her neck. “But… right, never mind.” Her dryer found its way into Pina Colada’s hooves instead, the filly put it to model use ballooning out her cheeks and gums in its powerful air jet.

A puttering of hooves brought forth the doctor thereof from inside the house next to the barn, his brown mane flush with droplets much like Viscera’s as he approached Cori. “I have to say, Miss Cori, your new look is… rather welcome.”

Cori's eyes shot upward, following Dr. Hooves’. Her hair, formerly a mess from her impromptu escape from Prince Toxic Haze, had been neatly sliced down from its once-majestic fountain of tresses. Now, what remained curved out from her skull, before swooping up into a slightly curled plateau at her head. Its resemblance to the framed diamond on her flank was not overlooked. “Had to make do.”

“Better it’s that part of ya in that changeling colluder’s hooves than… others,” Granny Smith bristled.

“Eeyup,” concurred Mac.

“Seems ‘others’ were on the menu last night already,” A.K. pondered. “Look up.”

The sunlight looked almost clean again, vivid shots of yellow threading the canvas above. The orange-red backdrop remained, but it did look like an early afternoon rather than a harrowing aura from an all watching eye in the sky. “Ah’d reckon that’s the nicest the sun’s looked in almost a week.” The elderly green earth pony gave the aforementioned celestial body a quick once-over.

The amber-coated author’s frown did not falter.

“Now consider who owns its orbit – and what such mercy means.”

Viscera, halfway through slipping on her trunks, paused for what even she felt was a second too long. “Yeah.” Beside her, Berryshine was rubbing at the spots on her forelegs where spikes and wood had pierced days ago.

It took but another second for Viscera to slip on her backwear and rush to the house’s door. “Gonna go in with, Berry?”

“Not too happy anyone’s goin’ though that, actually,” Berryshine had only half-listened to the thief’s words.

“I meant to find other clothes, luv.”

Berryshine’s face turned the same color as the strawberries on her flanks. “H-happy to, Vis!” Leaving it to Cori to pull her blowdryer away from Colada’s cheeks, the plum-coated pony followed Viscera into Sweet Apple Acres’ lodging.

Stashing her instrument insider her tail after a quick shrink with her magic, Cori turned to find A.K. Yearling dumping a loose-bound stack of parchment into her hand. Before the Crystal Pony could even ask for one, Yearling explained. “Copies from my Almanac.”

“And it’ll have more on the Thestrels?”

“You bet.”

The gift was safely sized down and nestled in Cori’s mane before Dr. Hooves could reach her. When he did, however… “I’ve something else to depart upon you. From the Princess herself.”

Five minutes later, Viscera was out of the barn house. Another cut of form-fitting rawhide had finally found its way onto her shoulders the coating of reddened feather down fused to it making her look like a griffon once more. Her mask was securely nestled around her face to finish the look, the curve of its fake beak bobbing as she spoke.

“Cori – we’re still gonna be talking about you springing this on me. I clean up just fine myself – as our four trips into the Brook already showed!”

“Might want to make it quick, I might not have the time for it.” The drop in Cori’s cheery tone should have been the first clue of trouble, but Viscera’s ears were too cloaked by hooded cotton to notice.

“Last time, luv, I was kidding on that ‘ten-second head start’ thing,” Viscera grumbled. “I understand your reasons for keeping me fresh – just not in some barrel, like Winona was in!”

Finally, Cori shoved an envelope in Viscera’s face. Her ears perked up through the slits she’d cut in her hood at last, raising in awe at the studded seal holding it closed.

“Looks important.”

“Don’t even need to open it to know why, too.” “It’s from Princess Cadance. She wants me to report on my exploits here in Ponyville. Face-to-face.”

“But wouldn’t that mean...”

“Yeah” And Cori’s dreading sigh finally parted the grass below her hooves. “I’m leaving Ponyville.”

… and the blockade over this city must be ended. Helpful as it initially was to Cloudsdale’s safety, the repeat efforts by the Princes to demoralize and defile them has not abated with our lack of presence – the opposite, in fact.

And with Princess Dash’s visit incoming, us leaving Cloudsdale open to her and not this town would send a horrible message about our priorities – especially with our rash actions in the wake of her original incarceration that preceded the creation of this city’s emergency mayoral office, to begin with.

Again, I call for this to abate. My mission here was to preserve and present the strength of this fair city. I have sent you so many of the pegasi in this city, and this town’s continuing strength is present in spades – for how much longer, rests on your decision. For their sake, their Mayor’s sake… and those still left behind.

Mayor Rappid Fires

Rappid worked her jaw to free herself of the strain from holding a quill in it. Despite herself, the seating nearby Town Hall offered a great vantage point over Ponyville, much as she thought it shouldn’t be soaked in, considering…

Well, aren’t my words just the choicest.

Rappid’s visual tour of the Market seemed livelier than before in this tragic week. And it came from one of their flagship events being called off mid-swing! Yet, before the white-spotted pegasus was the bustling life of the market, ponies running to and fro to buy as much produce as they could fit into saddlebags.

It was almost… normal, again.

And then Rappid’s eyes fixed itself on the Town Center’s newest landmark and that feeling dried up.

Two cordoned lakes now sat to the right of the Town Hall, thankfully to the opposite of the building’s front façade. While the shimmer of the pools provided a great reflective surface, the haphazard construction around it betrayed its true purpose – the ridges around the pit still held slivers of red, red that used to be on the inside of the former diarchs of Equestria, one dethroned, one deceased. And the slices still visible at the center of the pool, leading between the ‘legs’ of the dirt angels imprinted dead center in these lake beds showed just what had occurred to Celestia and Luna before being spirited away by one of the town’s own.

Assuming they still were.

Or, Rappid’s traitorous mind added, assuming the city could survive denying Queen Twilight.

“You called us, Miss Rappid?”

Tearing her eyes away from the couple solemnly starting at the pools, Rappid’s eyes turned to the welcoming pair of Filthy Rich. Spoiled was a step behind him, fidgeting.

“Yes, of course,” Rappid motioned to the second wire-framed seat next to her., Nestled on it was pair of saddlebags, the diamonds embroidered in it still twinkling in the shadows of the Hall’s canopy. “Believe that’s Spoiled’s stuff. Apologies, but the Zap Apple Jam was shattered by the time the Town Guard got to it. I’ve got the bits for it myself.”

“You’re very kind – but I can’t take money from a person who happened upon a crime scene.” Filthy smiled.

“Speaking of which, Spoiled: you sure you’re okay? Cori wanted to be here to ask, but she had some washing up to do.”

“Lucky her,” snorted Spoiled Rich. “But… yes. The Guards that manhandled me were a challenge, but… nothing I couldn’t handle.” A twitch accompanied her snout as she continued. “Comparatively.”

“Let me guess. The Massacre?” If those five words of Rappid fell any harder, lakes would have to have been constructed around them too.

Filthy’s grin vanished like quicksilver. Spoiled’s snout crinkled harder. “We’d had to get the news from Rarity. She and Spoiled…”

Seeing Spoiled shoot an utterly devastating look at him made Rappid’s heart recoil.

“… their grief was immeasurable. Lucky Clover and I split the cost for that lake memorial to… well, our departed Princess Celestia.” Filthy Rich hedged. “It will have to settle in place of a grave, since-”

“No one knows where the rest of her is,” Spoiled’s purple mane almost seem to curl up further in her fiery rage.“Except for the heartless bitch who slew her.”

Filthy finished affixed Spoiled’s saddlebags onto her, then turned to the Cloudsdale mayor once more. “I can only assume you’ve suffered a similar loss, too.”

“Yes and no,” Rappid muttered. “Listen, if this is all, I’d… like to see the memorial for myself. Up close.”

As it was, the Rich family was right next to her as she did. The plague before the pool They were gazing into was marked with a silver sun - clearly where Celestia had fallen. The couple next to them – Vinyl Scratch and had the crescent moon on a far-blacker pedestal. Both issued the same words, stamped in cursive: Pools of the Fallen Sisters.

Rappid couldn’t help but hear the conversation from Octavia this point, low as her aristocratic purr of a sound was as it drifted. “Vinyl I…. don’t know what to say,”

“I could think of something. Especially in regards to what you’ve got on the… going-on from the Queen,” Even if she hadn’t known that was Gympis in disguise, the oddly inquisitive tone from the otherwise bombastic DJ would have set off Rappid’s alarm bells.

“Oh Vinyl! I’d thought your concern over Canterlot was insanity before, but – goodness, what has Beauty Brass done?!” Octavia’s voice cracked in her sorrow. “I’d never been so enraged, but this is unforgivable! Hel’s Guard would have had us all killed, and for what? Some golden renegades keeping her from her latest bout of besmirching?! And Brass helped her?”

“I… may know what it is like to be torn between one of your own and those that they are stuck with,”

Octavia’s frown curled in disgust. Not at Vinyl, though. “Stuck with. Indeed.” “But I cannot hold that against you.”

A light sniffle shook the grey-coated violinist’s frame.

“You’ve likely seen plenty of depravities in Canterlot. It means… so much that you’ve chosen me over it all, especially knowing what Jet Set and Upper Crust have been up to.”

“I…” Rappid’s eyes narrowed. Were Cori’s lessons with the changeling about to peter out now?

“I could hardly doubt it eclipses yours. Talking of it could… help us both.”

It seemed not.

“You’re too kind, Vin.” Octavia swabbed at her cheeks. “I must look a wreck! Yet you’ve been nothing but patient with me.”

Taking a deep breath, Octavia continued. This time, Spoiled Rich’s ears perked up too, even braced as she was at the thin white swoops and curves of the chest-high fence over the lake.

“I always thought true magic came from impressions, rather than instigation. I pride myself on my music, and the various practitioners of it. Surely if a mare’s duty produced something so beautiful in the world, they must be beautiful too. And I confess, that was why I’d long been annoyed at your antics. I was short-sighted. All that I said to you when I learned you were headed to Canterlot to accompany Sapphire Shores… well… I’ve learned what true insensitivity since, and I apologize for my actions.”

Octavia drew in a deep breath and continued. “But what passed my notice the most – what I regret not seeing in you most often – was that impressions not only come from the instruments you use, but the purpose in which you use them for. You were… clearly drawn to that ‘Pony of Pop’ because you both strove to bring Equestria out from the shadows that scoundrel of a Queen, Twilight Sparkle, cast upon it. Upon us. Upon all in that school.”

Rappid winced.

“And I should have seen that sooner. You’d never see to hurt me, or anypony. Because without those bonds that bind… then it really is every mare for themselves. Then… Brass does what she did.” Octavia finished. “And we’re left to pick out the rubbish and leave the stage, as the other acts go on.”

A bright grin cut DJ Pon-3’s face at this. “Then you should do what I would have!”

And the Cloudsdale Mayor’s heart thumped loudly in fear again.

“Find Brass and find out why she did what she did! Mystery can’t be maintained in the face of such an action!” Rappid steeled herself for Octavia’s reaction. This was far bolder than her previous inroads.

“Y-you’re right. But not now. Perhaps after Princess Dash’s visit. When I have the strength to face her. Without trying to kill her.”

The quizzical look that the DJ doppelganger shot Rappid would have stunned her. But regardless, Rappid mouthed to her the intent to purse that lead now if the violinist wouldn’t.

Turning to The Rich family, she responded. “Heading to the county office. Anypony asks, let them know where I’ve gone.”

“As you wish,” Spoiled replied. “Was nice of you to see some part of Equestria still works as it should.”

The pink mare’s eyes were on the arriving Lucky and Wild Clover, and Rappid could see the argument brewing on her tongue. Determined to avoid further chaos outside Mayor Mare’s front door, Rappid quickly approached them.

As it turned out, a harsh reminder that Spoiled was back in possession of a heavy piece of hardware with as long a reach of her arm got the Clover couple superglued to her.

Which was good, since her newest meeting with Brass and Caramel dovetailed with another’s.

“TWO counts of conspiracy to commit sexual crimes...”

Well, this attempt to wring answers from Brass was likely dying on Spearhead’s loud rapport.

“THREE counts of kidnapping – be lucky Mayor Mare counted per cage and not per pony…”

Rappid soldered up. “So, about the actions you committed. I need to know why.”

Beauty Brass, that petrified blue earth pony, was fast to respond. “W-well, Mayor, it started when they were setting appointments at the spa four days ag-

“And Celestia knows how many counts of bribery, since it’d reach from here to wherever the rest of her body is!” Spearhead bellowed in the way-too-calm face of Jet Set.

“…and H-Hel wanted entertainment since she’d be in Canterlot during Dash’s visit here…” Beauty Brass’ eyes were not on Rappid. The white-speckled pegasus both praised and cursed this development.

“This is more than enough to put you and Upper Crust under this jail until your Queen gets grey hairs!”

Were it not for the events she’d seen at Iron Pony, Rappid might have dragged Spearhead from his position in front of Jet Set. As it was, her prodding was only directed to the blue mare before her.

“H-Hel was going to go for Vinyl! Octavia loved her, I had no choice!” blubbered the musician, her head in her hooves at this point. “But then I saw her at the Theater, and then… oh god, what have I done?!”

“So tell me, right now, with Upper Crust in the Town Guard barracks for nearly breaking her horn headbutting Flash…”

Rappid strained to ignore Spearhead. “That doesn’t explain the Board!”

Brass broke further. “They just said that they’d be a better audience for whatever Hel wanted to do! I thought it was going to be for a recital or something, not this Iron Pony mess!”

“With neither Flash or Hel lifting so much as a wing-feather to help you scurry back to Canterlot…”

“And Caramel?” Rappid continued.

“He said he’d make the charges against me when I panicked over Cranky vanish; said he was good with the Board! I didn’t know it was because of Lucky pleasedon’tletSpearheadhurtmeple-“

“-tell me why the unholy fuck you’re so calm!”

Both Rappid and Brass finally turned to face Jet Set at this. Despite sharing a cell with the utterly-dirt-wreaked Caramel – who’d curled into a ball of shivering fur from Spearhead’s tirade long ago – Jet Set looked like he’d simply had a drink order misplaced rather than the risk of spending the rest of his life behind Ponyville-brand irons.

This made his cold response chill Rappid to her core. “That’s exactly it though, Commander. I’m calm because none of this matters.” Not even a smile accompanied his words. “The Mayor your town’s instability has stranded here can attest to that.”

“Stranded?!” Rappid was in his face within seconds. “I’m where I’m most needed – and when Cloudsdale sees it, you’ll never see me again.”

“Clever.” Jet Set slowly adjusted his glasses and shirt collar. “I do hope it’s fast. This town’s wake-up call may be faster.”

“Your cryptic bullshit’s a quick way to get placed under this ground instead of arrest, Set.” Spearhead’s hooves clanged against his bars, breaking a shriek from Caramel.

Right at the door, the once-silent Wild Clover and Lucky Clover gasped, Lucky only getting out at “Now hold on, Commander! Set’s scum, but-” before Wild Clover clasped his mouth shut with her hoof.

“Silver Spoon, was it? Burned by Toxic, 3:28?” Seriously, a pony in a prison should not sound this disinterested! Every alarm bell Rappid had was blaring red at this point, even more than her vision “Funny. Even your protocols are so archaic they can be breached. Again, I wish you both the best.”

The shrieking of Wild finally had Rappid shoving both Clovers out of the door, in an inverse of how she expected this scene to go. Right now, however, her morbidity could not be disturbed by any of them rushing the bars and Jet Set beyond them.

Jet Set’s voice would still follow her like a bugbear. “So much complacency in this land, and it took us by Luna’s creaming to see it. No turning back now, anyhow. For all of us.”

“Don’t worry, the peace-disturbance this qualifies as should give you plenty of time to reconsider your life choices!” Rage rocked through the Pegasus, but Spearhead’s words came quicker than hers. “Now get to your point!”

“Not just my point. It’s the point of Iron Pony, of my arrest, even the allowance of so many to escape us. Because even if Hel doesn’t respect my generosity, a higher power in Equestria does.”

Jet Set… was that a chuckle? Rappid felt ill. Spearhead slammed against the bars again, the wrought metal giving only slightly under his armored shoes. Jet Set continued, with that same maddening tilt of a voice. “You’ve loitered with this town for so long. So often. I admire the innocence it grants you. Not knowing what Canterlot keeps behind its doors. What it wants to keep there.”

Giving one last piteous look to Beauty Brass, Rappid finally gave up and left. She would gain nothing from this.

The start of Jet Set’s last words, however, would haunt her much later. “So I’ll prepare you, this once, for what will happen. Or rather… what Princess Dash will ensure won’t happen. To me.”

“Goodness, Silver was our pride and joy.”

Rappid’s trot back to the Center to deliver her missive to Cloudsdale eked this statement from Lucky Clover after her heartfelt apology for putting them through Jet Set’s barbs. Apparently, the clean sunlight in this town was enough to bare a lot of ponies’ souls this day.

Lucky’s came first.

“Just after we patched things up, even. Wild Clover, she had this whole chain of chopshops – you’ve heard of them? ‘Wild Fire Sales’, after her maiden name?” Rappid nodded slightly. She’d noticed a branch in Cloudsdale for the chariots often designed for the Equestria games “We disagreed on the money from it so often. But one time, after a spat over… hooficures? I barely know.”

Wild Clover took over for Lucky. “Nevermind. We made up. Don’t know how but we did, married, and got the business going across five Equestrian towns. Some years later, Silver Spoon came up, and Lucky… Lucky over here really got into ensuring her schooling would be perfect.” Wild Clover added.

“That’s amazing.” Then why did a pang of pain shoot through Rapid’s chest at this?

“Got her in good with the Rich family too,” “Then Lucky got into the board too – We couldn’t tell Silver though – didn’t want her to start leaning on that instead of her brains.”

And suddenly the reason became clearer. Rappid knew how this story ended. So did they.

“But then…” Lucky Clover’s voice failed him as they got the post office. “Then Twilight returned to this town, and…” It failed again. Rappid turned her head further downward, to keep either of them from hearing her tortured sniffle.

“Just tell us, Mayor… they’re not gonna get away with this, right?” Wild Clover almost begged. Would it be inappropriate to say she switched gears? Asked Rappid’s inner self? No. It probably wouldn’t.

But she would have to.

For their sakes and hers.

“Not on my damn watch. Both your pain ends here.”

Then she saw the shadow of movement, back atop one of the medicine shops. A pony above the roof. Waving.

Was that… Rappid’s eyes widened. Viscera? But what for?

“Don’t worry: It shouldn’t be for more than a day – I’ll make sure of it.”

Reassured Rappid was not. Beside her, in the train station, Viscera tried for a more diplomatic approach with Cori. “We’re gonna be hitched with another job soon – how’re we getting through it without your planning like last time?”

“Oh, that’ll be done. Dr. Hooves was nice enough to shoot my suggestions to our newest intermediary.” Cori said. “But… I do have time for some counsel before I leave.”

“Rappid? I know the issue with Featherweight has you spooked, but you’ve gotta remember – above all else, your reason for staying here is to prevent more of him. Don’t lose track of that.”

“Won’t. Not anymore,” Was Vis’s mind playing tricks on her, or was the mayor’s tone a touch more somber than it was when she’d left for the Hall? But Cori was already turning to Gympis, again a changeling in the safety

“Gympis? You’ve done wondering so far with oratory, but the next step involves you knowing when the right time is to reveal stuff. If at all – sometimes little lies can keep you from losing something special. But remain true to yourself.” The changeling nodded in the affirmative.

“Not likely, luv.” Viscera snorted. “More you conceal, the more it hurts.”

Rappid raised an eyebrow. “Speaking from experience?”

Help me! Cried the pony from the thief’s nightmares.

“Not in the least.”

“And Vis?” Cori’s pointed star was the only hint the crimson pony had at Cori’s acknowledgment to her rebuttal. “You’ve shown most of the biggest changes of us all here, both as a pony and as a Thestrel. Don’t forget who made them possible, or let those changes overwhelm you.”

“I’ll keep an eye out.” The smile Viscera gave off on that statement did reassure the Crystal Pony in terms of her mischievous side staying intake.

“Speaking of which, the intermediary’s behind you,” And with a swirl of blue-green robes, Cori was safely enclosed in her newest of traveling cloaks, the form-hugging fabric a masterpiece of design.

“I’ll be back by the end of tomorrow.”

And Cori was out of the front door.

“So will your next client for the debrief. Merciful minks, it’s… reliving to see you again.” Rappid, Gympis, and Viscera all turned to face the familiar voice.

“Sassy Saddles?”

To Viscera, Sassy was almost unrecognizable without that smattering of gore – a very welcome subtraction from her frame this time around. “Goodness, you’re a sight better than last.”

“We both have Cori to thank for that, so I’ve heard from Hooves.” There was still a waver in the slender unicorn’s voice, but her pose held firm. “As you do for the take you’ll have for this task, Vis.”

“Which is?”

Sassy’s pulse of power from her horn locked the train station’s door, the next shuttering every window. “Recon and retrieval. Our… new Princess…” and Sassy’s voice took on a decidedly icy tone. “… Is gracing us with her and two Wonderbolts’ presence.”

Viscera’s look visibly darkened. Gympis would only raise an eyebrow. “You have a plan to get her away from the Queen?” Rappid asked.

“She’s where she deserves to be.”Rappid’s look wilted in the face of Saddles’ retort. “And our goal doesn’t involve you meeting at all. You’ll need to record her movements and intents. And tag something of hers we know she’ll be taking back with her.”

“Tag?” Gympis spoke this time.

“Yes. Our benefactor has some gems she’s fine-tuned to catch Dash’s voice near the implant.” Sassy waved a hoof forward. “You’ll have it only after you get the objet d’art needed to record Dash’s routine. Safety reasons, I must add.”

“Which must be something coming into Ponyville soon,” Else you’d never need to stalk Cori to ask for it, Viscera didn’t add. “So that would be…?”

“Great garters, I thought you’d never ask,” Sassy brought forth another poster before them. “Two of Canterlot’s leading Guardsponies are taking in the Spa incognito – Iron Standard and Flash Sentry.”

“Small wonder – with the tampering of his Barracks, Spearhead must be livid at the Royals.” Rappid finished.

“Here’s hoping. So we’ll need two things while they’re getting pampered: the backup camera of their Canterlot guest Photo Finish, and the pay till Flash Sentry’s planning to deliver to the Town Guard.”

“Won’t Photo notice?”

“With the trouble she’s got for that Luna In Layaway lede shot in the Canterlot Times?” Sassy let out a bitter laugh toward Rappid. “Raving rick-racks, Mayor, it’s a wonder she’s not bankrupt already!”

Viscera choked up in shock. “Wait, I thought A.K. slapped that tidbit in her Almanac as a joke! That really was Photo Finish’s doing?”

Sassy tsked. “Claimed it was to try and expose the Queen’s new proclivities. If it was, Canterlot didn’t consider it a deal-breaker.”

“And the taking of the Town Guard’s pay, since it is under the protection of this Sentry…”

“Will further pit the Town Guard against Royal. Oh… Gympis, is it?” Sassy regarded the changeling. “The one who’d gotten herself locked up?”

“And bent her way back out,” Viscera’s reminder came out a touch harsher than expected. “Continue.”

“Sorry. The camera will let you photograph Dash without getting too close that she notices. Only problem’s the flashbulb: another reason we need you to get the camera before I give you the receptor.”

“Well then: Gympis should be able to get in and out beforehand.”

“Actually, Applejack has told me of the changeling’s…. odd talking habits.” Sassy shook her head. Getting in isn’t the problem, getting to what we need is.”

Viscera finally nodded. “Which means it's likely me getting the goods for this first run.”

“And I think I know how to get in, too.” Thank you, Stormwalker.

Sassy nodded once.

“Then I’ll leave you to your work. Meet me in the Clover household when you’re ready for the trade-off: it should be…”

“Next to Carousel.” Both Viscera and Rappid shot each other glares over their simultaneous statement.

A faded whump outside the Ponyville train station nearly sent Rappid through the ceiling. Viscera did scuttle to the strips of wood above the room after sharing a look with Viscera. With Gympis transforming into Mayor Mare herself, Sassy swung the door open-

-and yet another baby blue unicorn clambered into the room after her, white-and-indigo mane slapping above her face in fear. “Minuette?!”

“Need a place to hide, fast!”

“What happened?!’” Rappid had to hold Minuette to keep the hourglass-flanked hygienist upright.

“Well-Lemon Hearts, Twinkleshine, and Moon, we talked about whether to return to the Queen or not! Twinkleshine got it in her head that she’d take the fall for all of us! I don’t know what happened next, there was crashing glass and I think one of them slapped me on the bus and –“

Viscera’s slight descent upon hearing of the argument was so light the rambling Minuette didn’t even hear her –but hearing would soon be a shared issue when her hoof clasped upon the unicorn’s shoulder. An unseen clasp of a diamond bridle would end up brushing against smooth keratin and cloth wrappings, sending her mentally reeling, reality itself twisting away like a frantic dancer.

<~~~>

“…the fuck have you done?!”

Viscera could identify Moon Dancer almost immediately, though she was now far more vocal. However, Twinkleshine was not the target as expected – the unicorn Moon Dancer had uncorked an expletive at was yellow with curling blue hair. “I know Twinkleshine was the first to propose this madness, but actually going through with it?”

“I didn’t know you didn’t approve, we only just told Misty Fly, not the Qu-!”

“Misty Fly is the reason Garble’s not a Canterlot rug! She’s been too busy shoving every part of that molting brute in her the time she’s been here!” The roar into Lemon Hearts’ face by the red-haired unicorn could have blown over every table in the emptied yet posh restaurant they were in.

“God, after that stunt with the Treasury and you think they’re any fucking good at keeping secrets?!”Twinkleshine added in the tirade.”You tell her, she tells Dash to get Garble off! And if Dash knows…”

Then every light in that restaurant went out with frightening speed.

“Is that…” Lemon Hearts’ voice trembled.

Before she could finish, Minuette came through the kitchen doors. Twinkleshine’s bolt from the blue was speeding toward the hygienist just as cracks spiderwebbed across every window and Moon Dancer screamed “IT’S HER! EVERYPONY RU-”

<~~~>

“AIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEE!”

Prepared for the sound of crashing glass, Viscera was instead yanked back into reality – and the realization she’d been spotted by the panicked Minuette of the current time, whose now-superfluous explanation of her flight from Canterlot ended with a shriek loud enough to carry back into that city.

Thankfully, a flash of light from Sassy’s horn silenced the hygienist. “Calm down! They’re not here to hurt you!”

“We may find that such a pony will be on us soon,” ‘Mayor Mare’ rasped.

Rappid gulped. “Right. Come with us, Minuette, you’ll be in safe hooves with the Clovers.” As Sassy was about to follow Gympis out of the door, Viscera’s hoof stopped her.

“Teleport them. Minuette’s friends are likely dead or begging for it, and they might follow hers.”

Sassy’s eyebrow raised. “How would you know how Minuette left?”

Shit.

“Minuette said she was talking one second and on the Express the next. If she ollied out...”

“Right. You’ll be coming with?”

“After I’m done getting you your stuff from the Spa, luv. Iron an’ Flash in?”

“They are. Happy hunting, and stay safe.”

This time, Viscera waited until the tall unicorn vanished before muttering, “If I did, you wouldn’t have been tasking us.”

Bidding a silent prayer to Celestia for the time she had in getting her fake wings fixed, Viscera make it to La Ti DA Spa’s ceiling within minutes. Stormwalker’s words proved true: there was indeed a vent behind the bow of the two tent-head roofs of the establishment - big enough to fit two ponies.

Her journey stopped when she realized nopony was visible below her through the plate grill. From the inside to the outer surface, however, Viscera remained on the ceiling by the hooks of her makeshift claws, the cloth binding the shards of silver to her hooves rippling ever so slightly.

Then Aloe trotted into the bathroom, and Viscera was wall-crawling out through the decorated door before it snapped shut.

In the high-ceilinged and pipe-laden hallway, no one could see the thief – just as she liked it. The off-pattern murmurs quickly centered her in towards Iron Standard and Flash’s locations – though it took her miscuing to another room to do so. The muffled moans of one of Flash’s black-and-gold armored Royal Guard and the poofy purple-maned spa pony beneath her.

Viscera at least knew that pony’s name was “Bella”. Mainly because of how repeatedly it fell from her partner’s lips like a mantra.

The next door to the right, however, hit jackpot, as Aloe and an impossibly muscled white pegasus went into it to reveal Iron Standard. He looked almost… different without the armor off, to be sure. The reason Viscera knew what he looked like at all, however, was owed to the white-maned, blue-coated pony next to him – unmistakably Photo Finish. Viscera could recognize that black-and-white-striped dress folded neatly next to her anywhere.

And oh joy, they were on massage tables with curtains!

Indeed, those slips of thick plastic encircled both ponies in a C-curve, only the front of their heads visible from the cocoon. Regardless, Viscera felt too exposed on the ceiling, high as it was, so she ducked behind the curtains as Aloe and Bulky Biceps moved within.

“Zis will be the regular massage treatment today, yes?” Aloe’s rich accent swam through the air like the scented lotion.

“Yes… which, once again Finish, I thank you for paying for, un-needed as I think it may be.” Standard gruffly replied.

“It is... da least I, Photo Finish, could do.” Even the muffling of the massage table couldn’t mask Photo’s sighing as Bulk began kneading through her back. “That you have seen to my safety… ah! despite the acts of Canterloot’s finest… both humbles and mystifies me.”

Viscera peered under the curtain, then positioned herself behind the back of the curtain containing Photo and the metal-edged camera case on the floor. She’d have to be quick.

“You do your job even when it places you in close range with people you cannot stand.” Iron sighed. “I can… easily relate.”

“I know.” Photo Finish. “But – mmm! - this spa trip, da visits in Canterlot, replacements? A less subtle pony you have been proposing to me at the Smoked Oat!”

“Goodness!”The sound of the blue-maned spa pony echoed next to Photo’s position. “No not you, Aloe, thank you. But Photo – you frequent the same restaurant.”

“… yes. And I will again one day. For now… the magick must be saved for our new Princess’ visit. Aye… I do not look forward to it.”

Iron Standard gave out a noise that stuck between an affirmative hum and a muffled grunt. “Agreement.”

“Misteer Biceps, some more focus near the neck could help?” The second the pegasus complied with a lowered “Yeah..” Viscera stuck, neatly swiping the box, and replacing it, camera-less, in the space in the booth.

An arriving Lotus Blossom slowed Viscera’s escape some, but her approaching Aloe further for a further exchange of whispers gave the thief her chance to slip through the ajar doors.

Re-attaching herself to the ceiling, Viscera’s next target was Flash Sentry’s paytill. But quick scouting of where he was at made that mask not only impossible but likely unfruitful.

“The steam room?” Viscera hissed. And of course there was a guard out front. No way money would be kept anywhere near there.

Then Viscera remembered another likely location. And who was getting busy in a room away from there.

Two lost claw tips later, the thief had finally picked the lock on Aloe and Lotus’s office, warily eyed the ‘new’ spa uniform on a chair to the left of her, and scanned through the papers on the desk. Not much – another poster, two past-due notices on water and utilities, and…

Viscera stopped. Besides the notices was a large polished helmet, clearly Flash Sentry’s if the black trim was any indication. It weighed down a slip of paper, but even from her angle, the words –ville Massacre – Full Tally was stamped across his tally.

Suddenly, Viscera’s mind flashed back to that taped-off building she passed on her first night on the way to the Preservation Society HQ. And how odd it was that it looked like a schoolhouse…

…and then the rustling click of the doorknob brought her back to reality. Viscera only barely made it to the door frame before the wooden thresh below her and the shadow of Lotus Blossom. But barely three paces into the room, the pink-maned pony took a long look at the dress still crumpled into the chair beside her, stride forward, and viciously sweep the entire contents of the desk into the right wall – helmet included and pressed her head into the bare.

The shakes of her figure clearly betrayed an attempt to keep anypony from seeing Lotus cry.

Precariously perched on the doorframe, Viscera linked to the wall and snuck out through the top of the threshing. Back on the iron-tubed perches over the hallways and still one pay-till short, Viscera carefully swabbed her sweating brow, and oh wow how is this paper still in my hoof?

Indeed, that Ponyville Massacre register was in her clutches. Resisting temptation, Viscera carelessly folded it and stuffed it in one of her trunks pockets, then continued. That pay packet for the Town Guard had to be somewhere, and if it wasn’t on Flash or in the office…”

“Yo – go get Private Player! We need two on the lockers and he was supposed to be reliving us – that pay till leaves and Flash will have our wings!”

Why thank you Royal Meatheads. Barely squeezing through the crevice in the pipes leading to the room Private Player left, Viscera was safely hidden in a corner of the metal-lined locker room. Only two were present this time: another Ceremonial Royal Guard pony – this one a she! – in black and gold armor, and…

“You’re just mad Flash chewed ya out for that poster thing, Thomps!”

“Sit on my horn and spin, Private Kicks.”

A snicker from Kicks echoed back to Thompson. “Horn? You’re not a unicorn!”

“I know.”

“For shame! And I gave you that poster too! I’m outta here,” The auburn pegasus started shucking off her helmet. “Lavender Essence can’t be waiting on me too long anyways.”

“Whatever,” snorted Thompson.

Helmet off, the cream-maned mare tossed another order at him.

“Oh, and the second – the second! – Flash is out of that steam, ask ‘em where my harmonica is! The rent-a-thugs from Hel’s Guard took mine three days ago! ‘Unnecessary distraction’, my fat flank – what else are we supposed to do in this place?“

Besides ‘Bella’? Viscera snidely thought. Her inner pony started smacking her for the perverted insight.

“Fine, but they’ve got their own issues after that shit with Misty Sky. Phlox is Moonslut Cleanup, did you know?” Thompson shrugged. Frustratingly, Viscera could see no obvious way to get to Flash’s locker. Unless… Viscera thought back to that red pipe that fed into Flash’s steam room, and saw it lead to a boiler far in the back end of the room – behind a low wall and a small antechamber.

As she moved along the thick pipes to that boiler, Private Steps chortled.

“Phlox? Thought she was untouchable, and I’m not just talking physically – still gotta find out how she gets her hair that way…”

Their voices faded as Viscera dropped to the floor, hugged the wall, and observed the boiler. One ribbed nozzle on the device held the same color as that scarlet pipe. Throwing another silent prayer, Viscera gave it two hard twists, leaped to the ceiling, and crawled her way back till she was above that very locker.

“What’s taking Player so long?” Thompson added. “I swear if he’s gone off to rat on Gordon again…”

“Fella, please get rutted. You’ll do us all and Canterlot’s paper budget some goo-”

“GAaAaAaAaAH!”

Viscera smiled. Even from here, she knew that pained yell belonged to… “Commander Sentry!” Kicks was at the door within seconds. “Come on, Thomps, he’s in danger!”

“You go ahead! Gotta get this gear on!” And while Thompson was busy with that, back to the locker and Player already barreling down the hall, Viscera softly landed near the lock, and with an ear next to the lock, the tumbler twisted silently in her hoof.

22-rrrrumble…. Left.

27-rrrumble… Right.

Aaand… 2.

The locker’s deadbolt fell open, and Viscera took the thick packet of bits under her right foreleg. A sudden thought of what would come of a locker just emptied without someone to throw anger against had her empty some of the bits into Thompson’s still-unlatched helmet. Securing it back in the locker and slowly closing it, scaling back into the dark depths of the pipe-laden ceiling.

By the time Knight-Private Thompson reached for it, only empty air met his hoof. Another rush of air hit him as the door to the locker room burst open, Steps and the hastily dressed Knight-Private Player helping Flash Sentry into the room. The peach fur of this pegasus was covered with patches of angry red, but he otherwise looked fine.

As Viscera made her way out of the room and spa, camera latched in her mouth and pay-packet tucked in her hood, she heard the results of her subterfuge. “Don’t worry, Private Steps, I’m fine. Think the steam got built up somewhere.”

“Hope you’re fine, sir.”

“Could say that of you – that you kept your meat-whistles within private quarters shouldn’t be as relieving as it is, but it is!” Flash stormed to the locker. “Visit’s over. I’m getting the Town Guard’s raise, cover me when we’re leaving.”

Three turns later, the locker sprang up, and just as Viscera got into the vents, the echoes of Flash Sentry’s discovery broke through the La Ti Da Spa.

“Wh-where’s the bits?! And why is your helmet in here, Steps?!”

“I-I don’t know, sir! I swear it was on this ben-”

Viscera had to stifle a giggle as the jingling of bits rang out. Mainly because it might result in her swallowing the camera clenched in her maw.

“Steps, you have five damn seconds to tell me why your helmet’s full of pay!”

“Holy hell, Flash, I swear it’s not me, Steps was with me this whol…”

The crimson pony got through the opening of the ceiling at the Spa just as the crumbling of hooves into ribcages invaded the establishment.

Twilight Sparkle

Snails, decapitation, 3:07

Snips, bisection, 3:14

Sweetie Belle, head trauma, 3:21

Toxic Haze

Pipsqueak, impalement via use of ovipositor, 3:07

Dinky Doo, drowned in urine, 3:12…

After reaching the thatched-roof cluster overseeing Café Hay, the altitude-buoyed glide back to Casa del Clover gave Viscera time to look at the third of her pilfers from La Ti Da. And every entry made the thief want to stop travel, find the Brook and upchuck an increasing number of weeks’ worth of food into it.

Monsters. Literal fucking monsters! More than Ahuizotl, hydras, a whole field of Luna-damned chimera!

Rumble, cessation via energy beam, 3:20

Silver Spoon, setting alight via magic, 3:28

Shroud

Ruby Pinch, suffocated on…

Viscera came dangerously close to falling out of orbit at this particular pang of disgust. She had to land. Now. Before her body folded inside out. While they had a chance of stopping them all.

Cori could not have left at either a better or worse time. It petrified Viscera in a way that could only be counted on two hooves, that she couldn’t settle on which.

And with the house right next to Carousel Boutique, her violent knocks nearly snapped its chestnut-colored front door off its hinges.

So much so Wild Clover answered it with a sledgehammer in hoof. “Not today, Spa-wait, Viscera?”

“I never hear that Queen’s name again, it’ll be too soon.” But what Viscera was allowed in to witness was an odd spectacle in its own right. Surrounding a thick oaken stump of a table was Lucky Clover, Rappid, and Gympis, along with Derpy Hooves herself, a letter peeking out of the mailbag around her neck.

“Right, what’s this.” Again, not a question from the crimson pony.

“Reason I’m glad you’re here now.” Rappid smiled warmly. “Come, sit. I’ve just about gathered the courage for my confession.”

“Forget that, I’ve got a worse one, Good God, what that Queen has done-”

“Has been a cloud over my work and being, and it is a long time I revealed why – to those I have always seen as the most trustworthy.” Rappi motioned to Lucky and the soon-seated Wil Clover beside her. “Parents.”

Viscera, after a certain moment, stuffed the list into her pocket as well. “This has to be quick – We’ve gotta talk about this before we continue with our job.”

“It won’t be but a sec.”

Clambering into a seat between Lucky and Gympis, five pairs of eyes focused on the Cloudsdale mayor.

“Featherweight was my child.”

The air almost vacuumed its way out of Viscera’s lungs at that. Only Rappid’s expression of confusion was directed back at the breathless crimson mare, but no answer came. So again, Rappid provided one.

“When I’d come from Rainbow Falls, I’d wanted to make sure he had the best anypony could offer, the second I knew he had taken up roots here. But… I had to go through some heavy progress to be able to hold him. And so… I went through the hard, long slog of adoption. It felt like it’d take forever. I’m… not proud to admit it drove me in the arms of some demons I’d thought I’d slain at times.” Rappid wiped back a tear. “But… I managed to succeed.

“Then, the very day I’d sent along the final bits of parchment…”

“The Ponyville Massacre took him away from me. I… was fucked up. I almost refused the job as emergency mayor of Cloudsdale, because not only had I lost my everything with Featherweight… but I didn’t even know how or who. But… I realized that others had suffered too. Like the Clovers. Like the Rich family. Like… your next-door neighbor, Rarity herself.” “I think it’d break me if I knew. But I can’t afford to fall apart now. And I only ask that you consider the others that might fall apart without you too. This fiasco over a burial plot with the Rich family? Don’t let this be what ends a wonderful fellowship that began over mutual business gain, and is now paralleled with the pain of familial loss.”

“We… we won't. Rappid.” Despite his gasps and gates of tears, Lucky Clover held a smile as he took up Rappid’s hooves in her own. “No further. That’s a promise.”

Wild Clover was next to speak. “We can work through this together. If you worked through the loss of Featherweight alone… Surely we can find out for you-!”

“No. Thank you, but no. Mayor Mare was right. The Donneigh Protocols are for everypony’s good. Respect it, as I have.”

“T-think that’s it. Derpy, sorry for keeping you around for this – I don’t’ want to hold you from delivering that.”

Derpy shook her head. “Don’t be, Mayor ma’am. You’re… right. And I… hope you keep on keeping on. It gives me hope!… that I can find my spark in the clouds again.” With a soft pattering of grey wings, the blond-maned pegasus departed from the house, taking to the air and right for the post office. Lucky and Wild Clover

“Your tribute… it is very invigorating,” Added Gymps, her magenta gossamer bobbing as she nodded. “I… may have been hasty in my approximation of this town’s loss. And of… my kin’s ignorance to it. Your concern has bolstered my own. I shall redouble my efforts against Shroud and Twilight, to make up for my reluctance to hurt the loneling.”

Viscera was lost again. “Make up? Rappid… What is this about?”

“Oh, this part you weren’t here for,” Rappid gratefully replied. “Another thing that holds it all together for me was the knowledge that for all my pain, suffering, isolation…”

Rappid’s wings flared as she continued.

“… I’m likely not the only Cloudsdale-residing pony suffering. Princess Dash has to be too, Goodness, a town away from all her friends, two away from her home, and all that she’s clearly been forced into doing…”

Goodness, did Rappid ever get the bleeding heart or what? Viscera, for once, meant no malice by this thought. She’s torn up over Featherweight, probably us, and even-

Viscera’s eyes bulged in their sockets. Fortunately, both Rappid and Gympis were too busy to notice.

DASH?!

That list was out and edged before her eyes again. And Viscera’s battered heart shed another curtain of crimson, for herself and the reality incoming for Rappid.

Rainbow Dash

Scootaloo, stomped to death, 3:06

Diamond Tiara, stabbed to death, 3:13

Featherweight, choked on own vomit, 3:20

Truffle Shuffle, strangulation, 3:26

Celestia’s blood! This didn’t even fucking remotely track with an innocent pony’s actions! And then a clarifying and terrifying reminder struck the crimson pony.

Good god, Rappid didn’t know!

Mayor Rappid was subject to Donneigh Protocols! A.K.’s Almanac spelled it out in entry one! Featherweight was an adoptee, Rappid was in government! She’d never get notice of this!

But…

And another perilous puzzle piece slammed into place for the despairing thief.

Mayor Mare knew! It was in her city, she was a witness on the scene, she said as much! But if she knew Rappid was trying to adopt Featherweight…

No crystal was present to yank her in, but Viscera’s mind shot back to that time in the crisis HQ with Mare all the same.

She didn’t tell Rappid because… she couldn’t. Because, if she did…

..holy shit, it’d DESTROY Rappid.

Betraying her yet further, the words all but burned their way back into Viscera’s line of sight.

Rainbow Dash

Featherweight, choked on own vomit, 3:20

Viscera slammed the list back into her pocket like it was burning. Her lungs surely felt the part.

Tartarus be damned, Rappid knowing what really happened to Featherweight – and by who – would kill her! As surely as if Viscera reached in and yanked the white-speckled pegasus’ heart out with her own hooves!

Rappid couldn’t know this. Not after what she’d revealed of herself. Not after her clearly –

“Um, Viscera?”

Every fiber of Viscera’s being went into not whimpering before Rappid Fires. “Y-yes?”

“I asked if you wanted to reveal what you wished to talk about.

“N-NO!” Even Gympis jumped at Viscera’s yell. “I… well, I mean, no. Not here. We’ve a job to do. Where’s Sassy?”

“Upstairs.” Gympis pointed a perforated limb to the stairs. “We’ve kept most of our true intent here from the Clovers.

“Sassy’s setting up on the floor above. Join us?”

“Happily.”

Hardly, more like. Oh, how Viscera wanted to be anywhere but in that house right now.

“The plan is two-fold: one of your teams will bug the inside of her pet turtle’s shell with this.” Sassy Saddles presented a literal green insect, lined in an ornate box the same shade of ruby red as its many eyes. “It’s a rare fly-der, from Luna Bay. Wings resonate perfectly with pony motions, but it’s been nurtured to stay still in damp surfaces. She’s taking it to Canterlot with her, so it should let us have an ear in on future moves by her and her new squeeze.”

Gympis’s wings started fluttering in stereo with the tiny creature’s. Viscera, only half listening, her mind a chaotic tempest of panic, fear, and sorrow.

Rappid was… different. “A literal bug? Ingenious.”

Sassy nodded. “And silent. So Dash will never find out what we’re finding out. Also…” Sassy concentrated, her horn igniting. A moment later, Viscera’s hooves were coated in x-shaped rivets.

“What gives?” Viscera asked, her voice even surprising her with how hoarse it now was.

“Cloud-walking spell. Considering where you’ll need to be tomorrow, you’ll need it. While the bug’s planted, your take will be in Dash’s trunk in her ‘Cloudominium’. Get to it before she does.”

Sassy slid a photo across to her.

“It looks like this.”

Rappid’s first look at it brought back her indignant expression. “You’re kidding me.”

“Is this… a dress?” Gympis asked tentatively, her eyes sweeping over the picture.

“Yes. Specifically one made for her in… more innocent times, for the Grand Galloping Gala. Seeing what her obsession with the Wonderbolts metamorphosed into now…” Sassy violently shuddered. “Client wants that dress out of her hooves. Every gem in it is yours, Vis, long as you bring it back in pristine condition.”

“Right. I’ll be on that.” Viscera muttered. Her eyes still flitted to Rappid painfully.

“And the camera should be enough to make your recording of the Princess on the ground flawless.” Sassy curtseyed. “Sequins and salutations, team. I hope this is enough for you. Dash touches down in a day and four hours – and you’re free to have your new tag-along help you if you wish.”

And another fizzle of magic disappeared the slender unicorn from them.

“Wait, who-GAH!”

Viscera turned to the hoof placed on her shoulder – and a rather unwelcome sense of déjà vu came over her. “Minuette…” she growled at the unicorn hygienist, clearly coming through the listing bedroom door behind her.

“H-haven’t heard from my Canterlot friends. Don’t know where they are… but Dash might. And Sassy said… you could use another hoof. I-if you’ll have me.”

“Of course,” Rappid warmly accepted her offer. “And with me, we should be able to perfectly capture Dash’s movements with this fine cam-“

“No-sorry,” Again, Viscera was grateful for the mask, because she was about to burst a blood vessel in her eyes. “Gympis, you and Minnie will tag Dash – Minuette’s on camera duty, you’re on scout and relocation duty. I’ll set up the bug and get the dress. Rappid, you cover me – this ‘Cloudominium’ Sassy gave us the plans for looks big. I’ll need eyes on the outside to look for incoming threats.”

“Certainly, then,” Rappid replied. “Shall we go gold?”

“No. Trying to make sure we’re not seen to begin with.” Viscera whirled to Gympis, fast. “And Gymps? If you’re caught, or find the situation get too shaky, fly up and warn me!”

“In case we need to coordinate efforts?”

In case it involves that predatory Princess Dash and I have to keep Rappid the fuck away! Viscera didn’t scream in the changeling’s face.

“Y-yes. I’ll need some time to prepare, too.”

“I’ll come with you,” Rappid asked.

“Don’t. I…. need to do this alone.”

Five minutes later, Viscera burst into Dr. Hooves’ house. Ignoring the splutter of surprise, Viscera was before that all-too-familiar panic room door in his lab. She barely acknowledged even the looming shadow of Big Mac exiting that place, as she regarded the mystery mare still within its cradle.

However, the Apple family stallion would only see her bent on all four limbs before that door and its sole occupant like a shrine.

Neither he nor Hooves were close enough to see the shaking her limbs did that had nothing to do with exhaustion.

Neither he nor Hooves were close enough to hear Viscera, the epitome of composure, say “I left you for a lie and now I’m living another. I left you for a lie and now I’m living another.”

Neither stallion got to her and helped her up fast enough to see the clear pools in the lab floor that her hooves were too busy to stop.

And because of that attempt to counsel the inconsolable, neither stallion saw that mystery mare raise a raspberry-colored hoof – straining to reach toward Viscera, before the ensemble turned back into Hooves’ main living room.

Not even Viscera.

“Are you certain your journey before this was uneventful?”

Viscera, shocked both by the question and Gympis showing more interest in her than the investigation, turned to meet the changeling. A day had passed and they were all – she, Gympis, Rappid, and Minuette alike – were scoping the sky. No mare of the hour yet showed, however, in the ebbing evening sky. “Don’t follow.”

“Well, Cori has told me about ‘uncanny’ behavior. She thinks me stamping it out will make my transformations smoother…. And if that fails, my explanations sounder.” “I do not know yet what noise has to do with solving a form-shift failure. But I have noticed such uncanny behavior with you.”

Fuck, Ponyville’s most socially inept quadruped can see this in me now?! “Think I’m still the master thief you all know and tolerate,” the thief replied, with far more confidence in her voice than in her mind.

“Indeed. But you’ve not been this susceptible to every utterance by Rappid. And though you’ve left scenes before, it is not often that you’ve been so unwilling to expound on why.”

Viscera did not respond.

“And it started with your return to the Clover house. Would this mean it is related to something you found in your trip to the spa?”

<“Not likely, luv. More you conceal, the more it hurts.”>

How Viscera wished she could respond like she did in the train station.

“I mean, don’t you have your own stuff to deal with?”

Thankfully, Gympis didn’t know of the dodge. “Yes. Cori’s talk of strategic ingenuity, while inspired… may not be the way to go. Octavia has clear misconceptions about me. I would… avoid them becoming like Rappid’s problems were to her.”

“I… hope I’ve not inspired you to do something rash.” Rappid shifted nervously. “Ponyville may have shifted on its view of changelings, but you may be surprised by how much remains the same.”

“Still. Investigation requires verification – on both ends. I cannot risk my charade providing me inaccurate intel.”

“Hopefully, you’ll have a chance after tod-”

“Eyes up, seven o’clock!”

Minuette’s voice came as a whisper, but four eyes locked on, cradling below the walling of the windmill’s top floor. Flash Sentry was in the air, moving to meet two pegasi fast approaching. One was in Wonderbolt gear, the jagged bright yellow and blue insights a sharp contrast to her bulging poofs of dark blue hair.

Beside her was…. Equestria’s new Princess.

At first, even Viscera was taken aback. Rainbow Dash’s hair had taken a trip from her last appearance in the Canterlot Times. The sides of her were sheared, purple thunderbolts much like those on her flank cut even further in the light blue fuzz. However, she had two new pieces of clothing from that appearance as well – a thick metal belt just above her hind legs sash pooling from it in dramatic cuts from the front and back. A binding of indigo leather also wrapped around her collarbone around her shoulder joints. The yellow highlights showed it dipped into four tapered tails –two per side – that would almost reach her belt if she were fully standing, instead of slightly craned as her wings brought her to terra firma.

And most notably considering her actions, considering Viscera, the most maddening grin on her face.

A snap implied Minuette’s first photo of the night. “Saw her the night of the coup. Don’t need a camera to see that look – it’s burned into my eyelids.”

“All the more reason we need to finish this quick – and hope she does too.” Rappid’s eyes narrowed at seeing Flash bow slightly to Dash and her fellow Wonderbolt.

“Still think I should have gone up to the Cloudominium myself.” Viscera drawled.

“Be glad you did not.” Gympis’s foreleg pointed to the sky behind them.

Settling down from the sky was a pink dragon, notable for her long curling horns, how her tail coiled beneath her and the chariot behind her carrying-

“Princess Luna -” Rappid gave her a questioning look at that. “-oh goodness, even she’s more of one than Little Miss Dyes-Her-Hair – she’s been above us the whole day?!”

“Ironic as that sounds, yes,” Rappid responded. “And we’ve been caught up twice before – assume Haze is one of these people.

“And there is a dragon? I did not think there were many beyond the isle and Filydelphia.” Gympis’ announcement had Viscera and Rappid looking at each other oddly.

“Should we tell-”

“When Cori is back. We shouldn’t need to transform now.”

“Shouldn’t need to what?” Gympis was between them in seconds.

“Nevermind, changeling. But this is why we could not have infiltrated the Cloudominium earlier – Sassy told of this before you arrived yesterday. Now is our chance.”

“Yeah I got it,” muttered the crimson pony. “And between my hoof and Cori’s hair, not lookin’ forward to seeing what part of us the Princes take from us next.” Slipping on her wings again, Viscera started judging the velocity needed for her next stunt with her spaced-apart forehooves. “Ready, Rappid?”

“As I’ll ever be. Good luck.”

Viscera’s wings ejected and she used the medicine shops as cover to approach the chariot unseen. Barely hearing the Wonderbolt next to Princess Dash speak, the prism-haired pegasus’ response was almost missed. “That’s why Misty and Garble are still at home, Cinders! Now let’s fucking go, Mare’s got some serious sucking up to get up to today.”

“Princess Dash.” A very different Guard was accompanying Mayor Mare to face the predatory princess. Spearhead’s look crossed over. “Surprised anyone’s still left in the Wonderbolts still, ma’am.”

“High Winds, Misty, and Waker know their role.” Rainbow’s eyes narrowed. “And considering what you let happen to my Iron Pony celebration, so do you two.”

Spearhead’s hoof clamped down on the white-maned mayor’s mouth – and a good thing too, for it got Cinders’ attention enough for Viscera to finally slip under the chariot. The broken-backed alicorn dismounting it, however, may well have been just as invisible to Princess Dash.

Rappid took that time to produce two further crystals- each tied to the other with a length of thin silver string - and hand them to Minuette. “Another Sassy Saddles side project?” asked the unicorn.

“Yes. Figured a good field test of the bug plant would be in store to help us communicate better. Slip the larger crystal in your ear, nestle the smaller one near your cheek. We should be able to hear each other long as I’m holding this bug.” Craning her neck, Rappid showed the device affixed the same way on her face, then shouldered up the fly-der’s box.

“Got it.”

“Now let’s go.” This came from a Cloudsdale pegasus. It was not Rappid. It was, however, loud enough for her to hear.

“Cool your jets, High Winds. Need to get back the princess’ aquarium from Flutters first.” Had Dash completed business that quickly? Regardless, High Winds’ missive sent Rappid flying, nestling herself under the chariot incognito just before Rainbow turned to Cinders.

“The golden shit-heels didn’t show. Awesome! Let me know if you see ‘em near my house, Cin. And expect me there in an hour.”

“I expect a lot more’n you there in an hour, Princess,” snorted Cinders.

“Be fucking pleased I didn’t send you Garble through the mail and get going,” Dash was being flanked by Flash Sentry before Cinders could bite back a response. Spearhead was free to step in front of Flash, however, to give him one.

“No.”

Flash flushed red. “Listen, Commander, if this is about the pay thing…”

Spearhead’s look only darkened. “Charmed as I am that you think a bribe-”

“Raise, for helping contain the fiasco at Iron Pony-“

“-I’m not interested in Twilight's spin, Flash. Just that your Guard is not guarding her – or anypony – tonight.”

“Done. I’ve already given them the night off and I’ll be joining Cinders at the Cloudominium. I’ll find out which of ‘em took that payment.”

“See you do. I… would rather believe you meant this as goodwill.”

And Princess Dash was between them instance. “Lead the way then, Splithead. Luna, prepare the Hall while we’re gone. I don’t want Mare to forget this night.”

Dash’s sneer made both Mayor Mare and Minuette’s lips curl. Regardless, Dash, Mare, High Winds and the Town Guard Commander were off to the Silent Chapel. Cinders snorted again, took up.”

“We must follow.” Gympis then snapped her lips over Minuette’s horn as she prepared for a teleport. “And I will carry you.”

With Minuette on the changeling’s back, the duo left in one direction. In the opposite path, Cinders and Flash yanked the chariot into the air and toward the nimbus-made abode of the Princess, with two unknown passengers.

Even upside-down, it took until seeing the hordes of Night Guards flapping in the skies – especially among the looming pillars and spectral fountains of Dash’s Cloudominium – for her mind to reel. She and Rappid ended heading behind one of the fountains just as Cinders finally unlatched the carriage. “Dunno what’s – ptui! – worse: that this still smells like the river you fished it from, Flash, or how heavy it still feels!”

“Not the one who ordered Luna into here, then down for the Ponyville Tour!” snapped Flash. “Now let’s get this over with. The Queen’s getting worse by the day – I’d like to be in Canterlot to handle it while I still have blue hair instead of gray.”

A snort came from the pink dragon. That and several clouds of ash, even as it was balancing on its tail. “Whatever. Lemme know when you’re done whining.”

“When everyone around me is done stealing bits or oxygen alike, you gem-addicted-!”

Before Cinder could get into Flash’s face, Rappid and Viscera were moving. Into a side window of the first level they went, and the stone walls and wooden floors of the foyer greeted them. Nopony else was present.

Viscera decided now was the time to hand Rappid some sparkling objects of her own – Blood Stones to be precise. “Seems you’ve got these falling out of every crevice,” the white pegasus remarked, twiddling the two ruby-like triangles in her hooves.

“Yeah, well make them count. These are our last five. I’ll be using some of the dress bits for more, actually.” Viscera, fake claws all back in a row, marveled at the stone architecture on the inside.

"I’ll scale the tower from the other end, to keep an eye out on floor two.” And Rappid was back outdoors.

Viscera, realizing the door was clicking with the force of someone opening it, looked for a place to hide. Noticing two trophies, she couldn’t help but take note of the two trophies on it. The first one had a bolt emblazoned on it. The second, however, was on two glittering struts, one more sandwiched between two stars showing a rearing pegasus in a Wonderbolt outfit. Rainbow Dash / Best Top Flyer printed out on a plaque on it.

So apparently Rainbow was quite skilled. And yet she wasted her talent on…

Viscera rappelled to the upper floors and edged out onto the window ledge, trophy in hand. She’d definitely remember hauling off with this.

“I’ll find my own way to what I want, thank you! Just ask those Caballers we found in Everfree how good my tracking is!" That was Flash Sentry. “Damn it, where’s Garble!”

Not trusting the cloud-walker spell to keep her latched to the Cloudominium walls, Viscera scooted out further on the wall. Rappid, came up to catch her, the notice of a need to hurry up from Minuette proving the crystal receptors worked as planned. But the same Guard pegasus’ words froze him cold. “And where’re you, High Winds?”

“Present!” And there was… another High Winds, prancing out from the kitchen archway? But there was one down on Ponyville soil!

“ Think we know who Haze’s going as tonight,” Rappid muttered.

“Get me up a floor, then - further we're away from testing that theory out, the better.”

Thankfully, that turtle was present on the second floor. Weirdly enough, it was in a snug knit hat and cozy over its shell., and was a cordoned part of the floor, “TANK” brightly sewn into its shell covering. It was also lined with fluffy white pillows on the bottom. “Huh. Seems to like her pets.”

“Don’t think it’s her this time. Look at this.” Rappid pulled out a neatly rolled Iron Will poster tied with a slight lock of pink hair. “I think it may belong to that other pegasus… Fluttershy?”

“Haven’t heard of her.”

“No surprise. Mayor Mare told me she’s been shut-in since the Wonderbolt deaths. But perhaps… she’s broken the fever?”

“And spent it putting our bug target in this setup?” whistled Gympis. “Don’t know whether to be impressed or disturbed.”

“I know what we’ll be.” In a flash, Rappid’s fly-der was out of the shell and within “Halfway home. You found your ‘take’ yet?”

Viscera’s search turned up nothing. “Likely on the last floor.” A floor above them which they notice was creaking in a rather unsetting tempo.

“And so might Garble.”

As they would both find up as Rappid carried Viscera up, Garble wasn’t alone this time. “Shit, what is he doing with Misty Fly?!”

That name got Viscera’s gears whirring. “Apparently, his bail ticket,” Her head turned oddly as she watched that very Wonderbolt mewl and moan Garble’s name that still-molting dragon’s very name, as their bodies shifted frantically on Dash’s charred bed. “And a ticket to other things.”

“I’m a little disturbed by how unsurprising this is to you.” Rappid’s head was firmly turned away from this scene.

“Trust me, luv, so am I." And so would Powder Puff, if anypony would deign to tell her, chided the thief’s inner pony.

They ended up having to cut behind the house again as Flash burst through the door at the other end of the room! “Fuck, Garble! First Player, now you?! Does nopony in here know how to screw in their own homes anymore?!”

“Oooh, Flash, yell at me again like that!” Viscera swore she could hear Garble groan in that all too telling way.

“You know what? Fine! You can explain to Dash why half of your outer layer and all of Misty’s layers are steaming on her linen!” Flash was at the end of his rope.

“Ain’t our fault that namby-pamby pony’s sheets are good!” panted Garble. “And ‘sides, she’s emptying this place out for her big event later! One she’s paying out the nose to sniff out any gold ponies for, and nothin’ else.” Viscera needed no crystal vision to know Garble’s eyes had swept to the prone Misty Fly. “Barrin’ one.”

“Stuff it Garb, some of actually bothered to bring protection here.” Two clinks on armor showed which protection the Knight-Commander meant. “Out of this room, both of you. Those ponies aren’t coming in through the ceiling.”

Thankfully, Garble did with minimum fuss. Rappid and Vis, however, barely managed to avoid being seen by Misty Fly as she took the window out, bodysuit still pooled around her flanks as she fluttered down to the Cloudominium front door.

Viscera let out a breath. “Good, no one’s there. Quick, Rappid, get me in and out before Flash decided to strip the bed.”

“Gonna need to talk bout your phrasing later.” Alas, Rappid obliged the thief, and her rummaging through the trunk at the foot of the bed hit paydirt. “Think this is it?” Wrapped in her hooves was a flowing rainbow veil of a dress, holes cut out –likely to fit the wings, thought Rappid – and a clasp attached to a grape-like cluster of amethyst orbs.

“Seems so. We’re outta her-!”

KA-BLAM!

Viscera was at the window in a flash, but even from here, the explosion was right in the heart of Ponyville. In fact, it was likely next to… “...Town Hall!” Rappid yelled. “And I can hear from this receptor – someone has Minuette! Forget the dragons, I have to be there now!”

Despite Viscera’s protests over who’d likely take note of her golden hue and give chase, Rappid took her into her arms, went gold, and shot down to the village.

The flames from the pursuing Garble and Cinders came seconds later.

Gympis’ repositionings gave Minuette ample time to wear out the reels on her camera. After Dash was present at the repaired Chapel, her next stop was Fluttershy’s cottage. Gympis’ check on whether the Princess was doing anything noteworthy turned out only a “She is.. a bit too cheerful to be that abrasive.”

Regardless, Princess Dash trotted out of the cottage with a small –and empty - cage on her back, which she hauled out while Fluttershy tittered out thanks for not smashing down the house. Regardless, photos were taken.

The same followed for Dash’s trip to the Ponyville Hospital, though her randomly trashing a wing did get several choice photos, and Nurse Redheart yelling at her to no avail. “Had to be sure – that bratty teacher’s AWOLed too.” She tossed over her shoulder. Gympis herself rolled her eyes at the ingenuity, and Minuette had enough of a view of Dash’s madly grinning face as she high-fived High Winds to believe the Princess for a second.

But it was only when they were back at the Town Hall with her that Gympis alerted her to a troubling development. “I have had to redirect our route several times.”

“We are not the only ponies prowling the ceilings.”

“Dash brought more ponies?”

“Why hide them, though? Has anything of her habits shown a habit toward subtlety?”

Minuette had to shake her head at the thought. “Think we should call Rappid?”

“Not yet.”

“And now we come to the main event of this whole time I pissed away here.” Dash trotted to the center of the Town Hall’s front awning. “Hel?”

“Wait, Hel?!” Minuette almost shouted. Thank goodness their position on the Town Admin building was far enough to not give them away.

The same could not be said for Dash’s next words, as the lavender-armored Knight-Commander came with Upper Crust and Jet Set in tow. “I’m heading back to Canterlot. Don’t wait up.” A strong beat of wings took the uncharacteristically dour batpony away from Princess Dash.

“What’s this about, those two are supposed to be in jail!” bellowed Spearhead.

“Missed the memo, fucker?” Minuette caught a photo of Dash mid-laugh, her last of the night. “Jail’s a four-letter word in Equestria now. And now only will they both not be in jail…”

“You’re gonna apologize to Upper Crust, and make Jet Set forgive you, o wonderful Mayor.”

“Just how do you plan to make me?” hissed Mare, her white hair seeming to billow out in her rage.

“Because if they’re not released within ten minutes…” Unfortunately, Gympis was flying Minuette to behind this spacious hall, leaving no visual cue to explain the gasp Mayor Mare gave when Dash finished. “… I am. And you know how fast I can finish - isn’t that right, friend?”

“We may have a problem now,” Gympis announced the second she landed before the Pools of the Fallen Sisters.

“You think?” replied the unicorn hygienist.

“Indeed I am – of a way to properly handle this. You will contact Rappid Fires and drop off the photos at our rendezvous.”

Minuette was already tapping her receptor, hissing into it at lightspeed. “Rappid, wrap your retrieval mission up, Princess’ meeting’s got her min make-an-offer-she-can’t-refuse-mode!” Warning completed, Minuette yanked out the receptor and magicked it away before turning towards the mirror she and Gymps were over. “Would help if we hadn’t left before we found out what Dash was planning to do.”

Then Minuette made the mistake of peering over the mirror.

“We probably could have helped the Mayor – ohmyfuckin’god!”

Gympis looked inside the building, and her face froze in lucid fury. “By the hive, what are those ponies doing?!”

“Luna fuck me with a planet-sized plug, I’m gonna be sick! Why is Luna a part of this?!” Gympis had but scant seconds to realize the implications of Minuette’s increasing volume before seeing a hoof slam the unicorn to the ground. Following the hoof led to a pearl-white earth pony with a coiffed black mane and sunglasses. And with a knife pressed to Minuette’s throat with the other hoof – she who still held the photos needed for half of their job – Gympis was hesitant to strike. More so as the arm on Minuette’s back moved to her horn, enclosing it tight enough to keep her from porting out.

Worse yet, however, was the fact that this was not the first Gympis had seen of this stallion. “I have seen you before. On the Ponyville Theatre roof. Who are you.”

“Could ask what a changeling is doin’ in this place, too. But the times, they will be a’full of you soon anyhow.”

“How do you me-“

KA-BLAM!

Now the front of the Town Hall was swamped in flames, and another earth pony’s voice started blaring through the crackling crescendo. “Name’s Withers by the way. Gonna need your jolly co-op while we raid this hall or find where a little stray named Viscera scampered off to. As my crew is likely making to the Mayor right now.”

“Why… would you care… about Vis?”

“Good doc Caballeron heard she gave us the slip here, and with our three best stallions killed in pursuit, he wants t’know why. Come on in, death o’cold’s a mighty shitty way to go, darlin’.” And Withers knocked the window open, pulling Minuette in by the horn, still feebly sparking in his embrace.

“I have no idea what you mean of Vis’ pursuers, but-”

“She didn’t kill them! Hel did!” Minuette wailed. ‘She and her Guard, it was all over the Canterlot Times – and you don’t wanna go in the hall please don’t go in th-”

Gympis realized a slight complication with Withers’ plan to extort the Ponyville politician. One she expressed as he started moving backward, through the open window of Town Hall. “Did you say you’re trying to get this from the pegasus out front too?”

“Pretty sure our light show shoulda scared ‘em. I’m just here to cover the rear.”

Minuette wised up too, even as she was being pulled in through the wind. “As in, you stopped a Princess in the middle of orchestrating this, and tried to blow up and threaten her?”

“Oh come on, whatever Princess she is, she’s outnumbered ten to one! Now quit actin’ like you’re….” And then Withers, looking into the room, lost his voice. “…in a… war zone…”

Two Night Guards and Princess Luna – as Gympis could now see, a slightly pregnant Princess Luna – were hunched over three ponies. Gympis could recognize two – Brass and Caramel, both only letting out hoarse no’s as the stallion guards pumped away. Luna, however, had her hooves to herself – quite literally.

“Sweet Tartarus, the fuck’s all this?!” Withers looked ready to retch.

“You don’t know what Canterlot’s been up to!?” Minuette yelled, her attempt at escape temporarily forgotten. “What rock have you been under and how has Twilight not splayed you across it?!”

The white stallion spluttered out an answer. “I’ve no damn clue! Doc just said I could take the town easy because there were only Royal Guards here! You’re telling me that Princess Dash-?!”

And then the chaos outside started turning in a different direction.

“Oh shit, what did that pegasus do to Jones!”

“Dios mio, that’s the Princess! All of you, get the hell out of here before-!”

WHCRASH!

What came tumbling through the bent metal and wood of the hall's front door could barely qualify as a pony. With two of its limbs cut at the elbow and hunks of skin ripped off its frame, the sick splat as it spun to a stop at Wither’s hooves proved the last straw to his already-weakened gag reflex. Three inches next to the rolling eye in that pony’s red-raw cavity of a socket, Withers emptied his guts.

The even sicker splats that followed, however, came from the ex-diarch, her voice hitting an echoing high as her debasement hit its messy apex.

Followed by that of two Night Guards - one cleaved through the neck so hard it was nearly decapitated, the other bearing a hole in the chest a Hay Burger could fit through - splatting into the opposite wall. Gympis, horn smoking and pupils shrunken, turned to the unicorn hygienist.

“Minuette, leave.” Then Gympis turned to the doubled-over Withers. “I would ask how long you have been out of this…”

“…but the fact that you aren’t means it’s probably too late.” Minuette, freed at last, gave one worried look to the life-taking changeling teleported away.

Just then, the doors fell open, and a field of embers parted to let in Spearhead, Mayor Mare draped across his back. One look at Withers, however, and Spearhead’s look turned feral.

“You! You dare bring so much mayhem into a town like ours, and now two prisoners are your reward?!”

Withers could only weakly raise his hooves in protest before the Town Guard’s Commander burst in through the other doors. It was only when Gympis moved to try and unmoor Mayor Mare on his back that Spearhead forced her into the wall. And Gympis could see the blood violently nearly gluing his eyes shut, seeping from a cut into his helmet. “And I should have known you’d be here to try and prey on them too, Toxic!”

“No… wrong changeling…” rasped Gympis, her struggles just to breathe proving too laborious to transform.

Then a blue-coated hoof crushed into Spearhead’s helmet and send him tumbling into another wall. “Thought I said no other Guards in this building but Hel’s!.” came the voice of High Winds – only for a flash of green flames to bring out the mohawk-frilled changeling beneath. “Especially when Dash-” Then his eyes fell on the quadruped he’d hoisted into the wall. “There’s another changeling here?!”

“Haze!” Gympis leaped from her imprint in the wall, face-to-unaltered-face with another changeling at last. “I... I have come from the hive of Chrysalis! I can help you! You can escape this madness with me, and I will promise your safety!”

“You’re... from Chrysalis? And… how is that hive?”

“Still in chaos, but I have a way to save it. And Equestria with it!” A flash of light finally brought the golden pony beneath it, even as the two Night Guards threateningly moved to flank her. “You don’t have to be part of this hive-threatening insanity anymore, Haze. Let us leave together.”

“And you’re one of…?” Toxic’s face finally settled into neutral. “Well then, you came all this way – think you deserve an answer.” Oddly talkative from the last encounters, but finally! Gympis was making progress!

Prince Toxic Haze, after a brief second, extending his hoof. Gympis, grinning gratefully moved to take it-

-and then Haze blew an entire mouthful of mist in her face, as the Thestrel hybrid clawed furiously at the blinding mist, a screaming mess. Prince Haze sneered at her. “Answer’s this, Gymp: the insanity’s what I’ve always lived for; I and my friends was happy to kill that stupid fucking Queen Chrysalis…”

And a violent buck of his hooves sent Gympis tumbling through the gate of flames before Town Hall. “And I’ll love raping your extra-crispy corpse dry, traitor. Dash! Rainboom this bitch into dust!” Despite herself, Gympis finally managed to crack an eye open.

See her changeling, her kin, the one she’d thought would jump at the chance to be rescued from this heinousness… blind and kick her? And advance on Spearhead? And-?

A glint above cause her head to fall back, the prone shapeshift looking blearily at the night sky. And the rippling rainbow over her illuminating two winged figures locked in a mid-air collision.

Wait… that is Dash! And is that… Rappid… ?

Then the edges of that pulsing rainbow around both mares turning a furious vermillion and moved back inwards.

Seconds later, the dazzling display turned inward and imploded, lighting Ponyville itself in a glow as bright as day.

That display, however, was brought to Equestria by Rappid-now moonlighting as Goldilock.

Her attempt to race to the enflamed Town Hall was cut off hallway before she was swarmed by Night Guards before she could breathe: Her judicious choice to drop Viscera got the pony a chance to glide away, pursued closely by Cinders. Her mobbing was made no better.

Garble would catch up to her first, and even past him, Goldilock could see the crash as a very visible gold pony tumbled out of the front door of the Hall, even as Town Guards tried to battle the blaze. She would end up doing the same, though, as Garble’s only warning was “Move or burn with her!” before belching out a jet of fire that covered Goldilock whole.

But even in that cone of cinders, the only thing on Goldilock's mind was Featherweight.

And how she was too late to save her.

And how much I might fail Gympis too.

But that thought didn’t just stoke her greatest fears – it fed into a furnace of pure rage, and through it, great power.

Garble only heard a swell of “ahhwellnaaaloouuuhurrrtooooh!” solder-hot Thestrel pegasus flew through the stream of flames, collided hoof-first with the red dragon, and left Misty Sky tumbling in her wake as she barreled toward Gympis.

In the heat of those flames, however, Goldilock missed the order from the very being that launched Gympis into that Town Center. How the Princess had taken to the air as she went to fulfill that dirty deed. And what trajectory she had as both drew closer to their goal.

And only three meters above the prone Gympis, Goldilock’s glowing form collided into Princess Dash, Garble sandwiched between them.

The glow of the intended Sonic Rainboom pulsed out, only for a sharp red ring of fire to shoot out from Goldilocks’ body to match it. That ring, the second it hit Dash’s rainbow ring, flared inward and exploded. Every fire nearby, including the ones crawling up Ponyville’s Town Hall, snuffed out, Garble was sent eliding hard into one of the Pools of the Fallen. And Dash?

Well, her experience of the moment went somewhat like this.

“HOLYFUCKWHAT’SGOINGONANDWHYDOESITFEELSOOOOOOOOOOOOO[/i]-“

Then she was sent flying across the city itself, her trajectory and speed coming to a stop in the earth of Ponyville just behind the train station. All that reminds in the canvas of pitted earth, smoldering wood, and blown-back ponies at Town Hall, however, was Goldilock. Wavering as if half-dead, the winded Thestrel slowly settled to the ground, right in front of the recovering changeling.

“W…what?”

Goldilock looked down, and for a minute, silence rang out. But the gold pegasus finally spoke.

“I said… I won’t lose you too, Gympis.” Goldilock took the weakened changeling into her arms. “Where is Viscera?”

Viscera’s skiff through the incoming alleyways was starting to remind her of Iron Pony. But that time, Goldilock was there to save her. Now she likely had to return the favor.

Which would be easier without the Celestia-damned pink dragon on her tail!

Which only resulted in trouble running into her – in one of the most terrifying ways possible. The tumbling figure of a pony from the side of the town hall found its way to a dead stop. Viscera’s outstretched hooves collided into him and claws atop them plowed into the figure’s chest.

Viscera felt one of her forearms bend in an utterly uncomfortable angle and stay there. Needless to say, her flight took a downward voyage as she tumbled to her feet.

Cinder landed three inches behind. Re-balancing on her thick tail, she reared back, glowing death collecting in her maw. Viscera reached for her Blood Stones, reared back -

And another explosion from the direction in the Town Hall lit up the sky, the blowback it produced sending a changeling barreling from a hole in the Town Hall – and headfirst into Cinders. Her shot went wide, and suddenly, the top of Quills and Sofas was battling a blaze of its own that carved out the Q in that very sign.

Viscera, unbelieving of her somehow horrible and awesome luck, hobbled o her feet. Yanking the Pony she’d impaled onto his back. One look at his face made her realize the depths of her grave error. “Oh no, Withers! Hold on, I’ll get you…”

A wracking cough interrupted her plight. Withers grinned as best he could. “Whaddya know… managed to find you after all.”

“Wait – Cabelleron’s still looking for me?!” Viscera paled. “I thought I gave him the slip in Everfree; the hell’d he send you here for?”

“Don’t know… don’t care.” Withers gasped. Viscera was certain one of his lungs had been pierced. “God, Equestria got fucked since I left Trottingham…” Another cough brought up blood and specks of green Viscera gagged at.

A thump of hooves alerted them both to the point that they might not be alone. And indeed, the still -impressive form of Luna stood in front of them, “…More ways than one.”

“So you are the pony who has impeded the-my Queen’s will.” Viscera tried to un-wish away both the likely cause of Luna’s stutter and the unmistakable scent of release hanging around the formerly noble mare. “Prepare to die by my hoof – an-“ Zap. “No, not this! Please!” ZAP. “And everything between them!”

Goddess, Vis shouldn’t be hearing the will of this mare of the moon snap so easily! Hadn’t this city provided her enough nightmares that it had to bring a literal namesake before her for a bonus round?

“What did they do to you, Princess?”

Speaking of… The stabling hell in her left arm only intensified, but it held long enough to throw her payload at her… but too slowly for her to do anything as Luna ducked and they sailed harmlessly behind her. Regaining her stance with some difficulty, the alicorn re-focused her gaze at her –

-Only for the two Stones she’d evaded to come speeding past her left ear. One blink of surprise was all she had before the Blood Stones exploded. And through that crevice came Goldilock, Gympis piteously waving at her. “I batted them back with one hoof…” the mutated mayor said disbelievingly.

“Goldi! Thank Celestia!” Then she noticed Luna stirring to her feet again. “Hurry, take her down before !”

THWANG!

And then a gold bar! Collided into the alicorn’s forehead, sending her down for the count. Holding it was Spoiled Rich, her expression one of regret and conviction.

“Would it help if I said I was planning to give this to Canterlot’s own either way tonight?”

Viscera almost dropped Withers collapsing to her rear legs. “Spoiled saved us?” was the only response Goldilock could give. Gympis’s was quite different.

“It seems… vicars… elongate… to us.” she breathed.

Goldilock blinked.

Vis was blushing furiously. “Think she means… victory belongs to us.” A bolt shot through her frazzled memory. “Wait! Goldilock, did you see Minnie?”

“N-no! Gympis?”

The changeling shook her head. “She is at rendezvous. With the photos.” A pause. “There were also two ponies in that hall – they were…”

“They’re ours, then – if the lock the Princess had is broken, our reason for being here is nonexistent!” Filthy Rich announced. “We’ll handle them!"

“Wait, what were you here for?”

“Communications between the Princess and Mayor broke some,” "We were notified to break the stalemate! My goodness, if what Wild Clover said was true…!”

“Nevermind Clover! That they did means it's a problem only the Rich family can solve! Now let’s go-OW!” Two pieces of a broken trophy had caught in Spoiled Rich’s hooves. Viscera recognized it immediately and swept them up in her good forearm.

“That's yours? And – my, my, are you hurt?” Filthy went to study Vis’s arm.

“Will be… when we’re all somewhere safe.” Vis motioned to Withers. “Dress is in my barding Goldi! Take Withers on your back – we're leaving NOW!”

With the two ponies aboard, Rappid slowly paced their way back through the alleys to the south of Ponyville. The Rich couple would end up moving into the gutted Town Hall to retrieve the others within. A “Goodness, Brass! What happened to you both!?” erupting from Spoiled Rich implied the worst in Viscera’s already terror-drunk thoughts.

They’d only narrowly evade the speeding-back Princess Dash, whirling back to find the being that’d nearly sent her across Ponyville limits. And with two ponies weighing down her frame and Viscera hobbling behind her, she missed Windy Sky and the actual High Winds crashing into the center seconds later to help up Cinder and Toxic.

Commander Spearhead, however, proved a dicier dilemma, lunging at High Winds with a guttural cry in a display that would take both Filthy and Spoiled Rich to stop – and earn pearls of laughter from High Winds when she found out the reason why. “You thought Prince Hazewas me!? He owes me so many fuckin’ bits!” Gympis grimaced harder at the mention of Haze, for reasons unknown to Goldilock.

Viscera, however, would faintly hear the cry of Misty Sky, issued for a different reason toward the pile of unmoving scales and charred muscle splayed in a food cart.

“GAAARBLEE!”

Rappid, dropping her gold form after crossing the bridge over Bucephalus, finally unloaded three patients worth of quadrupeds before Minuette and a thoroughly shocked Sassy Saddles. After begging for them to call Dr. Hooves, Rappid wearily flew back to a Town Center still in chaos – but thankfully, contained chaos.

Town Guardsponies were everywhere, and so were Spearhead and Flash Sentry. Redheart was busy catering to the former. The latter was holding up a faint-headed Mayor Mare, before taking to the air and making for Canterlot. Mayor Mare was Rappid’s first target, and she was not alone.

“Mayor, what happened?"

The Ponyville politician was frantic at this pone“Rappid, you’re here-?! I couldn’t stop it, I swear I tried, you have to-”

“Have to do what?”

“Princess Dash, she-she held Spur hostage to get me to free Jet Set and Upper Crust! I had no choice; Spur was only here to tank me for helping her after Iron Pony! She’s holed up in my office thanks to Spearhead - please, help her somewhere safe!”

“What?!“ Rappid could scarcely believe it? Surely Twilight’s depravities couldn’t go this far! But why else would Dash do something so… No. She needed answers. Right from the rainbow pegasus, and immediately. “Where is she?”

“I have no idea, the second she saw Garble’s corpse, she took off with Cinders and the Wonderbolts! Haze had to drag that dragon with him! I haven’t seen them since!”

“Garble’s been-?” And then terror struck Rappid’s heart.

Garble.

She’d dragged that dragon into ground zero. And then she’d collided with…

No! She’d taken a dragon’s life! In Ponyville!

“Mayor… I want to confess to something… please! I think I-”

However, Rappid’s self-reprisal would have to wait. Padding hooves brought forth two ponies – the returning Cori and Rarity herself.

“Cori! You’re back!” Rappid’s guilt momentarily forgotten, she hugged the Crystal Pony.

Cori shimmed out of her grasp. “Yes, I know, and with good news for me, but we’ve got problems! I only barely kept from being noticed, but-!”

“But what!”

“Rappid, I must speak to you both! Alone, if you would!” Rarity’s frantic nature almost completely chased away all else for the white-speckled pegasus. Rarity was never been this distressed in Rappid’s entire time of knowing her.

“I… I will, but it must be fast! I have to see to Spur!” And see if anypony else saw me bring Garble to certain death! Her wailing inner pony was about to burst from her skull if the pounding was any indication.

The three ponies rushed to the court outside of Sugarcube Corner. Rarity’s words came out as a collapse the second she came to a stop.

“Fluttershy will know of this soon, but… I am Rarity! Your requester of the second task and co-intermediary for your third! And that next task as… whatever you’ve become, begins now!”

“But why?!” yelled Rappid.

Rarity’s wide eyes focused on her, five words seizing Rappid’s heart as they had Cori’s minutes earlier.

“Haze has taken my Spikey-Wikey!”

Jump to top

1.5 Caper

Author's Note

Thanks to Jinzou for reading over this chapter.

1.5 Caper

Gympis’s eyes, crusted down with toxic from the changeling prince of the same namesake and the shock of his betrayal, cracked open. Feebly, the changeling looked around for her savior, but Goldilock was not present. This did not mean that Gympis was alone, however. Doc Top and Dr. Hooves were right by her sides, and so was the purple unicorn Amethyst Star. “Huzzah, she’s up!” shouted the latter.

“Then I should like to know how I got here,” replied the changeling. Her hooves still felt as if they were buried in rock, her head like it was submerged in water, and her eyes…

“Well, I can get right down to it if you want both.” Doc Top said.

Gympis blinked.

“The good news and bad news, of course,” continued the doctor. “Thanks to your recovery, I can safely confirm that all of your injuries are… nonlethal!“

The changeling painfully blinked, the slowness of the action taking her back to her first awakening. Goodness, it felt so far away, and yet so much had happened since. Perhaps she could tell someone of it all one day, like Viscera, or… “I.. think that report would be a bit obvious doctor,” replied Gympis at last.

“I knew it!” Dr. Hooves sprang to her feet. “The changeling that learned civilization one week ago can see it, and you can’t!”

Amethyst Star's eyes turned to the door leading into the other room - the kitchen that Viscera had been laid up in. “Um, guys?!”

“And we let that other pony Withers into Snowheart’s custody before you came! A decision I adore more and more by the second, may I add!”

“I’ve gotten Viscera back on four legs, haven’t I?”

“No, Everfree has! And I’ve seen better supporting wood on a -”

At this point, the doors to the dining room opened wide to allow in Viscera. Indeed, a splint was upon Viscera’s injured forehoof as she entered the room. Regardless, her expression bore no pain. The emotional heft was better spent elsewhere, now that the thief had two ponies she had to keep as far away from the Queen and her cohorts as possible. And the only one of them not traumatized by the Ponyville Massacre that same Queen had exacted – Withers – was now in Ponyville Hospital., one of many visiting spots of that very cyan pegasus by the various photos she was studying. “Withers had better not be in that spot, Doc!”

“Because of Dash, yes, I know! “ Doc Top said. His gaze then shot to the front door of the house. “We have a sub-basement we’ll get him treated in! He should be stable by the end of the next day!”

Dr. Hooves snorted in indignation. “Or be fit to clean one after you’re finished babbling over his dying body! Now, will you back off before you hurt yourself? Because if this pony dies, I’ll be hurting yo-”

“BOTH OF YOU! Perhaps the matter at hand can be better driven to something more important!” Minuette reminded them both sharply.

Gympis had a million different things that could fill that gap, but she preferred to hear it from a four-legged being whose tongue did not swell against the roof of her mouth for three words or more. “Such as?”

“That monster just took my dragon away from me! And she still dares call herself an Element of Loyalty! To whom or what, beyond that purple alicorn’s plot?!”

Rappid was too busy trying to ensure that Spur was safely in her hooves to hear this. A pity, due to her misguided affinity toward the treacherous Princess Dash. But Mayor Mare’s response filleted back to her as she flew back with the brown filly in her hands regardless. “We’ll find out where it is, don’t worry! Rappid, have you got-?”

“Here Spur is.” Spur furiously nodded in response, still cradled in Rappid's shirt-covered arms. “I can have her settle out with the Rich family… if they have space.”

“I did not think the Rich family was up for accepting strays…” Mayor Mare nodded. “But If you have the counsel that says otherwise…”

“Here to say otherwise.” Lucky Clover ran up to Rappid, saddling Spur on his hack with Rappid’s help. His eyes went gracefully over to meet Rappid, the white pegasus nodding in response. “We’ll make it there fast.”

Rappid turned to Rarity and Cori again. “And I’ll make sure we have a way to find out a way to stop this madness. I’m sorry you had to return to this, Cori, it’s way too much for a Junior Ambassador to face so early.”

“ Actually…” Cori presented a golden badge at her side, a yellow jewel standing around in front of the black juts of her flowing dress. “Princess Cadance decided I needed more independent motion to continue here. Said I wouldn’t leave all of you to the Princes, so she and Shining did the next best thing!”

“You’re … a full ambassador now!” Rappid moved to hug her. “I’ll find a way to celebrate this for you.”

“You could.” Rappid sniffled in joy at Cori’s words, her head still buried in the Crystal Pony’s shoulder. “Or we could make sure our latest interest of the Princes and the Queen isn’t facing the wrong end of them.”

The Cloudsdale mayor nodded. “Works. I’ll try to figure out our stuff with Rarity, but until then,-”

“No! The Boutique is too compromised for this now!” Rarity made her way between the two ponies, pointing towards southern Ponyville. “We’ll head to Fluttershy’s house! Lucky, do gather the rest of their group together at this point. I will ensure the transfer is properly compensated… and time is of the essence here.”

“You can count on me.” Lucky was bounding ways before Rappid and Rarity turned to make tracks.

This time, within the comforting embrace of Fluttershy’s cottage, the group had re-collected to process a plan to free Spike. Viscera herself was the worst of the bunch, her left forearm still tightly bound by heavy bandaged and her head was up. Her gaze did not leave Fluttershy, however. Mainly because of the lumbering minotaur buzzing around her. But it would take only one offer from Fluttershy to give them their own. “I… um. I may know what caused this.”

“You do? What is it?” Rappid was almost through Fluttershy’s face at this point.

“Hey, back up! Iron Will’s patients need time to compose themselves!” Iron Will’s below nearly sent the mane on Rappid back, her coat jacket and pinstripe shirt almost glued to her body from the impact.

“Well. Yes. But, the reason that Spike’s been taken to Canterlot is…” And then Fluttershy needed a packet of notes out of her cubby’s stand by her muzzle. “Because we’ve been called there too.” The note that the buttery pegasus had given to them from among that packet was short but potent.

Tomorrow evening. Come with Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie. Make sure A.K. Yearling is here too – I know she’s in this town. Don’t give me a reason to find you all myself. Or think that I CAN’T.

My amulet proves this wrong.

Queen Twilight Sparkle

“A.K. Yearling?!” Rappid yelled. “What could the Queen possibly want with her?”

“The Queen’s inner circle has had problems abound with golden mythical creatures; why would she demand the best archaeologist in all Equestria help her?” Cori explained.

“Focus on the important stuff! So we know that the Elements and the Queen are present in the same room! I think we may have a way to get Spike.

“And. Um. If I could, I could suggest getting some other things,“ Fluttershy prodded. “That is if you’re free.”

“We always are.” Viscera’s words startled the entire group. With one forelimb still in a splint, Viscera turned to the Element of Kindness “Tell us where this is and I’ll find a way to get them.”

“Well. Um,” “The first thing is the book that The Princesses had. I think its well, still in the vault. The one at the center of the castle.”

“Is there anything else?” added Cori.

“Only one. Yes.” Flutters’ related, her voice a still-too-quiet stutter in her evening-shrouded enclosure. “It is the only thing of the Princess I… I had…. I tried to take care of one of her pet birds once. Its name was Philomena. And, um. Well… I’m so scared. I think they may do to it what Twilight did to..”

Gympis had a sinking feeling she knew of which pet the Queen that the Element of Kindness would prefer Philomena’s fate not mirror. And the thought of such an innocent thing possibly being hurt brought to mind her strongest link in this city – and what might happen if she led her on.

“There is something I have to do.” Gympis hopped to the windowsill. “I will not be long. In fact, I owe this next move to you both, Viscera and Fluttershy.” Then the changeling was gone, a blackened blur in the night speeding at ground level.

Five minutes later, Gympis had perched on the roof into Octavia’s tenement. Turning into DJ Pon-3, she would soon behold the violinist startling herself at viewing the white unicorn suddenly just outside her balcony. Opening the door was next. “Vinyl. Of course, I should expect you’d want to stay close by. “

“Are you trying to tell me…?” Gympis gulped.

“Yes.”

There was no turning back now. If Octavia was to throw this intoxicating mix of emotions at her, let her at least know what truly called it. “I am truly sorry, but-”

“No. This time, the fault lays with me.” Octavia took her hooves in her own. “I’ve been a fool, as I said before. But as I’ve never said what it was before that I was sorry before, I… do not think it counts.”

“I apologize, truly and wholly, for calling you a bloody bitch.” “I have never thought of you as beneath me, and my lowest point in life came when I tried to pretend you were. You try to operate in this world, chaotic as it was, and I should have been there for you. Well no more.” The black-maned earth pony nestled her cheek to Gympis’s, the cool sparks of sweat settling into ‘Vinyl’s’ white coat. “I am so sorry, Vinyl. And I wish to make it up to you.”

“You have… already done more than enough for me.”

“For too long, I have leaned on you as a crutch to avoid having to deal with the situations in front of me. And I have been… harshly reminded of how little my place in this world might be if I continue as I’ve been. You have nothing to worry about from me. But for that to remain so, I… need to contribute more.”

“As I thought you might. However, there is only one way. And knowing that trollop Twilight could come and kill this town at any time, I would think you’d agree it must be done.” Octavia left it at that.

Gympis could have said so much more. About how it might not be necessary. About her being the one more in need to give an apology. About anything before she’d come to this town. But words soon found a touch job in escaping her maw – as well as oxygen - when Octavia turned and pressed her lips to it. Gympis would have stopped. Intended to, surely. But Octavia was so warm, after all of today either being too hot or too cold. From betrayal and fire, from icy revelations and stress.

And so Gympis’s inner changeling, protesting as she was that this sudden influx of indelible infatuation would only lead her to go deeper into her pit, was ignored. Gympis turned her head, her tongue rolled in, and it battled lightly with Octavia. With this, there was no war. No twilight, or (Queen) Twilight. No worries of somepony telling too much, or Gympis knowing too little of how those close to had changed.

So yes; her pink muscle flicked out, tangled, broke into Octavia’s wet cavern of a mouth. And ‘Vinyl’ meeped oh-so-softly as Octavia’s hoof curved around her blue locks and shoved her in closer. Why wouldn’t she, when her soft coat trapped the heat between their bodies to her soon after? Even now, so considerate of every little part of her, from her touch to her temperature!

And then. the soft tug behind the head of ‘Vinyl’ pulled her forward, straddling that bed with Octavia and suddenly, all that rushed through her mind was the need to nestle down, l=[in those hooves to her, this grey mare. Gympis needed, craved, obsessed to crush her to her pearl-white body. To feel Octavia and ever part of her rush in, by her hooves and tongue and her fucking-!

Gympis had to stop. She was panting, but she stopped. “Octavia. We have to stop! What if-”

“No. No more ‘what if’s’, Vinyl.” Octave pulled her into another soul-searing kiss and why am I not stopping her? Gympis was supposed to be accustomed to having voices run through her head; what made Octavia’s so impossible to ignore? “I said it before. I have looked down on you for too long. This only ends properly with you returning the favor.”

Gympis thought of her other friends in this town, still several streets away. And then Octavia’s furnace of a mouth sunk lower and suddenly every part of the room beyond the four-poster bed dissolved away.

“A.K., how are you doing?” Rappid accommodating the pegasus author in the increasingly crowded cottage was an act that sent Viscera’s lips curving downward.

“I assume you’re here for a good reason,” Viscera asked.

“No – in fact, that is exactly why I’m here.” A.K.’s front forehoof revealed a copy of the same note Fluttershy bore.”And whatever plan you’ve summoned, revise it.”

“We’re just on the cusp of one,” Cori was sifting through reams of papers with Rarity, likely of the formation of Canterlot. “But why should it be changed?”

“Because despite what the Queen or anyone within the power of my voice may believe, I will not spend a second alone with that monster.”

Rarity was next to speak. “This time, I must concur with the author. I do have a plan to possibly help you evade danger, but for it, we’ll need assistants and time.”

Cori said. “Thankfully, we’ve got two on the way here, thanks to the ponies holding down the fort at Carousel.”

“I thought it was Saddles?” Viscera asked. Her hood was drawn further around her head as she studied the room, still not completely trusting. cramped areas fully just yet. Even now, Shroud’s <Gotcha> flew

“Not with the focus on task number two.” Rarity pointed out.

“And on that topic of two…” The min-maned Lyra Heartstrings finally came down from the upper levels of Fluttershy's house. Bon-Bon was two steps behind her, nearly falling down the stairs entirely with the heavy saddlebags she was toting. “You’ll need a unicorn, right? One who can teleport, in case one of you is in real trouble. Likely the one keeping Queen Homewrecker busy.”

“And I’ve got enough from my pastry business to snag a uniform template – I heard one of you was good with cloth?” Bon-Bon produced a dress forward from one of her cloth bags.

Cori grinned. “Guilty.” Turning to Fluttershy and Iron Will, the Crystal Pony unraveled the collection of frills and lace. “Gonna need your help with this to finish it by tomorrow morning. Would like to beat any Guards incoming to take away the Elements to Canterlot.”

“Of course, the main operative force is one member short of full power.” Yearling turned to Viscera. “Mind telling me where the Changeling went – like her wannabe handler?”

All eyes settled on the thief this time. “Look, I don’t know where Gympis is, but she said she’d be back, and given the times she had to escape before, I’m not .” Viscera sighted. “Celestia knows we’ve made enough issues for other ponies in this city without harping on the one quadruped that hasn’t.”

Morning bled its way through the shadowed sky. This time its first rays caught the eye of the white unicorn sprawled beside Octavia in the bed. Her rise to her feet- and stretching of her delightfully tortured. Only the rise and fall of her chest interrupted the dawning light.

This time, her move from the bed involved a comical flailing of limbs. She envied how rich Octavia had made ecstasy look, her rich tone begging her on the pilled, into the headboard, into the crook of her maw. She wanted to be rutted into the sheets, then the floor, into the earth until they broke through the gates of Tartarus itself. I still wished to talk of this too: the geologic elements alone would pulverize this pony long before we managed a foot in this ground, not to mention the movement would not be enough to make such an impression.

But considering the vast field of splinters occupying what once were four legs on the bed, Gympis believed she had mimicked the necessary depth in spirit.

The face of the sun, however, brought another obligation. One to the crimson pony and the fires she had faced on the first time orange-flickering light had splashed across Ponyville’s horizon. That, and the changeling she had… once thought was every bit a victim as the ponies suffering in those riot-raised flames.

Leaving, though? To do it felt like sacrilege. A changeling could only dream of so carnal an arrangement.

“I want to stay. So much.” Gympis said. Her power, once fluctuating and frail in this fear-filled village, finally felt stable again. Leaving it so soon… leaving Octavia so soon…

But she had to see through her investigation – and her friend’s safety. All of them. Or life would be so terrifyingly worse for all of them.

Three seconds after the changeling left through the window, the doorknob to Octavia’s bedroom softly tinkled open and another quadruped slowly paced in. Lowering her fuchsia glasses, she offered the bundle of blankets and sweat-stricken coats a gentle kiss on the forehead. Octavia responded by pulling her closer to her. Trying to free herself from her uncomfortable spot half-on the bed, Vinyl eventually gave up and crawled onto the bed, along the pompadour-maned mane.

Her last thoughts before sleep overtook her were that she should have gotten back from Canterlot earlier. If Octavia had been leaving the sheets this crumpled and wet in her nightmares, who knows who might have been on her mind during her fits!

“Don’t worry; we’ll get you something nice from Canterlot today. Something untraceable. And valuable. Definitely valuable.” The next day brought forth Viscera to the house of the inventor stallion Dr. Hooves, talk with the mystery mare just beyond Dr. Hooves’ lab felt like an all-too-common ritual for the thief. But… she had to make sure someone besides her saw the progress of efforts. Now more than ever with one of her legs so injured.

“On this subject, Viscera, I have information of that caliber I must share with you.”

“Shoot, Gymps, shoot your shot.”Viscera turned to the magenta changeling. “Between the Fiery Goldrush, the running of the Elements-”

“Sonic Goldrush?” Cori asked.

“Our resident insipid thief things someone needs to name my phenomenon that occurred tonight.” The speckled-white pegasus shook her head.

Viscera chuckled. Suddenly, things felt normal-ish again. Not enough to suppress the sprained-an-arm-running-into-and-old-friend-and-nearly-got-killed-by-two-homicidal-princesses-in-the-same-night feeling. But close. “Some Thestrels have all the luck, don’t they Rappid? And now Fluttershy is asking us to pull a classic heist, Gympis! I’m not sure you could surprise me.”

“It involves shots, yes.” Gympis gulped. “But not in any way you are used to, Viscera. I… have lain with Octavi… with Miss Melody.”

“Not a problem, really – I’d reckon you’ve already had deception going into this, just say it didn’t mean an-“ The thief then stopped. “Y-you were saying ‘lied’, right?”

“The other reports are right; Spike is being contained in the royal bathroom as Thestrel radar.” Rappid’s sudden arrival kept Gympis from confirming her statement. “So we’ll need to – I’m sorry, did I interrupt something?”

“You have not. Miss Fires,” Gympis said. “I have slept with Octavia at her request as Vinyl, and I must now know what to do from here.”

Viscera burst into a fit of laughter at hearing this revelation escape his when she realized a total of nopony else was joining in her laugher, her eyes shot as large as her mouth. “You’re serious.”

“As the heart attack Octavia claimed she nearly had when I lowered my head and-”

“Stop, stop right now! I don’t believe this!” Rappid’s jaw looked ready to occupy the floor below her.

“Neither do I, Rappid!” But before Rappid Fires could thank Viscera for finally sharing the same sense of… well, anything… with her, the thief cut her off with. “A changeling disguised as DJ-PON-3 rutted in this town before I did?!”

“…I’m sorry, what!?”

Ignoring Rappid’s startled face, Viscera continued. “No playing coy for Gympis’ sake this time, Rappid – that unicorn’s music is murder on the ears! I’ve heard Diamond Dog threesomes more tolerable on the ears than that horse–“And Viscera’s eyes flitted to the door behind her once more. “-apples!”

“Your focus is on what the changeling was rather than what she did.” Rappid’s words – in the form, but not the intent of a question - dropped like paving stones.

“Also, how do you know what a Diamond Dog th-”

Rappid shut up instantly upon seeing Viscera’s face.

“Yes, they were all dogs, and no, the thirty-thousand-bit mirror I stole from them was not worth seeing it.”

“Now I’m wishing you’d shut up right now.” Rappid’s hooves went into her temples, massaging away her utter stress at just how depraved all her allies were showing themselves to be. “

The ambassador then spread a map over the workbench in the lab again. “Only because we have a mission to get to. I’ve got the plans ready, so take Rappid’s advice and save the sex talk for after we’ve gotten Spike off in the royal bedroom.” Rappid’s hurt eyes traveled to Cori at the double entendre, too shocked to say anything further. Viscera was too busy stifling her chortles in the next room to address them any further.

This left Cori as the only pony left to take Gympis’s next question. “Am I to return to Miss Melody before we leave?” Gympis asked.

“NO! Not right now!”The Crystal Pony clasped her hooves onto Gympis’ face. “You’ve gone into thoroughly unseen territory with her, we’ve got a heist to plan for, and I’d rather we not blow your cover in the worst way now!”

“Especially when she spent all last night blowing Melody’s covers!” came the cackle from the room next to her. Rappid’s shot of flames from her Thestrel-altered mouth fulfilled the job of cutting the thief’s leery diatribe short.

“Tell Viscera later. Relay the plan now.”

Cori already had the main map of Canterlot laid out before her. “So, everypony - I call this Operation: Queen of the Hill...”

As the Friendship Express pulled into Ponyville Station, the appearance of three griffons had Cori nestle further into the tree overlooking that very building. It had taken them the entire afternoon to get everypony in place, but making their way to the Queen’s capital would require approach on multiple fronts. Cori couldn’t bet the farm on one solo trip.

“How many there, Vis?” asked the ambassador.

One branch above her, Viscera’s visor eyeholes narrowed. “Two Night Guards and three griffons. Knew the dragon alliance wasn’t holding.”

Cori smiled. “And since the griffons can hit a higher altitude. That means we can proceed as planned. Proceed at about five feet behind the one with the gold collar, he’s the scout and none of them look behind a scout.”

“Five feet?” Viscera said to Cori. “You sure you got those meas-?”

“I ALWAYS have my measurements right.”

Viscera sighed. “Right, silly to ask.” Her look returned to the train’s overseeing party. “Do you mean on your body, too? Because I’m positive your balls just got bigger from the last time we met.”

Cori flushed vividly. “I got to meet… pretty much the best of the Crystal Ponies on my visit. I’m… a lot more confident in how I can handle this now. Get ready.”

As the train left, the three-griffon part was accompanied by yet another. Three minutes later, she and the Crystal Pony she was carrying took even heights than the griffons did. By the time the Canterlot Ceremonial Guard met them past the mountain tunnel, Viscera and Cori were out of sight.

Until they touched down just above the spires of the Canterlot Palace. “Holy hell, these air currents are beautiful.”

“Been in the air often?” inquired Cori.

“On the run often, more like. Being in the air just allows me more ways to.” Her eyes swung to the arriving Friendship Express, looking like it was an eternity away in the…weirdly –shaped golden gates. “Cori, you got eyes on this Too far ever for me, but I think some other changes happened to this city.”

“May be right, I’ll start up the magic checks. With hope, they won’t alert anypony at this altitude.”

Several hours later, Cori’s enchanted probes started resounding back, and the sun hung low in the blacking sky. “Think this all might be in order. “The Guard’s following the schedule right, the normal barriers seem in place. But I’ve been to Canterlot before in getting Sassy, so I should be

“Never did tell the rest of the plan to me though.”

“Hoping I wouldn’t have to since we’re trying not to get caught –or catch anypony else out.” Cori suddenly chuckled. “But even for you, you’re quite the escape artist. Feel safe enough to tell, but only once.”

The ambassador’s hoof swung to the Friendship Express, again steaming in just a couple dozen meters from the Canterlot station.

“Bon-Bon and Lyra are sneaking in on the incoming Express, with the other Main 4 and the guest of honor. Lyra’s gonna be part of the literal welcome wagon: Pinkie brought a cake tray and she’s underneath it. And while Rarity keeps the Guard’s attention Bon-Bon’s gonna maneuver through the main castle disguised as a maid. The second she confers with me, we’ll make a run for the safe's book.”

“Wait, did you say with you?”

“Yeah.” And Cori suddenly revealed a tucked collection of black silk and white frills in her saddlebags. “Gonna be meeting her from above one of the towers, an-ohholycrapNO!” One of her monitors was pulsing a sickly green. “I was worried about this!”

Viscera paled. “What is it?”

“I knew Shining had left something here for changelings, but I didn’t think it was this powerful! I think Gympis is in trouble!”

“Might wanna start flying off then, because here they come!” Sure enough, the progression moving to the gates of Canterlot. For some reason, several of them stooped and wildly shook their heads looking at the arches of gold.

Viscera, however, was weirded out by how Cori’s shoulders sagged in apparent relief. “Wait… didn’t go off! Brilliant. I have to thank her later for her bypass!”

A splutter escaped the crimson pony next to Cori.

“Trust me, it’s either down or our changeling found a way around. Speaking of which, I found the bird!” At long last, the bright plumage of Philomena was present as it flitted from tower to tower. However, its aura seemed to be flickering as it traveled, and a further look showed why. “A-are those stones?”

Viscera’ slip curled as she saw those very shards fly through the air. One scraped off the side of Philomena’s leg, blood pumping down the leg and turning it as harsh as the cry from its throat. “They have magic, the fuck is this barbarity?”

“Would rather not find out. The others are going in; we need to be as well. Ready?“

But Viscera was already pumping legs down to Cori, her next leap nestling her forelimbs around Cori’s barrel and her contraption of glider struts and weight-bearing feathers gliding them to Casa del Canterlot. Cori was already swathed in her maid’s outfit, and the incoming visage of Philomena burned bright in her mind. So did a dreading realization, however. “Drop lower, the Guards will see you too!”

Viscera, cursing under her breath drove in her fake wings and they barreled down the tower’s side. Cori’s tapping of a hoof against her own made her switch bat to a level glide at an incision three floors down. “Into the window!” Viscera had to draw in the wings hard to prevent them from snapping against the stone and brick of the window frame, but the ambassador was in, right in the middle of the spiraling staircase.

Cori straightened up and turned to Viscera, still braced in the arched opening. “I’ll move up and draw the Guards. You have a way to scale the walls?”

Eight flashing diamonds in her forehooves answered Cori’s question in the affirmative.

“Do it and wait for me, then grab Philo. Get her to Goldilock, she should be able to handle the rest, and we’ll need as many hooves on board to bail out our VIP if necessary.” With Viscera’s claws finding purchase in the white mortar, Cori allowed her trip up the winding steps until ebbing evening light peeked through the doorway once more. So did the sound of voices.

“Damn it, didn’t think the Queen needed this much effort for a meal!”

“She doesn’t, Private Point. We need the effort to keep from disturbing her talk with those four cunts by blasting away! You trying to get us like that Sailor Squad?!”

“Persim, we are up here for that reason alone – I can’t imagine what she’s thinking having them in the foyer like that. “Knight-Private Iron Monger, this sort of act is crude enough, stop using the roof tiles!”

“Feel free to bring the bird down closer and save me the trouble! Another voice joined the other three. “Now, aim better Point – you managed to wing that fowl, now actually hit a wing!”

Bile fought its way down from the Crystal Pony’s throat, but Cori remained calm. Making up the last few steps, she finally got the “Hell are you doing here?” came the same voice from before, coming from an earth pony in black-on-gold armor. In fact, save for the apparent oldest of them all - a wizened batpony in lavender plates with one folded wing sticking from him at an odd angle – all of the Guards here were earth ponies.

“Am I not supposed to be?” This could go sideways in a hurry, though Cori.

Knight-Private Point leered – immediately identifiable from the accent he threw out before. “Not unless you’re here to warm me up from the cold, blueberry buns.”

The ambassador gulped. She could only hope that this treatment of the phoenix was not the only one of Twilight’s depravities the armored ponies shared. And that her plan worked before she could find out what treatment was coming her way.“Well…. I might be. Did the Queen say anything of a relief shift?”

“Relief comes when we’re dead, my fair maid.” Persim pointed out.

“Then… And Cori’s black tail rolled up, curing under Point’s maw as it did so. “I don’t think we can have that.”

Knight-Private Point looked ready to fly out of his armor. Persim, however was of a different mind, “I’m afraid I’ll have to check this over with one of the Princes.” Cori paled at this.

“Hell no, Persim, he always just kills the fucks for not sharing.” “Remember Knight-Private Catchfly?”

“All too well, Private Forward.” Persim shuddered in a way that had nothing to do with the cold. “But I still must come with you, to at least try and talk you out of-”

Point snorted. “Don’t listen to him, he loves watching.” Trotting closer to Cori, he whispered in her ear. “But I love doing. Pick a position, love.”

Cori stammered harshly, improvising as only she could. “Sound travels and these banisters are too thin.” She then offered, “Maybe downstairs?”

“Queen did have that new torture chamber fitted in near the study… Not gonna lie, sticking it to a maid’s always been a secret fancy of mine.” Forward, that black-and-gold coated Royal Guard, pointed to the stairwell. “You know where it is – after all, sound travels.”

The trip downstairs ended too fast for Cori, but as she turned down a hallway at random, the lack of complaints told her she was on the right path. And with luck, the hall was lined with armor, the mannequins within each holding axes.

Moving down that hall, Cori quickly picked one without such a weapon in its arm, waiting until the main group passed it. Then she shot a spark off towards its front end with her igniting horn. The top-heavy and gigantic ornament tipped over and crashed onto Iron Monger and Point’s noggins, and Cori’s buck sent Knight-Private Forward into it like a dark to follow it up.

Persim, however, being fast enough to dodge and pertinent enough to not roll into Forward’s flight path, tried to raise his voice. “Knight-Commander! Se-”

Then a cream-colored hoof struck him in three points. One forehoof to his rearleg buckled them. A back-spinning rearhoof hooked under his raised jaw and crashed him into the rug-laden floor on his back, and the other rearhoof looped around to hit his knockout switch just under his chin. Bracing her arms to steady herself from the assault , the rich blue-to-pink locks of Bon-Bon bobbed as she faced the jaw-dropped Cori.

“What? I attended Iron Will’s seminar with Cractus.” The excuse didn’t sound as strong as it could be, but Cori would soon have other issues besides contesting it –like being met with Viscera again, floating to them notably Philomena-less.

“Viscera, did you get -?”

The thief shook her head. “Couldn’t. Bird got to another tower I couldn’t glide to from here. Think I can follow you for a bit till I get to another vantage point.”

Bon-Bon shrugged. “Well don’t worry. I’ll get these idiots out of the way – better if we don’t worry about them being up in someplace they remember. Meet you at the main bedroom.” The candy-flanked earth pony started lugging off Forward to the distant hall.”

Cori turned to Viscera. “Fine. We’ll swing by the foyer; one of them mentioned some ponies called the Sailor Squad. We gotta hurry, we could free them. Might make the rest of our trip easier to execute.”

“You executed them!?”

The reason for the main (well, Mane 4’s) procession’s sudden halt before the gates of Canterlot was due to a rather eye-catching slightly name due to very little else below them of the scalps shoved onto the new spokes over the burnished gold. Iron Standard’s violent twitch, however, hinted at more to the story. “These were of… several ponies who tried to kill the Queen on her first night here.”

Applejack already had hooves over Pinkie’s eyes, the pink party pony thankfully too busy bounding past the open gates to see, or hear, the reason for the Element of Generosity’s concern. And Fluttershy, after staring open-mouthed at the grisly scene, had her hooves over her face, being gently guided past it by A.K. Yearling. This left Rarity, pushing Pinkie’s cart of goods and the mint-green unicorn underneath the dinner tray, as the only pony left to continue her question.”

“Sure you could have kept her from this if you’d protested, sir.”

Iron Standard wearily turned back to face her. “That I and my family still breathe is because of my reluctance to test this theory.” The Knight-Commander turned back from her. “I plead for you to leave me to it if you will not follow it. It is… already haunting enough to me as is.”

The group of ponies was then led along a side road, purposely avoiding the center of the cliff-clutching capital. Applejack was about to ask why, having pulled her arms down from her fellow earth mare’s face a while back, but the sound of what was clearly the Princess and far too many other ponies in synchronic bliss had her clap them over Pinkie’s ears again.

“Ooooh, I know this game! Does this mean the mouth’s next?” Pinkie as Fluttershy tried to ask Rarity what it was she was hearing. The fashionista did her level best to lock eyes with every other restaurant on the way through instead of answering Fluttershy.

It was not too long, however –barring a trip past the Royal-Guard-thick courtyard that got more than a few unappreciated jeers in Rarity’s direction –before the finally happened upon Canterlot Castle. Thankfully, it had remained mostly unmolested by its new ruler’s presence, though the front doors were notably shut and there was a giant star braced over it, of the same purple tint and configuration as that on the balloon during Iron Pony.

“This way. Inspector Kibitz will take your effects, to be returned to you when the meeting is over,” Iron Standard instructed. The old assistant was with the Elements and A.K. a second, four pairs of hand-and-saddlebags floating toward him with a twitch of power from his horn. With a nod to Iron Standard, the unicorn turned and paced away without a word.

“Whoa, what happened to him? He was always so swell!” bubbled Pinkie.

“It is… not just these bags he has to inspect these days.” Did a tear fall from Knight-Commander Standard's eyes? thought Rarity. “We are here. I shall be conferring with Photo the second you are all… settled in.”

Even in this tense situation, A.K. marveled at the scene before her. The room was high-ceilinged, a glass chandelier’s light tinkling off the similarly-transparent material of the long table before them. Chairs surrounded this precious slice of furniture, enough to seat six ponies. Rarity’s hooves drove the cart home to the side of the table nearest to the door, A.K. sidling into the seat to it worriedly.

But at the end of the table facing toward that night-shrouded balcony, however, was the malevolent matriarch Herself. Gone was the netting, at least as far as they could see from her position just over the table. Everything else on her –from the golden tiara with a six-sided gem set within it to every one of the sparkling teeth in her spreading smirk, betrayed the rotten heart beating beneath the breast of Queen Twilight Sparkle.

“Welcome, my fair-weather fucktards! I am your goddess and hostess for this evening, for so long as I decide it is evening.”

Behind Queen Twilight – and one of her outstretched forelimbs - the stained-glass windows swelled with light as the formerly-setting sun rose between them. Its harsh, peach-tinted glow made it look more like a bird-eye view of a roiling volcano than a celestial body.

Then again, much of Twilight’s infamy had come from what she’d done to previous Celestia-l bodies.

Iron Standard was galloping out of that room so fast the pegasus author slammed a hoof over the dinner tray’s cover by instinct. Thankfully, Fluttershy’s loud eep at the Queen’s display masked it. Slowly, each of the Elements took seats at the table, lastly pursued with Queen Twilight herself. However, her leering eyes did not focus on the grey-haired pegasus author across from her at the table, but to a different yellow pegasus instead.

“Now that we’re all gathered, let’s start with some small talk about the weather. Fluttershy, the clouds your head are so often stuck in look lovely. Tell me what you’ve done lately for the ponies that brought them to you.”

~~~

After several encounters with Royal Guards that Viscera either had to drop down and subdue or yank up Cori to her spot on the ceiling to avoid, the two ponies finally reached the back entrance to the foyer. Well, one of two of them, anyhow. On a lone sloping archway connecting them and crossing over each other in a metallic infinity sign over the spacious hall behind them was a gigantic silver safe, nestled snugly in a nook behind stairs circling it. Likely, this room was at the base of another tower.

And if it was any indication…. “We’re not the only ones trying to pry,” whistled Viscera. That very safe was still closed, but not for lack of trying to open it. Violent jagged scars lined the walls surrounding it. Burns from likely cutting tools crisscrossed the floor beyond it, purple pulsing through the cracks like angry rashes.

As Viscera studied it from above, Cori had no choice but to look beyond the door. The thief’s voice tinkled back to her as she struggled to move the heavy piece.

“Two different types of locks and a double key lock too. Think that’s one of Standard’s ponies watching over it. And I don’t think we’ll be cheat-sheeting our way through.” Viscera’s scout report was not promising.

Just then, another hoof found its way to Viscera’s face, a crumpled note in it. “Found this on the batpony you took out first, by the way.” Whispered Bon-Bon as Viscera read it. The front part of the letter had been torn, likey from unmooring from a nailed spot on a wall.

-amn it, the lock burst two of the keys and no amount of magical or pegasus power is budging this! The last pair of keys are in Sentry’s office; get the other locks open BEFORE trying this shit! The Queen’s already stewing over hunting down the Sailors and losing half the archives; she finds out we blew our last chance to get into the Sisters’ vault, we’ll be Princess Dash buttplugs within the hour!

“Wonderful. Which means one of us has to swing back by their offices. I’ll check the ma-”

A shocking eep rang through as Viscera turned to Cori. The Crystal Pony had gotten the door open a crack, but did not venture further, too transfixed by the scene before her to move. It also got the Guard’s attention, and before Bon-Bon could tell Viscera to move, the crimson pony’s claws were taking her up the pillars until she was out of sight of the approaching armored pony.

“Is there something…” His attention then fell to the open door. “Oh goodness, we had barred this place to the maids for a reason! I’m sorry, Miss…”

“Nevermind her!” Bon-Bon said, rushing up to her. We got sidetracked on the way to Sentry’s office, maybe you can-“ And then she got a peek of the foyer of Canterlot Castle. “Oh noooo…”

Lining each of the ceiling-high cubbies lining the room's walls, four on each side, was the headless body of a pony, all clothed in torn dresses and skirts of different bright and blood-caked hues, all strung into position by thick chains and signs of the same stars as the one over that castle’s main door. It was quite clear, however, that these were likely the Sailor Squad Cori had mentioned. But where were the other two?, asked Cori, her tear-stung eyes and stricken face buried into the Guard’s neck so as not to give him a good look at them.

“Then Prince Shroud likely has them; he stated… a need to prepare them for the Queen tonight.”

Bon-Bon looked sick. “Prepare?”

“I could not stand to ask how; they were headless as well...” The Guard shook his head. “Come on; let’s get you both to Sentry’s office. After that’s done you’ll both have the rest of the night off. I’m leaving tomorrow anyhow.”

Viscera ended up following them to the collection of offices three hallways down, her travel on the chandeliers both silent and spirited as she scanned the corridors for anything that could impede them. Upon coming to a trio of doors, however, Viscera noticed a small opening in the cured archways above them.” “Sentry’s is on your left,” The Royal Guard asked. Be quick with it, for your sake and his.”

Flash Sentry’s empty office did look quite luxurious, full of gold and polished oak as a contrast to the white mortar of the castle, though whether it was because of how it was beforehand or what he contributed was unknown. Viscera’s attention as she slipped in through the ceiling’s crevice, however, was drawn to two things. First up was a set of sparkling white-and-black keys on the wall next to where Bon-Bon started dusting the shelves to get the Royal Guard to close the door on them, satisfied.

Secondly, however, was the note on the counter next to a pair of crossbows, in the form of a likely general notice to the Guard.

You’re fucking kidding right? It wasn’t enough what you did with those outlaws I sent Hel, now you use poison darts on a BIRD!? I’ll handle this Philomena issue by the end of today; we’re not frying that thing up for the Queen, no matter what she says to me! I’m a step away from walking out and you do THIS behind my back. Learn something from this, idiots, getting sick of keeping one eye on you.

- Commander Flash Sentry

It should have made Viscera feel better that there was worse that phoenix could have gone through. Somehow it didn’t. “So yeah, we need a way up to Spike right the fuck now.”

Bon-Bon chuckled. “Surprised Cori didn’t tell you.”

“Tell me what?”

“That we’ve already got Spike covered.”

Viscera whirled on Cori. “Relax, again: we’re in the belly of the beast, I wanted to lower the risk of having to go gold as much as possible, so we’ve got somepony breaking into the master bedroom as we speak. And that reminds me…” A swift jingle signaled Cori flipping the keys to Viscera. “I’m heading there to back her up.”

“A her, huh?” Viscera smirked. “Whoever it is, I do like there being hidden stuff working in our favor for once.”

“Yes, well… get to the vault.”

Seconds later, Viscera had beaten the Guard back to the vault, Ear to the lock as she ran the tumblers. 12-12-6 and the first keypad lock was open. Spinning out the reverse of that combination on the disc-like tumbler surrounding that keypad was a bit hard to the scars making turning difficult, but that worked too. And finally, the two keys on each of them opened its contents wide.

Inside were several immaculate pieces of golden armor, likely sized out for the taller of the two alicorns that once occupied this castle, as well as two rolled-up maps and a giant book. Everything went in either Viscera’s pockets or clipped to her belt. And she only managed to get the vault shut again just as the Guard turned the corner.

Flipping out of eyesight and below the platform, the thief fought down the urge to ascend the stars and see just who Cori had employed to get at the dragon. She’d know in good time anyway, possibly as soon as she got that damned bird from the next building.

Rolling back to Sentry’s room, notably for the absence of one light-blue ambassador, Viscera dumped the keys and book into Bon-Bon’s hooves. “Hold these for me – the less I have on me as I get Philo, the better.”

~~~

“…a-and… well, um. I’ve finally seen that Tank’s gotten the best of care. I d-don’t think filling out the rest of Ponyville’s bedding is – um – necessary,” The buttery pegasus gulped. “I-if that’s okay.”

“Did you hear that, A.K.? Such touching concern!” The smile on Queen Twilight’s face lasted three seconds before melting off. “Now I almostfeel sorry over how absent that fucking concern was for me! I was willing to cover for every shit thing you did! Mismanaging Whorestia’s pets, siccing animals on me in parties, letting me get turned to stone – but at least you kept the green quadrupeds safe!”

“I would not think you needed a cockatrice to be a cold, unmoving force.”

Twilight’s eyes narrowed at A.K. “Do repeat that, bitch.”

“There are many other ways to elicit the effect of such an animal.”A.K’s head tilted in what would have been a very un-A.K. like maneuver if not for her level tone of voice. “However, very few would work on an alicorn, especially one of your power. Regardless, they exist, though I know not of which.”

Queen Twilight slowly blinked. “You’re serious.” It wasn’t a question.

Gympis could have sworn that she saw Applejack bite back a curse. However, it was Pinkie Pie who took point in verbal rebuttals. “B-but that party Fluttery crashed was already going south! And it was at least attempting to be something better – why can’t you? Twilight, you were okey-dokey-lokey before, there’s no-”

“-shut up, Mudpie, or we’ll be finding out how well the Pinkie Sense protects against a busted cherry.”

Pinkie’s hair deflated immediately. Under her breath, she tried to mutter. “..but what does my sister have to do with this?”

“Now A.K. before we get to your report, I would like to know if you’re good for another copy of your book! Seems some usurious dead mares made off with the copy I had from Iron Pony II.”

A.K. slightly wilted. Beside her, still hidden in the cart, Lyra Heartstrings’ teeth barred through a sliver in the satin. “I do not have it. But maybe with time…”

The Queen chuckled. “So modest, Yearling? You can just say that seeing my sexy Prince Shroud made you wet the copy you did have!” Her eyes then swiveled to the orange coated cowpony two seats beside her, eyes burning a hole in the near-empty plate before her. “Oh wait, I forgot – that was Fritter.”

A good thing Applejacks’ tongue was in her mouth as the last word dropped from Twilight’s or she might have bitten clear through it. “We were led to believe that was before those two met you.” “But if you are that far gone then…”

“No, Applehick, you’re right. I was that far gone. Because your idiocy kicked me there! Thankfully, I no longer care about you falsely thinking of me as a monster…” Twilight’s left rear hoof slipped its way onto the table, the malevolent monarch using the long glass-lined structure as a recliner. “…Because I love being the stuff of nightmares now. Especially yours.”

“If that’s your goal, then leave the rest of Ponyville out of this!” Applejack’s eyes burned into her, only slightly covered by her Stetson’s brim. “I’m not afraid to surrender myself to you to keep everypony else safe!”

“Safe.” Queen Twilight deadpanned. “Since you’ve enough recognition to not need me to remind you why you’re not a part of Iron Pony – waking up on the right side of the cousin and all…” A rumbling growl emanated from the Element of Honesty. “…perhaps you’d like to know why Princess-and-soon-to-be-co-Queen Dash wasn’t as well?”

Before Applejack could answer, A.K. did. “We would, please.”

A slow snipe of light came from Queen Twilight’s horn, sizzling a hole through A.K.’s hat. “Reason that didn’t go through your eye was that you remembered to say please.” Ignoring the shudder that went through A.K.’s form, the Queen turned back to the insolent cowpony.

“And the reason for your Princess not being present is because my Dash has already won the last one, and has nothing to prove to you or anypony in Ponyville.” Another of Twilight’s hooves, this one holding a long sprig of broccoli, slipped under the table. “Besides, she spent both this event and last slipping on sap – only this time it was from the only alicorn that matters.”

Between Applejack's green face and scrunched-shut eyes, she could be mistaken for Granny Smith.

“The contest also had you placing fifth if I recall, ma’am.”

Queen Twilight rolled her eyes at A.K. “Because I wasn’t trying – which says everything for all but one pony that finished behind me.”

“Having several ponies finish behind you seems like it’s a regular practice for you now, your Highness.”

To Rarity’s disgust, Twilight laughed at her retort. Her titillating tenor ricocheted off the marble walls. “I know, isn’t it so hot?”

Cori was all too quick to ascend the stairs, careful to keep from alerting the guard by racing to them as he nodded. How he could with so much carnage and wrongness in the room facing his gaze was beyond the Ambassador of the Crystal Empire, and in several flights, so was the unknowingly breached vault beyond her.

Before her was a set of double doors, and it didn’t take long for her to realize the Queen likely resided here. The very purple star was on the left end of the odors, and the last two of the Sailor Squad – Cori could tell they were Aqua Mist and Burning Heart, if only by the utterly crude plays on their names that she dared not spend another second on visualizing thankyouverymuch.

Rather, her attention was brought to the windows on each side of that door, ending out of the tower. Shrinking one into pocket-carryable variety, she took it into her mane. After a quick re-check of the map, sidled out on the ledge connecting to the windows inside the bedroom. It took some edging out, but she efficiently each the first pane of glass-

-and promptly fell headrest through the large hole cut in it. Turning to their right, the last of the metal bonds on that bed was severed. The sharp smell of blood and viscera (the substance, not the thief) hit her nose with such a punch that she nearly gagged. Thankfully, the only two in that room were the purple dragon and the pegasus with the last bond between their teeth.

“Decided to just take Spike with the last one, didn’t have enough material to handle all of these chains.”

Cori scrambled to his feet and took a further look at the dragon. Despite being clearly awake, he hadn’t made a sound. By Tartarus, he’d barely even blinked, despite his eyes bugging out of their skull.“Is he okay?”

“Yes, but apparently shell-shocked. Small wonder, I got the scent of the room, I’m guessing one of the Princes did some sick shit in front of him. “

Cori wince. “He’s out of here now, then. Slinging the last chain around the pegasus’ back, Cori beckoned to the window. “Gotta get back and help Bon-Bon out of Flash’s study.” To Spike, the ambassador said, “Don’t worry. You’re… well about to be safer now. Both ponies went out the window, the latter snapping out her wings and floating to the ground far beyond the castle. Cori ended up settling back into the main barrister outside the bedroom, turning around/ and newly smacking headfirst in a cream-coated maid. “BON-BON?! You’re-“

“Good at giving a Guard the slip? You could say that, yeah,” Bon-Bon replied. “We’ve got more complications, though.”

“How… so?”

“It’s Vis. I heard one of the Guards report the missing tower shift, they’re sending more ponies up and searching the castle. We have to get out now!!”

Cori’s brow wrinkled. “Then going down has too much risk I’ll blow down from here, Come onto the balcony, I’m sur-” But when Cori’s hoof settled on the doorknob to the room the lock gave slightly with a click.

“Wait –we were busy sliding onto aisles and using windows when the door was unlocked?” Cori asked. “Come on, let’s go through and strip the sheets we’ll need to parachute down with!”

“Wait…no!” Bon-Bon nearly cried.

“What’s the matter?” Cori, with a slight push, knocked the door open. “It’s unlocked, Bon-”

BRIIIIIIIIIING! BRIIIIIIIIIIIIING!

“Burglar alarm’s what’s the matter!” Bon-Bon yelled.

“But this is too low for anypony to catch, even Twilight – who could it be!” And the windows of the bedroom imploded inward, the twin visages of Knight-Commander Hel and Prince Shroud filling the void.

“…ok, maybe run.” Both mares barreled down the staircase, only just above a barrage of tendrils chasing them.

“Told you it’d work,” came the monotone of a growl behind them.

“I’m not certain how finishing is possible here- there is not enough room in this city for a race.”

Rarity smacked a hoof down her face. Queen Twilight, after stealing one look at Rarity, turned to A.K. “You really need to come down from that mountain more often,” Shifting in her seat, the Queen crossed her rearlegs, still propped on the table. “Especially since my darling Dash is a fan of your work.”

“So you’ve often said.” A.K. tentatively pointed out. “Which is why I wonder why you think I know of a way to stop these… gold ponies.”

“You don’t. But the pony you’ve written so much about has.” Queen Twilight said. “And since I cannot call Daring Do here, I’m going to have you tell me of every concoction, every death trap, and every single countermeasure any villain has used against Daring. Then I use it on those piss-pones until one sticks.”

“Look Twilight, if there’s anything you have to ask of her, I’m sure I could do better!”

“You are about thirty-eight teeth and four limbs too short to do anything for me that I’d like, Two-in-the-Pink.” Hissed Twilight.

“Um…” Twilight herself quirked an eyebrow at Fluttershy. The Element of Kindness was almost invisible from the table’s sightline, but her voice traveled all the same. “I… um. Remembered you said that Dash was about to be a… co-Queen? I. Not sure that’s… um. Possible.”

“Righty-o, Flutttershit. In all cases but one. One I liked so much…”

And her left forehoof raised to reveal a vivid golden circlet wrapped just above the hoof.

“… I put a ring on it!”

“WHAT?!” Applejack was fully alert now.

“I don’t believe it, you managed to get him out okay?”

Goldilock was an entire city away, but the vantage point from the Canterlot Palace was more than enough for the rescuing pegasus to unload her draconic cargo right at Goldilock’s paws. “Believe me, I’m surprised my end of this op has been this quiet.”

“Yes, I know – working alone and all that.” Goldilock nudged Spike on her shoulders, her white mane tickling his nostrils. “I’m at least grateful to see that you found a way to get up there alright.”

“What can I say?” And the figure. “The minute that dolt Viscera gets something right, she gets it right.” Now to-

It was at this point that they were nearly bowled over, by a shuddering screech coming from the building next to them – from the barracks, in fact. “That an alarm?”

“None I’ve heard of. Who tripped it?” Goldilock responded to the pegasus beside her.

“Never mind who did, we have to stop it – Celestia knows who that might put on our heads!”

“Right, that’s what I’m scared of – that Celestia specifically knew ‘em before she died to ‘em.” Goldilock braced her claw-tipped forearms forward, “Now stand back, I’ll be back in-”

Immediately, a bolt of white-hot fire shot from one of her paw-tips and crashed into the bright red klaxon atop the barracks, knocking if off the building in a flurry of sparks and ending the dreadful droning. “W-wait… you can do that?” asked the pegasus next to her.

Goldilock shrugged, hoping the maneuver would make her feel as confident as she looked. “I-I mean apparently. But right now that’s’ good, the alarm’s back down, they might think it’s a fake.”

“Don’t think that the arson report’ll be!”

Both the winged Thestrel-hybrid and the pegasus that rescued Spike shot their eyes to him in surprise, but that attention was soon drawn to the fickler light from the row of rose bushes stretching around the building.

“Wouldn’t be too much to hope either of you has a rain cloud handy?” asked Goldilock.

Receiving no further answer, from either the scared drake or shrouded pegasus, Goldilock suggested one herself.

Without another word, Goldilock took the knotted reins nearby in her may and with a mighty wrenching of muscle, the golden four-poster bed it was attached to scraped against the cobbled floor, before rising with its owner as she cut toward Canterlot’s center –and closer to the castle becoming thicker with flying forms.

“And here I thought that we wouldn’t be going loud today…”

“You’re marryin' Rainbow Dash?!” Applejack's statement came out as more an accusation than a question.

Queen Twilight nuzzled the golden band into her neck, tongue creeping out to slide down its surface in twisted bliss. “Between finally stomping out those Sailor cunts and battering up Luna, I finally had the time to do what I should have ages ago!”

The whispers over at Flutrershy’s part of the table were faint, but it was likely around the lines of “pleaseletitbeprivatepleaseletitbeprivatepleaseletitbeprivate.” Twilight would give it no concern.

“And best of all, it’ll be private!” The buttery pegasus’ head finally peeked over the counter at the Queen’s words. “Since I clearly cannot trust any of you with stopping the disharmony those gold-shits are sowing in the town that I made relevant, you’re all restricted to your homes until the ceremony that day is finished.

But don’t worry; I’ve decided to make cards for you anyway! So you don’t feel left out!” With a fizzle of magic, four slips of paper were before each of them.

Pinkie Pie was the first to take hers up, and a genuine smile crossed her face upon reading it. “Carrot Cake?” she asked. “Woohoo, you’re finally going to attend the party I put together! I mean, I thought Devil’s Food or velvet would be the cake of choice, but I think I could do that too! Though I’d need to know the type of frosting. Oooh, maybe I could do half-and-half! Rarity, what dessert did she suggest fo-”

“m-mine says Pumpkin Cake.” Fluttershy had to push the card to face the others to see.”

“Welll…. I’m not sure if we can do two cakes… and I’m not sure Fluttery’s good with baking.” Pinkie Pie was looking between both place cards rapidly.

“Pinkie…” Rarity showed her card. It simply read Cup Cake.

“Oooh, so this’ll be a full range of bakeries! I’ll have to-”

“This ain’t a dessert list.”

Four pairs of eyes were on the Element of Honesty. “How do you mean?” started A.K. “The only other commonality they have is…”

“Tell me: exactly why is it that this obsolete mule got to the point before the rest of you? Actually no. If you could, I wouldn’t have the pleasure.”

Twilight cleared her throat.

“Newsflash, fucknuggets: I don’t trust a single thing any of you would make that going in or on me. Not in the least because that duty is for the Princes and Dash only.” Her wicked smile returned at full mast. “So Rarity – you’re on with drapes and only drapes, I know where your carpet’s been. Applejack, you’re on gift-wrapping. I’ve already ensured everypony worth their bits in Ponyville’s going to make them shine. Fluttershy: doves. I’ve even saved you the trouble of mistaking them for other birds by having Hel and her Guard kill all the cockatrices in Everfree. And Pinkie? You get to handle flower arrangements! Only the best from Rose and Junebug – and I’d suggest you save some for yourself. Just in case.”

“What for?” Pinkie asked, even as Applejack’s jaw was clenching in fear over Twilight’s next words.

And her fears were well-founded.

“Those cards before you are your collateral,” Twilight concluded, her voice turning shrill with sadistic intent. “For each of you that don’t bring their share of wedding material to Town Center by 4 P.M. tomorrow, the Cake family member you’ve been assigned will be taken, gift-wrapped and delivered back to you!”

Queen Twilight’s next two words dropped the ambient temperature in the room by a hundred degrees.

”Organs first.”

Viscera was up to the second tower within seconds, but Philomena had again moved. For Viscera, however, a stroke of luck emerged. Since the tower she’d gone to was of a lower position than her current perch, one bound got Vis’ wings spread and brought her to the ledge next to the phoenix.

Even here, she could see the faint light from that ballroom the Elements were in, and the rise of the spire that housed her catch. I hope this isn’t taking too long for you, luv. Viscera knew she’d likely go check on them after bringing the battered bird to Goldilock, but it still felt good to assuage her own fears every once in a while.

Reaching out one clawed hoof, the thief finally managed to reach Philomena, taking the bird into her embrace. The pained coos of the animal as it nipped at one of the golden bands still around Viscera’s chest brought her heart at ease again. “Well, hello, Lil’ Red. Ready to fly over a cuckoo’s nest again?”

Not sure if the bird could understand the answer, the crimson pony heart fluttered anyway when it chirruped happily. Nestling it more carefully to herself now that she noticed the weight-bearing feathers were bent in several areas, Viscera took off for the front of the castle. The arrival of armored figures both above and beyond, however, had her shoot for the ballroom’s long balcony instead. She wagered they wouldn’t be so quick as to disturb somepony like the Queen without concrete evidence of a foul pony in play, and they’d be careful to ensure that wouldn’t be.

It even gave her time to unroll one of the scrolls, hoping it could lead to some new avenues of incursion for the next time. However, the first map was of Baltimare itself, with a notice next to it that had this to say:

Sister, burn this after you read it. It should likely not be necessary, but if I fail to stop my former student, this is the only way anypony can locate the statue I moved.

Even now, at first, I had originally regretted not having the Elements work towards unsealing this statue before. But with Chrysalis’s latest growing danger, I could not risk it.

Now the knowledge of him being here is the only thing likely holding back an apocalypse. No matter her intent, Twilight - the way she is - can never know where I have moved –

A vicious squawk erupted from Philomena’s beak and sent the notice flying – though Viscera was good enough to catch the map with her teeth as it was dislodged. Turns out, the phoenix noticed a certain armored pony calmly trotting up and down the staircase as if waiting for somepony in anticipation. With a rent cry, it shot out toward that Guard, dragging Viscera along for the ride by the hoof still wrapped around her frame.

It wasn’t until the incoming strike, the freeing of its non-bloodsoaked talons out toward its target like a field mouse in the open, that Viscera could even recognize the peachy fur and bright blue eyes of Flash Sentry. The Guard was too busy studying the doo to recognize them hurtling towards him, but his vision would soon turn to them after Philomena’s crooning chirp of rage.

Then the phoenix’s claws buried their way home in a very vulnerable part of Sentry’s face.

“GWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGH!”

“N-NO! You’re lying!” Rarity’s composure was fleeing her, her voice nearly cracking in its intensity.

Sparkle slammed a hoof on the ground. “Lying?! LYING implies I either respect or fear you, and I outgrew both when I outgrew Whorestia!” Seeing Rarity recoil in her chair, her fight thoroughly stifled, Twilight leaned back in her seat and concluded. “So again for the dragon dumpsters in the back. You have twenty hours to dazzle me before I drizzle you in their entrails! And best of all, since they’re Pinkie’s employers, she’ll know exactly which one of you are cowards! After all, my two sexy boys will have lots of time before the ceremony to check on each one of you!”

Pinkie’s eyes widened on the first bars of Twilight's song, her cruel voice sinking into her like liquid nitrogen. “They’ll know with whom you’re sleeping-” Twilight’s eyes flashed dangerously toward Rarity. “-they’ll know when you awake, they’ll know which ponies you talk to – if you do, their necks’ll break!”

“Twilight, you monster! You can’t think you’ll get away with this!” yelled Applejack,

Twilight threw back her head and laughed again. “Think? I know I will, Applehick. This is my Sparklequestria. Here thar be me.''Her eyes narrowed to slits. “And it always should have been. After all, your task is what it’s always amounted to, before, and after I flew the coop you left me to rot in: to sit back, play to your tunes like puppets, and wait for me to come.”

A.K.’s eyes flitted cautiously to Lyra Heartstrings’. The mint-green unicorn’s horn softly lit in preparation, but a wave of A.K.’s youth made the glow back down again.

“Which reminds me...” A wet splat from the stalk she had lowered beyond the table as it crushed into the wall rang out. The following bright flash from her horn had everyone before her reeling. But when it cleared, nothing seemed to have occurred. Even Rarity’s vivid search of herself revealed nothing amiss.

However, the ebbing squeak of terror from Fluttershy, having condemned herself to lie so low in her seat she was under the table, proved perilously prophetic.

“You’re right, A.K. You’re not Daring Do.”

A.k, after a minute, breathed a sigh of relief.

“Which means I don’t have to worry about spoiling anything special for Dash today.” And with a bound, all four of Twilight’s s hooves slammed home, perching her at the edge of the long table. Her legs, however, stood at a very visible, voluptuous five. “The papers. Now.”

The pegasus author couldn’t shove them to her fast enough. “By the stars! T-take them!”

“Oh, Yearling, I always was. This next part of the show, however, is about me taking you.” With another flash of amethyst light, Twilights four Elemental guests were bound to their seats, the cushiony velvet threatening to swallow them whole. Rarity herself had fainted in her seat seconds earlier, her head lolling between the purple padding. “Don’t worry; I’ll need time to go over your notes, so your other holes will remain perfectly ripe for my precious little Rainbow.”

Clip. Clip Clip. Clip.

“In fact, I’m going to read them on your very head.”

“But y-you said that I would recite these to you!” A.K. was hyperventilating at this point.

“No. Iron Standard didbecause both he and Sentry labor under the illusion I need dictation. All I command from you is to know when I’m choking you.” Both of the Queen’s forehooves braced themselves on either side of the chair looming above Yearling’s head. “So I know to delve DEEPER.”

At this point, however, several things occurred at once – each leading to the true climax of the night.

First, a violent cacophony of squawks finally belted out from the door behind Yearling, the room quiet enough to hear the screams of a Royal Guard just beyond the stairway leading out of the room. Clambering down it, however, was the crimson-swathed pony Viscera. Philomena was straining on her left forehoof, one of her bloodied talons still madly clutching at a ball of leaking silver and red threads.

“Okay…” Viscera started, voice hoarse and hesitant. “Would any of you believe the bird did this?”

Fluttershy’s scream this time could have been mistaken for knowing just what thing it was that the battered phoenix was holding in her claw. But her eyes were in a completely different direction from the others, and it was for good reason – the hallway at the opposite end of their dining room revealed the flash of two running ponies. One of those fleeting equine’s coat was a glittering sapphire, the other a rich cream with three wrapped candies peeking out from the maid’s skirt over it. And one of them was holding a thick leather book, the visage of a sun with curling rays and a moon with columns of scars stamped on it.

Viscera, saw it too. “Nevermind, go loud, the both of you! We’re all outta here!”

Could Queen Twilight have stopped the thief with her telekinetic binds? Certainly, but it ran aground of two issues – one, the hold she’d already had over her ex-friends and the flash of green flames around Yearling that sent her head shooting upward to avoid the blinding light.

Pinkie Pie’s shout of “A CHANGELING?!” underlined the obvious, as Gympis’ clambering over her seat sent it tipping back. The Queen’s hooves had to wrap around instead of into the lacquered silver wood to keep herself over the new gap between the table and chair.

Gympis was not staying to see Twilight’s readjustment time. Her mouth clamped over a mouthful of green tail and Lyra Heartstrings was yanked from her spot below the table. Half out of pain from the sudden yanking of her tail and shock of being exposed with the Queen barely inches from her, Lyra’s horn ignited and shot out a bolt to try and take the tray table with her. However, her shot went wide, and hit the table, the force of driving it across the marble floor as it surged toward Twilight, pulverized the arms of the chair she was still gripping….

And came to a stop when it hit pliant flesh, crushing it between the two pieces of furniture. ‘It’ was not any of Twilight’s legs.

The Queen’s jaw dropped open and a silent shriek bubbled forth. Beside her, Applejack and Rarity winced. Fluttershy’s forehooves swept to her maw in terror. And Pinkie, well…

“Wow, I didn’t think any part of an alicorn could bend that far!”

“Everybody move!”

Cori’s magic chucked a standing suit of armor’s royal helmet down the hall at the window leading outside. Almost immediately, it was filled with the snarling face of Knight-Commander Hel Gaulle, only for Bon-Bon – safely ensconced in the rest of the armor – to come charging out towards her. “Fucking come on!” shouted the sinister squad leader as Bon-Bon collided into her, the flight down into the bushes serving as a break for Bon-Bon’s fall.

Cori followed suit out of the window, though her landing was altered by two things. The Rug she was billowing over her head like a parachute and the tendrils that flew out of the window and tore the fabric in half as she was a foot from the ground. Scrambling to all fours again, Cori made it five paces before the tentacles could up to her again, but several errant green bolts severed them neatly. Second later, Viscera bounded by hoisted Cori on her pack, and trammeled on the head of Hel as she was snagging Bon-Bon by her tail.

Two twinned cries of “Damn it!” rang out as this maneuver occurred. Neither came from the invading party.

The pumping feet of Gympis soon joined them, the changeling throwing Lyra next to Bon-Bon, both of their horns still smoking. “That’s for wrecking my house, you sick-!” Lyra was immediately silenced by Gympis pointing to Bon-Bon.

“Take Bon-Bon, teleport, and alert Goldilock and Daring! We need transport!”

“Sorry, got it!” Lyra took the slightly limping Bon-Bon into her hooped and ollied out. Seconds later, the pavement on which they had been standing was turned to rubble by a blast from one of the Royal Guards. Gympis’ three returning horn blasts shot off, off, and then through his armor, the dead stallion tumbling the rest of the way down the stairs.

There were far too many Guards incoming, though, and Viscera needed a distraction. Yanking something out of her pocket and another item next to the golden horseshoes she’d clipped to her pelt, Viscera finally turned gold again. “Cori I’ve got a plan!”

“I’ve got a better one! Duck through the hedges!”

Seeing the wave of rolling back-tipped fury that was Prince Shroud, Viscera was quick to de-ass the area, weaving her way through the bushes of the incoming maze. Viscera could only take relief in how the whipping lashes following her did not touch her. She still remembered the tavern crash.

Then, at the last instance, Cori while around, brought up the helmet she’d used to break the window open and threw it at the ponies behind them. Her ignited horn then ballooned it to the size of a boulder. Shroud elected to bat the helmet into the air with his tendrils - only to find that Viscera and Cori were now charging right at him. “GOTCHA!” Two hooves into the solar plexus later, Prince Shroud was reeling. One re-shrinking of the helmet later, and Sor wedged it on his head the wrong way, blinding the sinister Shadow Pony. And a well-placed buck sent him crashing into one of the statues.

Turning to bolt into the central rim of Canterlot, however, got Cori blasted off Viscera’s back in a shower of green light and split blood. Holding the nasty gash just under her rib cage shut, Cori moaned weakly as the other of Twilight’s princes stepped to confront Viscera, two buildings away from the thief’s cutoff point. “

“Say that’s well done Crystal Pony,” Prince Toxic said. “How about medium for you? Not like Canterlot won’t need one to contact what’s left of you both.“

Viscera’s heart skipped a beat at this. “Options?” she asked the Crystal Pony behind her.

“One, and it’s helped us last time too.” Coir gasped as she yanked a bead of the dangling handing of her saddlebags and slammed it into Viscera’s paw. “Throw it at him, then hit it with something sharp in midair.”

The revelation of Cori’s spark as Viscera threw her newest payload at the changeling prince was closely followed by Given that it hit the engine of a full-on incoming delivery truck, however…

KA-BLAM!

Canterlot itself lit up from the rocketing blast, Viscera having to dig her hooves into the pavement to keep herself footed and aggravating her splinted leg even further. Whirling back to burn a hole of her own through Cori, the ambassador could only shrug.

“I was told the gas tank was empty.”

As Viscera disbelievingly eyed the blaze again, Cori leaped onto Viscera’s back before she could retort about the obvious contradiction in Cori’’s assumptions. Coir was quick to point to the distant gates of the capital. “Come on, let’s go – I’m a bit too out of sorts to walk.”

Silence again took over the dining room. The Queen’s hold over the other Elements had stopped some time before, but non dared move, the events transpiring before them and the state of the malevolent matriarch next to them too jarring to allow them to.

Rarity’s forehoof tapped on the table, the fashionista intending to stand up.

With a violent shove of the alicorn’s rear legs, the table before Rarity and the others rocketed across the room’s length and shattered into splinters in the wall Cori and Bon-Bon had run past moments ago. Queen Twilight, still facing the chair she was wedged in, looked unaffected by the episode, but even Fluttershy could see how gingerly she repositioned her rearhooves on the marble tiles.

Naturally, Fluttershy’s first instinct was to offer relief to the ravaged. “Q-queen Twilight! A-are you o-“

“-the Queen’s Express has encountered some slight issues, everypony. Please keep calm, place something over your mouths before I do, and most importantly, stay in your fucking seats. Your goddess has an infestation to tackle – do be careful to not impede Her duties in pest control, lest I discover some little shit was responsible for letting them in.”

A flash of light brought the Queen’s legs to a slowly re-straightening four again. Another far harsher one burned the violet insignia of a swirling sun into the marble floor as Twilight Sparkle disappeared.

Gympis was only minutes behind the moving Viscera and Cori, only to lose them in the hedge mazes. An explosion in the distance put her back on track though, and as she buzzed to the blaze, her voice rang out. “Is anypony hurt here?”

“Aww, Gym-Glam.” And Prince Toxic Haze flew his way out of the blaze, slightly singed but otherwise undeterred. “Didn’t know you cared.’

“Haze?!“ Gympis stopped once. This time, however, she kept her distance. “I… well, I still do!” said the magenta –eyed changeling. “I cannot comprehend what has got into you!”

“It’s what I’ve been getting into that matters now, brat. And velvety smooth as Queen Twilight’s is, I've got a Crystal Pony to try out on next.”

“You speak of love so thoughtlessly?” Gympis’’s voice turned shrill. “The Queen Twilight’s reign is draining it from all Equestria, drop by drop! You’ll drive our race to starvation! Does this mean nothing to you?!”

Prince Toxic laughed bitterly. “No, actually, it doesn’t! Because I never meant anything to them! No ability to absorb love like your so-called ‘glorious’ queen meant I got wrecked by any group they come across! But not to worry, as she can just rape her way into prominence again, right?!” A raping chuckle slipped free from his throat. “Well, could.”

Gympis’s eyes widened. “In the Badlands…!” she said before realization set in.“Wait, were you there when Chrysalis was killed! And what is this about her… violating the Queen?!”

“Oh, I wasn’t just there, I helped Twilight snuff that oversized cunt out myself!” yelled Prince Toxic. “My only ‘kin’ now are those who know just how hot, how satisfying, how proper it is to take out stupid little weakling shits like her, and anypony else who’s crossed us! And all that gold skin you’ve shown me proves is that we should have gone a step further and torn the hive down around your pretty lead head.”

Gympis gasped. Goodness, what had Prince Toxic done?! To her, to this land, to all changeling-kind with his ignorance?! And not even a droplet of remorse for it all!

“So run back to your hive and vomit out a room to sob in, you brainless waste of eggs! This is Twilight’s world, little fuckdoll. And all of you just live to get bent in it.” A disturbing flick of his tongue complemented his words.

Gympis could feel her heart tear in two, so small and tender in her chitin-covered chest. By the stars, this… this thing had so willingly condemned her hive – All changeling-kind? Just to kill and pillage across this land? Despite herself and her despair, she tried one last time. “This was supposed to be our way out of the wastelands, not to make all Equestria one! Stop this madness, out-”

“I’M NOT STOPPING A DAMN THING!” shouted the changeling prince, foam flying from his muzzle. “Except those piss-ponies who dared step foot in our capital. And I’m starting with the blueberry munchkin first. You can exactly watch me, or warm me up for her. Because there’s nobody here to save your death now but your stupid flapping tongue.”

Tears streamed down Gympis’ face for several long seconds. Then, the changeling dropped to her knees. “You… are correct. I do not know of where my friends are now. They… cannot save me.”

Princes Toxic closed the distance to her with a hiss of “Then shut up and stay still.” reared up his forelegs, moved to brace them on the wall behind her…

...and suddenly got beam-blasted back into the side of the Arcane University, nearly a mile away. Gympis’ horn was still smoking as she said, “So I will save myself for them.”

Even then, Octavia’s voice before her… wondrous last teachings… strummed through her mind. <Home is where your friends are… and they are your heart yearns to be.>

A snapping of light brought forth Bon-Bon and Lyra to Gympis’s side again. “We couldn’t find Daring and Goldi at the rendezvous – whole load of Royal Guards putting out a fire, though!”

“Then it has been compromised.” Gympis finally stood for her painful crouch. “Follow me.”

And with a flex of her fibrous wings, the changeling took off for the gates, certain either she would make it there, or her new allies would. They would have to. After all, Gympis was running short on ways out of this, and ‘this’ was no longer restricted to Canterlot itself.

Viscera had hoped her flying knees, front dropkicks, and dodges through the barricades would finally teach the Night Guard swooping in on her meant instant defenestration. However, she soon came upon a contender less cowed by her athleticism. Namely, the scene she’d walked upon and the one brewing behind her held her newest issues.

The first came when Dash yelled “Shit, it’s those ponies again!” upon seeing Viscera. Where the cyan pegasus lay upon, however, sent Viscera’s mind reeling for precious seconds.

Cori’s second response hinted at the other issue at hoof, and it even got everypony else’s attention Given that she was facing behind the golden galloper, her shout of. “Holy hell, it’s Queen Twilight!” finally brought the world back into focus for Viscera –and how fast they could both be wiped off the face of it.

Another Night Guard flew in. Cori’s magics caused the joints of his winds to bend out of the socket from his colossal backplates. Viscera’s incoming claws painted it ruby red with his rent maw. The ambassador screamed again.

Violet lasers soon filled the sky above them both, cutting through four of the ponies present in a spray of blood. Viscera cut a hard right through the sprawled-out and others in the likely-orgy – and good god why was an orgy taking place just minutes from Canterlot Castle’s front door?! Her inner pony rent her short mane at the thought. Behind her, Princess Dash had to yank Luna out of the way – no hard feat, since her arms are around the broken alicorn’s barrel – to avoid the Queen's hunting of Viscera.

However, the crowd cover gave Cori all the advantage she needed in keeping the blasts at bay this time, her previous trepidation around the mad monarch gone as she matched her beam for beam. While Cori’s were not even close to matching them in power, they shrank them small enough to where they only pricked at Viscera’s golden pallor instead of cleaving it apart.

Until they came upon the gats, being yanked open by an all-too-familiar pegasus. “Daring Do’s here too?!” Viscera would have had more invective to pant out had Cori’s next words not shocked her to her core.

“Jump! Hurry!”

“For what? We’re almost home free; just shrink the Queen’s blasts!”

“I did! Three times! Now jump!”

Viscera took one look behind her, saw the still-wrecking-ball-size sphere of roiling light behind her, and leaped. The sphere came crashing into the ground and gouging out a hole in Canterlot’s plaza would only send them flying. Viscera, tumbling through the air, realized the speeding visage of Shores’ studio rushing to meet her face, and with the fear of crushing Cori, rolling off her back and tucked her in close on the third attempt.

It was just in time for both ponies.

A horrible rending of wood and glass signaled Viscera’s trip, though the façade of the studio, and her form drooped, her intending to use the wings and fly up. But her body was so weightless and crumpled upside down to sprawl out onto the floor in front of her. From this vantage point, however, Viscera could see everything.

The corner of her eye caught a rainbow blur flickering back through the sky and toward a golden-red one with a bed whistling toward her position from below. There were two ponies – Lyra and Bon-Bon - turning to reach her only to be telekinetic, haunted. And Hel had recovered fast enough to corner two beings herself on the street opened up to her right-– Daring on the floor nearby under one lavender-plated forehoof and Philomena by another.

But Viscera’s eyes locked on something far more terrifying than all those situations –even more than the half-bars of lumber painfully pinning down her left legs, and the blood seeping through a dozen cuts in her back and head from the glass littering her. for above them all, floating lower nad lower with each wing beat- was the cruel grinning face of Queen Twilight. For the first time, they were face to face. And Viscera’s mind availed itself of every thought, every plan, every thought of victory upon seeing the malice in her face, the slow whip of her tongue as it drew across her lips, the narrowing of purple slits as she eyed up them both.

Like she’d erase her.

Like she owned her.

Like she wanted to feel Viscera die.

Only one other time had Viscera known this feeling, and it was long before she’d even known of a ‘Queen of Equestria’. But still, the mantra pumped through her head as claret red did from her wounds.

IwannagetoutIwannagetgoutgetmegetmeoutGETMEOUT-

Twilight’s moved lowered to speak. But with a sickening screeeeeeeeee, Viscera’s vision turned black.

The world, as it felt before in her visions, swam and twisted horribly as her gut did, but it didn’t stop this time. It was a centrifuge that pulsed around her, around everyone in her sight but Twilight that rainbow blur and Hel.

Then they were gone too.

<~~~>

Viscera was suddenly floating in a large antechamber.

And large in this instance meant that the pillars to each side of her shot into the pitch-black gulf above and below. Everything felt utterly lifeless. But still, Viscera swam in the center, sole orphan in an inky sea.

It took several seconds for her to realize that she was not alone. Apparently, something titanic was in the room with her too. At first, Viscera was scared again, panic thrumming through her veins.

But alas, the folded wings and layered head did not make it the Queen. It was sleeping. She was, actually. The figure was very female, and about at eye level. Dusty golden bands wrapped around her neck and the bicep of one of her forepaws.

But Viscera could not see the rest of the area, and suddenly, she really wanted to know. Where her (allies?) friends were, where she was, why that figure had opened her golden eyes, and wait she had opened her eyes.

“You have returned.”

And now it was rising above her.

“I shall follow.”

And now this being, with such an alluring voice, was opening its sharpened jaws TOWARD HER-

<~~~>

Viscera came back to with a startling gasp, then a near-cardiac after finding herself back in here. The dilapidated curves and awnings of the trunk the blank unblinking eyes of that skinned zebra, the-

Viscera blinked again. Yes, she was in that Everfree Hut… but there was no one here. The place had been immaculately scrubbed, and it was then that she remembered that yes, Spearhead and had been tasked before with retrieving bodies from the Forest, likely that of the zebra and-

“What in Tartarus just fucking happened!?” That shout came from Goldilock – well, Rappid Fires again, if her white wings were any indication -of all ponies. But outward Viscera paced anyways, to see Rappid Fires, Cori, Bon-Bon and Lyra sprawled in the Everfree glen outside the tree-hut. Daring would soon pop out from a bush behind them, gingerly trotting over to them.

“Does anyone else have moss in their-!”

“ABSOLUTELY!” came four replies.

“Well thank goodness you didn’t land in Everfree’s only rosebush, then!” Daring said.

“... those are not roses, Daring,” Rappid replied.

One look at the pile of not-a-rose-but-definitely-fruit-bats next to her and Daring Do was scrambling away from them. Viscera, however, had a different reason for the panic rushing through her. “Okay, what are we all doing here?!” she yelled.

“Think we’re… not near the Queen… so whatever we’re doing can it involve celebration?” Cori helpfully added.

Daring Do stomped past them, heading for Ponyville. “Perhaps not when we’re in the middle of place teleportation can track! Let’s move!”

“Jeez, killjoy, you already sound like…” Viscera stopped, re-tallying the headcount. “Wait, where’s Gympis?!”

‘”… so will them narrowly escaping with their lives hold the same amount of impact?”

“It is not the same my prince, no.” Gympis crouched down further in her cubby behind the banister overlooking the mini courtyard. She’d been thrown back so far by a blast that struck the walkway that separated her from Lyra and Bon-Bon, and now they and the others she’d seen placed in the studio by the blast were gone again! If Lyra had teleported them!

“Damn it!” yelled Dash, racing up to catch later. “I had that winged wannabe this time, I had her!”

“That shouldn’t be too hard to follow, just because they had a unicorn teleport them means…” Twilight stood stock-still. “The unicorn didn’t do this.”

Prince Shroud was next to the malevolent monarch in seconds. ““How can you tell?”

“Because there would have been a signature that I could track if they did!” Queen Twilight finally managed to compose herself. “Fine. The wedding goes as planned, but I want contingencies – let my so-called friends know and punt them back home!”

Prince Haze was next to arrive. “Yeah, sure. I can start on those two in your room, right?”

“That what fuck-pillows are for, love,” cooed Queen Twilight. “Just be sure Spikey-Wikey gets a look-see before he goes back to Rarity.”

Gympis had already buzzed out by the start of Queen Twilight’s diatribe – back into the lower annals of Canterlot Castle. She could not afford to be seen by them. Already her heart pulsed dangerously at the very thought of seeing Prince Haze again. She had done the unthinkable! Placed feet into a fellow drone. A loneling! But… such an utter monster now. All that and yet…

And then her travels into the room at the bottom of the castle and her backing out just as fast as three unicorns burst into the room. Thankfully, Gympis avoided detection. “Goodness, they’re returning early! I heard that explosion from here, it could have woken the dead!”

“You had best hope that is not the case, considering,” The second unicorn muttered, studying the room warily.

The final unicorn, far more put-together than the others silenced them both with a raised hoof. “Nevermind that. We need to find a way out of here soon! If the Queen is willing to use this much power now – we must go before she sees me. We may be in a room full of corpses and skeletons, but if we don’t craft a better story, we’re boned.”

The Queen! Gympis was quick to rush out before them, startling the three unicorns. Even now, Gympis could cut an impressive figure against the three unicorns, too surprised to aim spells at her.

“A changeling!” This statement of the blindingly obvious is brought to you by the center unicorn. “What are you doing in the Royal Mortuary! Changelings are not supposed to be present here!”

“I did not think defiers of the Queen were either.” Gympis had to get her breathing under control. She was not in the mood to have to fight her way out of the city again. The operative term being ‘mood’ and instead of ‘’. “I have already spent time fighting Princes, you will see me to a way off of this city and back to my friends.”

“You fought a Prince…?” The leftmost unicorn – a blue stallion with a white mane and a top hat – studied Gympis quickly. “My goodness, you’re not with Haze! What hive has you then?”

“Why would a unicorn care of me and my hive..?” Then it struck for Gympis. “You’re changelings, too! But Thorax said we had fled this place!”

“You know of Thorax.” The center unicorn - white with a tailored suit jacket pressed down over his shoulders and back – raised his head in surprise. “Then you are from Chrysalis’s hive. And we may be able to salvage our operation.”

This was the first the violet-gossamer changeling had ever heard of an ‘operation’. Curiosity demanded she pry further. Danger outside demanded she find a way out of this city. For now, with the knowledge of them being of the same mind as her rebellious friends, the scales tilted toward fact-finding. “What are you doing here?”

“It is more of what we are still doing here.” And with that, a trio of fire pillars swallowed up their three forms, the chitin and green-to-blue highlights of their tall female changelings. “And that was formerly setting the ground for Chrysalis’ takeover. But now, this… ‘Queen Twilight’… has so thoroughly ruined the love in this capital we must take these forms, in this castle’s cellar, just to…” her voice tapered off as the indignity of the situation caught up to her, the other two changelings nuzzling her neck as she attempted to hide her tears by staring into the naked diamonds of light illuminating the morgue.

“I… have been appointed to find out about Chrysalis’ murder and tackle the ones responsible1” Gympis tried to reassure them. “But I feel it is not enough now, and I…”

“What is it, Gympis?” The center changeling stepped forward. “You are among fellow kin here, even if it is only I, Yabaus, and my sisters Shotis and Furellus.” Her motions went to the other two changelings at her side, and it was only on the second inspection that Gympis saw the first differences. Shotis had curved wings, a crown of three points on her short-cropped head of green gossamer and a stodgy figure, while Furellus had a scraggly green field of spikes falling from her scalp and a singular green spike as a tail.

Gympis still could not bring herself to fully explain the event, but words escaped her all the same. “I cannot remain as I am. Not after attacking a loneling, odious as he may be. Our most precious objective is ones, and our hive is suffering without it. Even with the power from a Thestrel, this mysterious gift that has kept me from magical harm, I have failed – as an investigator, an avenger, and a loyal drone.” Her eyes shot to the floor. “Please, reprocess me as you will.”

“You mean to say, child…” started Shotis, and she looked back to the closed door. “That you have found yourself a new power to use?”

“And have utilized it to countermand the actions of a Prince of Changelings? One that has killed our own queen?” Furellus finished.

Gympis nodded. Her head still hung low but she was slightly bolstered by the fact they wished for detail instead of decapitation. “He has told me as much, and he has the ability to contend as the same level as the other Prince and Princess. I cannot stop him as I am, and despite his madness, I cannot further violate our directive to try further.“

“We see.” It took far too long for Gympis to stand waiting for a response. So she thought, at least. “Well then, child, we shall reprocess, Starting from this moment, Gympis, you are no longer an investigator of your hive as of this moment.”

Gympis stood fully upright, ready to accept her dire verdict.

“You…. are their princess now.”

Perhaps ‘dire’ had undergone a change during her time away from the hive, but… “How does what I have done warrant such an honor!?” Gympis asked, her eyes widened and pose faltering before the triumvirate of shapeshifters.

“Because it preserves the hive against the larceny of love that the Queen has ensured.” Yabaus pointed out. “And we shall oversee your hive until you have subdued the threat… with any allies you may find. Your discretion is now the directive of all remaining changelings within Equestrian limits.”

Shotis then presented one of the pearl-like bulbs on her crown-like head ornament and pressed into Gympis’s offered palm, the material shuddering into a silver dot on her underside of the magenta changeling’s foot. “And this brand shall ensure no other city-bound changeling shall harm you. Bring them to us, and we shall see them all sequestered from this court’s wrath.

Furellus smiled broadly. “We shall take to the skies above, Princess Gympis, while you leave from the ground. Your new brand should see you through the changeling’s true form, even if augmented, as… the rogue Toxic Haze has. May the Hive grant you speed.”

“I… then I will accept your offer.” Gympis did not have much of a choice. Her current path was untenable, even without her friends having vanished. But now, she had enough authority and backing to continue with every hive! This was wonderful, wonderful news!

Furellus concurred. “Then rise, in your new role. We will depart behind the arriving Wonderbolts after the wedding tomorrow, then separate and make haste through the Horseshoe Bay, to be out of you and your allies’ gossamer.”

“But – but, my ladies, through the air?” Gympis stammered. “The non-changelings I have aligned with engineered a successful theft here only minutes ago – you may be caught!”

“Haha! It is our intent, little one,” the squat Shotis chortled. “We will be in disguise, but any eyes on us are one less pair on you as you make your way through the grounds – after all, a herd on the rush is worth one on the land.”

“O… okay. If that is what you wish.” Gympis made for the steps leading outside, then stopped. “Though… I am still not sure if I can do as you have asked.”

“Your passing of the barrier in this town under form shift already proves your prowess: it is a technique only Chrysalis and us have learned.” said Furellus, her wings extending. “Your efforts to subdue the Queen Twilight – and report on the state of this new Equestria - will be what determines if you become queen.”

“May you soon prove worthy of Queendom, as this current one has failed to,” Shortis said, as she and her two companions took to the air. Gympis still stayed in the room for a few seconds, feeling like there was so much left to comprehend. Still, the pain of hitting a loneling radiated through her, a stinging doubt that clung to her soul like a barnacle. But It was soon overtaken by a new alien feeling, one she’d had ever since that peculiar mar that dressed as a bird and talked of ‘luv’ almost as much as she did.

Accomplishment.

She had found others that shared her goal that had been around for a while.

Her hive had a chance of survival, slim as it was.

She was a Princess.

She was estranged from all of them and yet Canterlot was fuller of royalty than it was before and she was a Princess. I will return to Ponyville, relocate my friends, continue my efforts, and meet the Princes and Queen on the new front as a Princess.

Even saying it felt alien to her.

She had only been active in the world for a month, only been within the center of Equestria for a week? Yet now she was the hope. Gympis thought the pressure would be devastating, outright crippling, but now?

Well, now, she had to leave now, before it took her over like wildfire. The Princes and the Queen, of course.

But she needed to start now. And with a flap of her clear wings, Gympis went low and circled around the city. Thankfully, she evaded the smoking hulk of the Night Guard barracks. She only noticed the hint of peach-fuzz fur and black-gold armor next to the Commander Hel, decided against trying her luck against them as a Princess by Tartarus’ taint she was a Princess and it was barely a week from her leaving her hive.

The high perch around the mountains allowed her to escape much of the tracks. And as the Friendship Express leaving the cliff-clutching capital went through the tunnel, the Night Guard overshadowing it took above it as the griffins had at last light. They also reveled in the fact that a new addition had come to help ensure their shift went smoothly from the invaders of Canterlot upon cresting that peak. Even so far as to take them to their homes single-handedly to them from slipping and tilling anypony about their meeting.

It took returning Fluttershy to her cottage and deforming for Gympis to complete her duty. (“Um. Thank you, Mister Guard. I-I would think that I could work well from heeeeeeeeeeeeee! It’s a changeling! Oh. Oh. It’s Gympis. Sorry.”). Profusely apologizing to the pegasus, Gmypis started her journey to find the rest of her four-legged friends.

Such a journey (possibly as a part of her new Princess-dom), was completed in all of 0.2 seconds when she opened Fluttershy’s wooden door and found the faces of Viscera, Rappid, Gympis and Daring in front of hers. Gympis did not respond as her buttery-furred escort had. Viscera was of a different state upon seeing the wayward shapeshifter. “Gympis, I’m so glad you’re okay how did you get back from there I don't know how to tell you I don’t even know how to tell them and I already did tell them because now I can teleport and I don’t even know where it took me and… and… !”

The changeling could not think of anything to say during Viscera’s blubbering tirade. Mainly because there was so much information to process and even more to deliver. And also because of Spike running past the others and into Fluttershy’s arms as he bawled himself into the pink mane of the pegasus.

And then even more mares came. “We heard of where you were from Bon-Bon, and-Viscera! Are you okay?” Berryshine’s hooves were under the wobbling Viscera so fast even Gympis stumbled back in shock, as they both lugged her further into the house of the Element of Kindness.

Berry’s eyes stinging with tears, flashed to Gympis. “Thank you. Thank you for keeping her safe. For keeping them all safe, Gympis. I… I never should have been so scared of you.”

Gympis opened her maw, closed it, took a deep breath and –

Whoa. What is this? Not a question, nor spoken. She had once noted how the love in this abode seemed to be only limited to Fluttershy, nestled deep in her bosom and surrounded by a sea of doubts and pain and anticipation. But this new well…. This was freshly opened, the spritz of the cocktail dancing across the changelings’ synapses.

It could not be towards here, though. It only showed when – Gympis looked back to Berryshine and Viscera. It may have been mostly from one direction, but…. Perhaps there was hope after all. If she, as a Princesss, could help them keep it together, there might be a way out. After the wedding, the possible attempts to get into Canterlot would go far easier than most when revised, and –

Gympis’ legs suddenly buckled in light of her terrible realization. “THE WEDDING!” And her bellow brought light back into the room, the eyes of everypony locked on her.

Ten minutes later, Rappid Fires took her first step back into the kitchen. The process of the report had told her had found a new way to shock her to her core. That and to show why Fluttershy, the only other pony in the house with knowledge of the travesty, was taking an early retreat to bed. Goodness, how much happiness must she rip from everyone!? Dash would never agree to this under any circumstances!

Needless to say, it had to be stopped. If Dash was bound by oath to her as well as blackmail (She HAD to be! Had to!), it would be near-impossible to break for an Element of Loyalty. But they had no idea! Queen Twilight had covered all the exits this time, siloed all information! Where would they even start to find out where they’d had gone, or eve-

“Where in the world are you GOING, Viscera!”

That too. Wait, was that Daring? Talking to Viscera? “The Queen is coming here, the Elements’ houses are about to become monitors for the Guard, and we have no idea where they’re gonna be after four tomorrow – meaning every building we hide in here is a risk. The better question is, why aren’t YOU going?”

“You think I’m leaving in light of all this?” Daring Do’s retort came fast and furious. “And there is a building they won’t go near that we’re relocating to in the morning. One which you would know about if you weren’t trying to book out with Berry halfway through planning!”

“Who I trot out with is none of your business! And may I add that Berry asked?” Viscera’s voice sounded full of disgust, even now.

“I suggested a relocation would be okay… but,” Berryshine paused. “Look, Vis might be right. It might be too dangerous to keep the five of us together, even if we do find a new place.”

Daring ignored Berry’s disquieting revelation, eyes still locked on the crimson pony. “We are in this too deep to back out now, Viscera! I expected this from you a week or so ago, not now! You’re telling me why, or you’re leaving alone.”

“How dare you!” Viscera’s sudden outburst-rather than snide conjecture or dueling retorts – finally surprised the yellow-coated pegasus.“It wasn't enough that your fan A.K. put out that slander about me fleeing from the Tower, but you then bring it up after what I’ve been through?!”

One beat followed. Then another. Finally Daring Do said, “Fleeing.. wasn’t the right word for it?”

“Damn right it wasn’t. The reason I was out of that tower is because… it was the actual first time I’d seen a look like that Queen had on her when she closed in on us.” Viscera shivered. “And like that time, if I hadn't left when I did… you woulda never heard of me after then, either.”

Several tense moments passed. Gympis’ heartbeat played a steady metronome over the scene before her. Then Daring Do bent down and removed her thin-brimmed hat, revealing a shower of grew locks that sent Viscera’s hooves and back colliding into the bedding in shock. “No fucking way, Daring-you and A.K. are the same?!”

Daring Do – well, A.K. – responded as if she hadn’t heard the thief’s diatribe. Between them all, Berry’s jaw had dropped. “ I revealed. Now you return the favor. What exactly happened in that Terrifying Tower?”

Viscera looked to her left, noticed Gympis, and her shoulders saddled. “I saw a pony die. Long before Blueblood and Fleur, long before all of this… I saw somepony get murdered.”

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1.6 Consummation

Author's Note

Pre-reading credit for this chapter goes to Jinzou.

1.6 Consummation

“You what!?”

“Yeah.” Suddenly it was quite hard for the crimson pony to make eye contact with her former rival, Daring Do. Between them, Berryshine shifted from foot to foot, fuchsia coat shimmering in the moonlight. Even the room felt like it was waiting with bated breath. “Daring, A.K., whatever… the reason I bolted from that ‘Terrifying Tower’ before was ‘cuz I saw somepony die there.”

“Mind explaining this? And how I didn’t see such a ‘death’ in that hollow tower!”

“I’d rather be blunt now, if you don’t mind.” This interruption was not served with its usual dollop of disdain from Viscera. Yearling's jaw nearly dropped an entire foot at this. “And it was on the isle the tower was on - We could get into the tower, we wouldn’t have been waiting for you. You know the date this happened, yes?”

Waiting for us? Daring Do wanted to pursue this. But Viscera had asked for a date, and such an attention-oriented archivist whirred into motion before she could stop herself.

“A Thursday. Two Thursdays before Nightmare Moo-”

“Correct,” Viscera responded. “And that this was… during the time where Ahuizotl was looking for the last of the treasures in our hunt. Where… the Griffon’s Goblet was used.” Daring dared not say any further. Way too much pain still laid that way. Especially with Bravel-

“Yeah, well, he wasn’t alone in wanting to get to that artifact.” A dry laugh shook the crimson pony’s frame. “I could have cared less though. I was trying to make a breakthrough that’d probably make me richer than everypony else in that tower combined.”

The last red-tinted triangle of Viscera was suddenly present, twisting through the practiced motions of her makeshift claws. “See what happened last night wasn’t the first time I dallied with teleportation. It was… just the first time it worked.”

“And you owe it to a different stone this time.” Daring Do’s eyes narrowed. “Then what happened, Vis?”

Viscera, after a long minute, ruffled Berryshine’s scruffy hair. “Well, I kinda failed. It wasn’t enough to port anypony else, let alone me. I was certain I’d gotten something right in the mixture, but the spark… just wasn’t there. I’d left a lot to start my thieving life and I didn’t…”

Her voice cracked again. Again?! she thought. After all these years, all these new horrors, and this still holds my tongue?

“I… decided to try and bounce off ideas from the head mechanic. She was nice. Pink coat, red mane… think her name was Tinker…” Voice like bells, she didn’t say. Berry’s was too. Couldn’t jinx it, not after… whatever it was that let her breathe air tonight that spirited her from Canterlot.

“Dammit! I knew something was sketchy with that piece of horseshoe leather and I didn’t even…. I saw her. Right in that pony’s lab. She said it was suicide if we didn’t have a way out, the storm was too heavy to fly or go through with water. Queen Cipactli…. She just opened her jaw, longer than I saw anything could…. Celestia, it was… so much blood.”

Viscera swapped at her chin as she continued. She always hated talking about this. But she was shoulder-deep in that moment again - it had spurred her… whatever it was that got to the zebra’s hut in seconds.

She’d have to know it to understand what happened to her in that little tent over a week ago.

“And then one of my chips dropped to the floor as I staggered back and… it let out this amazing light. Like… like all broken spells did, but this one was failing to teleport a whole pony so it… it went off like a flash bomb.” A hoof jutted out to the visor over her body, smooth red glass over her jade eyes. “This… this kept me from being seen, but I knew the Queen would… would find out.”

Her eyes looked to the alleys and thatched roofs just outside the window she was straddling the sill of.

“So I pulled out the wings. Broke for it, just as the storm started up again. Took me a day to get halfway across before the wings snapped. Another two to swim to safety on it in the squall. Don’t know what happened to the others at that point, but… I do know what happened eventually.” Viscera fought down that buckball-sized lump in her throat. “They all died. An’… And I know Cipactli got to them. She had their names, their locations – everypony’s but mine.”

“Wait… that was the one time?” Daring Do checked the book swinging from her hip at this declaration. “Dr. Caballeron said that his attempts to contact the trap-springer were protested at first given the one blemish on her record at the time when…”

Her eyes finally shot open. Twin pools of billowing pink boring into Viscera’s very soul.

“This was the job you left without pay!”

“The only one.” Now it was Viscera’s hiss that sounded reptilian. “And there’s only one other living being in history that’s evoked that same reaction. So yeah, Daring. Take your victory lap, call your editor – oh, wait – cue your flying pigs, you finally figured out the only two times in history Viscera ran scared. Can I please go now?”

Daring was undeterred, however – not even Viscera’s sarcasm-dripping snipes boiling the blood rushing through her brain. “No… it was more than that. Everything you’ve done at this point, every boneheaded maneuver Rappid and Cori ever said you pulled from the moment you landed in Ponyville… there was always somepony that benefitted, wasn’t there?”

Viscera could not be hearing this, not at near-midnight with a hoof out the window and Berryshine as a witness. “Seriously, Daring Do-Right, I’m leaving. See ya.” But her rear legs didn’t budge as Daring deciphered away before her. Not even when she noticed two familiar beads of compound magenta watching from beyond the door.

“You knew – all along, you knew –that fighting Queen Twilight was a suicide pact. Yet on you marched. Despite yourself. Despite your foes. You never stood out this long in a fight against me, and your escapes were never this clean or this constant.”

“So what? I still came here to try and survive; that’s not news, Da-”

“-you didn’t come to Ponyville to survive; you came to find something more than just surviving.” A.K. stated. Even now, the moonlight only made her look more irreverent. Like how it always felt to Viscera. Unreachable. Unstoppable. “This is the first time I’ve seen anything approaching selflessness coming from you, Viscera, and you’ve always wanted to deny it. I don’t care what hole you scurry for this time. You’re not leaving with Berry, and you’re not leaving until you answer my question.”

Why would Viscera even want to? She knew the score by now, especially with what hadn’t come down on their heads. Distance wouldn’t save any of them from her long, not after all the extraordinary things they’d done! The fact she expected the pony before her to roll on down to her capital, break the bank on your powers, and get her off doing it should’ve shown that!

“Gonna have to get to that question sometime this century, luv.” Viscera wasn’t certain how she wasn’t spewing lava instead of invective right now.

A.K. sighed. Between them, Berryshine shifted awkwardly, only stopping when Gympis entered the room. “You’re right. I didn’t ask my question yet. Because I want you to remember how you answer. Because every path you could have taken to avoid that confrontation with the Queen was open to you. All you had to do was stop. But you didn’t. So know I ask you that question you refuse to ask yourself.”

Daring Do, explorer and inscriber in one, finally reached forward and pulled Viscera down from her perch, settling her on all fours in the bedroom’s center.

“After all you’ve seen, struggled through, stolen, and saved, knowing what you know….” Daring’s voice was suddenly as tightened as it was when they were fighting over four innocuous stones in Mayor Mare’s presence. “Was coming back – to Ponyville, to another guaranteed fight with Twilight’s cohorts, to Dr. Hooves after every increasingly uncompensated request – was that worth it? Because you’re either becoming a hero or a masochist. And I’ve spent enough time watching the worst of history repeat in the face of suckers for punishment.”

Now Viscera needed a glass of water. Not cider, not anything harder, water. Was it worth it? She’d lost a limb on day 2 here and watched it grow back in front of her! She’d spent her fifth pushing Royal Guards out of streams and being chased by dragons! She’d nearly been cooked by dragons in the seventh, by alicorns in the eighth!

And yet… all she could see was Berryshine. And Powder Puff. And Withers. And Rainbow Stars, and…

And her. The one that’d started it all, the reason she’d gone to that building in the first face, braved fire and flames and Princes alike.

With that moment, she knew her answer.

Viscera slid her visor down over her eyes, four words coming from the very un-griffin like maw beneath that metal beak. “It is worth it.”

It didn’t feel like her voice anymore. But she didn’t want it to be. For once, Viscera actually didwant to be something more than the scraper-by who had wandered into Ponyville alongside a wayward changeling. And almost as if that call of curiosity had struck again, that very Princess Gympis walked out to nuzzle her cheek.

Daring’s shoulders settled at last. “Well. For a minute there, I thought the Queen had gotten-”

“She did have me. And the next step is finding out how. Which means we have to survive this wedding, and so do the Elements.” Viscera’s forehooves clamped back onto the wooden lip of the window, but she showed no hint of jumping out. “And you’re wrong. History doesn’t repeat.” Viscera’s eyes turned back to the town sprawling below them.

One word flashed through Daring’s mind after seeing Viscera’s newfound resolve. The name of the pony that had spurred Daring to such great heights as a hero.

Bravely.

“But it rhymes.”

The next day came almost instantly. Too quickly, even with Cori’s inklings of a plan filtering through the group's ears.

Mayor Rappid Fires had left early this time. again on point in the city of Ponyville, was busy attending to another shop in the square. This time, however, it was Rich’s Backyard Bargains, and Filthy was noticeably not behind the counter that day. With the various statues and wood sidings assembled by the workponies in the store though, perhaps it was for his suit’s own good he would not be in the middle of it.

“How have you been? You’ve been quite the elusive pony as of late.”

Rappid let out a sigh she hoped was as shaky as it felt, then turned to the wealthy stallion next to her. “F-fine, Mr. Rich. I assume your wife is doing better now?”

“Somewhat,” Filthy shifted his front hooves, his tone lowering so far Rappid had to bring her neck to hear it. “She is… putting together the finishing touches.”

“On what?” If this had anything to do with Twilight’s demand for gifts the Cloudsdale mayor would have had to resist adding a couple more words to her statement. Something along the lines of ‘burn in Tartarus’, possibly dancing among the flames with the purple-maned mare as well.

‘The headstone.” And suddenly, all thought of frolicking in Rappid’s mind flashed away. Even now it was still so hard to comprehend the amount of loss this city had suffered. How much of its time had gone to memorializing amongst the madness? Well, Rappid had an idea –her second to last meeting with the Rich family among the Pools of the Two Sisters showed that. “And the Board?” she weakly stammered.

Thankfully, Filthy Rich was happy to change the subject as well. “Secured in a new building to Ponyville’s north. All except Amethyst Star, the poor darling. Between Derpy and the business she has with Dr. Hooves, I don’t know how she gets any sleep.”

Rappid found herself rather uncomfortable – and wobbly on her feet – as she was reminded of how little rest she’d had in the seven days she was here. “I wouldn’t wish such unending misery on my worst enemy.” Namely, because she had a lot worse in mind, for that ‘worst enemy’ had done to her, her home city, and its Best Young Flyer.

“I’ll… well, we remember how you stood with us at the pool.” Filthy rubbed a hoof along the back of his neck. “I was wondering if you would do the same now for… for my wife.”

“Gladly, sir,” Were it not for Viscera’s retelling of how she was careening into the path of a Sonic Rainboom, Rappid would have called this ‘the least she could do’, a standard of life she felt she’d been missing out on as of late. It always felt like it was too late for her, in so many ways and forms. But here? Here she could be prompt. Would be prompt. And she would help Ponyville heal, as only a leader of equines could.

SPLISSSH!

A splash broke through the cacophony of sounds in the store to them, and both ponies could tell the source. “Hold on Filthy, I’ll be right back!” Despite her warning, Filthy was setting out toward the same stream anyway, his hooves beating on the dirt roads almost as quickly as the white wings of Rappid did, taking her through the sky.

On the edge of that bed, the target was easy to find in the churning current – a light purple pegasus, struggling to stay on the muddy banks of Bucephalus Brook. Rappid was at the scene first, tugging at the hooves enough to get the lime-maned Flitter out of the water.

“Goodness, you must be soaked!” Rappid’s sleeved forearm was over the green-maned pegasus before she could speak.

As she moved to station herself between the river and its former captive, she couldn’t help but notice the red hood of Viscera looking back at her. Before she could ask why she was here, Viscera pointed to a spot on the ground to her right, and by the time Rappid’s eyes traveled to the dry red bow sitting on the grass, the thief had disappeared. Hastily, Rappid offered the decoration back to Flitter who nestled it in her dripping mane with shaking hooves.

“C’mon – we have to keep the hypo away, Miss Flitter.” Filthy’s eyes went from rescued to rescuer. “And… Spoiled is waiting for me. You’ll have to inform her of the circumstances, I’ll try to make it as soon as I can.”

“T…thank you,” “I can’t believe Stormy would d-do this to me! And all because I said…” Rappid regretted taking off as she did when she left. But she assured herself she could relay that tragic circumstance from Filthy Rich later.

Now, her presence was needed for another mare’s comfort.

It took Rappid under a minute to make it to that spot behind the Rich family mansion, her touchdown only idly noticed by the crestfallen Spoiled. “Hello again, Rappid.” A twinge of haughtiness still infected her tone, but it was deep – buried, perhaps, by the pressure of guilt and sorrow – for that tone to swell within her body. She looked… almost done. “I’d hoped you had a chance to come, really.”

“Kinda owe it to you.”

“No, you don’t.” More than anything, Rappid wanted to give voice to just how that statement rang true, like the bar she’d wielded rang into Luna’s skull. But her mouth kept closed as she drew closer to her, spacious courtyard almost welcoming her in to accommodate the still pink pony at the end of it.

Rappid drew to within five feet, her hooves clasped together, and then finally – Granite. Beautifully woven granite, drawing up to a point at the peak, that almost reached Spoiled’s height. Curls cut into the stone just around each corner. And in the center of this obelisk, this… monument, the captivating cursive of ‘Diamond Tiara’, curling in the same bent as the top of the tombstone.

Stepping aside, Rappid regarded the grave further. As she went level with Spoiled Rich, she could see words underneath Tiara’s nameplate, small enough that the deceased filly herself could have scratched them out with her hoof.

DIAMOND TIARA

Ambitious. Aristocratic. Ascended.

Rest in Peace

“Amazing, isn’t it?”

Rappid couldn’t agree more. Every rosebush and tulip-filled flower bed she could think of was there, giving the place an ethereal aura. And even right below her feet, a single Ghost Orchard flower in a pot at its base showed just how far the Rich and Clover families had come since their dust-up at Roseluck’s Botanicals.

“It’s quite beautiful.”

“Thank you. But it’s not what I meant.“ A frown spilled out, one she actually looked like she was struggling to keep off her face. “It was how seven words could tell three lies.”

This was a blast of ice water to Rappid’s senses. “How so?” Surely Spoiled could not be that much of a perfectionist, even in a place this magnificent!?

Spoiled's hoof went to each of the words below Tiara’s carved name, eyes rippling as she spoke. “Rest? When I know how I found her and what happened to her?”

Her voice shook, words almost catching in her throat as she continued. “Peace? Seeing what’s become of the place she’s called home and that I’ve made famous??”

Her voice took on a slightly shriller tone, though her body language did not follow that frantic bent. “Ambition? When she was too young to even dream of life outside the… the School… that I left her alone in?!”

Finally the first of several tears slipped free from her cerulean eyes, Rappid having to rap hooves around her neck as her demeanor shattered entirely. Sharp, jagged inhales and exhales rocked her body, even now too proud to fully break down before her.

At the angle Rappid was at, she could see Lucky and Wild Clover, racing across their position on the Rich mansion’s back balcony to assist the white-speckled pegasus. But how to keep Spoiled from breaking down complete right now?! The mind reeled for an answer.

“It is…” How was Rappid short on words now? She’d gone through the same and didn’t even have a body to bury until she’d come down and seen the grave for Featherweight! How could now be the time when her tongue-tied… That’s it! Ties! “Filthy wanted me to come, and considering I’ve,… lost a child in that Massacre too, and… I figured we could be a little bit less miserable together, right?“

“I suppose so.” Yet Spoiled’s hooves pushed away from Rappid, despite the weak smile she shot back. Stability was achieved for Spoiled. There was still so much to go, so much to do.

But Rappid was here.

That was a start.

And she’d continue to be there despite the danger her secret occupation foisted on her. With no rest. With no mercy. No matter what.

And then, just as that moment sank in for Rappid, the din of the budding rosy sun in the sky was broken. A disembodied voice rang from every hill, every corner, every alley of the sprawling village before them. And yet, the voice was not unfamiliar. Not in the least.

“Welcome, Ponutville! Welcome, at long last! Your Queen is speaking, and your time is ticking, for the biggest occasion of the millennium. But oh it’s not me beating back Nightmare Moon – after all some things lose their luster when you do it twice.”

Rappid was suddenly lucky her coat was the shade it was, or this lawn would surely be stained forever with what little color in her face draining from it.

“So now, as I have spoken to my fair-weather Elements, I now announce to you – Princess Dash and I are getting married! And not only that, but some other beautiful occasions are being set up, one I do so hope everypony can make time for!”

“Like for example, the list of ponies you’re all gonna sending to Canterlot for my ‘honeymooner’s harem’ bash! And that if she doesn’t, their parents’ll be bashing in your fucking Square until darling Redheart herself can’t tell them apart!”

“What is this?!” Spoiled’s scream echoed a second later in Rappid’s mind, both ponies’ teeth gnashing at the news! Neither of them had heard of this. Has the Queen lost her facilities? Rappid’s inner pony belted out How would she not think the Thestrel-hybrids would stop her, knowing what she was planning at 100 decibels in the Ponyville sky-

And then another gallon of sharp ice lanced its way into the pegasus’s very bones. Queen Twilight’s voice continued, despite the epiphany sinking into Rappid’s coat like the sweat building on her forehead.

“-Orrrr, better yet, the fireworks display I’ve got set up that every one of you can see from your very spots in MY town. Though, they’re not safe for children, so I’ve had them detonated from a safe distance. Like, say, an undisclosed location in the Tenochtitlan Basin?”

Undisclosed, my puffy plot, I know EXACTLY where they’re going off and so does A.K.!

Rappid’s tongue felt fit to snap from the tension exerted on it. Wild Fire, barely inches between her and Spoiled, sank to her knees. Clover was at her side in seconds, but the tears had already started.

And finally, there’s the-

Then Cori was up at that spot with some news of her own. “Yeah I heard, so did Filthy when he was taking Flitter to the hospital – get the gang together and alert the Mayor!”

“Right. No way she stands for this rectal smoothie the Queen’s serving up!” Rappid had a nasty memory shoot through her mind of just how she’d handled the address and Iron Pony II, but soon shook them off like so many cobwebs. “Her own citizens vanished en masse?! This won’t be solved by sitting it out now; Spearhead’ll make s-”

“No, she’s already appointed us and Filthy to assist that effort! I need you to call her because Viscera’s vanished!”

“No, as a matter of fact, I don’t know how she disappeared!” A.K. Yearling’s voice ricocheted through the halls. “And yes I know how ironic that is considering how one of my books center around noticing this!"

The other two Thestrel-hybrids there were too busy etching crevices in several of the artifacts to be delivered to the Queen to answer her. Colada and Powder Puff, behind Rose’s register in the flower shop, looked like they’d get vertigo just looking at them.

“I mean she’s not here, which means Operation Wed-In Break Fast has to go on without her!” Cori shot back. Her hair was a mess and her hooves flew over the outfit she was knitting together. “Now go let the mayor know – we’ve got to have you ready to fit into a column, and Equestria only knows what’ll happen if we foul up the decoy deto-”

“-and exactly how was she able to leave? Didn’t anypony keep tabs on her after her stunt last night?” bellowed the amber pegasus. “And now I’m going to have to hoof it to the Basin to keep my home from becoming a barbecue pit, too!”

“But you’ll make sure everypony knows Viscera skipped town!”

“If only to know what to do when she returns, yes!”

“Then… Don’t worry.” A wicked smile spread across Cori’s face. “Viscera already got the memo, actually. And so will the Elements.”

“Wait, what? Why do you think this is the case?”

“Because we have been keeping tabs on Viscera – and we know the Guard will too, the second they see her bail from city limits.”

“But… then Viscera’s running into a deathtrap!” A.K.’s hooves skittered over the rows of soil-stuck petunias next to her. “We have to go-!”

“That’s the point, Yearling! We get rid of the Commanders early, that’ll be that fewer ponies left to keep track of who’s where! And with that, that means we’ll have ways of getting the pieces we need from it when we’re called to act!”

“Gold-? Wait a minute, are you serious about this?” “Because it sounds like you’re trying to make the Queen think we’re twiddling our hooves on… purpose.” Her last word couldn’t have been spoken with more of it, as a matter of fact.

Cori turned back to her work, the weaves of fabric now turning into a golden tunic and mask that looked quite like a Thestrel’s pallor. “Almost, is that right? Not to worry, Daring; I’ll inform Rappid as soon as she’s finished misinforming Ponyville about Viscera - and the Queen, by proxy.”

Cori’s expression soured as she finally finished her stitchwork. “Twilight’s doing this to distract us, divide us - cause the pony who vanished away upon seeing her face to vanish again. And for my operation to work now, she has to believe she’s succeeded. On multiple fronts.”

“How so?”

“With a sparkle of our own, Yearling.” Cori revealed an amethyst cluster in her left hoof, the bows of silver spinning out from that makeshift bud hinting at expert metallurgy and design only one pony in city limits could boast of. “Got another read off this by Vis as soon as Rarity returned. One which the Mayor’s gonna be letting her and the rest of the good Elements know right about…”

<~~~>

“… now!”

Unneeded breath puffed out Viscera’s chest as she took in the scene. The second she knew of the plan, Viscera actually requested Spearhead visit Rarity with a special souvenir. That jeweled clasp the fashionista had given him a case ago was what allowed her access to the conversation ensuing now. Her inner pony marveled at how fast she’d now taken to using that premonitory talent as a tool – y’know, between its rants about invading the Element of Generosity’s privacy just to tell her it was possible.

“Thank you, Guard-Commander.” Rarity was speaking now, her lips a trembling blue as she looked at the ramshackle repairs of her Boutique – one Viscera still remembered scaled more than a week prior. “But I think I can manage from here.”

“The shaky legs suggest others, Miss Rarity,” the Town Guard replied. “And you’ve tackled worse issues before than a meeting with the Queen.”

“Yes, but… the fit she had after losing Spike… And what she did to the heads on Canterlot’s… oh!” Her hoof caught on a jagged shard of glass, beads of red welling up on perfect ivory fur. “I do think I should get a move on.”

“Yes, well…” I assume you’ve a duty for this….wedding she has planned?”

“I… must. For Pinkie’s sake. And the…the sake of the pony I am now, rather than what I degenerated into before.”

“Before?” The quiet timbre of Commander Spearhead’s voice rang around the room. “Rarity, if you’ve done anything wrong, Ponyville will understa-”

“Oh, darling, thank you for the concern. I’m still very touched that you’ve been this way.”

Even Viscera could see this statement was a swerve from a likely uncomfortable line of inquiry. But unlike Spearhead, she didn’t have a length of polished keratin massaging her burly chest or a flutter of violet-dusted eyelashes to put her mind off the violet-maned unicorn’s dodge.

“But we must be secretive about this. Your shift is almost over, and we cannot be in contact with anypony else until the wedding is over.”

A nod from the Town Guard’s head pegasus, and all was silent once more.

“So it falls to Dr. Hooves to see it through. And since it’ll likely cost bits to bring them around the Queen… I may have to contact the Rich family.” Rarity’s throat bobbed as she swallowed thickly, the task even now unenviable but necessary. Because of either the Rich family’s previous track record or her mysterious current one, Viscera could not tell.

It seemed Spearhead shared her curiosity. “Perhaps I could-?”

“No need, dear. The Clover family will suffice – thankfully, their dreadful row with the Riches is over.” Her shadow-swathed silhouette then became awash with light, hoof motioning to an evelope sitting on top one of her dressers. “If you could, however, there is something I must send to Princess Cadance before I start…”

“Anything, Rarity.” Though Spearhead’s eyes did widen at the name across the envelope he received. “Is… is this the Rhy-”

“The walls have ears, dear – do wait until Hooves has this.” Rarity’s gaze turned to the intact windows lining her store, Viscera’s limbs rooted to the ground as a plan percolated in her noggin. “These… Thestrels… may be up for the task, but not without proper targets in mind.”

Rarity’s body wobbled with the balancing of eight on her left rearleg.

“But if we can… then Princess Cadance may have her requested way to run the table on our new Queen.”

<~~~>

Viscera was running. Despite the spaciousness of the path, she clung to the center of it, her legs pumping. Everfree’s trees sped past her as two ponies raced beside her. “Damn it… Vis… was it even right to leave them behind like this?” wheezed Withers, his bandaged haunches shaking dangerously between each gallop.

“No other way!” replied Viscera. “And with you knowingly sprung from the clink, it’s the only way we’re getting out without stragglers on our tail.”

“I’m with you, Vis, you know that! But…” said the lilac earth pony pumping feet behind the thief. “This… still feels… wrong, though!”

“Don’t worry, It’ll all be worth it in the - DODGE!”

Viscera’s eyes had swung to the right, and it was her scanning of the treetops that made her lurch towards Berryshine. Fuchsia flanks were smothered by crimson arms, the spear that had narrowly missed thin twanging harshly tin the rut it’d left in the ground. Withers had come to an equally unglamorous halt, tumbling over his crossed-up hooves and clambering to the dirt.

But of all three ponies present – four, counting the descending armored batpony – Berryshine’s eyes were still locked on Viscera. “Didn’t think the Queen was right in saying that you’d fuck off the second she called for your head.” Commander Hel’s grin only grew as she looked over to Wither’s direction. “But I’m not complaining.”

“Wha… but how?” It was rather hard for the albino Caball henchpony to get out words. And for his reward, all that came from Hel was a callous cackle.

“Nope, no audio clues for you this time. Oh, boooys…“ And the clinking clash of four suits of armor heralded the platoon of Night Guards bustling from the trees to join. “And to be sure I don’t have to worry about your little failsafe – Persim!” Before Viscera could react, a beam of jade blue burrowed into her barrel, sending her skittering again. Two ribs folioed under the impact, and she fought down the urge to cry.

“Whatever escape hatch you used yesterday didn’t have a magical trace, but those Blood Stones did.” Commander Hel gave a curt nod to her lieutenant, still saving vapor from her smoking horn. “So now that you’re in a cradle, Vis….”

Hel leered down at the injured pony.

“...let’s put you in a grave. Guards! The other two rejects are yours to do with as you wish. After all, they’re fugitives.”

Two triangles of blazing red shot out from the treeline as Hel finished her sentence. One whistled in front of Hel’s head. “Wait, what the-“

Two vicious bursts of light covered the clearing in blinding light. Two violet lasers then careened into the helmets of the two Night Guards behind Berryshine and Withers, the sizable dents testifying to their knockout power.

Berryshine and Withers, having had their heads to the ground the whole time, rose in unison and plowed into Night Guard #3. Just as Hel was clearing her eyes, Viscera’s whipping tail brought the helmet from one of the other falling Guard's into Persim's stomach, sending her flying.

Then it was down to the Knight Commander and master thief, and the latter’s headlock through her front had them both squirming around in an undignified position. Suddenly, Viscera was quite grateful for her mask, shrouding her blushing face as Hel tried to make her loosen her grip.

“Fuck, Viscera! So rough. Do you have family who know you’re like this?” Viscera refused to oblige the taunting with a response. Until their struggles attracted the hooves of the charging Withers into Hel’s hedonistic head. Another curbstomp from Viscera sealed the deal for the commander, the crimson mare staggering from her abdominal wound.

“Dunno Hel, you have any holes you’ve kept a Prince from filling?!” Viscera’s response, while a bit late, came all the more furious anyway. The arriving Amethyst Star from the treeline would behold her falling to all for knees, soon rushing over to help her.

Past this assembling trio, Jasmine Leaf was busy pulling Berryshine off another unconscious Night Guard she was still raining hoofblow after hoofblow upon. By the time Berryshine had been calmed down, Amethyst’s horn had healed the dents in Viscera’s ribs once previously matched by that in the armor of Berryshine’s newest speedbag.

“Won’t be the sturdiest, but it’ll hold,” Amethyst informed Viscera. “Nice work on the new bombs - Blood Stones, right?”

“Thank Princess Dash, it’s her Gala jewels that made it possible.” Viscera then turned to the Caball stallion. “You got the paint, Withers?”

“You got the plan?” Withers merrily pulled out a can of Whirl Grey paint from one of the cloth sacs ringing his neck.

“Sure do, luv. Get her armor off and to Derpy – the paint should help her pass long enough to free the ‘honeymoon harem’.” Viscera’s next words were to the entire group. “And thank you all. For everything.”

“No prob, Vee.” Jasmine let out a laugh of her own. “I’m gettin’ the hang of being a rabble-rouser.”

Viscera then turned to Amethyst. “Now, get me in that gift box Filthy gave you, and let’s roll. We’re getting closer to the deadline than I thought.”

“Mind tellin’ an old friend what craziness you’ve got cooked up this time?”

“Just might,” Viscera snickered. Their trek through the Everglade glen finally brought the five ponies to a clearing with a large altar set up in its center, burnished bronze and pewter candle holders ringing each edge of the elaborate table. “Derps is gonna be pretending to be Hel while Cori sees her off to Canterlot to rescue the ‘harem’. Rappid and Bulk are hiding in the pillars, I’m going in here. Rarity and Filthy’ll make sure we’re at the same spot the Queen’s at when the ceremony continues. Then all that’s left is…”

“Is what?”

“Well… let’s just say it’ll be a reverse of how I first got introduced to the Queen’s handiwork.” If that didn’t go through however, Viscera was likely on her own.

For what measure of ‘on her own’ qualified as, anyway, what with the image of that mysterious winged being still tunneling into her very so-

“Mr. Standard? I’ve got a lead for you,”

Currently in front of the Town Hall’s main room, the Knight-Commander’s eyebrows quirked up at the mention of it. He’d had no idea how this little Crystal Pony before her had gotten past the initial checkpoints set up outside the hall, but if it was to help make his job easier, he wouldn’t complain. “Yes, little one?”

Kitted out in a sparkling white dress, her usually diamond-shaped hair woven into a bun, Cori spoke. “It’s about Canterlot. There’s a-”

“How do you know of this?”

“Your… Guard isn’t as tight-lipped with info as they think.” Cori gulped.

“And believe me, I wish they were.”

“Then why are you telling me of something I’ve already called them together to do?” Iron Standard asked.

Fighting back the bile gathering in her glittering baby-blue neck, Cori continued. “Because the Queen’s planning on blowing them up too,” she lied.

Iron Standard looked like he’d snap off his crest with how fast his hooves flew to it. “What! How?! They’re the ones who volunteer-”

“That’s the point, Standard. She knows who’s there and what she might do, you think she’s chancing a getaway?” Twilight might, actually, the Crystal Pony thought. But she’s earned zero benefit of the doubt from anypony. Especially the one who saw her stroll into Canterlot with the previous Princess’ head on a pike. Right now, her plan relied on exploiting the lack of trust between commander and countess. And judging by the tentativeness knitting its way across the old Royal Guard’s face, it was working.

“I… see,” The Royal Guard leaned in closer to peer at Cori. She hoped he didn’t recognize her from her previous exploits in Ponyville. If that happened… “And I assume you know of the golden ponies too?”

Apparently, Standard wasn’t clued into the Guards’ actions. Not… too surprising, tragically enough, considering what Cori had been able to get away with last night at the Canterlot Castle. “Not… too much. But I do know if they’ll be anywhere… it’ll be in there. Far from the Queen.”

Cori thought of the amber-coated pegasus just underneath the struts of the last departing chariot for the Basin.

“I am… not certain this is actionable information, Miss Cori.. Most of it is hearsay.”

“Please, Standard. Neither pony in this room is a fan of the Queen’s auctions and I know that your biggest regret was. Especially with Kibitz .” Gympis’ words on Standard’s condition rang through the ambassador’s head.

Knight-Commander Iron Standard shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I’ll call them - see if they can stop this plan in Canterlot. It... is within my jurisdiction. But I expect there to be something worth stopping there, young mare.”

Cori’s voice waved as she thanked him. “Don’t worry, I think you’ll find quite a missing ponies case on your hands, Iron…”

“...which means we have to be in and out of there fast!”

The Crystal Pony was speaking to Minuette at a mile a minute. “Port me back the second the cargo in the center of PonyvilleTrain Station leaves. And let’s hope that Forget-Me-Not spell Amethyst places on Viscera goes through. .I’ll need Winona.” Her nose, specifically.

“Right, because she’s got the nose for the direction…”

“... and the colorblindness to see that vivid light beacon it’s giving off. Won’t be a frequency anypony else can find, though.”

“So what’re you doing?”

“Covering Derpy. I know how long it’ll take Standard’s best flyer to reach the others. Second he does, A.K. disengages and flies the rest of the way to the basin. My redirecting Standard will give her the best head start. And this…”

Cori revealed the pieces of armor attached to the wall-eyed pegasus. That, plus the dye job to her formerly blond mane gave her a very different appearance indeed .”Is to give us - and Daring - a head start.”

Derpy nodded, but her attention was drawn to the Friendship Express whistling its way past the tunnel in the mountain leading to Canterlot. The light reflected on everything quite nicely that today, she thought. The chrome of the pony-drawn train’s smokestack, the steel of the rails twisting around to their position in the station, even that odd winged being swooping to a perch over those mountains.

Wooow. Especially that being. Was it part of the troupe? Derpy almost asked the nice Crystal Pony next to her. But for some reason, her eyes couldn't tear themselves away from the being. Its coat looks nice though, a dark violet-red. And its size… it almost made the mountain look like a perch Oooh! Derpy’s eyes brightened up. Perhaps she’d got to some muffins of her own as well! I could tell Amethyst about t-.

But then their eyes met. Amber bored into amber and the being’s eyes were like cat’s pupils, drawing the mailpony further and further in, the thought of freedom and vengeance and riddle-me-this wedging its way into the grey pegasus’s mind like-

The titanic being spread its magenta wings and left, golden embroidery twinkling in the light. The Express was but feet away. “Oh-! Derpy! The train’s coming, Flash Sentry’s with ‘em! Get ready to spring the trap, let’s go!” The clipping of hooves as Cori beat hooves away toward the town center - toward her own plan, her own rescue - brought Minuette back to reality, as she helped edge Derpy toward the shadow of the train station’s awning.

But Derpy’s mind was a million miles away. And as she stared blankly, so did that strange being, spreading two wings as wide as she was long and disappearing behind the mountain. Moving to the east.

Her hooves clenched hard against her sides, her teeth bared in the same scowl as that giant quadruped she’d seen.

Find the Viscera. Follow the Viscera.

And as the Express steamed in, filled to the brim with the servants of that very being who’d taken her precious Dinky from her, she smiled.

The little pony that’d come back in her head would soon be sated. Viscera wouldn’t be hard to find soon.

Not hard at all.

“-so, we’re gathered here today to unite Q-Queen Twilight Sparkle and P-Princes Rainbow Dash in their hooves in marriage….”

Viscera shifted in her makeshift box, certain she could feel one of her knees push out one of her ribs. Tight fits were a bitch, but the purple alicorn and cyan pegasus ahead of her were worse.

It had taken an entire series of site-to-site ports after this tabernacle was delivered to the center of town, and buy the time it landed in the spot she was at, her head felt like it’d gone through a

Immediately, Viscera recognized Moon Dancer’s tone. Minuette and Jasmine had made note of how shaky her voice was after Iron Pony II, and that trait had not receded now. If anything, it was worse.

Not that she could confirm, what with this entire altar Viscera was stuck in shrouding her vision!

And also the smell. The pungent smell of lemony acid. Did Filthy need to work over the alter this way-?

BA-BLAM!

And then the bundling across from them. The familiar snapping up of amethyst energy rang up around it. But Viscera knew full well neither of the happy couple was the target. In fact, that they and the Princes’ eyes were drawn to it was the point, as the minister of this ceremony was quickly spirited up and out of sight before they could notice. Viscera smiled. Apparently, Gympis got in.

Idly, Viscera wondered if the foursome would ever notice just how short they were on Royal Guardsponies present.

“Go. Back entrance. Feel free to rape the fuckers ripping up my town before she dies.” And suddenly, whether Twilight knew who else had come with her entourage was gone, as was the possibility.

Thankfully, the settling of cream-covered hooves next to her signaled the final piece of their scheme settling into place.

“And to you both, the bonds of love are more precious than anything, whether it lasts a century, a decade, or even four minutes…”

One of the Guards came back, the flagging form of a being with four golden black-spotted legs on its back. “Princess. Found this golden pony outside. We think one of the other Guards may have downed it, though none will confirm.”

“They’re never alone. Carry it outside. And the next time you interrupt our knot-tying, I’m tying your dick into a pretzel, got it?”

The guard wilted. Even here, Viscera could finally discern the smell of this ‘downed’ golden pony - and the pungent aroma of cutting unto her sinuses.

Cori was in that oversized facsimile of a Thestrel, likely swimming in the plasma-like ichor.

Cori was here. Moon Dancer likely noticed too.

It was time.

“Oh, how I apologize… Did I say four minutes? I meant three. Two. One…” Music to Viscera ears, that sudden heft to Moon Dancer’s voice was.

Then the ’corpse’ the Guard pony was carrying shifted dangerously. And in a dozen seconds, the balance of power in all Equestria, for the briefest of moments, took a sharp turn.

Within the first two seconds, both Goldilock and Bulk burst out of the cavities in the columns to either side of the room. Viscera scurred out from under her hidey-hole too, her pupils narrowing to slits at the realizing where the Queen had held her impromptu wedding. Specifically, by the casualty listing chalkboard before her. One she knew was once the property of-

This is the Ponyville Schoolhouse! They’re getting married in the place they exacted their Ponyville Massacre?! Rage boiled in her through. Suddenly her steps toward the statue almost set circular ruts on the floor beneath her.

She’d noticed this place before. She’d run by it. Known so much of what transpired there. But this… this was the worst of it all, that the Queen would see so much glee in the onslaught she orchestrated here that she’d make it the venue for her own wedding.

At the same time, Gympis’s chitin and igniting horn etched out from between a cream-colored visage and she blasted Princess Dash clean into the corner. Too close to dodge the blast, and hurtled back at too fast a speed to halt, Dash was out on the bloodstained floor within seconds, the last shreds of Moon Dancer fading away as Gympis leaped back.

At the same time, the crunch of the column as it shattered around Prince Shroud’s barrel bathed the room in white clouds of dust. Then Goldilock grunted with exertion as she turned and aimed the pillar between her forehooves up to catch Toxic in the face. He would quickly stop its path with his own horn however, touching the pillar as it did so.

Cori’s horn flashed out next, a spike of hardened turquoise threaded with silver light as it hit the pillar. A snarl was all Prince Toxic Haze got out as he turned to the Crystal Pony.

But Goldilock, now within a foot of him thanks to the shrink-wrapping Cori’s magic had done and thankfully ignored in the chaos, reared back and head-butted the changeling. A sharp crack rang out as he staggered back, gouts of green blood spraying from just underneath his horn and sending him staggering back.

It also kept him from spotting the other pillar speed toward him, chains attaching them turning it into a ricochet of its twin’s flight path, Unfortunately, the swing of this artifice was too narrow to hit the mark, and the edge of it whistled past him.

Fortunately, Cori had grabbed onto this edge mid-flip, and her swinging rear legs smacked into Haze, sending him into the chalkboards – and la-la-land – with furious impact. Spiderwebbing cracks danced out among the spots on the chalkboard, both his and Dash’s records of their last time in this room crumbling down on his fallen form in a hail of plaster and call.

The trajectory of Goldilock’s column crashed across a bubble of shimmering amethyst and split in half, core just partly able to curl in before being sent spinning through the side door and into the hallway. Queen Twilight, now shielded and seething, turned her horn on the incoming Gympis, now almost wholly swathed in golden-pallor and fired. The impact sent Gympis speeding back just under the windowsill but not completely down. It also set Cori’s tail alight, the Crystal Pony leaping back in fright trying to pat out the flames.

What wasn’t seen in this turmoil was the crimson pony scaling the statue of the mare of honor, looming over the entire room, in a series of looping flips. What wasn’t seen was the tapping of hooves as her own Thestrel-lization took over, just as she front-flipped over the horn that every statue bore. And what Queen Twilight did not see as her horn ignited for a body-splitting elbow upon Goldilock was the speed at which Viscera’s thrust-out rear leg came towards her blind spot from above.

Queen Twilight, however, felt it- at stabbing, a twisting blossom of torment beginning from the point where hoof met skull. Vis, in all her gleaming metamorphosed glory, had brutally curb-stomped her into the floor. Her golden body passing through her barrier like it was a pool.

The wood under Twilight’s falling form buckled and bent, her snout was driven into the splintering wood as Viscera bounded off her. The Queen didn’t move, though her chest rose and fell limbs spread-out at twitching angles among the calamity the Thestrel hybrids had wrought.

There was no time to further the damage. The entirety of their time was solely to get in, grab the goods, and get out. A signal to Gympis – she was up to help down the tied-up Moondancer. Goldilock leaned heavily on the destroyed pillars, the winged Thestrel trying to catch her breath. And beside them all, Cori finally dipped her tail into the pile of jam the corpse had that mimicked the Thestrels’ plasma-like ichor. A column of steam issued forth as the fire died out, a breathy sigh escaping her throat.

But as Viscera was busy surveying the four downed monsters, this twisted dysfunctional foursome that she'd just crashed upon, she realized something had to be said. This was the first – possibly the only – time anyone had so cleanly got the drop on Queen Twilight. Still too dangerous to capture, still too powerful to kill, Viscera’s heart was pounding at what she’d done.

This was a climactic confrontation, and she wanted to make it count.

As her three allies – no, friends! - crowded around her, and her gaze turned back to the golden facsimile of Twilight’s shining statue, Viscera breathed in. Blood, and urine, and a hundred other bodily discharges still haunted the edges of this macabre room, along with the faint lemony scent of… polish.

One such source was approaching her from one of the wedding bands, currently in Gympis maw as she had slid it off of Dash’s forelimb. The other was in Twilight’s and Viscera was all too quick to slide it off. None too subtly, either; her hooves left angry red scars on violet fur as she tugged it free.

Viscera then turned to the downed Twilight. Their last encounter had no words, and yet so much was translated. Even now, familiarized panic gnawed at Viscera’s mind: Twilight, like Queen Cipactli so long ago, looking down on ponykind like they were more grist for her mill. And now this crimson pony, this one who’d lost limbs, long hours of rest, nearly loved ones to her madness.

Viscera had so much she wanted to shoot back at those fluttering orbs of amethyst below her, to rings of gold in her hooves and verbal acid biting at her maw.

“This was for the massacre – in here, with the Wonderbolts, at Canterlot, and of the trust everypony so futilely put into you to rep Harmony.”

“Facedown on your back with a mare pounding you silly? Did I stop your honeymoon or just spoil it?”

“Cori was right. Everypony’s life is worth it. A pity you barely count as a pony anymore.”

“From today onward, I’m gonna make your reign, your friend’s reigns, your every. Waking. Moment. As much hell for you as it is for everypony but you.”

“Equestria’s last ruler may only be a head. But you should’ve quit when you were.”

Stuck in a chaotic classroom, columns snapped before her, royals scattered around her, walls and flooring still caked brownish-red with her namesake, every thought of parting words coiled through her like snakes from a nest. It would all be so perfect, so beautiful, so delightfully life-threatening – as all good jobs in her life had been.

But, as with Daring, only four words did actually escape Viscera’s lips as she drew on that bundle of nerves within her, that clutch of amygdala-hooked synapses that yearned for escape.

“Kiss my ass, Sparkle.”

With a rending screech of Thestrel-given teleportation, the air around her rippled. Viscera, her three friends, Moon Dancer, and the very statue behind them was gone.

Untraceable and undeterred.

Just as Viscera was when she went into the belly of the baroness.

Space itself seemed to screech in protest of unloading so much in one area at one nanosecond, as four ponies and their 24-carat cargo appeared in the cavernous cellar of Berryshine’s tavern. Viscera, gaze still affixed to the floor, shot her eyes up to meet the various ponies, all in the middle of setting up to leave before they showed up. The pregnant pause in the room right then and there seemed to stretch forever. But soon, everypony in that tavern was cheering (Well, most if them. Viscera had to assume Filthy Rich’s warm smile was his equivalent).

Viscera herself was still shaken over what had transpired, and where. Her body trembled, even before the flood of ponies rushed to shake her hooves, Lyra and Bon-Bon themselves settling for no less than hugs. Her head buzzed with triumphant glee even as Spoiled remarked that this was something that could fetch a pretty bit from Rhythmus.

And her heart… oh, that organ thwacking its metronome proudly in her chest almost wanted to leap out and join with those jostling ponies at the bar taps all around her, even as-

“I knew you’d come through, Vis!”

Well on the subject of bars and ponies. Just as Viscera and Cori pulled off her in a hug, just as Gympis gave a short nod to her before buzzing toward the Clovers (and notably far away from the setting-up Octavia Melody – Berryshine was there. Smile curved enough to pop the cap on the bottle of red cider in her hands and the other looped around Viscera’s neck, both ponies embracing among the roaring crowd.

“Where’s Colada?”

“Back with Roseluck and Junebug at the shop! Needed to make sure nopony here gave away the bar! And with the Queen like… wait, you know where she is?”

“Right in the Ponyville Schoolhouse,” Even Viscera’s voice felt alien to her. She’d never recalled feeling so overjoyed after a mission, whether from the thrill of seizing a prize or the relief from escaping a failure. But then her jade eyes locked onto Berry’s amethyst, and suddenly she realized where the true prize had resided all along. Ever since she’d found her first pony to save. The first with a name. The first to stick up for her, even among other friends. Even before she, and Rappid, and Cori and Gym-

-well, okay, second-best friend, then. But the one who she was just now recognizing was so inviting to everyone, especially the ones holed up in a bar she’d nearly been ruined – physically and mentally – for trying to bring to the suffering in this village. She wasn’t just a helper, she was the helper. And in her eyes, Viscera saw the pony that…. Only one other had been. Before the Ponyville Massacre.

That pony now stood before her. Viscera couldn’t - wouldn't - let her chance slip away again. This wasn’t like the Terrifying Tower. And Viscera was done running from danger. “Before you say another word, I wanna apologize,” she rasped out.

“F-for what, Vis?” Berryshine had to crane her neck to meet her eyes, hear her voice.

“For the first kiss of mine I wasted earlier.”

And then Viscera’s lips crashed into Berryshine’s.

Whatever din the starting party in this tavern was at, it started threatening to burst out from the building now. Thank Cadance that Vinyl had soundproofed this safehouse from anypony noticing from the outside of it. Thought it could not be said for the ponies inside when the first of her records went on the dashboard.

Never thought nightmares would come so true /

Though now I wonder when debt comes due /

But now I seek to fight, and love anew /

Eve-‘n in spark-lin’ visceral hue…

Four-o-clock, and finally the drumbeat of Vinyl Scratch’s jams wasn’t buzzing through her ears. Viscera had to say though; despite her normal disdain for the DJ’s music, it provided a perfect way to mask Berry’s moans. And the bed splitting between their thrashing. And the lamps shattering when Berry was shuddering in her –

Now Viscera really had to shake some cobwebs loose. The buzzing wasn’t just from that DJ; that was for certain. Some of it was definitely owed to the tousle-maned.

Tell you what though, niece, you’re dead wrong. The only thing I want after this is something cold and wet.

As the rise and fall of her fellow mare’s breath rocked the carpeted floor they were on, Viscera remembered just who owned the building they were in. And what it served.

Damn it.

Viscera’s lips twitched, and she reconsidered that frosty. But… they could still share it together. She knew her way around a tap. “Don’t worry, Berry. I just wanted to get a glass. While Vinyl’s busy not shattering them with her songs.”

“StrawCran tap’s my fav,” came the reply as Viscera gingerly made her way to the door.

“I’ll keep an eye out, luv.”

However, it would be her ears that alerted Viscera to oddities first, as a chorus of rasping breaths came from the door just before the stairs leading to the bar. At first, Viscera thought she wasn’t alone in the after-party activities. But something about it felt wrong. Despite the muffled gasps, nopony was answering them. Not even in their throes.

Viscera shouldered open the door. The room was empty but for a chair – and the cream-colored unicorn tied and gagged to it.

“Moon Dancer!” The crimson pony rushed to her, noticing the ring of iron still around her horn.

Halfway to her, the thief finally remembered just who she’d been spirited from, then returned to, then spirited from again in Ponyville. First in Iron Pony II, now from this wicked wedding. And suddenly, she realized the glasses just an inch from falling off her nose might not be the only broken thing in this room.

Knowing what this yo-yoed unicorn was doing here was now the utmost interest for this pony prizefighter. She almost forgot just how she’d gotten to the room and back with a foaming glass of cranberry apple cider, but did notice the twitching snout and tongue she raised it to lapped at it greedily. “Easy, Moon. Now tell me what-”

“Who’re… you?” Even with her whistle wettened, Moon Dancer’s voice was labored and short.

“Viscera. Apparently this now marks two times we’ve saved your life, as much overtime work as the word ‘saved’ has been doing lately.” “Care to tell what got you tongue-tied?”

“W-what got me…. Hold on, did you take the statue?”

“Pardon?”

Moon Dancer twitched violently at that word, in a way Viscera swore could only be from bad experience. Like her and ‘failure’. “You had a statue! I saw it in the room from the wedding is it still here?!” Suddenly her voice was shooting up by an octave a second.

Viscera shot an eye back into the room, noting it was minus one such rearing alicorn of gold.

“Oh nevermind, the better question is - why did you even bring it to begin with!?”

“Don’t see how that’s any of your busines-”

Moon Dancer’s rushed tirade blew right past the bashful indignation of the half-dressed Viscera. “Queen Twilight knew - from taking Spike, that bird, the vault, she fucking knew and you went ahead and took her statue?!”

“Last time before I wire that jaw shut, Moon! Why does it matter that we took some hunk of gold?” Viscera snapped. But the look Moon Dancer shot her back sent her heart pushing its way into her esophagus.

Viscera was used to her authority carrying some sizable heft. From the beginning of her prizefighting path, her body was taut with muscle and impish malevolence, her tone heavy with suaveness and sinister intent. But more often than not, it was couched with the taunts of a sweat-generating showdown with daring, or with the nonchalance of a series of traps before that she’d weave through with ease. Sometimes, though, more precise force was needed to push out a damned from a lump of coal.

And then Viscera’s true voice came out.

When that visceral tenor - the one that promised bloodshed if answers weren't forthcoming - came out, most people either clammed up or wilted back. There was no third option. Mainly because Viscera brokered no such option.

Until this cream-coated unicorn’s eyes met hers.

Moon Dancer’s eyes, however, hadn’t changed from the panicked gleam that the tears in them had welled up. And her next few words showed just why.

“Because The Queen flooded that ‘hunk of gold’ with trackers - and in four hours, she’s gonna kill everypony near it!”

Viscera’s jaw fell open. Not in shock, but pure horror. Her eyes locked on that cavity in the room where once resided a quadruped of princess luster, only slowing down when she was certain it wasn’t anywhere in that basement’s hall. Then even further, the beats from her chest abated upon knowledge of another factor. “Impossible, man. Magic can’t bypass magic, only ponies can! And unless somepony’s in that statue…”

Cold sweat flashed across Viscera’s coat. Moon Dancer’s sunken face darkened even further. “Did you even stop to wonder, for one second, why I was the only pony among four that was brought back to this town?!”

Right. Viscera needed to gain control of the situation. If it wasn’t here, then where ever it was would soon be flooded with incoming Queen Twilight in a second!

Then her mind shifted to the very ponies who’d commissioned their caper. The Riches, right! And they’d... “Alright, so we just have to destroy that statue and everything’s fine then.” Viscera was leaping across that spacious tavern basement before she could stop herself, the crises of Moon Dancer to let her go falling on ears as deaf as they were prickling with despair. Vibrating hooves found their way onto Rappid Fires’ shoulders, and the white-coated pegasus was soon shaken awake. “Where’s the statute, Rappid!”

“In transit, do you not care that it is... “ And Rappid’s sleep-dusted eyes finally traveled to a clock. “Three thir-.”

“We screwed up! That statue; it’s a Twilight trap! Where is it?!”

Upon the mention of Twilight Rappid’s eyes shot open. Processing the rest of Viscera’s statement took some time -and a Turnip Hayseed level truckload of “WHAT?!”s ripping free from a white-speckled maw - for them to process.

The answer after that, however, was of little comfort to either the prizefighter or politician. “No-nowhere here! The Cloudsdale mayor was up and alert now, even the hangover chased away as she struggled to piece together the transfer in her mind. “ Filthy Rich… after he had the bands he said Golden Gavel and Cori could do what they wanted with the Statue. Said the pads were better used for Tiara and Spoon’s graves than anything the queen cou-”

Viscera's left forehoof pointed desperately to the clock on the walls, in such a fervor the crimson pony was scared it’d snap off.

“Right!” Rappid refocused. “I don’t think it’ll be too hard to find it, Cori said she and Princess Cadance had a plan for using it to hold the Equilixir Daring had to put into a Guard! But the only place it was safe enough to test... “ Nightmarish realization hit both ponies at once, Rappid’s with audio to match. ”Oh Celestia, it’s going to the Crystal Empire!”

Forget her throat, the blood pump of Viscera’s was now squashing itself flat against her wrapping-covered rearhooves. The Empire?! The one spot supposedly shielded from Queen Twilight’s fantastic rampages? The one with the last sane alicorn in Equestria?!

… And Viscera had just delivered the Queen a key into its very center.

The wedding-crasher could feel her heart skip a beat in that now way-too-silent cellar.

Jump to top

1.7 Cadance

Author's Note

Pre-reading credit for this chapter goes to Jinzou.

1.7 Cadance

“Wake up Withers; we’re moving!”

The missive thundered into Withers’ head. The second he realized who spoke it, he scrambled to his feet. “Viscera!” he yelped. ‘It’s the middle of the night-”

“-and all’s fucked!” Viscera finished loudly. “The statue we got was a trap, Strawberry Shortsight told us all about it!”

“How so?”

“Apparently, those friends of Moon Dancer’s from her last visit - they got stuffed into the statue!” Rappid yelled. “Twilight’s using them to get to us, and now it's heading to the one last bastion of safety from her, the Crystal Empire! Do you know what this means?!”

“Besides it being the first time Twilight used a Trojan to screw somepony?” Viscera added.

“No!-well, yes, but no!” Rappid shot back. “They’re dead mares walking - and I have to know where she put the rest of them!”

“How do you know-”

“The statue, even if it was a molecule-thick shell, cannot be enough to hold three full-grown mares!” Rappid Fires‘s face reddened in fury. “And I will not let their fate be the same as Cloudkicker’s!”

Wither gave her an odd look. “Well, I did hear that Twilight was spitting her shit from that house the Princess has in the clouds, maybe yo-”

“Call Viscera’s client, he owes us for the bands! We’re leaving the second I get back!” And with that, Rappid flew out of the tavern.

“Where are you going?” That came from Berryshine, the fuschia mare finally peeking out from the cellar opening at Viscera. Were any look emblematic of ‘take-me-back-to bed’, the one reflected in her eyes would be it.

Which made Viscera’s next words all the harder to say. “Nothing, Berry. We… I just need to make sure everyone’s safe. Think you can nip over to Roseluck’s, Berry; make sure Colada and Puff are ok?”

“Right! You can’t be too careful, who knows what can slip between your hooves while you’re off having adventures!” Berryshine bounded up the steps, stopping only to give Viscera a brusque kiss. “You’re the best, Vis. Keep that mug of Cranapple Cider up for me when I get back!”

“Y-yeah…” Viscera had never been more grateful for a coat that was already crimson, as the heat rose in her cheeks. “You too, luv.”

The cheeky grin as Berryshine slipped out the side entrance of her own terrace finally put Viscera’s heart at ease. “Got it bad, don’t you?” asked Withers as the door finally slammed shut.

“You saw her tongue in action, you’d be making yours sharp enough to take my place.” Viscera airily pointed out.

Withers let out a cackle. “I meant in the way you haven’t been since Grissle in the Caba-”

Viscera’s expression darkneed at that point. “Stop. I’ve done enough of it for two lifetimes. I’d rather not one of them get shortened.”

“Huh.” Wither’s face dropped. “Really act a lot like Grissle too. Never did get to tell me what happened with you ‘n her in the Towe-”

A resounding BANG heralded Rappid’s return. Her face was twisted, but in what, neither Viscera nor Withers could tell. The sort of giving expression and brow hand never been a part of a live pony… for long. Yet, a minute passed, and there it still was. “Heads.”

“Fine, and tails, I’ll tell Vis about the Caballeron Prank of last year.” A light chuckle brought up the white pony’s chest. “Lime gelatin, indeed. The Doc loved that stuff. It was far better than that!”

“Withers! Can you focus?” Rappid yelled.

Withers’ ran a hoof back under his mane. “Sorry, it's just…. Apparently, the whole statue I went to a whole length to steal is about to… well…”

“Never mind this; we’re gone!” Rappid Fires made her way for the door.

“Think of what we’ll use to get the statue away from there?” Viscera asked.

“Well… I may have one thing.” Rappid’s smile went into a wicked crescent that’d put the one in the night sky to shame.

This time, it was Rappid leading the party to the Crystal Empire. Despite the two pegasi helping her pull the chariot this time, sweat-soaked out from under her pinstriped black shirt. Thankfully, they were both courtesies of Spoiled Rich’s satisfaction over the wedding-band theft (only slightly perturbed with being woken up over it in the middle of the night). The golden throne-bed towed in her wake only held Withers and Viscera.

“Hope you’re - huf! -comfortable back there!” Rappid quipped to the passenger ponies

Withers was at the forefront of the “S’fine, Mayor! As long as the trip’s short!”

“We’ve got four hours left, then,” huffed one of the pegasi to Rappid’s right. “Right, Sunny Day?”

“How did either of you know that?” Viscera’s eyes widened, though her beaked mask did a good job of hiding it.

Sunny Day replied back, voice garbled around her reins. “Because Turnip told me as much when Derpy was sent on that overnight trip!”

Before either the current or former Caball henchpony could ask Sunny what trip she meant, the arrival of a giant silver truck loomed from the skyline. And the pony pulling it was just as grey-coated as that very van. “H-hello, all!” she called, her walled golden eyes scouting around them.

“Sweetness, Derpy! You managed to get you out of the bathrooms!” Sunny chirped. “How long's it take you to get to the Empire?”

They were now within a quarter-mile from passing each other. “S-six hours!“ Only Viscera could see Derpy’s eyes narrow and her hooves clasp closer to her bosom. “Why d’ya want to know?”

“We’re goin’ your way, Derps!!” said Sunny. “Unless you’ve been someplace earlier, mate!”

“N...nope!” Goodness, how did exhaustion strike the pegasus so much? Even the van floated, from the cloud-stacked wheel jambs! Viscera’s mind bent over this, but she was certain they couldn’t talk, considering their trip. “Ooh…. well, I left at eight o’clock, so…”

A tenth of a mile of air separated them now. “Oh no, it’s seven hours!” wailed Snow. “I don’t think we’ll…”

“Calm down!” Viscera bellowed. “We can… I can…” but her look on their situation was getting as bleak as the expression on Derpy’s face. Then a thought struck Viscera. “Derpy! Were you the one delivering the statue?”

“Oh, o-of course!”

“Oh no - she’ll money-shot and glass-lot in the spot the Empire is with that much of a head start!” Rappid turned to Viscera, orange-on-white mane whipping in the wind. “We’ve only got one thing that can beat her to that spot!”

Viscera dreaded the response. She knew the answer too.

Rpapid’s teeth gritted. “Whatever you think you did to spirit us from Canterlot, we need you to do it now! You’ve been to Crystal Empire before, right?”

“Is this because I’m a thief?” Viscera hoped the wryness in her tone would irritate Rappid enough. At least, to not make her port back to whatever literal chamber of horrors her last ‘reality twist’ brought her through. It didn’t.

“Do not mess with me, Vis! I’ve been there, Cori’s been there! No way that you don’t have a Caball base there when you do in every other northern city!” Viscera did not bother asking how the Cloudsdale mayor knew of this. Curse it, why does everyone have a copy of the Almanac, the whole point of the book was that it was supposed to be on the down-low!

“Fine, I’ll try. But… I don’t think we ever got closer than the borders. Doc… never could chance Sombra swallowing up the place.” And now another Shadow Pony risked doing the same.

Because of me.

Viscera’s resolve was steeled. She had to make up for this fuck-up. One way or another. “Fine. Hold on, everypony.”

And her eyes closed. That tap to the amygdala, and a bubble of space twisted around the caravan. One second later, Derpy’s head turned back to face nothingness, besides, air rushing back to a pocket that a golden be-throne was once pulled through. Her grey hooves turned back to the one last scrap of yellow she'd had on her during the return trip…

...a golden curved seashell-like stone, its outward edge shaped like a maneless horse’s head.

~~~

The spiral of twisted space deposited the trio of ponies just outside the upper limits of the Crystal Empire. Several glittering buildings flew around them. All but Viscera marveled at the architectural delta. Viscera herself felt like she’d run a marathon after day-drinking, slumping down in exhaustion instead.

“Whoa, hold on. Set us down there, we don’t want to alert anypony!” If only Viscera shared Rappid’s concern of that list only being restricted to those snoozing below them. If only it wasn’t first oriented to the ponies about to invade it.

Damn it, Viscera thought, why the fuck did I have to be loud enough for Daring to find me in that fucking cottage?

The entourage found itself rushing past several buildings, nearly crashing into a particularly large one nearby the Crystal Prep Academy building before tumbling down into an alley. Several shimmering spires twinkled in the night sky from Viscera’s vantage point.

Considering it was upside down from the sudden landing, it was… literally a sight for sore eyes. “Okay, never doing this again, luves.” Viscera moaned.

“Damn right - this bed weighs a ton, who the hell else was this thing meant to be pulled by?” hissed Rappid, unmooring herself from the reigns bound around her body.

Snow Violet was next, pulling up the woozy Sunny Day. “Well, we can wait here until we see you leave the Palace, then? We’re paid for a round trip!”

“Yeah- just follow the sound of changelings and screaming.” Withers said. “We’ll have our ponies call your ponies. Speaking of which, Rappid, who are our ponies again?”

“The same pony who arranged for the statue to be moved here: Filthy Rich.” Viscera was off the carriage before she’d even mentioned his name. “Well, let me know when - sorry, can I help you?”

Rappid looked at the blue mare next to Viscera - and her eyes shot to the size of dinner plates. “And we’re going to the palace now!” With Viscera under one hoof and Withers in the other, apparently.

“I’m sorry, we heard a crash and I thought -” The pony next to Rappid blinked, dichromatic eyes and blue coat clashing heavily against the pegasus. “You’re Rappid! Didn’t think we’d be meeting here again!”

“Well, I’m sure Sunny can clue you in on what you missed with me gottagobye!” Rappid, with Viscera and Withers under her arms, flew off.

Viseras suddenly regretted the tightness of the barding, as Rappid had a good grip on her. “Mind telling me what this is about?”

“Tell you when you’re older; we’re saving the Princess.”

“Positive I’ve got a year on both of you.” Withers hissed. “Combined.”

“One, wow, do I need your moisturizer; two, we’re saving the Princess!”

~~~

“Yes, we’d like to see Cadance.”

The Crystal Guard was a bit wary upon seeing the golden Thestral in front of him. “We’re still to clear everypony that has to meet her. Unless the Princess already succeeded with the procedure?”

“She should be about wrapping up. After all, the Ambassador Cori is here; and what is the purpose of her being here if shit wasn’t about to be done swiftly?” The Crystal Guard looked securely at Withers. Careful contemplating ensured, their eyes staring into each other in a grueling battle of wits. Never before had an Equestrian born witness to such a scintillating, all-purpose, example of communication between the deceiver and the protecto-

“Well then, Miss Goldilock, we’ll see you to the Princess.” The Crystal Guard motioned to the door. “You were let in by the ones at the gate; we’ll accompany you two to the Princess.“

Into the main building they went, and Viscera watched them go down the main staircase - from the ceiling perch she’d gotten in during their entire conversation. “Can’t believe that worked,” she uttered.

Viscere did not know much of the layout of the Crystal Empire, though; she had to wait for them to relocate upstairs. “Check on the Prince! He’s been antsy since Sentry’s move to Canterlot, but never late!” Wall-crawling and chandelier leaping took her down several hallways ater the concerned Crystal Guard.

Finally, however, they arrived at two ornate doors within the back-end of the floor they were on. The Crystal Guard tried to work at the front door of one of them. Viscera, hoping the rooms were connected, went for the other door after he turned to ask for a key.

One of the crimson pony’s fake claws fractured slightly in the lock. She ground her teeth and tried again, finally succeeding in picking it. Slipping in just as the Crystal Guard turned back to his work, Viscera studied the room she was in.

The opulence of Cadance and Shining’s bedchambers hit Viscera like a splash of fine wine. Glittering red-and-blue sheets draped over and upon the giant bed taking up most of the room. Viscera could have whistled at this, but she had to move fast - She hand Rappid-well, Goldilock now-had to know what they were walking inot. And why they hadn’t been invited.

Would it really be a surprise Cori avoided telling you? Back came that inner pony of Viscera’s, a little snider now. You always keep to yourself around everypony; now you’re mad that a Crystal Pony’s doing the same?

No. Viscera was only made Cori hadn’t done her due diligence on the thing she took!

Like you did with the Equilixirs? And the judge ponies? And that phoenix?

Viscera was starting to hate hearing that voice as she looked throuwd the top of the dresser. Cadance was quite the heavy accessorizer as of late. Her table had several bottles of eye polish, mascara and Wing preening rods littering it.

But as a Princess of the Crystal Empire, her work mixed with pleasure too. The treatises and letters scattered on that dresser and the surrounding stables with her stamp on them showed that. Visceras eyes couldn't help but drift over the general alerts, hoping to find out how much Cadance knew of the Caball. But only warnings about the Queen greeted her eyes - some streaked with dark splotches Viscera knew were tears.

After several minutes, Viscera found one that actually did strike her fancy: a recent letter. It had clearly been a rough draft, from the wording at the top that said Stuck proper ton: Make 4 copies. Send to Good Elements. splayed across the top.

Below those block letters, however, the cursive could only make VIscera’s eyebrows raise.

Elements -

Your ‘Party Fouls’ seem to be feasible options, but there may yet be a way your efforts can be coordinated further. You’ll be the first to know of developments, my little ponies (erase. Will remind them too much of Celestia) my sisters-in-arms. We must be fast.

Viscera… could see where Cadance may have gotten the idea of improperly invoking Celestia. Even now, her heart thumped over the notice she’d shown to Luna in her talking of their plans. Once again, the crimson pony’s face sunk over realizing what she - and all Equestria - had lost.

So, let’s talk of your plans, updated as you’ve made them.

Pinkie:
Your… party arrangements seem quite exciting. I am concerned about how close-proximity it requires you to be with the Queen. Perhaps you could try out your plan in a more controlled environment, see how it could be improved? Regardless, I am optimistic about its success - we’ll just need to work over details with Las Pegasus for the final pieces of it.

Applejack:
I’ve been there to help you with the plan, Applejack; I know how much you protested me moving it to the bottom of the queue. Let me be clear; it is not for a lack of confidence. The opposite, in fact; your plan is the most solid and thought-out one we have. Right now, keep alive our representatives for that plan - the ones me, Spike, Trixie and Thorax brought to our last meeting.

In addition, I… do not know if the amulet-manipulation of Queen Twilight’s body can be reversed. Insane as she’s become. Make sure your battlesuit does what you say it does; you represent our best hope to stop the Queen, besides these Thestrels. Which is why if all else fails, I count on yours to succeed.

Rarity:
I… Thank you for notifying me of your reconsideration. Effective, fast, and safe as your original plan was, the method required to fuel such a anti-alicorn weapon would be… unbearably barbaric. Let me know how your progress goes.

Also, Rarity? I only hope you consider just who you’re having act as the vanguards for this plan, especially the D.S.C. I cannot keep this secret from Applejack forever.

Do.. say hello to Spike for me. And stay safe: your stress is starting to consume you.

Fluttershy:
Your plan seems the easiest to get started, but we have to be quick. The facility in Manehattan is a public area - it is only a matter of time before the corral is found.

Do not worry about the potential for use to capture different creatures - S.M.I.L.E. is long-gone, the Caball’s benign hunted en masse by Queen Twilight after the fiasco during Princess Dash’s visit, and… I will make sure no others abuse it.

The Carnation movement will be started in several weeks. Much as I detest using charity money to help fast-track it, I must take charge in the efforts against the Queen as soon as possible. Until then, Fluttershy, hold strong.

We will talk further later. Stay vigilant and safe - there is no telling what the Queen will do next.

With love,

Princess Cadance

Viscera wasn’t so sure she wanted to know what Rarity had done. The search of the cabinets, however, found her a small locked box with that very unicorn’s name upon it. Viscera pocketed it, just for research. Definitely not to help counter Cadance if she protested her presence here.

Definitely not, mumbled her inner pony. Viscera ignored it this time.

Taking it and the rough draft of the letter, Viscera’s last glance turned to the other room- which the Crystal Guard had finally gotten into while she was busy reading. Clutching to the space above the door, Viscera listed for approaching hoofsteps. Luckly, The Crystal Guard that came into the bedroom wasn’t into checking sealings. And the helmet obstructed enough of his peripheral vision for Viscera to sneak past.

Vaulting into the next room by the top of the doorframe, Viscera only barely missed the guard’s crest. She definitely missed the Guard’s call of “Shining! Come forth, my lord!” as he slammed the door shut behind him.

What she didn’t miss - or rather, what had nearly caused her to topple off her perch on the thresh’s lip with the punch it gave to her nerves - was the sight of the room she was in. Viscera’s eyes scanned over it, and came to two quick conclusions.

One; it was Shining Armor’s study, for sure. It looked almost like his office that Shining occupied.

Second, she hoped he’d fought off whatever bloodthirsty beast that invaded, because it was covered in torn books and large bloodstains. Several trails of red led outside the smashed window, moonlight tinkling in just like the shards of class from the rent frame it reflected around.

And in the center of it was his helmet, polished to a golden sheen despite the dents in it. He had apparently been taken unaware, but had gotten some hits of his own in. Several craters lined the walls nearest the window, too small to be his if the fallen mannequin next to them were any indication.

Viscer touched down on the ground, keeping an eye on both closed doors as she studied the room. One particular notice was a book, face-down on the ground. Looking through it showed a contrast: despite the colorful visage of Shining on the cover, only half of the pages were filled. Yet the title, Shining on a Hill, reminded Viscera of something one of her friends had mentioned. She knew it was Cori, but…

Well, the book would provide an icebreaker. Perhaps Shining was working on it when he was attacked; she would have to find out from them.

Snatching up the book and giving one last look over the room, Viscera turned for the window. She was planning to use the balconies to sneak back out into the halls, but as her hoof brushed against the helmet, it hit a small diamond embedded in its peak. And for Viscera, the scene shifted. The last dregs of the memory-lost mind going NO! I have to get out of-

<~~~>

“-you don’t have to wear that all the time, Shining!”

Viscera was back in the jamb between both rooms. Shining was in the study, Cadance several feet beyond them. Shining was clearly pacing the room, finally moving back to be with his wife. And between them all, Viscera was robotically letting Shining pass, still incensed over the inadvertent past memory she triggered.

Damn me being a Thestrel! Damn me for being curious! And damn me, Viscera screamed to herself, for being so unaware of my surroundings I stumbled into this while a Crystal Guard’s in the room across from me!

Neither pony before her took notice.

“I wasn’t this guarded before.” came the quiet response from Shining. “But seeing what it brought me… brought us.”

“This time?” Cadance’s eyes widened beneath her slipping crown. “Shining, if you’re blaming yourself for Twilight-!”

“No, honey,” Shining was at his wife’s side within a second, calmly nursing her disheveled locks into position as he held her. “It’s about what Twilight might do to you. Especially now.”

“I’m not gonna let her take away what we've built, Shining.” Cadance brushed one of her horseshoe-covered limbs onto his chest. Viscera could feel a warm blossom of joy swell at the sight. “What we and Rhythmus do should be supported by everypony sick of her madness.”

She’d almost forgotten what it was like for family to share such tender moments.

“I might not be strong enough to keep her away this time, Cady. Please… promise me you won’t do anything rash.” Shining Armor fought back a wad of saliva in his throat. “She’s my sister, but I have training as a Guard to retreat behind in cases like this.” His worried eyes billowed as he pulled back, fully taking in Cadance. “But she’s the foal you raised, Cadance. And I worry for you.”

Cadance turned away, but from Viscera’s angle, she could see it wasn't to reject Shining’s advice. It was to keep him from noticing the tear rolling down the cheek turned away from him. How effective it was didn’t register in Shining’s face. “Well, stop, Shining. I can handle myself. And I can handle~”

Shining's forehoof, the one caressing her un-dampened cheek, shifted to her barrel, rubbing over her stomach in short strokes. Cadance stiffened but made no further move to reject. “We can, Cady. We’re a team.”

“R-right. I forgot that.” Cadance sighed. “I seem to miss a lot of things lately.”

“You’re not alone.” Shining’s dulcet tones even seemed to take Viscera’s worries away, unseen as it was. “If there’s any of us who should have been there for Twilight during that sham Blueblood murder trial, it’s the former leader of the Royal Guard.”

Viscera’s heart throbbed painfully over seeing Shining suck in his bottom lip. And now Shining, for all his concern, might be gone, alone with his guilt.

“Well then, we’ll work twice as hard from now on to see the other ponies are safe.” Cadance finally let a grin appear on her face. “I’ll make sure Cori and Gympis are seen through quickly tonight.”

“And I’ll be there to see you through.”

“Such a knight, even now.” A giggle shook Cadance’s frame as she finally removed her crown, tossing it to the dresser. It swung around one of the drawer knobs, then stayed still. “Then take me to bed, pretty boy,” titted the alicorn.

Shining matched her coy smile. Taking off his helmet at last, he threw it into the study. It sharply ricocheted off the wall and to the ground. The stallion underneath it, however, was too busy scooping up Cadance and carrying her to the bed to care. “Yes, damsel,” he heartily replied.

<~~~>

“-the castle one last time! I’m not sure if the creature Shining encountered isn’t limping around!”

Viscera snapped back to reality, as realization of her bearings hit like a train. Quickly, she scaled a bookcase and leaped to the nearest wall, her fake claws to the wall again. Thankfully, the conversation was still in the other room. Apparently, the Crystal Guard there was joined by another.

“Yes sir. But we assure you, sir, Prince Shining is moving to the hall to meet Cadance - we just saw him!”

“And did one of you accompany him?” said the first guard.

“Yes, sir! Raphinite is a capable veteran, and-”

“Look into his study, then tell me of how any one Crystal Pony could have helped him escape it!”

Seeing the Crystal Guard-well, make that Guards, there were two - entering the study right under her hooves put Viscera’s mind in a tilt. Should they turn around from where they were surveying the room, she’d likely be found. Should she swing back into the room, the Crystal Guard still in the bedroom might see her. How to make them all collect in one room without drawing eyes on her...

“Goodness, Commander! Unless it’s a pony that attacked him, there’s only one type of blood here!”

The guards in the room were soon joined by the third, his indignation spiking. “Quit with the investigative sense and look at the amount of blood!” Sharp clinks of his glittering armor field the room as the others kept searching the room. “The prince won’t even let you check him, was that your previous point back there!?”

Of course, some problems could solve themselves. Viscera swung back into the room, and left the bedroom entirely, slipping open the door. Goodness, Shining Armor might be out on his feet and none of the ponies in the throne room would know!

This time, Viscera charged through the halls, all thought of concealment shed. The lit purple arches of the walkways flicked before her eyes, her pace increasing as she tried to remember where that door leading to them was.

Then the voices accompanied her trek to the throne room.

“Princess, my apologies for speaking out of turn. But I only left Ponyville so early because I thought this would be quick!”

“And it will be, Ambassador, Cori!” Princess Cadance’s voice was butter-smooth, even late in the night. “You can stop rearing holds in the rug now, my friend.”

“I shall hope that this process will be painless, myself.” The chittering drawl of Gympis was a sound for sore ears, in Viscera’s case. Then her brain hooked on a key phrase. Wait. What process?

Viscera’s ears perked up, even through her hood. So Cori wasn’t doing this as some dodge. There was apparently something going down here. A possible alliance? An extension of their power?

Cadance would soon answer them, though. “Yes, Miss Gympis. With you as a princess, and your experience with the Equilixir stone fused with your body, you’ll be our guide on how they work. And if we can extract it from you as my notes suggested, we might be able to put them in the bodies of ponies that can use them to their fullest!”

Viscera almost choked on their own saliva! Wa-They were going to rip their Thestrel powers from them?! It was the only way they’d stay alive to this point! It was how they finished the tasks ponies gave them on her behalf! What was the Queen thinking?! And did Cori know this?!

Or maybe they caught wind of the latest building you brought down and decided somepony made to knock down walls were better fits for the job!

Viscera could have howled at her inner pony. Ever since the teleportation trick in Canterlot, it’d gotten snider and darker. She needed to stay alive! For Puff, and Berry, and… and the pony still in Hooves’ vault. Viscera had already gone through this with Daring two nights ago!

Two nights ago you didn’t have a way out of benign a Thestrel. Now you do. It’s being a target on you now.

Viscera galloped faster, finally reaching a dead-end. It was framed by a double-door smaller than the main throne room doors, but that led to the same place. A quick look at the crack beyond it showed that it led to a balcony overlooking the throne room. Goldilock’s short grunting tricked out from that door’s crack.

And what’s more, your power’s so appealing the Queen’s tagging her own statues to get hooves on you. Viscera’s inner pony would not stop mentally because her outer one had physically. Yet you’re still holding on to the fantasy that it’s not grinding your life to a-

“Halt! Who goes there!” Viscera froze, turning around. A guard had noticed her. He closed in, his horn igniting.

“I can explain sir.” Viscera’s voice came out in a far calmer tone than she felt. “I’m with the party in the throne room, they-.!”

SCHWIK!

VIscera closed her eyes, preparing to feel the spear the Guard was looking in his sorcerous grasp pierce her chest. When no such pain ensued, she cracked open an eye - just enough to watch her raised hooves drain of color at the being between them. For behind the falling Guard, his head so neatly severed that it rolled off from his canting neck before his knees hit the floor...

… was the madly-grinning Queen Twilight.

Blowing out a wisp of smoke from her activated horn, she took several menacing steps toward Viscera. “Pretty neat trick, appearing somewhere else when you’re cornered,” she said. Words, shooting like daggers into Viscera’s mind. “Always wondered how it was possible for a normal pony to do that.”

“But you’re not a normal pony are you? You’re a wedding crasher. You’re a Thestrel. You’re annoyingly more intact than the last cunt I met.” Twilight’s rearlegs slid tigers as he stepped onto the Guard, more blood-pumping from his neckhole with the pressure. “Well, second-last, now.”

“But most important…” And Twilight’s tongue swiveled over her lips as she stepped over the guard. Only ten feet separated them now. Viscera didn’t move - and now, she was starting to feel like Queen Twilight had more to do with it than just her star. “You’re mine, you stupid crimson fucker.”

And then she heard that faint noise from the castle’s interior, just as Twilight’s muscles tensed to launch her at Viscera.

“Ah! We’ve found Shining, Princess!”

“Then let us begin!”

And without another work, a wall of light materialized between Viscera and Twilight. Well, in the latter case, the wall materialized around her - specifically her horn. Her entire forward card was stopped in the most comical of ways, her barrel bending to smack flank-first into the wall and slide to the floor. The motion reminded Viscera of one of those springs she used to see roll down stairs in her youth.

Twilight’s eyes, however, showed only heartless fury. She reared back, trying to charge a spell through her ignition horn - and recoiled from the blowback. The spell failed with her horn in the energy barrier it was in, shocking her and sending her body into a painful twitch. she slumped to the floor to fast for Viscera to see the effect it had down below on the Queen. But the smile she had as she struggled to her feet was not entirely just to save face.

It took but a minute for Viscera to realize what Twilight's current case was. But when she did, she nearly dropped the papers she was carrying in shock when she did.

Viscera almost died of laughter. This was the Twilight Sparkle. Element of Magic, Router of the Two Sisters. Mastermind of the Ponyville Massacre. She’d heard stories both fanciful and horrible about this being before her, and their last encounter required the mother of all Thestral tricks to evade.

And now she was struggling over a barrier of pink light separating them, horn spurting sorcerous sparks as her legs windmilled.

After a minute, Queen Twilight stopped struggling, and Viscera’s eyes focused on her twitching form. Her mind had been fried before between the realization of Twilight's twisted plan, the rush to the Empire, the pouring over of the Princess’s notes in her bathroom. But this? This was spiraling her mind into areas of insanity. This was in a once-in several-lifetime chance to see the malevolent monarch.

Didn’t even have to use the element of surprise this time, as she did at her wedding.

Viscera would consider this move suicidal the next she thought of it, but right now, all that was in her mind was the power she’d exerted over the tyrant Twilight. That she still could.

So, despite the utter insanity, her hoofalls took her closer and closer to the shimmering wall, and the horn piercing it. Despite how her nerves screaming at her that every inch she closed between them was another dollop of ink on her suicide pact, she crossed that distance. Despite how her heart strained to leave her, the furry crimson pelt of her hood and barding rolled with each step.

Finally, she was in front of Twilight, and Viscera’s words fell like bricks. “Was this what you expected when you killed Celestia, Queen?”

Another step. She could smell the burnt ozone in the hair from her half-ignited horn.

“What did you want when you met me?”

Another and her lips traveled closer and closer to that sparking tip of Twilight's horn.

“This was how it began wasn’t it? ‘Oooh, I’m the Queen and I can fuck up whoever I want’.” Her bobbing maw approached the horntip like it was a mic. “Then fuck me up, Sunslayer.” And in the ultimate moment of daring that’d leave a certain amber-coated adventurer gaping, her lips closed over that horn.

Twilight’s face twisted in impotent rage. The struggles had stopped, the wall’s glow intensifying. The room’s air itself seemed to tense as the fuchsia barrier rippled, preparing to launch her into the Frozen North as it once launched another Queen into the badlands…

… and then the Queen smiled. “Good and hard, then.” Not a single twinge or twitch accompanied Queen Twilight Sparkle at this point, as her horn flashed up violently.

Viscera’s jade eyes widened. This wasn’t supposed to happen! But yet, Queen Twilight’s smile grew as the barrier grew brighter. Viscera’s transformation snapped up immediately, her muzzle and neck turning into the Thestrel’s golden pallor and covering over her silver mask. Just as the first of the black spots on her forelegs began popping up, the “Oh shi-” fell from her lips.

Then obliterating plasma the same color as the barrier leaked from Twilight's horn and filled out the rest of her mouth and visi-

“-the next one should be Goldilock. Balancing this new superpower and her current duties may prove overwhelming.” Cadance’s eyes swept back to the statue. “And from what Roseluck told me of her sleeping habit, it makes me question how she’ll take breaking news.”

“You can count on me to help her.” Cori quickly nodded. “Not, let’s see if Ambassador Sapphire Joy’s find was worth it.”

Cadance nodded, her horn aglow as she approached the statue of Queen Twilight. Between them, Princess Gympis stood at attention, the ebbing waves of her Thestrelization standing out amongst her chitin. The statue’s eyes glowed, and that very golden pallor slowly stretched off the changeling’s frame - almost as slowly as the grin spreading on Shining Armor’s face.

And then the doors to the throne room burst open. The spiraling figure of a crimson pony soon flew the length of the room, coming to a plasma-splattering halt in front of Goldilock.

Cori screamed. Gympis was first to recognize the splintered pelt and wings that her form had crushed underhoof as it slowly stirred.

“Viscera, what are you doing here?!”

“Wait, how did Vis get here so-and how did she even get past the barrier!?” And the Princess Cadance’s view along Viscera’s flight trajectory led her outside of the room -and to a very familiar alicorn, still struggling on the edge of her erected barrier.

“Queen Twilight?! How’d you get this clo-.”

The only thing that kept the ensuing scene from being a complete tragedy was the fact that Princess Cadance’s neck craned out at the sight of Queen Twilight slowly retracing her horn from her sorcerous veil. As it was, Gympis, Goldilock, and Cori would only be haunted by the betrayal playing out before their eyes.

Before even the Ambassador could respond, Shining Armor turned to face Cadance. Leveling his horn, a thin beam of sickly green light struck her in the side of her neck. The impact sent her sprawling to the ground. Had her head not craned forward to look at Viscera, the grisly attack would have decapitated instead of heavily wounded her.

Cori was too shocked by the sight of her idol mutilating his wife to react. Goldilock held no such reservation, and leapt to strike. His horn lit up to shield the flying barrage of golden claws from the winged Thestrel, but it left him open to Gympis‘ charge into his flanks from his blind angle. Skidding along the hallway’s glittering floor, Shining’s horn ignited dangerously.

The two nearest Crystal Guards were separated from two of their armor-plated limbs and a large portion of their barrels, bought between the intensified shields he threw up. The others stood back and fired lasers at the shield. Several grimaced as their comrades dissected halves squashed red stains into the floor behind Shining’s bubble.

The shield of mystic energy didn't give; unlike the visage of the murderous unicorn, his white coat fading away to chitin and the wicked face of Prince Toxic Haze. “Really have to switch up our agents, piss-ponies,” he cruelly leered at them. Behind the changeling prince, a reverberating cackle invaded the room, before several cracks showed up in the fuchsia forcefield a door’s length away.

“Gympis, the Empire’s been compromised! Grab Vis and run!” Goldilock shouted. Cadance’s barrier was flickering out at the same pace the spurts of blood from her neck wound were. With Prince Toxic rearing back for another attack, the pegasus-turned-Thestrel had to act quickly. Gympis grabbed Cadance and saddled her on her back. At the same time, Goldilock’s gale-force wing flap at the changeling prince made Toxic’s next shot go wide. The green beam shattering the windows behind the throne.

Gympis quickly locked horn-beams with Toxic, Cori finally snapping back into focus enough to provide the tiebreaker. Namely, by enlarging the chandelier above Toxic so much it snapped off its mooring - the construct of glass and iron smashed against his shield long enough to stun him. Cracks spiderwebbed into it as the Guards poured on the pressure against the Changeling prince.

With the partially transformed and wholly injured Viscera still leaking plasma onto the red rug, Gympis was quick to take Thestral form and hoist her onto her back. She and Cori leaped over the wreckage of the chandelier and the shimmering bubble it was wrapped around. Thankfully all four ponies and Cadance were airborne at the same time. Seconds later, several blackened tendrils soon pierced the floor, and two of the remaining five Crystal Guards.

Goldilock recoiled at the bisected head and hoof of one Crystal Guard hit her, nearly dislodging Cadance from her back. The rest of that poor Guard was lashed at them as Prince Shroud finally revealed himself from the widening cavity in the throne room’s floor. Narrowing his eyes, the Shadow Pony lunged right at Cori.

“Gympis, heads up!” yelled Goldilock. The changeling princess was quick to respond, levying out a spear she’d had clutched in her maw and launching it at the cadaver. Pinning it to the wall, the group turned and broke for the door - only to see another frightening maze of cracks opening up on the glowing wall three meters between them and the barrier-busting Queen Twilight.

“Aww, leaving so soon? And we just had the new renovation plans to share too!” she haughtily chortled.

“Sorry, decided to go with anypony else thank yoooou!” Cori’s words came out in a rush as they turned to the other corridor and raced down its length. By the time they were halfway down, it was filled with green laser fire as Prince Toxic gave chase.

Galloping to check up on Viscera - whose hole in the maw was closing up slowly - Goldilock turned to Gympis. “Don’t suppose Princesshood gave you a talent that can heal Vis faster?”

“I’m a princess, not a doctor.” Gympis panted. Another stray beam neatly burned a hole in her outstretched prismatic wing. She hissed and fired some more bolts back. Something in the distance shattered, luminescent shards sticking into the throne room door.

“Then we have to get to Withers and bail! The Crystal Empire’s gonna be a warzone soon!“ Cori huffed.

Another stray spark from her horn brought an entire array of armor fixtures crazing down to obstruct the path of the princes. Shrapnel burst forth as Shroud took a direct path through them. By that time, however, they’d broke another left and cleared the banister, allowing them another floor’s drop to get to the living quarters.

Within minutes, they were in front of Wither’s room, and Godlilock tore the door off its hinges. A rusting of covers later and Withers scrambled to his feet in the bed. Another Crystal Pony was soon to pop up beside the stallion, both of them sweat-drenched. “There was a knocker, y’know!” Withers yelled.

Cori, after a moment of gaping at the entwined equines, remembered why they were here. “Save it for after the Queen stops trying to knock this palace down!”

“The Queen’s-!?”

CREEEEAK! The entire room shifted a dangerous angle to the right. Through the small window, Cori could see the outside Empire’s alert bells ringing, and the center quickly filled with evacuating ponies. She also saw the spires of the Ambassador’s Crystal Prep Academy, only several dozen meters away.

“Come on, let’s move to the arbor!” Back out of the room they went on Cori’s order, Withers following them after grabbing his hat.

“Wait, we’re not flying outside now?!” Gympis yelled. ”This place is being brought down on us!”

Cori was quick to point out the issue with this. “We go out the window, we’ll be in the middle of an evacuation! And Twilight’s not gonna -whoa!”

Speak of the debauched duchess and she shall appear, a phrase that soon turned terribly true when Queen Twilight burst from the ceiling of the canting hallway. Almost immediately, she snapped up a blazing purple barrier. Goldilock pumped her wings and flew underneath, creating a trail of flames in her wake that slowed the Queen’s descent as she shielded her eyes.

By the time the stars from them cleared, the three ponies were past her and further into the crew quarters. Several rooms' number plates flew by as Withers took the lead.

Unfortunately, Twilight wasn’t alone, as Prince Shroud burst from another guest room, tentacles lashing out for prey. Two tendrils hit home on Goldilock’s legs, buckling them and causing her to stumble on the rugs. A third knocked Cadance’s crown off her playing head as she tumbled off of Goldilock’s back.

Cori threw out a cushion and enlarged it enough with her magic to catch the bleeding alicorn. “Withers, grab the end of that and pull!” she yelled. Withers quickly complied as he caught up to the fallen princess, his teeth catching a mouthful of cord and pulling the princess along-as well as narrowly missing being skewered by a half-dozen more tentacles.

Gympis’s wings flared out again, slightly messing up her flight as her injured wing wavered. Still, she managed to hover, re-righting Viscera on her back as she passed Shroud. The bubbling plasma from Viscera’s wound was far more precise, however, splashing into his face as they passed.

It caused him to howl in pain, a strange occurrence to the passing Cori due to her far less harmful encounters with the Thestrel’s life-fluid.

The wound around the Thestrel thief was closing faster, though, enough for Viscera’s eyes to creep open. Another right nearly caused her to slip off Gympis’ back, her claws weakly hanging on to her chitinous barrel. “She is awoken - let us redub our aft ports!” came the yell from her carrier.

“‘Redouble... our efforts’, Gympis! Don’t make us... have to correct you in... the middle of a chase!” cried out Cori.

“Thank the Sun!” yelled back Goldilock, her speed picking up along with the news. Again, contrails of fire snaked around her form. That, combined with her harder Thestrel hide, made her a harder target. The beam shot from Queen Twilight ended up glancing off her form this time, impacting in the ceiling instead. An avalanche of crystal and plaster filled out the cracks and bought them another moment of separation.

“Where is this arbor anyways Cori?!” yelled Withers around a mouthful of cord as their next right put them on the edge of the Crystal Palace’s exterior again. Windows and rooms whistled past them, the continuing warping of the palace’s form causing some of them to shatter and spray glass into their path..

“Right in the - gah! - end of this hallway!” Cori’s hoof tread on one of the glass pieces mid-speech. Despite the pain and the beads of blood staining the rug each time her left forehoof struck the ground, her pace didn’t slow.

Skidding on the incline of the floor this time, Cori and Withers took the next corner, arriving at the harvest. Gympis and Rappid were a bit more controlled in their turn, and they entered the arboretum of the Crystal Palace together.

The room would have looked majestic if most of the potted plants around its corners hadn’t spread their loamy payload onto the sparkling floor. Various beds of petunias and carnations filled the ceiling, in glass trays and curving frames. Beyond, the large door to the balcony was open. Viscera and company broke for it, ignoring the shelves around them crashing to the floor.

And then, Prince Toxic floated down from above just past the balcony, blocking their entrance to freedom. “Candy-coated Crystal cunts don’t get past this point. Sorry.”

Toxic’s horn lit up. Goldilock lunged to try and intercept, knowing Cori’s magic would be too weak and Gympis’s too late.

Thankfully, another pegasus would stop the changeling prince’s - at least, the one attached to the bed that she and Snow Violet catapulted into Toxic’s haunches. “Followed the sounds of purple lasers and changelings, did you miss us?”

“Like ice after a Spectra bath!” Goldilock gratefully responded, helping WIthers lift Cadance into the throne-bed.

Grabbing the third of the regions on the floating bed, Goldilock helped Sunny Day and Snow Violet turn the carriage around to a new heading. Cori, Viscera, and Gympis were in it within seconds as their escape attempt took to the crisp Crystal Empire skyline.

From here, they could also see the havoc Twilight was wreaking on the Palace in her attempts to bring it down. Two of its supporting legs were turning white with the cracking stress of its near forty-five-degree list; The snaps of compressed windows and crumbling floors brought a dip to the front of the structure as it bent in on itself The towers were coming dangerously close to following altogether, though the plaza was thankfully emptying.

“No…” Cori finally choked out, sinking to her haunches next to the sweating Withers as they witnessed the carnage occurring upon the capital.

Beside them, Gympis was trying to soak up Cadance’s wound, but the bedsheets she was tying around it were doing little to stop the flow of blood. “We need supplies” she informed Cori.

“R-right.! There are bandage kits at the Academy! We’ll cut through there, patch her up and port out!”

“What of the others in this here capital?” Withers shouted.

“They should be able to escape, I saw the extortion shield hold; that means that Shining’s….” And then Cori’s thoughts returned to the facsimile of that pony that had gotten so close to them.

“We cannot go back for him! we don’t even know where he is!” Goldilock proclaimed. “We’ll search for him late~!”

Yet again, the air around them was this with burning ozone, as Twilight and Toxic tried to snipe them out of the air Four. purple blasts and a green bolt hit the bud, nearly roasting Wither’s tail, and actually roasting the rich purple sheets and drapes. Coir shrank the flames to nothingness in short sorcerous horn bursts, purple eyes bugging out of her skull at the closeness of the cinders.

However, Sunny Day would fare less so on Toxic’s beams vaporizing one of her wings into a whorl of yellow mist, With the falling of the mailpony below the makeshift carriage, it tilted dangerously to the left and started falling toward the academy. Cori caught onto Wither’s tail before he could fall out, snout wrinkling horribly at the smell of burnt hair. Viscera and Cadance were being held by Gympis as her wing beat against the tilt.

“BRACE! BRACE!” yellow Snow Violet, pulling up on her reins as Goldilock tried to gather up Sunny Day. The bed-throne creaked right as Goldilock pulled up to join her.

Its trajectory didn’t.

CRRRRRRASH!

The bed skidded to a stop after falling through one of the windows in the Crystal Academy, several sizable dents and bumps at its front end now. To be fair, the window itself had been significantly widened by another gleaming Queen Twilight beam. As the gang turned to look upon it, Viscera was again flung unceremoniously into the pool this room held. Then another beam flashed from the opposite directions to further bury that area with the contents of the floor directly above it.

Turning to face what they thought was likely Queen Twilight, their eyes beheld a different unicorn. Long-limbed as the late Fleur de Lis, This time, however, her coat was a rich teal, her eyes and mane a dark purple. “Goodness, Ambassador!”

“Oh… hi, Cinch?”

“Never heard of her…” Withers pointed out.

“Shouldn’t really - I don’t talk of my family much.” A far greener pegasus than Cinch appeared at her side, rifling through the medical saddlebags on her barrel. Lightning Dust shook the debris from her mane and turned to face them all. “Kinda have the future of Cloudsdale to think of now”.

The looping curls of violet mane she sported, however, got Rappid’s eyes shooting upward. “Lightning Dust, that’s your mother?”

“Yes, in a temporary capacity,” Cinch quickly replied. Another crash from a beam attack created several rather ugly gashes in the ceiling and walls of the pool room. “One I’d prefer not to be liquidated by the Queen outside! We were leaving, anyhow!”

“And - whoa, is that Sunny Day?“

“Yeah, thankfully, she managed to get this to go along with the bandages!” Snow Violet whipped out a crystal flask bubbling with red liquid out of one of Sunny Day’s saddlebags.

“When did you manage to do this?” yelled Goldilock to the mailpony.

“The mare you left us with on the way in was stacked with health brews.” Snow whipped out another bottle and poured it down the visage of the viscerally injured Viscera. “Her and her unicorn friend. Almost didn’t see her at first, but that giant white spot on her face was me..”

Not even knowing a Thestrel could pale, Ambassador Cori swore she could see Goldilock’s coat break out in off-white patches.

“Of course, I couldn't say the same from her end - she couldn’t take her eyes off Sunny. Said to thank Raps for helping them get into the Empire.” Snow Violet eyebrows raised a little. “And also if… I think I may have gotten this wrong… if she would help her by helping her make her next meal come Sunny-side up. Dunno why she’s asking for breakfast at night… or why the emphasis was on ‘co-”

“Can we please talk about anypony else right now.” Goldilock hissed out through gritted fangs.

“Hell, d’ya care about that fuckin’ coop-flying egotist anyhow?” Lightning Dust muttered.

Cinch’s eyes narrowed. “Language, Dust! I did not come all this way to have you disgrace me in front of an Ambassador!”

“We need to get out of here, both of you!” Cori yelled as another bolt shook the foundations of Crystal Prep. “And one of us needs to think of a way to get past the last barrier!”

“One… of us?”

With Snow working on her fellow mailpony Sunny, and Cori talking with Cinch, the room was almost lost in the chatter. Only Dust, Goldilock, and Gympis were all that could witness Viscera speak at last. The thief pony was still un-transformed past her barrel, and only just recovering from the hole in her head. Already, the poultice was helping to knit together her golden hide.

“Viscera, you are okay?” Gympis was upon her in a second.

“Gotta say… not the Princess… I thought I’d be waking up to in a dark room.” Viscera tried to smile. Her freshly re-knit face protested the grimace profusely. “”F-fuck! Nevermind, face still hurts. We getting out of here?”

“Just about.” Dust grumbled as the group gathered around the bed and the recovering Sunny Day, taking up the injured pegasus onto her back. “We’ll break for the barrier line on three then. One-!”

Fifteen tendrils burst through each crack in the room, and the ripping of brick and plaster nearly sent everypony inside to their knees. “THREE!” Viscera was first to make a break for the opposite end of the Academy, followed by Cinch, Cori and Gympis. They would all be passed by Goldilock and Lightning Dust. Those three pegasi crashed through the other end of the school as Shroud tore out the room they were in.

The bed dragging behind them - and holding Withers, Cadance, Sunny, and Snow - was nearly sheared in two from the tight corridors. Soon after, the collection of ponies (and changeling) broke for the barrier, only to notice another issue! “Who’s keeping up this barrier?!”

“Uh, fellas?” Withers pointed to Cadance- who despite her wound being a lot less prominent than before, had her horn glowing. As they turned to Cinch, they realized hers had the same glow. “...you’re fuckin’ kidding me,” muttered Viscera.

“Drop the barrier; it's the only way we're leaving, Ma!” yelled Dust.

“That barrier is the only thing keeping that wretch Twilight from escaping the Palace grounds!” Indeed, the outer edge of that city-wide energy bubble rippled around the one outside of the creaking crystal fortress, and Queen Twilight crew were slamming spell bolts into them. The only one of her inner circle that had even gotten through was Shroud’s tentacles.

“It’s going to kill Cadance if she doesn't stop!” Indeed, the gouts of blood spurting from the injured Cadance’s neck were starting again. Withers packed even more bandages around the wound, but the sea of red gauze was slipping in his hooves. The bloodsoaked sheets around her showing just how quickly they’d need to properly redress her injury.

“N-not,... leaving… Empire to…” moaned the enfeebled Cadance. “Couldn't… find… Shining…. Can make…. Twilight…tell me… where he...”

“I’m sorry, Dust, but it won’t just be us they have access to if this barrier fails! Look!” Despite the waving glow of Cinch’s horn, her hoof showed no such tremble as it pointed downward. The Crystal Empire’s streets were still full of running, screaming ponies, their glittering coats making it seem like the starry sky above was flowing below.

Goldilock’s heart rose at the sight of one of them - that familiar blue-coated mare she and Viscera had seen before. They at least would evacuate properly.

“Cinch and Cadance… They’re right.” Goldilock somberly noted. “We’ll throw you in with the crowd! Escape through the trains, I’ll hold off Twilights’ triplet.”

“NO! We’re not losing you again!” Viscera couldn’t tell what hurt more - her throbbing head or the effort it took for her to say ‘We’re’ and not ‘I’m’. Even now, she could only think of herself?!

”She already has a workaround to these barriers; we cannot let her attain a Thestrel’s body to dissect!”

“And that’s if you’re lucky!” Viscera spat out. “Move aside, I’m doing the ‘port again!”

Cori’s head shook. “No way! You just got through losing Celestia knows how many parts of you, and-!”

“This whole mess wouldn’t be a thing if not for me!!” Viscera’s anger boiled over, and everypony still in the sky-circling carriage looked at him. Lightning Dust was a prominent example. Her eyes rose in alarm, her wings beating hard, Sunny Day still draped across the base of her neck past them. “I’ll… try, And If I don’t make it…”

“You will, Viscera,” Gympis added. “You have… When we left for the Empire, Cori had convinced me that not notifying you would be for the best. I had become a Princess of Changelings; holding such power when a more trustworthy being could go further and I could consolidate the hive… It was an appealing idea. It… would have kept me from having to worry about losing my status with these ponies.”

Gympis swallowed thickly and continued. “But as I was here, I remembered… I had seen you slumber. I learned of your plan that got us this statue and our other gains in the first place. It reminded me of… my troubles when making my way here. Troubles you… faced with much more courage than I did alone.” Her head turned downwards at this, magenta gossamer tickling the blood-soaked royal purple of the bed-throne’s comforters.

“We… have not known ponies to show concern for anypony but themselves, and when you first revealed yourself to me as a thief, I… had anticipations of you especially. Your behavior, however… had shown a different pony. Your talk with others has shown a different pony. Your saving of me when my kin tried to put me down in the hall was…. the mark of a different pony.”

Gympis’ monologue stopped at last. She gulped back a thick wad of goo again, and finished. “You said… resisting the Queen is worth it. I will follow your options to that end, for the sake of this different pony I see before me, Cori’s home... and my own.”

Viscera gave a slow nod. She looked at Cadance and Cinch, both twitching with the stress of maintaining their magic. She thought of how each second of their efforts would realign to saving pony lives. She saw the throngs of sparkling ponies beneath their floating bed-platform, only one gate of light away from slaughter by their ‘Queen’. And with all the chaos before her, the way forward finally laid barren before her.

Viscera closed her eyes.

That familiar pull around her navel began, weaker but still potent. And the entire group disappeared.

<~~~>

Viscera, again, was floating in that chamber. But it was empty this time. She looked around, but the being was not there. Her eyes picked up nothing at sky level, despite the… improved vision her Thestrrel-lization had given her. Darkness rippled around the room as she looked around it, to no avail.

Finally, Viscera cast her gaze up to the endless blackness, expecting to find nothing - and there it was again. Perched over the pillars, one paw over each of the four around her figure, the magenta titan stared down at her.

“I have followed your lead. I have seen this land.”

How? thought Viscera. I haven’t seen you, I haven’t talked to you! This is all we’ve seen each other in! But the being gave no answer. She simply looked down with those lamp-light slitted gold eyes. Her breast rose and fell, even as she eyed her target from above.

Then she spoke again, voice both filling and obliterating the air in this chamber. Even from their endless expanse of separation, the words burned into the soul of Viscera.

“But you are no longer the mare I chose to mark. My work is done. And my age will follow!”

She shifted her paws from the perches letting gravity carry her down instead of her titanic wings. Viscera opened her mouth, but the only scream came from those razor-sharp maws, the magenta coated around them looming closer and closer-

<~~~>

Viscera awoke.

Looking around, she was certain she’d stopped back in that nightmarish hut of the zebra, the only she'd first found the first signs of a defiled Equestria in.

But the air around them was still, cold, crisp, and pricking against her lungs with every breath she took in. Too clear to be anywhere near Everfree. She looked back. Beyond the rutted back of the battered bed-throne, she could still see the Crystal Empire - the beams against the first inner bubble around it, cutting ruts in the sparkling palace. One broke, causing the massive structure to nearly collapse. Its warped tip scraping out a rut in the floor with a deafening screech.

The second, around the city itself was still intact. Viscera blinked back something that couldn’t be tears because her mask would have caught them, then turned to Cinch and Cadance.

“Dust, Rappid- how fast do you think you get us all to Ponyville?”

Cori’s eyes drilled into Viscera as if to try and get her to go back for Shining. Viscera made it her point to avoid it and they turned upwards in a futile attempt to keep her own tears from flowing. She’d taken Gympis and the statue without permission. They weren’t under obligation to save Shining - he was likely already gone, if Prince Toxic had managed to take his image for his own.

That taking of the Statue might be the only reason you’re not rape--toilets right now. Wow, had her inner pony gotten abrasive… again. They found a way to get the Equilixir stone into ponies that were ready for war, and that’s Cori’s idol you’re leaving to die.

Shut up. Viscera could barely think it now. She wasn’t even sure she spoke it.

But the voice continued. You doomed an empire. You doomed Shining Armor. Cadance might die before you can get within a hospital's limits and it’s all your fault. How many other ponies you like are going to suffer because you can’t keep your hooves out the cookie jar. How many?! How many, Vis?

“Actually, I think I may make the trip back a little faster.” Lightning Dust had spoken this time. “Keep up in my slipstream, Thestrel!”

Goldilock huffed. “Slipstreams?! And what do you mean by a new methoOOOOOOOOOO-!”

With a snap of Lightning Dust’s taut wings, they were speeding along the countryside. Mountains and plains sped around them as Dust pulled the chariot in a blitz, the jaws of the ponies inside flapping from the force of her flight. Even Cadance’s, who was almost sinking into the plush lining of the bed-throne.

Just as they could see Ponyville, however, the rush stopped, Lightning Dust almost drowning the sweat pouring from her pea-green coat. “F-finished...Celestia, dammit...!” she huffed.

Cinch was at the edge of the bed to comfort her within seconds, the unicorn trying hard to pat out the oddly-stuck-out feathers in Lightning's coat. “You….you’ve done quite all right today, my daughter.”

“Course I did… I’m the… future of flight, right?”

Cinch’s snout crooked upwards. “You are, Dust. We shall see to these wounded.” Dust finally pulled Sunny Day off her back and into her arms. Lightning Dust looked to move toward them, but Cinch’s hoof stopped her. “We can talk of your plan for the Wonderbolts later, my child.”

As Dust sulked, another voice took over.“Anything else you want to give us before you go, Ex-Headmistress?” Cori asked Cinch. Every little bit can help now…” Viscera wanted Cori’s eyes to meet her now - goodness, she’d only become full Ambdasddor two days ago! And now the Kingdom she worked for would soon be a ghost town, if it was lucky.

“Only three assurances, Ambassador Cori.” Cinch’s head lowered. “I am against the Queen, I was not of this world until recently.” The unicorn rose up on her hind hooves in a way even Viscera could see attested to a very different preferred stance. “And I am not alone. Cloudsdale’s blockade lifts tomorrow. If you can evade the Queen, come meet me… and Dust... there.”

Lightning Dust responded with a nod and an “I’ll bring back Sunny Day when she’s healed; don’t worry!”With that, she was gone into the atmosphere, likely leading to the cloud-stuffed capital.

Cinch’s hold turned to Snow Violet. “I will need your help in carrying me to the Basin. Miss Yearling must know of the Archives’ location from me. And… I apologize to you all for the inconvenience, as the once and past head of the Crystal Prep Academy. Unfortunately, it seems I have been called from one to see the downfall of another.”

“I...” Viscera didn’t know why she had spoken. But… something in Cinch’s forlorn face demanded she at least try to recover something good in this. Something salvageable, something… that made her efforts worthwhile. Because overall good now felt like it was beyond her. After this? “I… think you can bring out a bit better now. Your school over there… like, the ponies that were in it got evacuated, right? They’re alive.”

“And… the Empire didn’t make the Crystal Ponies.” Cadance struggled to a sitting position on the bedding behind them. “The Crystal Ponies made that Empire. Wherever they go… they will continue to make it.” A wracking sigh shook her figure. “I… only regret I cannot see them through this journey.”

The ghost of a smile touched Cinch’s lips. “Then we shall make sure this reign of the Queen who ousted them is a quick one. I will head to the Basin; try to make a new vector for the barrier spell. I will meet you in Cloudsdale… after the Rhythmus runs its course.”

“Rhythmus? Isn’t that~?”

Cadance’s words stopped Cori in her tracks. “Yes, my little...pony.” A sad smile stretched across her blood-speckled face. “That charity will be de-anchored by today. It was… because of this procedure that the Empire is lost. None of you heroes.”

“I would not call us heroes yet.” Viscera agreed with Princess Gympis for more than just the literal reasons she was going for.

“For that, you will need others.” Cadance nodded. “I shall call upon Chief Ambassador Sapphire Joy and one other to start that process now.” The alicorn’s horn lit. “Allow me to bring you to the office Snow Violet shares, as a… show of apology.”

“Why?” Viscera blearily asked. “We let the Queen in.”

“All of Equestria did when we made her an alicorn too soon.” Cadance’s horn vibrantly lit further. “And condemned her too hastily.”

A flash put them back in the post office of Ponyville, sans Cinch. Cadance finally slumped to the foot of the bed-throne with exhaustion. Gympis again looked to her as Withers got off.

“Gotta say, really liking this whole ‘meeting interesting people gig you have,” he said.

Goldilock was a bit more prescient. “What happens now?”

“This is… a bit too closely associated with you now.” Cadance pointed to the bed just under her blood-spotted frame. “And I am a bit… nevermind. I shall take it to me with the location. I will be within Cloudsdale within several weeks- hopefully with the keys needed to beat back the Queen’s madness.”

Her eyes turned to Goldilock. “I know you are the mayor; please help to oversee the safety of that city until I arrive. The Queen may yet use Princess Dash for a power play.”

To Gympis, Princess Cadance continued. “You have shown incredible fortitude and willingness to sacrifice today, princess. I only ask to watch over your friends, with as much trust as you so graciously gave me.”

“I shall, fellow Princess.” Gympis nodded. “As I shall see to my hive’s escape from the Queen.”

“Cori….” Cadance shook her head mournfully at this. “I… cannot apologize enough for our current development. But you are still a representative of me, and you can still operate on my behalf. Hold strong with them until we meet again: and I promise you… we will both find a way to uncover what became of my husband.”

“Viscera…” The last of the Equilixir Four turned to face her, her golden coat calloused with dirt, sweat, and the disappearing strings of golden hide as she de-morphed to normal. “I have heard of your exploits to ensure the resistance of the Elements and safety of your friends. You have progressed the furthest of all here - as a Thestrel and a pony.”

Cadance smiled.

“And they see you as the one who can keep them safe. Maintain that. Equestria is… short of ponies with as much power and drive as you. Hold onto them and use them wisely. I hope to meet you in Cloudsdale. And… what happened in the Crystal Empire is not. Your. Fault. It is the Queen who tore it apart… and the Princess too busy foal-sitting her to see her slide to sadism.”

Another snap, and Princess Cadance was gone. So was the bed, leaving the four mares and Withers alone in that closed office. Viscera took a deep breath, and waited until she left the office to let it out.

Goldilock’s golden form disappeared around her, Mayor Rappid revealed once more as she and Cori lined up next to her. Princess Gympis went in front, lightly sniffing the ground as if still disbelieving that they were back in Ponyville.

KA-BLAM!

And then a large spot of space away from them

“Wait, I think that’s Rose’s shop!” Cori shired. “Quick, we have to find the fil~!”

With a hurried start, a familiar red-maned pony and two fillies came up next to them. “Rose! Colada! Puff!” Sweeping up the poofy-haired Powder Puff into her snow-white forearms, nuzzling them in relief.

“Nevermind that - you said my shop’s on fire?” Roseluck yelled. “I knew Pina was telling the truth! Hold on to her, I’m getting the Town Guard!” Ambling the pink filly onto Gympis’s back, she turned and rushed off.

“I would express relief that nopony was at the store when it was gone,” said Gympis.

Viscera nodded, thickly swallowing. “Yeah. Especially with the craziness over the wedding, luv. And~!”

Suddenly, ice water flooded Viscera’s veins as she recalled just how her moments before leaving this town went.

“Those two guards! I know one of them was Hel!" Pina blubbered. "We have to go back for the others!"

Viscera's voice was still ringing tauntingly in her head, but the crimson pony had to know. She quickly raced to PIna’s position. “Pina! You said you saw two Guards break into your shop! Were you coming from the shop!? Was Berry there!”

“Yeah! She never left, I think one of them got her as she went in! She wasn’t alone, so was Derp-!”

Viscera could not hear any further. Her hooves pumped, her heart raced, and she was running through the filling streets of late-night Ponyville. She couldn’t be injured. She couldn't’ be! Who’d even gotten to this palace! Cori had lost Shining! She couldn't lose -

How many ponies you going to let die, Vis. How. Many?

Were Viscera's hooves not pounding on the paving-stones and grass of Ponyville's streets, she would have driven them into her ears.

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1.8 Castaways

Author's Note

Pre-reading credit for this chapter goes to Jinzou.

1.8 Castaways

The first thing that hit Viscera’s eyes was smoke. She had faced fire before - as early as the Ponyville Riot, in fact. But this was no trick of the tongue. The smoke was so irritating that it stung at her jade eyes, even before it tore at her lungs with the subtlety of a bucking hydra. Fallen beams and scorching glass prickled at the frogs of her feet.

She’d idly started wandering, moving through the warped windows and plants stuck between blackened leaves and sodden bodies, whether she should have gone Thestrel. Surely the form must have had an advantage over her normal, slacking form. Like a higher tolerance to nausea.

Then Viscera found the crumpled, unmoving body of Berrytwist behind the counter, and a part of her wished the smoke had hit her harder.

To be fair, the incoming Royal Guard truncheon did do that, hard enough to knock her out.

“...I don’t get it, she just saw Berry’s body and blacked out!”

Viscera was still, yet Cori’s voice shot its way into the deepest recesses of her brain like Jasmine Leaf’s espresso. That brought her up from the depths of her troubled memory. “Oh no oh no oh no oh nooo…” she babbled, still in disbelief in regards to the scene she’d seen - no, created.

“Viscera! Thank Celestia you’re okay!” Rappid shook her awake. “We had to retreat to Dr. Hooves; Town Guards were all over the place! All we could do to battle the blazes!” Most of the gathered ponies there were coated with soot.

Cori herself was clutching the book that Viscera did not remember giving her, but that she was thanking the crimson pony for giving to her anyways. Rappid was busy looking over the helmet that Viscera didn’t remember grabbing, but that she was scolding her for ramming her head into when they found her. Gympis was busy talking with Dr. Hooves and Amethyst Star in a tone that Viscera didn’t remember using, but that Gympis said Viscera’s crying had devolved into.

Apparently, Viscera had missed a lot.

“What… happened?”

Rappid pointed to a helmet of silver and lavender on the couch next to the other. “We found a helmet at the crime scene. I think it belonged to Hel Gaulle!”

This time, Viscera could respond with more than two words. “We… have to get to Berry...”

“We cannot, Viscera!” Gympis yelled. “It's because Berry was declared-”

“-right now, it doesn’t matter!” Cori thrust the silver and lavender helmet toward Viscera’s direction. “Please Viscera, we don’t have much time. Derpy’s in the Boutique ”

But Viscera’s eyes were turning to the door in the house leading outside. And in trying to move towards it - to get back to Berry! - she ended up falling over her weakened legs. Within seconds, she was plummeting on the table. Her hoof smacked against a far different jewel-covered artifact; that of Derpy’s saddlebags, heaped on the living room table.

Dr. Hooves tried to warn her. “Wa-wait, we still haven’t found out why she brought it covered in-”

But he was too late. Viscera’s hoof brushed up on the diamond clasp of the mailpony’s satchel - and to her surprise, she was pulled into a sequence she didn't even know Derpy had. Reality bent around her as her Thestrel foresight triggered.

<~~~>

Viscera was in front of the Canterlot Train Station. One of the trains was already pulling out, and she could see the amount of ponies moving within - several of them from the ‘honeymoon harem’ Twilight had abducted. She noticed several of them were trembling. Some were bathed in specks of red.

As the train pulled away, she did notice another pulling up. And then she noticed a Royal Guard flying away from the main courtyard. He was a mess too, and he flew like the gates of Tartarus itself were rushing up to swallow him.

Only one lone pony was visible though, coming back through Canterlot. She - and even from this distance, Viscera could tell - was slow in her motions. A pegasi, her wingbeats taking her slowly up the catwalks. Viscera braced herself, even if she didn’t really know how to comprehend this threat. Or why she was scared of it at all, this was a memory.

Her head raised.

And then she saw Derpy. Her fur was caked with blood, her golden eyes wobbling. Tucked in her left hoof was a clump of peachy feathers.

The worlds she uttered, though, froze Viscera to the bone. “You have returned… I shall follow… you have returned…. I shall follow…”

It was the exact same words that giant magenta being with the gold headdress had spoken to her when she’d first teleported. “But WHY! Why are you saying this?” Her yell hit deaf ears. It was a magicalized memory, not an intervention.

But this time, the horror wasn’t just there. It was also in the face that first popped up on the emerging carousel. “Look out Derpy, we have to get going! I saw the hostages leave, the Guard will be on….” It was Minuette. And her jaw was plummeting into the metal of the friendship Express.

“Oh my god… Derpy what did you do?” Minuette yelled.

Derpy didn’t answer. Viscera couldn’t. Another drop of blood made a heavy split on the cobbled stone under Derpy’s floating forehoof.

“Derpy, what did you DO?!”

<~~~>

Viscera’s tongue felt like it weighed a ton as she came out of her vision. “Viscera, did you see another vision?” Cori was in her face immediately. “Tell me! Was it important? Did it show her attacker?

“Look, this might be for the best; I don’t know what to even tell her!” Dr. Hooves retorted. “First Minuette, now her! At this rate-!”

That mention of the Minuette brought her back to reality. “We have to find Derpy.” Viscera croaked.

Gympis cocked her head. “What does the strangely irised pegasus have to do with thi-”

“She killed all those Guards! That’s why Hel went into the flower shop!”

“And we had to move further into the city because of that?” Cori bellowed. “I don’t even know where they got that much Guard presence into the shop! Between Roseluck’s leaving and your return, that couldn’t be more than minutes!”

“We-we have to get moving!” Viscera couldn’t tell them just yet whose mantra she’d heard coming from Derpy’s maw. She’d figure it out later. Later.

“At least take a look at this!” Rappid, for the third time, brought the helmet to Viscera's line of sight. “It was at the same location as that fire - and where Derpy was! We have to know why all of this insanity happened!”

Viscera didn’t want to. She’d already seen more than enough of how Derpy had acted during the Twilight wedding. But curiosity reigned supreme again.

<~~~>

Viscera now found herself in the streets of Ponyville. Yes, Hel Gaulle was there, but so was Flash Sentry. Her heart stopped for a moment. What was he doing?

And then Viscera found out that the peach-coated Royal Guard was walking without a wing. Suddenly, she knew who that appendage in Derpy’s hand likely belonged to.

She could also see them make their way to the Roseluck’s Botanicals store. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?” asked Hel, voice gruff as ever.

“Since I’ve been to this locale, I’ve been belittled, mutilated; robbed of my wing and my beloved princess’ last chance of sanity.” Flash’s head shook as he spoke, but nothing he said implied he thought otherwise. “I don’t know what this new Equestria is, but all it seems to create are monsters. The Crystal Pony I thought understood me has fallen in league with monsters. The mare I loved has become a monster.”

A pang of regret struck Viscera as Flash turned, and she caught sight of the eyepatch on his face.“

“If I must become one to avail myself of the horrors around me... the horrors that crippled me. then so be it.“

Then Viscera saw Derpy, unseen by anypony but the three of them, land near the store. “Roseluck, where are you? I’ve found this strange stone. It’s this stone, I think it made me attack those people in Canterlot. Roseluck?”

“Perfect.” Hel Gaulle’s gaunt grin grew. “Two of Minuette’s friends in that statue, one in that stupid truck. And Derpy’s gonna bring us to the pisspoine’s headquarters.”

Then the two Royal Guards went into the store. Viscera couldn’t bear to watch it this time, but she was forced to.

Forced to see how they’d struck that place and found Berryshine at the counter.

Forced to see how Hel swiftly leapt atop of her, scoring blow after sickening blow on Berryshine.

Forced to see Flash identify a flash of yellow tail disappearing into the basement -where Viscera and Cori started their first caper- and how she started in after Derpy.

Above all else, though, Viscera was forced to see these two formerly opposed Guards set together on that very store before leaving.

But then Viscera saw three more things.

She saw Roseluck, Pina Colada, and Powder Puff arrive just after Hel and Flash left. The three ponies' eyes went wide as they saw the fires. Roseluck pulled back Puff, giving off a shower of tears before they all left.

She saw a glowing light coming from the basement, where the bulk of the flames had started. She recognized it, but originally didn’t know from here.

The third phenomenon, however, came from a new player entering the fray. This one was a tan pegasus, one with white veils draped over her head and barrel. She looked flawless. Irreverent. She reminded Vis of the being she’d seen in that dark chamber her Thestrel teleports so often took her to. But for her, however, she had dived into the building, a mare of action.

Viscera’s biggest suspicions were confirmed, the second she saw the golden coat overtake the blackening planes of Derpy Hooves’ coat. As the new mystery pegasus brought out Derpy by her scruff, Viscera knew just what had allowed Derpy Hooves to survive her ordeal.

That glow was familiar because she’d seen it on the first day of her arrival in Gotham. So did Rappid, and Cori, and Gympis.

Derpy had an Equilixir Stone!? Derpy’s the fourth Thestrel? But the only one who'd had it was…

And suddenly Viscera's body was rocked with another shudder. Daring was in the Crystal Empire! Hopefully she’d gotten out. Also, why had she been in the empire? And if so, where was she now?

The scene ended with her seeing the galloping crimson pony approaching the burning shop beforehand, the scene twisting away before Viscera could come face-to-face with herself.

<~~~>

Cori was moving to the door of Dr. Hooves’ house “...look, Rappid. We’ll need to find Cadance to marshal such an attack. But I’m sure I can. Come on, we’ll start the rounds no-”

“NO!” VIscera’s arm shot out to catch Cori’s foreleg. “That one… that vision, it told me what I needed to hear.”

“What?”

“Everything. Who killed her, why… and how I can beat them at their own sick game.” Viscera smiled weakly. “But we’ll need a special somepony on board. Gympis, you’re on me.”

Viscera and Gympis were within the Carousel Boutique within minutes. Rarity was quick to answer the door-taps, and marveled at them nearly trampling Spike on their rush inward.

“Whoa! Might wanna slow down there!” Spike yelped.

“Can’t, we need this to be quick, actually.” Viscera shot a look toward Derpy Hooves in the corner. Indeed, one of Rarity’s finest blankets was cocooning her, though it still was unable to wholly conceal her scars. A slight spring of anger rose up, but it was soon washed over by opportunity. Her inner pony clicked her tongue at this, the sound chattering in Viscera’s skull like clockwork.

“May I first say what an honor it is to meet the Facesmasher without combat erupting.” Gympis nodded as she faced Rarity.

“For what, dears? I don’t underst-?” Rarity’s breath hitched as she stared at Gympis. “Wait, Facesmasher?”

“Yes, I thought it was surprising too, luv.” Viscera ignored the slight blush on Spike’s face. “But we have a plan. Shining’s book - the one Cori got - had a lot of info in it. One in particular struck my fancy, and I think it’s why the Crystal Guards were set to take your Equilixirs.”

“Spill it out then,” Spike was almost bouncing on his feet. “If it can help us strike back at the Queen I’m all for it!”

Viscera spat out one word.

“Exactly what is an ‘Engage’?” Rarity’s plucked eyebrow rose.

“Only one way to find out. And we don’t have time to preview this like Cadance did.” Viscera turned back to Rarity. “Which means we need a plausible story for why we have an Element.”

Princess Gympis quickly whispered something into Rarity’s ear. The fashionista’s face fell a bit at her last words, but it soon straightened out. “I see.”

“Are you sure of this, fellas?” Spike’s arms were at his sides in a second. “If it’s what I think it is, I think we need more time?”

“We’re giving you that. Enough to make sure we’re comfortable afterwards.” Viscera turned to them both. “There’s a good chance we don’t come back from this.”

“Wait a minute! Now how dare you think your lives are so expendab-”

“Not that way, Rarity.” Viscera belted out. “I… just meant that... we’ll have to be out of Ponyville for a bit; besides, Cadance said where she’ll be in several days’ time; you’re to tell her I’ll be there too.”

Rarity's eyes got some of their luster back at that. “Well, fine then. I understand then, darling… just make it look convincing.” Rarity turned her cheek to Viscera. “And not around the front hooves either, I just had them healed.”

Gympis winced a little bit at the imagery that Rarity’s last word suffered. Then, at a nod from Viscera, she reared back her right forehoof. Aiming it carefully at Rarity’s face, just behind her eye, she thrust it forward.

The sun was directly over Ponyville this time. It was the day after.

Viscera was flipping through a newspaper, herself. The words “Ponyville Loses its Berryshine.” was stamped on the side. Every other second, her hooves either absentmindedly moved another page within the pager, or flipped back to look at the header. Each time, her look rolled toward the clock set up outside Town Hall.

Then a glowing purple sun tore through the plaza of grass just outside them Everypony around them finally started screaming when Queen Twilight, Princess Dash, Princess Toxic Haze and Shroud rolled through.

Viscera standing up to them without retreat, however, got the gathering crowd talking. Encircled around the five quadrupeds, they heard every snarl from Twilight’s group; and every measured breath from the thief in front of them. “What took you so long?” drawled Viscera, her tone level.

“Because I had to hear that you, the heroes of Ponyville, decided to assault one of my Element holders.” Queen Twilight shot back. “Plus you claimed to have some method of stopping me, and given that you’ve done plenty of stopping me during the time...“

“Better ponies might have called them ‘friends.’” Viscera’s snout crinkled. “Or talked about them without salivating.”

Queen Twilight only twitched her wet lips up in a leering grin. “Speaking of things that’ll get me wet, you’re fully aware I can kill you, right?”

Viscera chuckled. “You won’t, though.”

“What makes you think I haven’t found a way to already, Thestrel or not?”

“If you did, I wouldn’t be standing here and neither would you.” Viscera's wry smile only stood her out from the sea of scowls and clenched teeth. “Also, then you’d never know how I managed to do this.”

Before Queen Twilight's maw could move to ask ‘do what?’ the Element of Harmony in Viscera’s hand activated. Prismatic light jetted from its jewel to the one atop the malevolent monarchs crown. However, Princess Rainbow Dash was but a small twinge faster. It was her Element of Loyalty that caught Generosity’s glow.

“W-what the heck is this and why does it feel so awesome?!“ she got out, the bolt atop her necklace blindingly aglow.

Viscera’s smile crept up inches further. “Becuase it involves the thing you love the most now; fucking a unsuspecting quadruped.” Her eyes locked on the beam connecting their Elements. “Believe this is called an Engager of Harmony. Funny thing, those trinkets you power your abilities through. The late princess feared another being might wreak havoc with the Elements.” Calming her heart, Viscera continued. “She feared a lot of things, rightfully so.“

“And I suppose you’re going to obit about that alabaster whore?” Yet Twilight’s eyes didn’t leave her pegasus lover. Princess Dash’s hooves went to the shaved ends of her mane, kneading the stubby bolts cut into her hair at the feeling pumping through the Elements’ link.

“Nah. Never much liked history. Too much of you in it.” Viscera did not even bother looking at Dash. “Basically, welcome to Harmony’s failsafe. Each Element can be called on by another, to remove them from their holder. Loser loses their Element.”

Twilight’s eyes shot open. “You went into my castle to find this out, didn’t you!?” she bellowed. “And what’s stopping me from just killing your stupid fuck-ass right here and now?”

“My dashing good looks and actual fashion sense for one, for two…” drawled Viscera. “The anti-magic barrier this Engager match prepares, for another.”

“Bullshit,” Prince Toxic spray of saliva almost seemed to sizzle on the patches of ground next to Viscera. “If this was a thing that bitch Celestia could do, why didn’t she do so with Luna?! Or Discord? Or your Queen!?”

“Queen?” A light chuckle shook her frame, It felt like an eternity since she’d done it last. Especially against them. “Your crew burned down a store with Derpy in it and she’d make a better Queen than Twilight.”

The pitched gasps and shouts at Viscera’ statement. Both Twilight’s and Toxic’s horns ignited at this, only to fizzle out within the sparking barrier forming around them all. The beam between Viscera and Dash’s necklaces intensified. “So here’s the deal: me and my three, against Dash and her three. Winner takes the loser’s Element. And…”

“How are you even able to do this.” Shroud’s words weren’t a question. “None have heard of this maneuver before.”

“We shouldn’t have. This option was only available after an Element-bearer killed the only pony Celestia knew the passing of would take an Element’s abuse.” Viscera’s head lowered. “Herself.”

“Clever cunt.” Twilight tittered. “You’re such a strange creature, my little pony. But having your head on a pole to rape that grin off will actually make my day better. Besides - I made a vow too.”

“We’re not marrying until you and all your friends are dead.” That hiss came from Princess Dash. She was still floating in the air, her grin turning sadistic as she stared at the crimson pony. “And thanks for making it sooooo easy, brat.”

The glowing leylines around both Elements quickly spread into a widening prismatic ring. “Cool. Another thing about all this is that… Well, no single pony can just evoke this Element’s power. No, you’d need enough to ensure that and since I’ve taken an Element of Generosity...“ Some slight jeers accompanied Viscera’s statement. “Manifesting this Engager with it involves ponies that have generously given their time in service to them.”

A roll of golden flames brought forth Goldilock, her swirling albino mane tickling at her neck, as the embers did at her forelimbs. The second burst of light, right from the edge of Ponyville Preservation Society building, resulted in the arrival of Princess Gympis. Both were in their Thestrel forms. Despite their one-mare disadvantage to Twilight’s group, they could have powered the town itself with the electricity in their glares.

“You accept, Twilight?”

“Know the next time I say this will be over the fireplace I mount your fuck-pillow body over.” Twilight said that first line. She and Dash did the second, their eyes dimming as they looked at each other. “We do.”

Princes Toxic Haze and Shroud moved out to flank Queen Twilight, since she had no barrier. Goldilock and Gympis turned to face each of them, backs turning slightly to Viscera.

“Now, how did you expect to evade m-GLAH!”

Before Queen Twilight could finish her words, the first part of her grand plan struck - literally. Gympis and Goldilock swept out their rearlegs, sweeping them into Twilight’s front legs. The horseshoes helped protect her, but she was still driven to her haunches. Viscera’s rearlegs went into action soon after, kicking the Queen off the front door of her Golden Oaks Library.

A marble-sized lump was quickly passed from a pouch on Viscera’s side, hurtled toward Queen Twilight. Twilight didn’t see it, what with the flurry of Shroud tendrils that Godlock rolled into to guard from Haze’s sorcerous bolts.

She certainly felt it though, when a blue bolt shot out from the tree canopy and enlarged that object to the full-size food cart it was.

“WHAT THE F-”

An ocean of broken wood and crushed cantaloupes blocked the front of the library - and its former occupant - from view.

Viscera and her crew then went to work. Viscera and Toxic Haze went hoof-to-hoof against each other, smacking forelegs ento each other. The powerful Goldilock used Gympis’ hold-down of Shroud’s tendrils to attack the Shadow Pony. This left Gympis free to tackle Dash, just as she was getting over the surprise attack on her beloved.

The pattern continued for the next few minutes, even as the ring for their Engage came into being around them. The citizens of Ponyville watched this back-and-forth with suspicious awe, still unbelieving. Viscera kept Prince Toxic too close for him to effectively use his mist on her, and the bolts generated by his horn were kicked into rooftops and treetops. The close angle also meant no Blood Stones; even with Viscera’s visor, she was too close to not be affected.

Goldilock and Shroud were a different story. Her Thestrel wings kept her agile enough to avoid the tentacles, whippling lances of obsidian etching out the barriers of their Engage. But despite this, they also kept her too far to actually do much damage to him. The closest she came was with her limbs, the flames licking at them from furious flight keeping her too hot to grab.

Rainbow Dash and Gympis were in the air, two Princesses slamming kicks into one another. Only the close proximity of the Engaged barrier and the other two Princes below prevented Dash from outpacing Gympis. Only the relative durability of her Thestrel form kept Gympis from transforming into a form that could overpower Princess Dash. The edge in strength went to Gympis, and the growing bruises on Dash’s cyan fur showed it.

Queen Twilight, however, had compounding issues of her own:

“How are you-?!” A throw of a marble by Viscera made its way to Queen Twilight. A crackle of light met it halfway from the leafy cover of Golden Oaks, and suddenly a wrecking ball was slamming Twilight into the ground in front of it.

“Cut it out~!” Another throw, a different food cart crashed into her.

“I swear, I will put my left hoof THROUGH YOU-~!” An entire statue, helpfully borrowed from the fountain was grown to its full size before it crashed down on her.

That particular lash had actually sent enough planks into the trees that Viscera could see the faint outline of the jewel-shaped mane. Cori’s jaw worked furiously, as she tried to keep Twilight from jumpin in the efraw..

But her stress would make her aim sloppy. The next marble Viscera sent - a dot in the air - would be missed by her horn-bolt, and the manifestation of a water truck inside the Golden Oak Library shook the house so much it sent her tumbling.

Cori raced to the Engager central spot. Right at the edge of the barrier, her hooves struck against the clear wall, repelling her. “Wait, Vi! I can’t get in!” Then her eyes widened. “Then who’s your fourth?”

“You’re going to find them. Bring them here.” Viscera grabbed a piece of paper off of her belt and handed it to her. Cori was originally confused by how it looked, but something immediately clicked for the ambassador.

Don’t despair.
It’s not all over -for you, or for Equestria.
No one can stop you with your new gift.
Keep it close: Rappid, Gympis and I have the same Thestrel talent.
You’re all that can stop you now.

Help us, and we can help you; through your pain and your powers.
Only by fighting back can you be rid of your demons.
Only by roasting the Queen now can Equestria heal.
Voices are being snuffed out everyday by her.
Engagement’s happening in Golden Oaks.
See you there, my good Thestrel-lized friend.

Cori’s eyes dwindled in size. “Is this why we didn’t…?“

Viscera, after delivering another blow to the charging Toxic Haze, continued. “You’re not above stealing away people for dangerous stunts, Cori. We can take something away from these monsters.” Her view swept to Gympis, “Find her or I will.”

“You wouldn’t.”

Viscera's stare into Cori made her tremble anyways. “R-right.” Quickly she leaped through the crowd.

“She’s right - ugh!” Goldilock clutched at the tendrils of Shroud that dug into his site. “You wouldn’t.”

“Important thing is that she thinks I will.” Viscera dodged yet another beam from Prince Toxic, then grabbed his head and twisted the beam into Dash’s back. “And now-”

“Arrrgh!” That was Gympis, recoiling from a lucky Dash hit.

“...we play the waiting game.” Viscera's grin slowly vanished upon seeing Queen Twilight slam her way out of the wreckage. Her eyes swung back and forth, two amethyst sights looking for something to fire upon.

Goldilock snarled as her wing flap took her above another whiplash of spiked obsidian. “My least favorite game.”

“Mine is this ‘Trivia Trot’!” yelled Gympis. “Relaying information for nothing is a sucker’s game!”

Viscera's response would have been 'Yeah, you'd say that', but it'd be hard to get out with Prince Toxic Haze's mist hitting her in the mask. Metal scored over with black mars as she recoiled from the blast, but Viscera remained upright.

"GAAH!"

This time, Cori's attention was quickly brought to the four ponies currently in the ward Viscera's notice had brought her to. "I'm starting to notice a pattern in you meeping when I show up." Princess Cadance said.

"I-I'm sorry, Princess." Cori finally got out. "I lost us the Crystal Empire by leading Twilight in. I should have checked the statue, I-"

"No, Ambassador Cori. I should have been more alert." Cadance nodded. "I was the one ponies like Rarity," and she turned to one of the two bedridden ponies between her and Daring. "And Derpy," Cadance pointed to the other. "And Shining..." That phrase held on the tip of her tongue, her body shaking at the remembrance. "But Twilight, in taking Shining's body, reminded me what first drove my heart."

Cadance's sweep revealed the sparking Crystal Heart, tucked under one of her wings. "Where did you-?" Cori started.

"There was more than one reason I wasn't visible." Finally, Daring Do had spoken. "More than one why being here isn't always the best option for my luck."

"How so?"

"She said... ask 'spearhead' darling." Rarity was next - her face was full of bruises, one that had Cori gasping as she saw them. "Don't worry about us, darling. I had my doubts of Vis's plan, but..."

"Seems her plans are the best of ours. S-she was the one who'd first volunteered to go into the fire. And she was the one who first moved to save Berry. And... she does so much and never brings it to any of your doorsteps." Cori's gaze went downward. "And all I do is bring trouble to everypony I meet."

"Now now, none of that." Cori jumped - not only at the words, but that it was Rarity who said them. "She is far from perfect. So am I, so is everpony. We are all only as good as the focus on the good we do; the friendship we maintain, the bonds we choose to strengthen."

She turned to the other patient on the cot next to her.

"And apparently, Viscera sees something in her; else she wouldn't have interred us both here. Let her see what Viscera has in store for her. And what we can have in store for the Queen."

Cori, after a long moment, nodded. She brought the letter to Derpy Hooves, who cracked open an eye past her bandages to see it. Her words. Her golden gaze traveled over each sentence. And then, they dimmed when she looked at the first letter in each of them.

A thunderous yellow light pulsed off of her, and Cori stood back in amazement. Then Derpy's eyes, wide and glowing, turned to her. And in a clap of thunder, they were both gone, only a slight burnt ring around her bed showed they'd left.

"Up to them now, isn't it?" Daring tentatively asked.

"Up to all of us." Cadance's nod was solemn, her voice softer than the sheets around Rarity. "You've a task in Trottingham now, Daring; we need a safe place for the Crystal Heart. And I have one in more places." Eyes shot to the sun-filled window. "To keep Equestria safe from the mad Queen."

Daring nodded as she turned to leave the room. "I only hope you all know what to do - and what you're doing - from here."

“...do you not get we’re trying to beat you to death!” yelled Princess Dash, failing in another pass to smack into Gympis.

“We do, you’re just terrible at it!” shot back Viscera

Another laser blasted out and struck the ground, nearly burying Viscera in an avalanche. “Give us a minute.” hissed Queen Twilight.

BOOOOOUSH!

Two lightning bolts struck the lighting rod atop Golden Oaks Library, tearing it apart in a violent shower of sparks and shrapnel. Another then struck the pile of debris outside that treehouse, blowing out into a pillar of flames.

And from those very white-hot kindling came…

“Is that another Thestrel?!” yelled Mayor Mare. Indeed it was; winged like Goldilock with curling whips of white feathers from her neck. But she was different in drastic ways, too.

Her ears were strangled tufted on one side. A cloying band of gold stitched out across the left of her maw, and her eyes flickered in a maddening way the others didn’t. But she charged out with even more fervor than the other, and her momentum took her right for Toxic Glow.

Queen Twilight didn’t even notice it at first. It took this being rushing in and flooring Toxic in one hit that did it. And then again. And then kneeing her in the face as she rebounded off the edge of the Engage enclosure and knocked him down with a brutal lariat.

Dash went for one of the few ponies not mesmerized by the mystery Thestrel’s debut. She decided to make more out her own intro, attacking her with one of the carts she’d snatched from the Ponyville center.

The timber from the cart twisted around her form, caused gasps from the gathere Ponyville town, and did absolutely fuck-all to stop her from moving. Specifically, one of her hooves turned into a claw, and latched around the cyan pegasus’ throat. Lifting her up and moving to her hind legs, the new Thestrel slammed her into the dirt from a seven-foot height.

“Who’s this?”asked Goldilock.

“Dis, I’ve decided to go with!” Viscera’s shoulder shifted as Shroud was steered toward the mystery Thestrel. Just as he scrambled to all four limbs, Dis reared back and punched him into the alleyway behind Sugarcube Corner.

A snarling ball of chitin and green sparks charged at Dis. Avoiding Toxic was as easy and simple as a low duck. Hoisting the rebounding changeling by the throat for a second neck slam into the dirt was even easier.

It was then that Twilight started working. Throwing herself against Dis her blows drove the winged Thestrel back. “Remember-me-you-stuplid-little-pisspony!” she yelled between each strike.

But Dis’ actions already turned back the tide for Viscera’s group, and she was soon falling Gympis and Goldilock as well. Again, it wasn’t wholly enough to pull down Queen Twilight,

And all the while Princess Dash stayed in the dirt-ridden pit Dis had slammed her in. Even as the barrier around them pulsed for the seventh time in blue sepia, she only moaned.

Cori’s horn flashed-up again, even with her outside the ring. A heave of Dis’ rearleg, and Twilight was sent tumbling over the supersized axel just outside their barrier. Viscera threw the rest of the bag toward her opponent as Cori shot out a bolt, the remnants of Barnyard’s Bargains came to fall upon the alicorn.

It didn’t stop Queen Twilight entirely. Now that she was outside the Element-made barrier, she threw up one of her own to take the brunt of the impact. The sea of violet-pink light shimmered and cracked around the force.

But it was enough to keep her from Princess Dash.

The circle of light pulsed for the tenth time, then finally shattered with a rending crash. Even Viscera had to clap her ears with this, as she doubled over. It was Cori, however, who would see the end result of the first Engage - sparkling-up, the shards of the barrier around them pulsed into Dash’ Element of Loyalty. Then it snapped off her neck violently and fell to the ground before them, ominous as the hush that’d fallen over the crowd.

Suddenly, seven Twilight’s struggles ceased as she saw Viscera slowly approach and pick up the necklace. The small thunderbolt in its center twinkled in Viscera’s eye, but offered no further resistance as she lifted it. Whatever it was, it was no longer the Element of Rainbow Dash.

The powerful moment was shattered by the yell from Twilight, one issued just as the Element of Loyalty was lifted in Viscera's triumphant grasp.

“ENOUGH!”

The purple aura around her, cloying to her like her rage personified, But her magic went no further. “Congratulations, Vis. You and your friends won. And now it’s time I told you what you win.”

“But no worries, Mayor. You’re going to win too! Because I’m going to free you from this dreadful blockade you’ve had. Starting effectively within the hour, that air lock is lifted.”

“A pity you’ll need something to keep from falling into empty air.” Shroud hissed, staking out from behind Sugarcube Corner.

“How so, Queen?” This time, Viscera’s eyes widened. Queen Twilight had just lost an Element. Before her very eyes, her own betrothed had something taken from her. And another Thestrel had overpowered the cabal she got together.

“See, we’re not saying there's no ban on ponies coming in and out of this city... '' Toxic Haze’s hissed. “We’re moving it to a more deserving group.”

Queen Twilight’s chuckle shot through Viscera’s veins like a saline drip. “Look upon ye heroes and despair, Ponyville. Because within the hour, they’re not allowed within five miles of this city. They anypony who harbors them… we take our time with them. Luna can tell you how that’ll go.”

Twilight turned to him.

“Just like I’ll know where you all go.” This time, she stood up among the scraps and debris, without a bit of strain or stress. “Run and you’ll die tired. Hide and you’ll die cramped.”

With a snap of violet magic, the Queen, Princess Dash, and the two princes were gone. Viscera could feel her heartbeat in the suffocating silence, its thump-thump a steady metronome.

Mayor Mare was the first to move. Crossing the gap between the crowd and the heroes, she steadily tried to get out her next few words. “Listen, you all… it’s nothing that we can handle to keep you here. We’ll take every precaution, move you from house to house if nee-”

“No.” Viscera’s eyes didn’t leave the Element of Harmony swinging from her clawed forhoof. “That threat wasn’t to us. It’s to you. We showed we can handle ourselves.”

“B-but we can...”

“Miss Viscera is right.” Princess Gympis took three steps and was suddenly in front of the Mayor. “We are sorry for this… but it is best Ponyville be safe from the Queen. If that means we cannot be here, then so be it.”

Viscera was next. “We’ve got places to be ourselves. Gympis lost a Queen, Cori’s lost an Empire, Rappid’s lost time, I’ve lost. Well…” She leaned in to the mayor and whispered in some words to the flax-coated politician. Ignoring her dropped jaw, Viscera continued. “I figured you should know. I’m sorry for holding her from you. But it’s time for her to leave Dr. Hooves’ lab.”

“A-and go where?” Mayor Mare asked. “It was all we could do to keep her stable. And I don’t-”

“She’s fine.” Mayor Mare gasped. Daring Do paid no attention to it. “Can’t say going with her-” Daring’s hoof pointed to Viscera. “-is the best option. But with what Hooves has told me about her and Viscera… it might be the safest. She’s all they’ve got. And… The Queen will go for her if we don’t.”

Mayor Mare, after another long break, finally nodded. This time, Viscera turned to her three fellow fighters. “Take every moment you can here in this hour, luves. Any of you who want to continue fighting the Queen… Gympis can tell you where I am.”

Goldilock reverted to Rappid, turning to follow Viscera as she ambled away. But Mayor Mare’s amber hoof jutted in front of her path. “You’re… going to leave soon. I feel you must know something before you go playing rogue.”

Rappid raised her forearms in an attempt to wave the Mayor off. Three words caused her to freeze.

“It involves Featherweight.”

With the enclave of Zecora’s hut, the four - Viscera, Rappid, Gympis and Cori - finally convened. The afternoon sun, red as it ever was, was just a little bit bright, painting their meeting location in rich tangerine hue.

“We’ve gotten the last of the arrangements in order.” Cori’s tone was a bit more strangled.

“And where are we going in such a rush-“

“Cloudsdale.”

Cori’s face brightened at the words, hoping she’d misinterpreted “Right, sorry. The blockade’s over, so we’ve got to get you back to talk with your superiors.”

“Yes.” Rappid’s tone was dead-level. “And I’m going to find a way to erase that cyan-colored shitstain Dash from its history books.”

“Well.” Gympis chirped. “I did not see this development from before.”

“Before, I didn’t have a kindly mayor telling me as a going away present that….” Rappid’s next few words lodged heavily in her throat. Biting it down, the verbalization began again. “Mayor Mare told me everything. About Dash, and what type of mare she’s become… and how many more mares she’s killed.”

Viscera couldn’t look Rappid in the face.

“You know… I was one of the first to lead the efforts to clear her name. I wasn’t earlier, especially after the Wonderbolt deaths. But then we found Gilda dead, and the Cloudsdale Council arrested Wind Rider for this. Turned out it wasn’t him, none of us found out. Rider would never know, hung himself in the cell. Bound his wings too, stuff like that normally triggered flight-or-fight in all or limbs.”

Her tears started to flow.

“I begged, the day I became Mayor, to come down and help get back Dash. Guilty or innocent, I said no pegasus with her talent deserved to be on terra firma. But I still thought she was innocent; that she had to be, that nopony from our city would be that evil…”

“Then... this.” Viscera’s two words only made the scowl on Rappid Fires’ face grow.

“We’re moving now. The second you tell me just who’s coming along with us.”

“And why we didn’t know you’d extorted an Element from Rarity to trigger your plan.” Cori added. “Could have helped with the whole; nearly freaking out when I saw her in Ponyville Hospital' thing."

“Wish I could say it was because I don’t trust anybody.” Viscera turned to look at each pony before her in turn. “But… it was because Rarity told me to rough her up.”

“Wait, why?” Cori gasped.

“Needed to make it look like I took her Element by force. Which is also probably why Twilight’s electing to only go full ham with us as detached from the other Elements as possible.” Viscera visibly shuddered at this. “Makes sense, right? That she would be so generous with her welfare for our sakes?”

“Certainly. You are her kin.” Gmypis drew up, her magena eyes sparkling. “She is respectable in that regard.”

“Speaking of which...” Viscera tittered. “Loved seeing you tackle Dash. Go, Facesmasher!”

Wild splotches of red popped up on Gympis’s face.“...please do not call me that.”

“You’re right, sorry – you are younger. Facesmasher Jr., instead.” Another rustling of the bushes brought Viscera’s attention. “Guess we can move now.”

“Wait - how so?” Cori asked. “We have no way up there. And if we did, I’ve only one Cloudwalker spell for us all!”

“Amethyst will suit us up before we go; and Rarity’s work before was on the balloon used in Iron Pony II.” Viscera looked to the thicket behind them. “And there they come now.”

Behind up the walkway was Withers, Amethyst Star and Derpy Hooves, her head still covered in that Thestrel-lized coat. Behind all three of them was a large chamber, almost the height of all three ponies put together.

“Thank you Amethyst, for letting us do this.” Viscera nodded to the fuchsia unicorn, studying the metal obelisk behind them. “And I apologize for borrowing her some more.”

Amethyst sniffed. “It’s fine. I’ll be seeing her soon anyways.” She motioned to the chamber pod behind them. “Want we should wait until you’re at Cloudsdale before-?”

“No. They waited long enough.” Viscera snapped two buttons on the chamber, the front corner shuddering outward with a steady creak. “Mares and gentlecolt, the mare I saved in the riots.”

Not a word passed between any of them as the doors opened. Not even Cori made a sound, through the hooves over her maw may have had something to do with it. She and Rappid were the only ones who’d immediately recognized the plum coat, the pin-pricked green eyes, the sunflower-stamped flanks.

“It’s nice to see you again… Miss Cheerilee.”

Jump to top

1.1 Coup

Everfree Forest was thick with the scent of Viscera. The number of different ways, however, would only be realized by that named pony in mere moments.

For Viscera, staying on terra firma was fast becoming a way to end up under it, if the arrows whirling past her head was any indication. While weaving past the tree-trunks was working so far – in terms of avoiding serious injury from her four pursuers – the need for a more permanent end to the chase was in order.

Swinging behind one of the trees on the right after the red quadruped, one of the henchponies - with a scare around his eye- cut around to try and catch her. He met nothing but his two compatriots around the bend of the trunk. “Either of you see her?” he asked.

“No…nothing,” the second henchpony wheezed, his spiky mohawk leaking sweat. He was too winded to contribute the further.

The third henchpony - sporting a bowler hat - was neither as exhausted nor as level-headed. “Then that puta Viscera is above us. Get climbing!” he said.

The scar-eyed pony was almost halfway up the tree at that command before another thought struck him. “Hold on a second, huaqueros… were there not four of-”

A THWAP! rang out. Suddenly only two of the pursuers were upright, the third clutching at his shredded left foreleg. Soon, a crimson blur raced out from beneath the spacious roots of the tree, cloak now notably wrapped around her and eight claws flashing from her forelegs. They were all the more noticeable for the beads of blood welling on them.

“That bit-! SHOOT her!” And the first earth pony reached into the belt around his middle to grasp… empty air. The reason for it was currently ringing around the figure’s thin vermillion tail by its trigger, like a hula hoop.

It would take four seconds for the first earth pony to get down. Another three seconds to draw the weapon while galloping toward the threat with his friend. And another three to belt out the curse on Celestia’s name when he found that Viscera had taken off. Right into the forest Viscera went again, a flash of vermillion the only hint to her repositioning.

Both ponies gave vertical chase to Viscera this time, and were greeted with yet another surprise – that very four-legged being dangling from a newly enlarged set of wings bursting from their back. Scooting back to the ground again at the sight of a sack bursting with bits in one of its legs, they galloped further after it, the forest soon swallowing up the sound of their strides. When it had hinted at their last, another figure calmly clambered from the tree- that very same dark-red figure, short several feet in their cloak, the missing length diverted to her wide grin.

“One bag of bits and they’re off to see to their greed-boners, it’s just too easy.” After a quick dunk of her blood-covered claws in a stream, the being – clearly not a griffin, though swathed in enough clothing to pass for one – sped into the forest, the opposite direction from the other earth ponies.

“I’m almost sad Cabelleron’s so stringent with money. Almost.”

The run slowed to a trot as Viscera took in her new surroundings. The canopy of wood and leaves were a welcome reprieve to the beating sun - seriously, what desert-spawned monstrosity did Celestia and Her Royal Gluteus piss off? thought the pseudo-griffin. Ahead was a clutch of glowing blue leaves and vines - ‘something’ joke, gotta keep from there , she thought – and in a clearing of trees to the right was…

“Jackpot!” Viscera almost floated to the home nestled right in the center of the tree. Hell, the door was even open, if a bit too far to her left to let her see anything within. Two things, however, got her attention as she closed within five meters.

First were the bands of yellow tape ringing all four of the trees next to this house, which due to Vis’ occupation would not stop her. The second, however, was a rustling in the bushes on the left side of the clearing, which did – a backflip to one of the sturdier branches and a jump to two higher ones successfully concealed Viscera.

Those same bushes gave way within seconds, revealing another earth pony. Immediately Viscera was in analysis mode - vivid green mane, sharp pink body, and as she turned to face the door, Viscera noticed the cutie mark was-

-and immediately, Viscera fought down a shout. No, can’t be; hair's not green, and no way she’d be tromping through a forest. But still, that curly hair… it did remind of a youn-

But soon, the green in that pony’s mane was met with flames licking up from her hooves. Viscera was down in seconds, about to help that pony put out the flames. Through her vocal reasoning went more like - “What the hell?! At least drop and roll, before you get the Caball on us or burn down Everfree!”

The pony leaped back in surprise, emerald embers dying away as fast as they formed – but not before two blackened and perforated legs were visible. “W-what are you doing here?”

“Panning for rainbow juice to go with that poison joke –“ Oh, that’s what it’s called. “- omelet I’ve got brewing inside – why the fuck do you think I’m telling you?!” Adopting a cross-armed stance, four silver claws burst out of each of her front feet again.

“But… you’re a griffin!” The pony stammered, raising its hooves defensively. “Your place is not here, especially in the middle of an investigation by Detective Daisy!”

“Daisy of -” Realization finally flashed across her face. “You’re Daisy? Then how the hell did you spontaneously -” Viscera stopped, stared at the hooves, and far more relevant realization struck. “Oh goody, I leave four Caballers and find a damned changeling?!”

“I am no changeling!” Stammering, ‘Daisy’ looked to her legs, a blush now turning her face an even darker shade of proms “This… mutilation is only because of the speed I was taking under to find my way h-“

“-nopony talks like this, dumbass.” Viscera folded her arms. “I know the legs, now show the rest of you so I can see who’s made my list today.”

‘Daisy’ sighed, a rumble from the throat that soon turned into a hiss. “Oh, forget this.” And the flames blew up her frame again. “Next trip, I leave the work of metaphors to Thorax.”

The light faded to reveal the rest of Viscera’s newest foe. For starters, it was a she, though larger than Daisy was. However, its legs were just as spindly, the scowl on its mouth still punctuated with jagged teeth, and its head was a crown of curved onyx spikes over a curtain of gossamer that was the same magenta shade as her glittering eyes. The look was completed with the buzzing of the fly-like wings straining at her sides.

“And it’s a girl too! Wonders never cease here, does it?” Viscera immediately fell forward onto all fours. “No danglies to get in the way of my filleting.”

“Shows what you know, squall,” hissed the changeling. “They’re called ovipositors, not danglies!”

“… Luna’s mane, how does a Canterlot-invader not know what figures of speech are?” Viscera moaned.

“Nevermind of what figures speech take! Now, if you don’t mind, I’ve got a scene to see through before sundown, one you are clearly no part of. Run and live.”

“One: haha, no.” Viscera spat. “Two – wait, you’re really investigating this spot? And what’s this about not believing I’m part of it?!”

The changeling did not relax its stance, though its neck craned up. “Consider yourself lucky you’re as clean as you are. That is all on that matter.”

“… no seriously. You’re being weird. Did somepony die?” Viscera quirked an eyebrow.

“In duplicate. What confuses me is how you do not know.”

Viscera snorted. “Sure. Trying to get me riled or distracted won’t fly, princess. This place is damn near immune to death.” It’s why I picked Ponyville as a stopover, she didn’t add.

“See for yourself then – I expect no trust from the likes of you.” The changeling took to the air, and Viscera prepared for an attack – only for it to dig a rear leg into the wood of the door below her and yank it open.

Viscera stared for several moments, then motioned to the left with her head. The shapeshifting insectoid scooted further out of the way, Viscera maintaining a wide berth. “No, seriously, I’m not sure where you’ve gotten off thinking…”

The smell was what caught Viscera first. Her ‘beak’ drew back at the revolting radius, and despite herself, despite knowing how easily a changeling could take advantage of the back of an unprepared pony, the crimson-furred crusader turned in to pinpoint the place of that coppery, far-too-thick odor of the room…

…and instantly regretted the scene tattooing its way upon her eyeballs. Dried yet fly-ridden splotched of blood smacked upon all but the ceiling of the cottage, the sun only serving to re-paint the room with its sickly scarlet hue. The very obviously skinned-corpse of a zebra – god, that she could tell from the eyes, - hung by its limbs from strands buried in the ceiling Viscera would not dedicate headspace to identify. The building eyes of that tortured creature and rictus-locked scream of its maw were scraping the top of her goggles were but one of many reasons why.

It was in backing out from this chamber of horrors that she was sent tumbling, only of her black-bandaged rear legs buckling under another figure behind her. Viscera, flailing in shock and panic, whirled out one of her taloned front hooves to break the fall. One caught on the wall, the other took a chunk out of whatever had tripped her. Viscera took one look of it, saw the decay on its skin that had yet to rob the color from her bright red mane, and with a growing sense of dread, looked at just what ‘prize’ her claws had seized from her flank.

“Indeed, part of my investigation involves who would get off thinking of doing something like this, le-”

Mouth locked in as silent a scream as the strung-up skinned zebra above her, Viscera barreled past her towards the clean air outside. The griffin-garbed pony shoved up the fake beak, slamming in several breaths of air on her haunches. Noticing the chunk of putrefying flesh fluttering in the thresh from her trip outdoors, the changeling snatched it out of the air and studied it.

“As I said before, it is a very good thing you are this clean. It eliminates a suspect.”

“Sus-?! Look, missy, I’m a thief, and a master one at that, the second anypony's gotta do that to draw attention to any theft, they’ve lost all right to be a pony – yeah, thinking about it again why am I doing thiiiis!?” And her head was again level with the moss of Everfree, rolling about as if to scrub the memory from her green eyes.

“There is a possibility they have done the same to our hive’s queen several months back.” The changeling’s eyes narrowed. “If so… my mission demands they face justice.”

“Normally would be worried of a changeling with this much malicious intent for a pony. Here though? Do your thing, I’ll even hold them down for you.” Viscera struggled to her feet. “Seriously, the name’s Viscera, Miss…”

“…Miss?” The changeling turned to her.

“… Uh, yeah, may have missed the name.” A sheepish, quivering grin accompanied the crimson pony’s statement.

“… Yes, that is Detecti-”

“-Not that one, ‘Quinestein. The one you had when the hive wanted to stop saying ‘hey you’.”

“Real name?”

“Look, I’ve got enough stuff repeating in my head now, and possibly for the next decade, spoken words should not be one of them.” Viscera beckoned for an answer. “Well?"

“It is just…” The changeling stopped. “You are... peculiar. Regardless, help would go further in the investigation. I am Gympis.”

“Well, that’s neat. Might… wanna stick with the Daisy ‘guise though, if you’re going my way.”

“To Ponyville? Yes, I’m heading back there.” And with a flash of flames, the pink-haired pony was before Viscera once more. “I assume you are a resident?”

“For a… month or so.” Viscera started pacing through the forest again, Gympis at her heels. “Less if I see whatever did that. Any hints on who you think did it?”

“… It dovetails with a recent escapist. This town’s papers speak of him, but I will confirm for myself before reporting back.” A great sigh heaved ‘Daisy’s’ frame. “It has affected my hive so much. They are pulling back almost all drones to guard against further loss.”

Viscera shook her head. “Day of firsts allll over this bitch.” The walk turned to a gallop. “Will say this though – can think of six reasons Ponyville’ll be up in…”

And then they burst out of the clearing into one of the alleyways leading into Ponyville.

“… apparently, the hills.”

Beyond the burbling brook that spanned the first bridge, the bustling village more resembled a ghost town. Well, except for the shadowed silhouettes as some of the windows of the innermost houses. It also served as a barrier to whatever was still smoking at the center of the town. However, the air was thick with activity; pegasi carrying massive vehicles full of ponies into and out of the deeper city limits.

“Is this normal?” Gympis tentatively brushed another lock of hair from her face. “Things have been… different since my visit last.”

“Luv, nothing since we got in that… house… has been normal,” Viscera immediately made for the bridge.

“That is actually what concerns me. Though a bit different from normal fare, this town used to be flooded with love – now, that is as barren as the streets.”

“Wait, you can tel-? Right. Changeling. Sorry.” Viscera and Gympis were atop the pitted stone bridge. A glance only showed one outside resident – a minotaur sidling into the half-mast door of a hill-nested house built into yet another sprawling tree – and little else. No vantage point was yet given on the source of the smoke at the square. “Right then, time to resort to the first rule of Prizefighter Viscera’s School of Discovery – find the bar, get answers.”

“Hold on. You have a school too?” ‘Daisy’ raised an eyebrow.

“No, it’s a figure of-”

“-Was it next to this place’s one?”

“Seriously, stop-”

“Was it potentially the reason for its disappearance earlier this day?”

“I’m not kidding, lu-”

“- ‘Love’ is a point of interest there. Because apparently after it returned, the-“

“SERIOUSLY, DAISY!” Viscera yelled, her voice a sharp ricochet around the empty grounds of Ponyville. “Just… follow me. We’ll discuss whatever else you’ve got… later.”

“Agreement.” ‘Daisy’ saluted the griffin-impersonating pony, and then fell in line behind her as they made their way into city limits.

The small tree house was left behind them – and so was the braying of the animals in the coops and birdhouses surrounding it – as they moved closer and closer into Ponyville. A quick observation of the smoke contrails showed that the looming circular building – Town Hall, as Gympis told Viscera – still blocked most of the view. Confirmation of this was proved by the crimson pony taking a sight by a series of claw-digging backflips that took her up the side and to the mid-level roof of the similarly built but more elegant building to their left, slight indents still left in the blue walls and white curling highlights from her claws. The diamond-patterned purple roof also nearly left her slipping once on the perch, but still, no perspective on the source of the black pillars of smoke was gained.

It was likely for this reason that Viscera’s descent was a bit less graceful than her trip up, and the two left through the bridge over the river, out of sight just as the door of the building Viscera had screeeed open. A pearl-white unicorn with amethyst hair in a violent mess peeked out, the curled ends of her frazzled mane hinting at more elegant origins. Seeing no answer to the mystery of the landed near the building, her eyes cast down to the floor again and she closed the door, a silent flood of fresh tears running her violet and black mascara down further on her cheeks.

Within the city, there were some signs of more pony life than Viscera would have guessed. Mostly, however, it was from windows and quickly-shut doors. “I’m usually used to reactions like this too, but often after I’ve stolen something valuable.” Viscera mused.

“You have… taken possessions?” ‘Daisy’ inquired.

Viscera shrugged. “As a master thief? You bet. Not from places like these spots though. Half the challenge of thieving is the target, and normal ponies do nothing for that itch.” Her steps continued past the third shut door. “Usually, what I take from the town is from some hidden temple or rich clod’s house. Nothing…” And her voice trailed off. “... anypony would miss… ”

Gympis followed Viscera’s widening eyes, the pony at a dead halt. In front of them was a long building, its front doors already shut. Regardless, the murmurs inside implied it was packed to the gills, as befitting a restaurant with a name so flowingly embroidered across its facade as ‘Café Hay’. However, the reason for the spacious front part of it being so unoccupied was because… well, it was indeed occupied already; by the splayed-out, sun-baked remains of what had once been a pony. Though the main body was not here, two of the hooves had crashed through a table, a smattering of the golden tail littered a third and spilled over into the hay bales surrounding it, and half of its head remained within the metal cradle of an upside-down silver helmet.

“This is… different from last I visited.” Were the words Gympis relayed any more understated, Tartarus would have acquired a new sign.

“If I didn’t need to find a bar before...” Viscera cautiously looked at the side entrance, which was ajar – and had an arrow pointing to it instead of the grisly scene before them. One windowpane was cracked, tinkling out bits of glass onto one of the splayed hay bales nearest the front doors with every slight breeze. “I’m going in.”

“I shall study the helmet further. It looks… very familiar.” ‘Daisy’ was holding up the gory grail within moments.

“Yeah, do that behind the store after I go in. Last thing we need is the docs seeing a pony yuk it up with a skull in front of an eatery.”

“What is a yuk?” The question was ignored by the crimson pony, slamming the door with a touch more force than necessary as the padding of hooves grew and faded away behind her.

Indeed, the facility was packed. Several ponies were huddled around the bar, and judging by the building tower of empty glasses, would soon be singlehoofedly responsible for a cider shortage in Ponyville within the hour. Were it possible, more were crying into the tables clustered around the front of the facility. Viscera could even count the number of times the pony nearest to her had crammed her hoof into the soft wood of her table – seven, the spots of red showing injury despite the likely injured limb hidden under her laid head of bright blue hair. Viscera, taking pity upon her, awkwardly replaced the fallen pair of pink glasses next to her upon that crown of hair, nestled precariously on her horn. Soon, an earth pony with a black jut of hair and a collar loosened at the nape of her neck was incoming with two more jugs of (hopefully) more potent liquid courage.

Turning her attention to the bar, Viscera motioned for a drink. But apparently, the cream-coat bartender knew what order would fall from her lips before she did before he leaned forward past the mob of chattering ponies next to him, swiped a drink from the tray of the server next to him, and presented it to Viscera in one smooth motion.

Taking it, Viscera only heard a hint of “... and I thought moving everything indoors would slow the rush, goodness…” before it was lost within the fresh round of drinks by the flurry of voices before him again. The hint of his cutie mark - a silver raised serving dish with a domed cover - had Viscera thinking of possibly gaining solid food to wash down the brew with.

Viscera took two sips, then counted down as she rose to full height on her rear legs. After all, there were no spare seats, and she needed to be seen above the imbibing crowd for that reply for food. At 2 1/2, however, the door next to her was thrown open once more, and everyponys’ head turned toward Viscera’s direction. The two new ponies filling the thresh, however, were the actual focus this time.

While both were unicorns, the leftmost of the two was almost a head and a half shorter than the companion on her knobby shoulder, her glittering sapphire coat hinting at Crystal Empire origins, unlike her friend. The Crystal Pony’s black hair was a polar opposite to her similarly blue-coated friend, too: swept up into a diamond-shaped knob with an array of pins, frills, and tassels from the thick waves draping around her scalp. The other’s bright orange and yellow hair was almost a shield for her face, as the silver jewel-encrusted cloak around her was for the rest of her body. However, both of their eyes – the shorter one’s light purple, the taller a tear-thick amber – held a tale not even the scene outside would have forced to the wideness they were at.

“Gonna need a round of drinks for everyone here, Savoir, starting with Sassy!” A drawstring-bound bag of gems found its way on the table before her hoof. “By request of Junior Ambassador Cori!”

A cheer throughout the room awarded the shimmering shouter’s gift. One of the few that didn’t – or wasn’t busy clearing their glass to accommodate that gift – was Viscera. “Sure you don’t need mine, squirt? Warmed-over shit is putting it nicely to how you’re looking.” The black-haired unicorn’s coat was marred violet with stains, and her gold corset and indigo held both the pungent smell of hastily applied disinfectant and the marks of a likely battle with something high-velocity. However, Cori’s concern was elsewhere.

“I’m fine, have enough power on my own to keep myself together. Saddles has priority!” Cori laid a foreleg on the table the blue and black haired ponies were busy chugging away at. “Curse it, a three-point trip to here from Trottingham wasn’t supposed to end at near-terminal velocity!”

“Yeah, I can think of others that fared wor-wait, terminal what-now?” Viscera’s ears perked up through her hood.

“Don’t really feel like repeating anything today.” Cori shook her head. “But since you’re asking…”

And with that, her horn shot a thin beam of magenta light into the mug in Viscera’s hoof. Within seconds, it and its contents nearly fell as Viscera used both hooves to brace it – due to it swelling to thrice its original size. “You’ll thank me for that while I tell you.”

“Taking the under on that bet, but I’m up for good surprises today.” Viscera took a third swig and successfully forced down a coughing fit at the spice in the drink that the white unicorn next to her failed to.

Her black-haired companion to smack the lodged tonic the rest of the journey with a cry of “Celestia’s grace, Vin, I said one swallow for a reason!”

A readjustment of Sassy’s slump at her granting of a foaming cup of maroon liquid later, Cori went on. “I was supposed to escort Sassy to the Boutique for a nightcap with Rarity, but a warzone sprang up the second we got past the library! Then something hit the center plaza - nearly sent us both into Bucephalus Brook! I wouldn’t have given my cloak to Saddles, but, goodness, after she got a body-full of – Daisy?!”

The forest-green mane of the aforementioned pony was jutting out from the doorframe of Café Hay now. “So I’m called. Viscera, a word about my discovery – both of the scene out front and my situation’s update.”

“Yeah, got it.” Viscera turned to Cori. “Sorry, Moneybags, got a cup I need to share with Daisy there.”

“She’s… with you?” Cori’s voice had almost dropped to a whisper.

“Guilty.”

“Well… Um, Daisy?” Cori motioned to the bar. “Melody and the DJ need chatter real quick, you’re free?”

“I… am not sure I can-”

“Seven seconds. You can time me, and I’ll be out of your and Vis’ hair.” Cori clapped her hooves together. “As a favor.”

“If you are owed one…” And the pony sidled into the restaurant.

“Wait, that’s DJ PO-” The disgusted crinkle of Viscera’s snout was soon owed to the catch of breath as the ambassador grabbed both her and Saddles in her arms and blew out of the door. Seconds after, she drew it to only a crack of sunlight before turning to the two ponies before her, eyes flashing between them and the increasingly relaxed atmosphere inside Café Hay.

“Right, and the dragging wa-”

“Have no clue right now, and there’s a whole field of ponies to counteract if it’s what I fear, but that’s not Daisy.” Cori hissed.

Viscera turned pink in concern, a sharp whiff of breath taken in by Saddles beside her. “Sure of this, sport? I mean, I’m -”

“Never been surer.”

“And the proof?”

“Proof? Proof?! ” Cori spluttered, her irises rocketing into pinpricks at Viscera’s nonchalance. “Because Saddles is wearing Daisy!”

Cori tore off the cloak around her unicorn friend – and suddenly a shriek finally erupted. Viscera’s, however, paled before Saddles. Blood matted down the unicorn’s torso, forehooves and flank, her fur beneath the collarbone clumped and knotted with plasma and sweat. Her black dress was almost plastered to her, with large hocks of very familiar green hair, the hints of pink skin flitting though the sharp folds in the fabric. “The impact in Ponyville pulped her! I only had enough wipes to clean my stuff and her face!”

“Sure here’s a goal for her and not the E-freakin’-R there?!” Viscera was at Saddle’s side in a second, seeing the worst of the welded remains of the real Daisy over the dropped helmet behind the tall and trembling unicorn.

“Vis, after the crashes that followed our river ride, that part of Ponyville’s probably halfway underground! And even before that collision, I saw Ponyville Hospital was packed – if it’s not locked tight, it should be!”

Viscera looked around wildly. Then she craned down to meet Cori’s eyes. “Fine. Gotta keep a secret then. That Daisy is-”

“- going to need all hooves and claws on Deck for this crisis center move! Including yours!”

Three ponies' heads – two of them horned – whipped to meet the newest pair of equines turning onto the restaurant grounds. The first was fluttering above the ground, the sweep of flared spikes making up her vivid orange-into-white mane only matched by the fire in her silver eyes. Her wings, at the outline and innermost feathers, shared that same pattern of color as her hair, and the heaving of her suit-jacket bound chest hinted that her breaths had more to do with her mood than her levitation.

The other being was a griffin – an actual one, by his large golden bill’s indication. “I swear to you, Gaston, you and your friend's move out of Cloudsdale will be the first thing I bring up with Mayor Mare, now if THIS -” And the pegasus’ hoof swept out to the carnage still littering the front of Café Hay. “– isn’t enough incentive to move your tail feathers now, may I humbly remind you we still have no idea where Celestia and Luna are?!”

“My… my goodness, Mayor Rappid. You’re right, that was selfish of me. You can expect me at the bazaar evac site in two minutes.” And with a flap, the griffon was gone.”

Once again, a head popped out from the restaurant’s doorjamb – this time of ‘Daisy’. “Apologies, Vis, but I really must speak on the condition I find myself in."

A startled eep blew out from between Cori’s clenched teeth. Vis was quick to resolve the issue, dragging Gympis out by the hooves and holding her up by her armpits in front of her. “There, between me and you now, Cori! We’ll have the pegasus settle this up right now! Mayor… come on, I know this o-?”

“WHAT?!” And with that, the grey-and-white mayor was in her face, the question being another unwelcome surprise. Unfortunately, it would come in duplicate, as a final shudder of ‘Daisy’s’ body. A second later, a low but still encompassing emerald fire melted away whatever was left of the veneer of the intact pink pony, revealing the magenta eyes and black chitin of the real Gympis. “It seems you now know my issue previous, Viscera. The love in this town has hit… critical lows.”

Immediately, the changeling found herself slack in Rappid’s arms. “It won’t be the only thing, monster, now tell me what you’ve done with the Princesses!”

“WAIT!” Cori scampered up between both pegasus and prisoner, sending Viscera cartwheeling into the bush from the lost balance. As she starting spitting out leaves, her jaw dropped at Cori’s next work.

“Can’t believe I’m saying this, but I don’t think this is the drone you’re looking for.”

“And how would you know this?” The snarl of Rappid was still directed at the same direction as her eyes, right into the weakly motioning shapeshifter.

“This, for starters.” And with this, the Crystal Pony flashed out a newspaper under the pegasus’ eyes. “Nabbed it from the train station as Sassy and I got to Ponyville. Note anything that’s not familiar?”

“… Point. She’s clearly not a he.” Precisely one hoof stopped pinning Gympis to the wall. “Forgive me if I don’t let it off the hook yet. Apologies, though, I haven’t got your name – or that of the griffin that helped out in its capture.”

“Viscera, the bloody one in the cape’s Sassy, the bloody buddy’s name is Ambassador Cori…”

“Junior Ambassa-”

“… and speaking of such, I remember yours now.” Stomping up to upright position, and ignoring Cori doing the same in exasperation, the crimson pony shook her head free of branches. “The new Mayor of Cloudsdale, right?”

“Rappid Fires, one and the same.” The mayor’s turn to greet him gave the briefest flash of her cutie mark – a four-point pair of hoofprints in the middle of a diagonal gout of flames the same color as her mane. “And you flatter me; it's a temp position while Cloudsdale adjusts to the new changes in Equestria, short-lived as I hope they are.” Her gaze turned to Gympis again. “Like the ‘don’t bother us, we won't bother you’ thing we have with these usurpers.”

“Think we’ve got a different type of usurper to be worried about right now.” Cori quizzed, quietly giving back the silver cloak to Sassy, who donned it again with shaking hooves.

“And that changeling’s name is Gympis – apparently her hive’s lying low now,” Viscera added.

“Yes…” whispered the changeling, slowly sliding to the floor despite Rappid’s slacking grip on her. “I only seek the reason behind our queen’s death – and why another changeling was present during it. The events are too obscured, even now… but if that threat has managed to turn changeling against changeling….”

“That threat… good gracious, not even I can believe it.” Mayor Rappid shook her head. “And I’m not su - hold on, a queen’s death?” Her eyes narrowed again? “You’re from Chrysalis’ hive?!”

“Right, new question; does it matter?” Viscera was between the enraged leader and cowering drone at this. “Blood’s all over every other corner of this damned town, and right now, she’s the only one who seems concerned with finding out what’s going down!“

“What’s go – Viscera, how long and high’s the rock you’ve been living under?”

Viscera, after a second, lifted the fake beak and goggles, rolling her eyes at Rappid’s gaze. “Just gotten back to civilization from my travels at southern Equestria. Forbidden Jungle?”

“Doing what?” Cori asked, her face brightening.

Viscera gave a slight grin, then unlatched a sack at her side and opened it to her, revealing a bed of bits and four curling snail-shell like stones at the top of it – one red, one black, one white and one yellow. “Collecting severance.”

“I’m a bit concerned with how legit the business that put you in contact with that.”

“That makes one of us – the sandpaper-chinned shit-head Cabelleron bucked me between the ribs when I was counting my cut. Those little stones at the top my catch here got enough holes open in his bags that I could get out the temple from what dropped out without getting lost.”

And with that, Viscera pushed her visor set back over her face, moving closer to Gympis. “So yeah. If Gymps here is in Horseshit Creek, so am I – the greatest thief who ever lived.” Her gaze hardened. “Know how screwed up the situation is that I’d rather be in your custody than whoever did this.” No answer to the identity of ‘this’ was needed. Saddles shifted in her robe with another quiet sob.

“Yes. Well…” Mayor Rappid was almost too fast to see, but Gympis soon had two white, puffy bonds attached to her forehooves. A third was set around her torso, her wings now buzzing impotently against their new restraints. “That should keep you from shifting or bailing. We’re heading to Mayor Mare, to see how your stories check out.”

“None for me?” came the dry response from the crimson pony next to her.

“I’ll trust you to stay here with me – and punt you back into the Forbidden Jungle from here if you don’t. Savvy?” the pegasus mayor said.

“Works.” Viscera dropped to all fours and followed the mayor. “Also luv, may I say you’re the first thing I’ve seen today that’s scary without being outright traumatising.”

“Thanks, I guess.” Rappid tucked Gympis under one of her forelegs and set off.

“Wait!” And suddenly the sparkling Cori was ahead of her, heading in the same direction. Sassy was being guided by her, hair almost shrouding her entire cone of vision.

“Seriously… Cori, you’re gonna have to slow down.“ The mayor looked down. “I’m not necessarily sure-”

“Believe me – a situation teats-up like this, I’m needed.” Cori’s offered hoof to Rappid was taken with more stride than Viscera’s previous attempt with the indigo-haired DJ. “Besides, the mission was to see Sassy safely given to Rarity’s care, and unless you’re up for seeing Lethal Lightshow Number Two erupt on a repeat trip to Ponyville Hospital… ”

“Again, point.” Rappid was in front once more, flying past the carnage with the changeling on her back without a second thought. Cori and Sassy followed, looking for all the world like they were being propped up by nothing but second thoughts – and not just about the detour to Café Hay. Viscera was the last behind them, eyes swiping left and right for anything that might pop up. Once again though, it seemed all that would greet anypony in this section of Ponyville was already clammed up in the restaurant behind them – two of its glasses still in the hooves of Sassy and Viscera, unnoticed by Savoir.

As the group traveled east and into Market Row, more conversation erupted. First off was Gympis, her voice recovering as she whispered to Viscera that indeed, the desiccated helmet belonged to a Royal Guard, and what one was doing so far out in Ponyville without a Princess nearby was indeed lending gravity to the theory of a takeover attempt.

Rappid, who had spent until the fifth Viscera swig of cider trying to dissuade the crimson pony from talking to a prisoner, had her attention drawn by Cori re-presenting the Ponyville Express to her, wanting to know if most of the stories in it were as true as Prince Shining Armor had feared when he had sent Cori on her assignment. Each nod by the mayor only served to draw Cori’s head lower to the ground. By the time the mention of the Wonderbolt killings had been confirmed, Cori had nearly head-butted down Sassy Saddles’ rear legs when the unicorn had stopped in front of her.

Sassy’s halt, however marked by the near-cardiac Cori’s collision almost gave her, was for good reason. After having passed three streets through Market Row, the route forward was blocked. What it was blocked by drew gasps from the cerulean ambassador behind Sassy as well; a fallen golden chariot. The abandoned vehicle had several brutal dents in it from a clear trip into two of the buildings behind it before it cut a rut into the street before them. The front axle was nearly gone entirely, the scrap of three spokes sticking out of its right side by a shred of metal hinting at this being four-wheeled before its journey downward. The white-on-gold sweeps of its front bulwark and throne-like backing, however, were slathered with a shade of red from the front that billowed out around the back. Almost as if…

“…this chariot’s steerers were attacked while its passenger was in it.” Gympis completed the thought winding its way through four ponies’ heads like a cruel strain of Poison Joke.

“Yeah, and I think I can guess who.” Viscera pointed at the odd height that the slosh of blood fanned out around - almost to the top of the chariot, and even then sparsely. “Stain cuts out too high to be a normal pony. Who’s got enough height to roll with Royal Guards in something like this?”

“Celestia!” Finally, Sassy had spoken. Her chattering teeth almost severed her tongue over the effort, however. “I… we’ve gotta get out of here, if she’s-“

“Then she’d need us here, protecting her little ponies.” Rappid cut in, looking swiftly to the right - and the field of tall tents poking up from a peninsula a stone bridge across. “Besides, no one’s confirmed her whereabouts yet. And the crisis center is that way anyhow.” Her outstretched hoof pointed to the path over that very bridge. “Let’s go.”

Over that very bridge was what took a near half-hour for the crimson-swathed equine to see – ponies en masse outdoors. Most of their effort, however, was in setting up the tent encampment around them, a forest of fabric all its own that could rival Everfree. No one even raised a head to look at Rappid and her chitin-covered passenger.

The looming shapes of these brightly pinstriped peaks of cloth held electric typewriters and tickers, medical satchels and bugles, several maps of Ponyville itself, even a cable-threaded contraption of… something with a horn at each side balanced preciously on a blue metal box and was surrounded by cobalt grates that bulged into its tent’s stands. However, the blaring hues of these tools were only made eerier by their contrast to the darkened expressions of the ponies toiling under and around them. Shouldn’t be a surprise. All this chaos, and carnage… the hustle and bustle going on should be as sullen as it is? It was Cori’s spoken thought that answered Vis’ unspoken one.

“This shouldn’t be happeninghere.”

As they went into the largest of the canopies, Cori’s voice safely coddled around its folds and ripples, Viscera had to agree. Far as she knew, Ponyville was the favored city of the immortal sun-god of Equestria, the genesis of the Elements’ revival after a millennium, (well, besides the two that apparently got locked up for some brutal murder some months back, thought Viscera, but four out of six wasn’t bad) the locale where Discord and so many havoc-sowers had met their match.

Something wrong hung in this village’s air now, and it wasn’t just of oxidizing copper and magic-conjured ozone.

And it seemed like the biggest informant in this twon wasn’t in a bar after all, but before them right now. Besides five more booths beside her that were made of stronger – and more colorless - steel than the kind behind her that held that strange setup, the fraying but healthy silver mane and gold-barred spectacles centered out the sharp blue eyes of an earth pony turning to meet Rappid. “I see you’ve brought more help, Rappid, and despite me saying we were fine here, I appreci-who is that?!” The last part came as a barely concealed splutter, as Rappid unceremoniously let Gympis down to the ground.

“Says her hive’s too busy checking under its bed to have been behind those spat of murders and the Princesses’ disappearance.” The Rappid reply only allowed the flax-coat pony before her to adjust her white collar, the pink puff at its center bouncing with her intakes of breath. “The three ponies behind me caught her, Mayor Mare, and with your permission, I’d like to question it further.”

“It has a name, so do we.” Viscera raised a hoof. “Vis, Gympis’s the pink-eyed wonder before you, the gal in the dress is Cori, and the unicorn beside her is…”

But Sassy had already sidled over to a corner of the large tent and buried her head in her forelegs, shaking once more as her cloak rode down to reveal red-tainted orange locks again. “… gonna need a bath and a hug. In that order, please.”

Rappid cleared her throat. “My requests, first, Mayor.”

“Granted.” The rush in Mayor Mare’s voice sent a buzz through Cori’s spine, the authority from grey-haired pony electrifying the air. “But I cannot grant the first one you came to me with a visit ago.”

“Please, ma’am.” Suddenly the white pegasus was at ground level with Mayor Mare, her lips pursing in anticipation of her plea. “It would go a long way toward alleviating Holiday and Lofty’s concerns over the Ponyville tragedy.”

“I highly doubt that, Rappid.”

“Please, at least let them be the judg-”

“- because they already are the judges of that.” A crisp cut-off from Mare silenced Rappid. “They’ve gotten their notice in private, as have all direct parents of those related to the fourteen victims. Not even the newspapers will have specific details, and I should think you would know why!”

“Yes, and I know of the need to keep from causing panic, but-”

“Then please continue with the mountain of other duties you have, Rappid."

Rappid fought down her next gulp of oxygen. “I beg of you Rappid, reconsi-”

“I was first on the scene and will have it burned into my brain until the day I die, which that experience has made at least a decade sooner! The answer is no!” Mayor Mare yelled. “This is not just for my sake – two of the town guards quit after seeing the scene, one’s now the newest resident of Ponyville Hospital!” Her voice shrank to a whisper. “Don’t ask me to risk filling the bed next to him with a Cloudsdale resident. Don’t make me do this… to a fellow mayor.”

Rappid’s hooves plowed into her orange mane. “Fine. Alright. Let me just get – the changeling!”

Gympis’s recovery was faster than expected, as she was busy scouting out one of the iron-braced boxes before them. Her snout was to the ground in contemplation, despite her hooves and wings still being bound. “It seems that this place has held bloodied forms too. The impressions from the ground hint at medical equipment. Yet, the amount of blood I sense… it does not track as from a full-grown pony.”

“… did she just place herself into one of the cells.” Mayor Mare’s reply was not a question.

With a buck of Rappid’s hips, the door closed and clicked behind the changeling, her magenta gossamer whirling in surprise over the Cloudsdale mayor’s action. “Saved a trip. Now, changeling, to your point about being part of Chrysalis’ hive, I’d like a full recount of your locations here.”

“Great. Good hustle there Blazesaddles.” Viscera’s disdainful snort caused Rappid to slowly crane her head to her, even as Gympis tried and failed to push the cell’s door open. “Only did nothing to a single pony since coming here, even before being cuffed. This how priority works around here?”

“It does not, let me fix that.” And with a snap, two more fluffy bonds were slapped around the ends of Viscera’s hooves, the crimson pony’s eyes whipping to them in shock as Rappid turned back to face Gympis. “Thank me for keeping the thief’s hooves bound later, Mare.”

“Wait, she’s-?”

“Hold on! If she was as dangerous as you think, she could have easily overpowered me too!” Cori found her voice as well, just in time to cut off Mayor Mare’s inquiry. “And she was the one who brought Gympis to you in the first place!”

“Junior Ambassador Cori, your confession is much obliged. Tell Vis I’m sorry about this, but we have to be sure of everything.” Rappid consoled her.

“I… have to agree with my fellow leader.” Mayor Mare pushed back her glasses onto her snout, the sweat coming dangerously close to sending them off. “The danger of a free changeling at this crucial time for Ponyville cannot be understated, especially if there is any relation to the... monster... I saw at Ponyville Elementary… ” Her eyes went toward the slight interruption in the triangle of light billowing into the tent. “It seems we have another who has witnessed the carnage for herself. Excuse me.”

As Mayor Mare went to fetch the visitor. Cori turned to Viscera. “Sorry about this, Vis. I didn’t think we’d have to break out the cuffs for everyone this early.”

“Actually, the fault’s mine.” Rappid snaked a cloven hoof through her mane, the troubled tresses of hair straightening into place again. “It’s just... there have been some break-ins at the stores before that Gaston and I just got back from. Can’t blame them, can’t enable them either. So when Vis here helpfully divulged her occupation…”

“… something I thought would pale in comparison to the graveyard's worth of scenery next to me…”

“… I had to cover bases.” Rappid finished Viscera’s snide addition. “I’ll talk further with… Gympis then. You have my word it will be civil from here on out, Ambassador, no need to roll Armor with this.”

“No problem.” Cori chirped. “I’d… like to comfort Sassy myself, see if she’s up to make it to Carousel Boutique without me.”

“And I guess I’ll sit here quietly and hope I’m not g… “ Viscera’s eyes flitted to the flap in the tent and her tone went three octaves lower. “… Luna’s leaking labia, hide me!”

Before Cori could address Viscera’s curse – likely in the negative, considering the hoof she’d snapped up to her mouth in embarrassment – Viscera was behind Rappid, fluffing out her wings to shield her from view. Inside the makeshift hub stepped Mayor Mare and an auburn pegasus, almost hidden between her thick traveling cloak of deep fuchsia and her grey cloche hat. Also, Mayor Mare had a large pair of red glasses tucked into her collar that wasn’t there before. It may have been the pegasus’ possession, all the better since her floor-locked gaze would have sent it tumbling from her face.

Even from her cover, though, Viscera visibly bristled. Not as much as her barrier between the new winged pony and old. “I’m sorry, exactly what am I hiding you from?” hissed Mayor Rappid to Viscera.

“That sanctimonious hermit of a hack A.K. Yearling is who.” Viscera mocked, moving to conceal herself further. “I’d recognize that look anywhere: nice muumuu and hat, was the good taste left in the free bowl of soup that came with it?”

“You know her?” Despite Cori clearly talking to the shifting pile of robes and disgust behind the white pegasus, Yearling took no notice, simply bracing herself against the table that Mayor Mare soon cleared for her.

“Yeah – and yet you’d never know, considering how little she speaks of me. Will pound the pulp with tales about that overrated killjoy Daring, though! Celestia-” Viscera rolled her eyes at Cori’s anticipatory wince. “I'm sorry, but chisel up a pair, Blueberry Ice - I can just hear A.K. now. ‘Ooh, bet Daring Do could help us out of this!’ ‘Ooh, Daring Do’s prolly got a priceless treasure to give if she were here right now.’ ‘Ooh-”

“Why would anyone do this?!” And suddenly, the author’s entire mood broke before the three ponies’ eyes, tears flooding out the lacquered wood of the table. Mayor Mare was at her side in a second and so was Cori, quickly rifling through the pockets on her dress for something to help Yearling wipe her tears.

“… you know, I did imagine her saying that too, but over a copy of ‘Daring Do and the Trek to the Terrifying Tower’.”

“VISCERA!” Rappid roared, startling Viscera and finally getting Yearling’s attention in a whirl of grey hair that nearly sent her narrow-brimmed hat tumbling.

“What? Look, I’m sorry for the brat too, but that book was a travesty in writing! Especially wit-”

Viscera was too busy talking to Rappid to notice the flash of ferocious cover bloom in Yearling’s eyes, but not her curt response. “A moment, Mare? I’ve got some stuff to look over in my tent. I can see why I was called on such short notice.”

“Absolutely. Would you like Ambassador-”

“-Junior Ambassador-”

“-Cori, yes. Would you like her to – my goodness, hold on!” But A.K. Yearling was out the door flap, the tails of her cloak the only hint to her prescence.

“I mentioned the sanctimony, right?” Viscera added.

“Bite your tongue, please! That person is a world-class author, and she was called in because of the shortage of helping hoofs here! Stars above, she even volunteered to help with the investigation, considering one of her biggest fans was seen at the scenes of the crime!” Rappid moved back towards the cells, finally leaving Viscera alone.

“Are you talking of the one called Rainbow Dash?” Gympis chirped up.

“Yes, and I cannot bear to stomach what blackmail that murderess Twilight must have on her to drag her around as a shield from her heinous actions.” Rappid caught a twinkling tear before it could fall down her cheek, ignoring the violent shudder Mayor Mare gave at the mention of the cyan pegasus. “Was a false conviction not enough for that poor soul?”

“I dunno…” Cori shifted at her position. “That Rainboom we saw before the impact Saddles and I had, mayor… didn’t seem like something done in hopes of a dodge.”

“Goodness, that’s terrible!” gasped Rappid. “They’ve even made her start attacking her princess! I can only hope they’re both alright. We must have eyes on Celestia immediately.”

Viscera calmly paced to Cori. “Wait, there was a Rainboom there? Ain’t the velocity needed for that impossible to dodge if aim-”

THWAK!

And on the subject of aim, the incoming rear-hoof to Viscera’s jaw couldn’t have been placed better by a microscope. With her aerodynamics question – and breath – cut short in a violent tumble to the dirt, the attacker flipped back onto her haunches, teeth bared, explorer’s cap and shirt lightly dusted with perspiration, and silver hair a swirl around her. “Back, mayor! I’ll handle Viscera!”

“Oh, and of fuckin’ course as I spoke of the devil!” yelled the bundle of red robes and black wrappings that was once an upright and uptight Viscera. “How’d Daring Do get here?”

“What? The Do of Daring?” Gympis chirruped through her bars. “Have you come to investigate too?”

Daring took one quizzical look at the cell containing the changeling, then went back to staring down Viscera. A soft thump heralded the fall of the large bag the crimson pony had once held, drawstring helpfully keeping its contents from decorating the ground. “Coulda sworn I taught enough of a lesson to you at Vanhoover! Never thought you’d have the stones to go prizefighting in Ponyville, but right now? That’s low.”

“Luv, I have not taken a single thing from this town, lives especially!” With a nip-up, Viscera was back on her feet and circling out her claws out in a battle stance. One swept the ground, grabbing and guarding her bit bag at her side. “Thanks to my latest pull though, darling Do, I do have the stones! Four in fact!”

Rappid noticed something unsettling in her fluid motions – namely, how she was doing them when… “Wait, did you get past the cuffs!?”

Viscera pawed back the ground with her hoof. Seconds later, the cloud cuffs were spinning on a talon attached to her right hoof through the web of bandages around it. “Oh yeah – coulda did that at any time too, unless you think these claws are just for attracting mares.” Merrily waving at Rappid’s reddening face at this, Viscera was almost taken by surprise at Daring’s next attack – if not for the somersault she took at noticing it. However, it did catch something else – her bag, send bits, and those same our stones twirling into the air.

Ignoring Mayor Mare’s cry of. “Wait no, don’t start fighting in here-!” Viscera would end up dodging two wheel kicks before a leg sweep by Daring sent her to one knee. The axe kick that would have crashed upon her head, however, was caught by the crimson pony, and as Viscera and as the two treasure huntresses rose to sock each other in the face, the door flap was thrown up once more.

Only one pony stood in the thresh now, but the look on his face was one of pure horror. Both Viscera and Daring were held back by it, enough for Mayor Mare to finally wrench Daring away from Viscera and Rappid to drag back Viscera. Cori’s attention, however, was drawn to the latest edition of the Canterlot Times upon his left forehoof.

Viscera, having grabbed the four shell-like stones in her left forehoof as the white pegasus corralled her, yanked herself free from Rappid. “Seriously? She attacked me first!”

“Sorry for the fiasco here, Davenport, is everything okay?” Mayor Mare had shuttled the stoic Daring into the same corner as Sassy and shot her enough of a steel-scorching glare to reduce her to impotently pointing hooves at Viscera.

“Forget families, we need to move this entire city, right the hell now!”

Mayor Mare recoiled. “That, in addition to being near-impossible, would be sacrilege to consider without hearing from the Princesses!”

“If this headline is even halfway true – I assure you you’ll be hearing plenty from a Princess soon! Just nothing intelligible!” However, Davenport’s frantic swinging of the aforementioned article sent it skittering before Gympis’s cell.

Before Mayor Mare could react, four pairs of eyes affixed itself on the lede, and the four stones in Viscera’s hoof were ground into each corner of the paper to keep it from fluttering off again. But for these four, that motion combined with what they saw would bring more than their voices in unison, as Viscera, Rappid, Cori, and Gympis were left gaping at the splash picture.

“Holy shit; is that Princess Celestia’s bloody head on that scepter?!”

“What the hell, Twilight’s MADE HERSELF QUEEN?!”

“What are they doing to Lun- Oh Tartarus, I’m gonna be SICK!”

“They do have the changeling escapee with them! But-but how?!”

And their clarion cries were met was thrilling dins – from the four stones pinning the ominous paper. Daring let out a “What in the world –” before a flash of light large enough to engulf it emitted from them. All four rocketed out towards the earth pony, pegasus, Crystal Pony, and changeling. In three cases, the stones all but disappeared into their coats, soon engulfing them in amber auras. The fourth aimed like an arrow at Cori’s heart, ricocheted off her chest with enough force to send her skidding and embedded itself firmly in the ground next to the shell-shocked Mayor Mare and Davenport.

When the glow subsided, those three ponies had been replaced with something hauntingly new. Their coats had turned into shining, smoothened gold; a luster almost similar to Cori’s. However, there were visible spots of black running down their legs in ever-growing columns. Each of their feet no longer ended in hooves, but in small white claw-tipped paws, digging into the soft soil and wood of the hub. And any hint of their manes above the joint where the head met neck had vanished, leaving their red stars of eyes and sharp-tipped ears unimpeded for all to see.

However, at their necklines, luscious locks of albino hair billowed out to softly drape across their collars and shoulders. And behind those new manes, for Rappid and Gympis at least, sweeping wings of gold swerved out to scrape at the floor, the former pegasus’s inset with blackened feathers while Gympis’s arches were webbed out by multicolored webs of transparent gloss that looked like stained-glass panes.

“Kay… I ask what the hell just happened, you promise not to raise all types of it. We all good?” came the distorted plea from the Viscera-in-gold.

A dust-yellow hoof shot-up immediately. “For once, I think I do know what this is!” It seemed Daring Do would be the first to break the din and keep Mayor Mare, Sassy, and Davenport’s jaws from hitting the floor. “You came from that Forbidden Jungle, didn’t you, Vis?”

“With a certain yellow Doctor I’ve yet to repay for getting the jump on me. But yes.”

The treasure huntress immediately knelt to pick up the remaining shell-like artifact. “It’s an Equilixir. I can go into more detail with this when I get to my log, but right now? You’re all cursed.”

“Wait, with what?” Cori ran up to the pegasus. “Can we find the cure anywhere?”

“Not sure. But Cadence might know. Getting you to drop these forms is the bigger issue now.” Daring said.

“Well, if this is some curse, it’s a weird way of manifesting.” Rappid clasped her hooves together in contemplation – only to soon start thrashing in confusion as the glow erupted around her and left her as her untouched white coat and winged form again. Even her main had returned to normal, orange-on-white locks whipping around with her as she studied herself.

“Amazi… never mind!” Daring Do turned to face the others. “That happened when Rappid calmed down – you two, try that too!”

A sick wrenching of iron greeted her as Gympis almost walked through the bars of her cell, the metal giving way under her trotting body like it was tissue paper. “Ah. It seems these forms are rather durable.” A moment of concentration only served to leave Gympis frustrated. “I cannot transform in this state. Regardless, this form requires further study. Perhaps it is something that was sought out the day previous by the Element of Magic.”

“The day previou – damn, we forgot about Twilight!” Mayor Mare was up in arms within seconds, as Gympis and Viscera de-formed as well. “First her becoming queen, now this!”

“At least we can control what we’ve got – luv, there’ll be riots here in minutes!” Viscera yelled.

“Not in the middle of an evacuation, there’s not!” Rappid shot back.

KA-BLAM!

“Wanna set a watch to that, chief?” the crimson pony asked as bellowing flames shot off in the distance, near the windmill.

Cori turned to Gympis at this moment, fear keeping her voice low. “You said you were investigating, right?”

“Indeed, Miss Ambassador.” The changeling replied.

“Ju-you know what, nevermind!” Cori threw up her hooves in frustration. “There’s your whole field full of evidence about to go up in smoke! Are you up for keeping that from happening?”

“I… but to help ponies… “ Gympis finally settled for discretion. “I will follow Vis’ lead.”

“Great, cuz it’s right out of this town!” Viscera was already halfway out of the camp.

“Are you-?! Look, we’re already in a national tragedy and about to face another, I’d ask you to learn some empathy, but we’re short one pony to do so, because -”

Mayor Mare’s next two words, despite it not changing the expressions on Cori or Rappid one bit, froze Viscera to the spot. Immediately, her neck craned to Mayor Mare. You mean that… in this town, when...”

“More than just in it, Viscera!”

But Vis was already past Rappid, dragging her out and behind the tent ahead of Mare’s words. Before Rappid could protest, Viscera slammed a hoof to the Cloudsdale mayor’s muzzle. “Shut up. Listen. You and Mare will have my bits, my physical assistance, my foregoing of medical charges from digging through the splinters of Ponyville if you so ask me – on one condition.”

“Which is?” If Rappid was in shock, it didn’t show in her face.

“My first trip into that town will be for one specific pony. I will tell you ‘the flower I sought has been plucked’. On those words, we will not argue, you will take that pony and get them as far away from Ponyville as possible. I’m yours for riot suppression ‘til the fires settle down, even after if need be. Deal?” Viscera whispered.

“… come on, we’ll see if Mayor Mare approves.” The white pegasus led Viscera by the shoulder back in front of the crisis HQ, the indignant Mayor Mare not having left her spot.

“And what do you have?” she asked.

“A volunteer, apparently.” Rappid pulled a hoof along the ground.

“Two if Gymps is game,” Viscera added.

The changeling nodded slowly. “The crime scenes here need preserving.”

Another explosion in the village bathed everyone in light from its distant fury. “Fine, beggars can’t be choosers – set her and Gympis up, put two guards on the changeling on all times!” Mayor Mare yelled.

A yellow blur raced past them, Daring once again adjusting her hat and sidling the remaining yellow stone into her shirt pocket. “I’ll escort Gympis as far as the caravan, then leg this stone up north to study further. Wish I could say more about the Equilixirs here, but…. they may help them endure the flames if they truly want to help.”

“Wait, how do you know-?” Viscera stammered.

“Don’t. Make me regret leaving you here.” The Daring Do death glare remained locked on Viscera, even as the explorer shook Mayor Mare’s hoof. “I’m sorry for leaving on such short notice, but I promise I’ll find a way to come back. Hold me to this if necessary.”

“ T..thank you. And safe journeys.” With this, Daring was gone, a sharp “Come on, Gympis!” causing the changeling taking to her new golden form and floating alongside her. Two city guard ponies, belts heavy with silver canisters, trotted behind her.

“I’ll work up too!” And suddenly, the Crystal Pony was at Mayor Mare’s side again.

“With no protection from the fire? I think-” A flash of Cori’s horn cut off Mare’s dialogue and sent her dress billowing to thrice its original sizes. Wrapping it carefully around herself so only the top of her head was visible, Cori pleaded again.

“Nothing’s getting through fabric this thick unless a pony puts it there on purpose! Please, put me in.”

Mayor Mare stammered but eventually bowed. “Alright then. But see Sassy to Carousel first, I’m not gonna be telling Armor how you got hurt before your task to him was finished.”

“Done! Come on, Sassy, the fires got nowhere near the southern edge of town!” At a gallop, two blue ponies raced out past the makeshift crisis center.

Mare’s next words were to Davenport. “Call the main fire unit, if they’re not out already, have them start at the center of Ponyville and fan out – douse and rescue! Rappid and Vis will work their way from each end of the city, towards you in the center! And one last thing…”

Mare turned to Viscera and Rappid.

“You may need aliases for this. Normally I’d not recommend this, but you’ve got forms good enough to mask your appearance, and if… that damned Queen… makes a return visit…”

“Wholly understandable.” Rappid nodded. “Goldilock will work for me, and Viscera will have…”

“Viscera,” came the blunt reply from the crimson pony.

“Think the name has to be different.”

“Trust me, this isn’t my real name. And if that headline’s right, no one from here’s learning it anytime soon.” Viscera left at a trot, a clap of her hooves bringing back her golden sheer of a coat as it did Rappid’s, sharp contrasts against the night sky. “Got anything else?”

“These.” Three bandoliers, filled with canisters, found their way in the two mutated ponies’ hooves. They were of a similar model as the ones the Gympis-watching town guard ponies had on. ”Point. Fire. Watch the actual fires die. The last one’s for Cori, so whoever can meet her the fastest…”

“…will be me.” And with that, two belts trailed behind Mayor Rappid as she took to the air in one direction. Viscera gave a curt nod to Mayor Mare.

“In and out – should be thirty minutes we’re held up with this fiasco, tops,”

Then she was off too, a shining golden dart aimed at the direction of Golden Oak Library.

The progress of Rappid, alias Goldilock, took her past that bent-up chariot the group had passed earlier and beyond. Speeding down the smoke-thickened alleys of Market Row, the looming Town Hall seemed to beckon from among the field of flames licking away in various stores near it, a silent plea for salvation before it could be burned at the stake.

Soon, Goldilock’s eyes caught the first hints of a Royal Guard chariot – from its trajectory, barreling from the spires of the distant and defenestrated Canterlot - settling down further north-east, away from the blazes. It was still too far parked to see either who they were carrying, or why a tan pegasus swathed in black armor was its sole navigator through the flames.

Electing to coordinate her efforts with them before heading to find Cori, the pegasus mayor swooped low. These let her breakthrough two starting fires and stop a scuffle between Matilda and two unruly earth ponies without breaking stride, allowing the elderly donkey the chance to escape her tormentors.

One block later, and she could see the Hall straight down the left street, flanked by the half-consumed Silent Chapel on its right side and the twinned masks framing the Ponyville Theater on the left. Currently, suppression foam was being fired at the chapel to prevent its blaze of destruction from reaching the other buildings, casting even greater shadow across the façade of the Theater.

A scream behind her, however, caught her attention. Immediately, the golden pegasus flitted around the boulevard, convinced Matilda may have found mayhem again. However, the victim this time seemed alone – a flailing silver pegasus with a curving crescent of blonde locks. Recognition came quickly to Goldilock, however.

“M-Miss Hooves?! I thought you were still at the Admin Building; you were near unmovable and inconsolable! What are you doing here?”

Derpy’s eyes wouldn’t open, her piercing shriek continuing. Surely, thought Goldilock, she – oh wait, the Equilixir form! “Don’t worry Derpy, this new look is just for safety – now let’s get you out of-”

And then two perforated hooves plowed into Goldilock’s neck and side, the impact letting out a hollow HWANG as she was placed through the wall of the house next to her. The glass of the window next to the hole she made in the abode even webbed and bowed inward from the force.

The instigator, however, was likely not worthy of being bowed to in any fashion. Jet-black chitin coated every inch of his body. His mohawk of a frill that ran down the crown of his head followed the downward angle of his narrowed eyes. Black-on-green bat wings loomed over him and the screaming Derpy like a demon’s claws. Probably fitting, since the long spaded tail of his whipped to point at the impression the golden-pegasus’ crash had made not four feet from him. “Quick, Flash Sentry - d’you think the crash fucked up our guest enough?”

“I... I mean, probably.” That came from the Royal Guard that had steered the chariot earlier. His armor had undergone a change; while the gold plates layering his helmet and torso were thick as ever, the color was but a highlight against sharp black. The hair, however, forced up by the headdress, still fanned out as an indigo shock. Nevertheless, his wings were out too, a spread of tan feathers fluttering softly as he looked around warily. “But I can’t say I think she was out to hurt an-”

“Damn pity you work for me, then. Go through that hole and make sure the bitch stays down.”

“… look, Prince Haze, sir…” Flash took several quick steps toward the crash site at the acidic look the changeling shot him, though his courage was not quite as fleeting as his gold-embroidered hooves. “The city’s kinda on fire – a-and even if you’ve wanted to meet this pegasus for some time, I’m not sure she’s in the mood for… y’know… ”

“Not in the mood.” Came the dry response from the prince. With a flick of Haze’s tail, the blonde Derpy was thrown into the other building hard, sliding down its timber framing on her side. “I’m COUNTING on it!”

“W-wait, you’re cou-”

“And I should be doing so more, idiot. You’ve got five to get in that building and find me her friend.”

Flash gulped. “F-five what, si-”

“Four. Three.”

The Royal Guard was through that incision in the front of the house immediately. Sharp teeth and sharper pools of teal followed Derpy Hooves, still stirring on the ground. However, Flash Sentry’s sojourn would only find a pile of crushed barrels, smashed bottles, and no gold pegasus.

An all-too-low purr of “… and now I get both Hooves as motivation to put down the Ponyville riots? Happy. Fucking. Day.”

A flash of gold raced out of the building to meet the changeling, tongue lolled out and trailing a path down the shivering Derpy’s cheek. Two, in fact, but Flash was first out, armor glinting in the fire's glow. “Prince Haze!”

“Unless that other pegasus is on your back, piss off!” howled Haze.

“That’s exactly it sir, there’s nopony there-WAIT, look out!”

Two thumps near the predatory Prince told of how Flash Sentry’s warning came too late. From a spring out of the storage building’s second-floor wing, the very much not incapacitated Goldilock flipped forelegs first over Derpy’s form. She greeted the wide-eyed Toxic Haze with two rear hooves to the snout in a buck sending him spiraling over Ponyville Theater and into the marketplace.

Flash’s jaw dropped in shock. Well, it had gone slack upon seeing the Prince crouched on all fours – five if whatever weird protrusion between n his rear legs counted as one – but it nearly touched the cobbled floor when the gold pegasus’ eyes shot toward him, almost burning holes through his helmet in their intensity. Discretion being the better part of valor, the Royal Guard galloped off to find his callous commander.

Finally able to see the walleyed gold of Derpy’s eyes, Goldilock finally heaved the concussed pony onto her back, turned the corner around the street – and nearly collided with a brown-haired earth pony with a scarf ringing his neck. “I heard a scream, it sounded like – Miss Hooves?! Please, whatever you are, let me have her. I only want to help!”

“So was I; then that new changeling I met checked me into a wall and nearly violated her. Who are you?!” Goldilock’s voice came out as a steeled snarl.

“Changeling? Oh no… My name is Dr. Hooves! Give me Derpy, she’s a family friend! I’ll find her someplace safe – you should too, I just got the latest from the phone I gave the Mayor, that changeling might be -!”

“-’Tis no ‘might’ about it, I will be stomping the life out of that predator. Then handling these fires. Tell me where you’re placing her.”

“My-my house is just down the street after next, last on the right! But-”

“Expect me then. The name is Goldilock.” With a furious wing flap, the scarf was blown back into Dr. Hooves’ eyes as the gold pegasus took off in the same path as Haze, her wings a burnished yellow spark among the flickering embers in the center of Ponyville.

Viscera’s travels were far shorter. Taking to the thatched roofs, straw and burlap flew under her claws as the altered pony ran over the buildings facing Golden Oak. The large brick schoolhouse close by to it was in a similar abandoned state, but it, much like the Everfree hut, was thickly cordoned off by tape. The thief’s response this time was different. “Nope, learned my lesson before.” Her travel went uninterrupted by the urge for investigation – especially for why it had a slight tilt to it, as if it had been moved and re-moved with fledgling accuracy.

Besides, Viscera’s red eyes were scanning the rooftops for a tell, and with her only clue being from Mayor Mare…

“Aha!” Viscera whispered. She could see the raised façade of another royal carriage on the front this time. It was four-wheeled, like Celestia’s, but jet-black. The only thing keeping it from blending into the shadows it cast were its silver highlights and blue-ringed wheels. A dark-gray-coated Royal Guard was corralled to one of the masts at the front through bands of thin chains, preening its bat-like wings as best he could under interlocked layers of dark lavender armor.

If the squeaks and gasps of a clearly distressed pony were any indication, the occupant of the other chain tether – left abandoned on the ground next to a set of claw marks and dark stains – was already in the house. And since the checkerboard collar fluttering on the second-floor banister was proof the pony that Vis was looking for was in there too…

“Damnit damnit damn it,” A moment later, the hint of a snow-white tail slipping through the window’s crack was all that was visible of the altered pony. However, the move inside had granted Viscera three new facts.

First, the room she was in wasn’t even finished in construction, a web of oaken beams giving her free visual access to the floor below.

Second, the bat-winged pony Vis deduced was in this house was not alone; that dark-grey guard was the only female on that floor, helmet off to reveal a nest of tangled, fraying locks of dark violet hair. Only two white bolts zigzagging towards the end on the sides had any order to the mane, a startling contrast to the armor she wore.

Third, her frenzied movements were also not shared by the unicorn next to her, rifling through shelves with measured intent. Strands of twirling spikes cascaded out from his hooves. His coat was even darker than Viscera’s, mane a dark blue increasingly overtaken by streaks of gray itself. But the blackened cape around him, filled with metallic silver swirls at its collar’s edge, seemed to float without wind, his progression through the shelves conducted in silence, unlike the Guard mare. Sweat seemed to slosh off her brow in waves as she leaned down over a blue mane an-”

Wait.

Viscera peered further.

Then her world lurched and heaved as she nearly fell off her perch, hurtling for the door across the room to get away from the grunts and hisses as the mare-”

“Mmmmhhh… “ A sharp gurgle told Viscera more than just the mare’s libido a floor behind her had ended, the snap of the pegasus’ billowing pink hair being yanked concluding with a more bone-rending crunch. “You were right, Shroud, leaving the cells for this shitheap is so… illuminating.”

“It is also inappropriate.” The rumbling drone had to come from Shroud. Which did not help Viscera’s heart rate or mood any. “You were only to subdue the stray so I could find the ledgers hidden here.”

“No lying, my prince.” Suddenly, the clipping of dressed-up hooves pitted away from Viscera. Two more thumps accompanied the movement, too small to be any pony. Books? “I could smell Luna on you and Prince Haze. And you need extra hooves on this front. Ponyville do-”

“Which is why I wish for this detour here to end fast.” Shroud cut her off. “Your first trip here was to show how the first dictate of your queen works.”

“Hope I satisfied.”

“It was adequate. Her death was… inspired.” A final thump accompanied the move. “It is not here. I will move to the cellar to check further. Dispose of th-”

CREEAK!

Not even Viscera moved, but she, unlike the other two ponies below her, could see the movement of green eyes behind the new door in the hallway. Viscera’s eyes widened. ‘Holy hell, it’s-‘

“You heard that too, my prince?”

“Indeed, Commander Hel. Stay. There are more strays.” And with a speed unparalleled by anything she had seen before, Viscera bore witness Prince Shroud’s charge. His first stride took him up the curving stairway. The second carried him down it in one go, pulverized the door hiding the pony behind it, and nearly sending Viscera tumbling down that hall in its wake. Shroud took no notice of her, however, the hacking gasps of the mystery pony being his focus.

“It is you again.” How could his tone not change after exerting so much effort?! Viscera’s mind reeled. “Perhaps Hel requires another training toy, then.”

And suddenly, Viscera’s fears shot away. Her forward leap guided her claws home into the graying tail of the prince. Before he could blink, the pony was yanked away from his quarry, and after one loop in the spacious hallway, was hurtled through the roof and plaster wall with the force of a runaway train, a wrenching and cracking of beams and plaster masking his cry as he rocketed into the center of the village.

“SHROUD!” A faded crash nearby heralded the departure of the murderous Hel. Viscera was busy moving the other way, into the invaded bedroom. Its sole occupant recoiled further from her at the sight of the gold-skinned thief, but Viscera’s attention was to the bed. A swipe freed its coverings – a bit hastier than could be done if the ribbons lacing the edge of the fabric were an indication – and cocooned around the pony. Voice still caught in their throat, it would be up to Viscera to break the din.

“It’s me, Vis. We’re out. And you’ll thank me for this cover later.” Before a response could come, Viscera’s legs were pumping, the end of the cocoon enclosed around the pony she was rescued and leaped for the window. The checkered collar beyond it still curled in the slight wind.

CACRASH!

Shards rained around the two escapees, and the two-flight trip down took a roll by Viscera to keep her catch safe, but it was successful. Heaving her into the chariot and tackling the other guard into the dirt, Viscera severed the chains to him with another swing of her paw, took both loops of metal into her fang-ridden maw, and galloped hard. The stiff rumble of the vehicle as it cut off the bat-winged chauffeur by two of the wheels ramming over his spine barely stopped the motion of the chariot.

But Viscera only made it three corners – the fading visage of the treehouse-enclosed library now visible over her ride’s bouncing frame - before a shout rang out from the abode long behind her.

“Hel! Prince Shroud! Somepony’s taken the chariot!”

At first, the formerly-crimson pony thought the thick plodding of hooves were reinforcements, swinging toward the thickest of the flame-coated buildings and triggering her extinguishing jets to pave her way through. However, another turn brought the visage of one singular pony – no armor or coverings besides the thick workhorse collar bouncing off his red-furred chest. Orange mane whipping behind his back, he stole a glance at the odd getup of the running mate next to him.

“Goheen mah weh?” Viscera struggled out through a mouthful of chains.

Thankfully it was enough. “Eeyup….” came the strained response. The looming towers of the blacksmith approached them on the right. Thankfully, no fires had reached it yet. It was what lay in front of them that was of more pressing concern.

“Poddery seign went dawhn, know haow thae hap…hap…”

“…nnope!” Again, the red pony’s answer saved Viscera’s tongue further strain. Only one question remained.

“Know a weh pahst iht?” Viscera almost dropped the constraints in her jaws at seeing the stallion break into a dead run.

“Eeyup!”

They were past the blacksmith now. Viscera, realizing what the mare was aiming to do, leaped and fell back into the speeding chariot she once pulled, letting its momentum carry it. The pony in front of her only sped up, and with a cracking crash of splinters and plastic, the obstruction broke before them both.

Another cropping of debris and flaming plaster crumbled into their clearing, sending a fresh wave of sweat into the mane and drapings around Viscera’s passenger. However, their stop was at a locale free of flames and full of curling frosting facsimiles lining its roof and walls. Sugarcube Corner – Back Entrance was stamped on a plague above the large ledged door greeting them.

The red pony was first on the steps, Viscera finally dropping her Equilixir-gained form as she carefully got down her comforter-swathed passenger. By the time the thief had unloaded that saved pony, who'd fainted long before from the shock, those top ledged door of the confectionary swung open, revealing two further mares – a blue earth pony with a curling whip of light crimson hair, next to an elderly green earth pony with gray hair pulled pack into a loose bun. “Big Mac! You brought help?”

Big Mac turned toward Viscera as if to glean the answer from her bared, unaltered face. “Sure. Yeah.”

“Then we need to head back t’Sweet Apple! Mah daughter must be worried sick!” Big Mac, after placing the green mare on his back carefully, took off through a narrow alley. The cerulean mare once next to her turned to Viscera.

“Mrs. Cup Cake – and thank you so much for accompanying Mac here. If-”

“Glad you asked.” Viscera unloaded her semi-conscious pony onto the ground near Mrs. Cake. “Open it for no one except anypony who looks like me.” Viscera then pulled back the comforter’s lower flap to reveal a pouch of gems. “That’s he-ours. Keep her safe until she’s evacuated and it’s yours.”

“Thanks but… Carrot and I can’t take bits.” The cerulean pony pleaded. “And also, what do you mean ‘look lik-‘”

Another clap of the hooves brought back Viscera's glittering golden form. Ignoring the gasping Mrs. Cake, Viscera said. “Be sure to lock that door, will you?” Taking one step further, Viscera was soon brought to two knees, panting hard from apparent exhaustion. Before Mrs. Cake could help her. Viscera soldiered up, shook her mane of petal-like locks, and ran through to the Ponyville Center – and into the heart of the firestorm.

Cori’s travels through the marketplace that opened up into town hall had the least eventful proceedings. Sassy had been fine when dropped off at the Carousel Boutique, though the troupe the ambassador (junior ambassador!) was with had quickly whisked her off before she could powwow with the fashionista within.

After visiting the latest caravan departure – held up by the designated pony, Cotton Sky, having left for southwest Ponyville in response to an alarm triggering near the schoolhouse – Cori had taken Gaston and a pair of pegasi through the market place, clearing out the blazing buildings. When one fire – swallowing up the Silent Chapel – got particularly bad, Cori decided to show even a lack of extinguisher would not prevent her from offering aid. One vivid pulse of magic from her horn brought the flames it was aimed at to flickers.

“Guess it isn’t just cloth my magic works on,” said the cerulean Crystal Pony, as the fire crew went to work. Soon a desiccated but upright shell of a chapel was salvaged, and Cori looked forward to handling the flames around City Hall and the town square as well. Until two stereo impacts thundered into opposite ends of that very square – one from the east slamming into a bookstore to Cori’s left, another tumbling from the air in the west breaking through the glass of a joke shop only one block across from Ponyville Hospital.

With a curt call to Gaston to go back and tell the caravan to move its flank, and Gaston taking off after a nod back, Cori ventured unto the center of both crash sites alone, magic at the ready to help anyone needed. The first pony to show on the scene upright, however, was too recognizable from the golden wings and red eyes.

“Goldi?” Cori stammered.

“Cee!” and suddenly, the mutated mayor was at Cori’s side, sidling a suppression belt to her. “What’re you doing here so early?”

“Powder Puff wanted me to find her ma, though I’d cut through the flames till I found her! There are still flames on your end, what’re you doin’ here?” Cori asked, her hooves fumbling with the clasps of her newest attachment.

“Whipping the ass of the changeling that tried to prey on Derpy!” Goldilock yelled. “And I’d suggest you take distance – he managed to get the drop on-“

“Oi, Cor!” And the second of the three golden beings, Viscera, had joined the crowd, pushing a richly decorated black and silver carriage. ”We might have a slight wrinkle in the rescue plans!”

“Don’t I know!” Cori yelled. “Right now though, two ponies crashed into the town center, I’ve gotta go help-” Suddenly, sickly green light erupted from the left of the Crystal Pony and a flurry of tendrils yanked the dark pony out of the rightmost incision in the joke shop's panes. “-out.”

Viscera took one look at the changeling – and Cori one at the other participant –and a flurry of cries broke out among the rescuers, from Viscera to Goldilock to Cori.

“What the hell, is that Prince Haze?!”

“Wait, you’re saying that’s a PRINC-”

“Holy Celestia, it’s a Shadow Pony!”

Cori had flailed back onto her hind hooves, her eyes bulging in fear as the stoic stare of Prince Shroud snapped to her. Goldi had to respond in kind. “My goodness, we’ve hit royalty. Now hold on, we don’t want to escalate this any further-.”

Nearly too late, Viscera pushed the pegasus out of the way as a beam from Prince Haze slammed into the spot she was in a second ago. When it cleared, there was a Viscera-sized patch of smoking but safe island Cori was on, and the pony in front of her…. hadn’t even lost the sheen from her golden coat in the flurry.

Viscera, after three seconds, mirror the shocked look upon Toxic Haze’s face. “Shoot, and I just used those stones to open up a bag before.” Then her gaze turned up – and toward a familiar face approaching on the sky in dark purple armor.

“Cori – shoot the hardest enlarging spell you have at that bitch’s armor, now.”

“B-but the-”

“NOW!”

Cori complied, a spark from her horn shooting out before either Prince could stop her – instantly, the bat-winged pony was swimming in her oversized plates, plummeting into a thatched roof nearby hard enough to break through it.

Immediately, a line of tendrils exploded from Prince Shrouds’ position, twisting as they hurtled toward the cerulean unicorn. However, Viscera – after a quick bellowing of “Oh, what the hell!” was quick to spin back, grab Cori and launch them into a fruit stand to avoid the line of obsidian spikes rocketing past them.

It was at this moment, with chaos erupting in the square, that Flash Sentry finally arrived, through the boulevard to the right of the untouched Ponyville Theater. Cori, still shaking her head free of fruit and shell-shocked from seeing the Shadow Pony, yelled in surprise at the new Royal Guard. A burst of errant energy shot out from her horn and struck a tiny cherry still tumbling in the air toward Flash – which then ballooned to the size of a delivery truck and fell toward him.

“Oh, what the fu-”

Then the titanic plant cut off Flash’s curse, opening a long ravine back down the alley with him sandwiched between it and the dirt.

Viscera was out of the produce stand within seconds, hustling back to the chariot. A forward charge by the buzzing changeling would have stopped her trip short if Goldilock hadn’t hoof punched him back across the clearing. “Guess it’s treason for us, then!” she yelled.

With the chariot in her grasp, Viscera braced both forehooves at the end and pushed – well, more like launched - it towards Shroud. Despite her cry of “Supersize this, hurry!” Cori’s shaking in fear at Shroud’s genus did not cease enough to take advantage of it, and Shroud soon stopped the cart with a field of black spikes.

“My chariot. Was this supposed to shock m-”

Viscera cleared the vehicle in one forward roll and cross-checked the eldritch unicorn into the side of a well on the second lunge. Goldilock was busy bobbing and weaving – her refusal to test the lethality of magic on her new form instead forcing Prince Haze further and further into the air. This gave Vis the time she needed to get back to Cori’s side.

“Cee, what was that last part about?”

“S… Shadow Pony.” Came the response from a gate of chattering teeth. “Didn’t think… they even existed… after Sombra…”

“Yeah, well; one’s here, cavalier and ready to fill us with more than fear, get a move on!” yelled Viscera, sidling the horned Crystal Pony onto her back. “Look, I’ll put myself between you and him, now do you have any ideas?”

“Um… well, o-one!” Once again, Cori’s horn shot out a thin blue beam at a vegetable cart next to them, shrinking it low enough for it to neatly fit into Viscera’s paw. “Been something I’ve been working on in the Empire! Throw it at… the pony… and I can resize it, should avoid the tendrils!”

Viscera obliged, sweeping back her arm at letting the mini-cart fly towards Prince Shroud at the apex of the arc. However, Cori’s next shot went wide, hitting the well behind Shroud and simply jutting him forward toward them as the structure grew to nearly the City Hall’s size. The miniaturized card fell into its cavernous depths soon after. “Thought we were supposed to keep the scary pony away from us, luv.”

“W-wait! We still can!” the ambassador cried, holding up a pair of pineapples. “Shrink spell wears off after several seconds – lure S-shroud into that well and I can seal him up with another hex on the produce as we head out!

“Wait. Enclosed spaces with that thing don’t sound like a good idea. And you said your shrink-spells fade after time, does that mean-”

“RAAAAUGH!” Bursting from the front of the cottage in a burst of splinters and sadistic rage, Commander Hel – in normally- proportioned armor once more – pounced on Viscera. Cori barely had time to leap away before Viscera was driven into the dirt. Hel’s tail, however, swatted Cori into the air on the rebound.

Violently pinning the golden pony to the floor – and smiling all the further at one of Prince Haze’s charges hitting home on Goldilock’s flank ripping a cry from her – Hel admonished her foe. “Pity. The unicorn’ll make a great appetizer. You, however… I want to feel you break before I feel you die.”

“D-doesn’t sound like pi-”

Suddenly, the sharp tips in Hel’s horseshoe-heavy paw dug into Viscera’s chest. Then started getting pulled lower. “It’s not pitiable for me,” was the only response from the cruel commander. Just as two hole-ridden legs crashing into Hel’s head and sending her hurtling away from Vis was the only response from the arriving Gympis.

“I was to assist Cori and secure the crime scenes here. It seems… more developments have emerged,” came the echoing exposition from Gympis.

“Could kiss you right now… ” Viscera checked her chest, marveled at even the lack of marks on it, then kipped up to all four hooves. “But I’ll need you to keep Shroud busy.”

“Shroud?” Gympis got magenta eyes on the recovering prince. “The manipulator of that lone changeling! He is here! Does that me-”

“Less talking, more spearheading!” Viscera was already over to check on the stunned Cori, pointing at Shroud’s pilfered chariot and whispering something into Cori’s ear. Three seconds later, two of the vehicle’s front wheels were shrunken and launched by Viscera, turning into full-sized discuses through another spark of the ambassador’s magic. One tore Prince Haze away from the reeling Goldilock, and into the roof of the blacksmith a street over. The second went into the recovered –and afloat – Commander Hel’s back, sending her plummeting into the mouth of the far-too-large well.

At Cori’s whistle, however, Goldilock flew down to meet the ambassador and thief, rather than pursue her shapeshifting nemesis. “Yes, what-” Immediately, the chariot was placed before her, now a two-wheeler.

“Cori told me of the caravan situation while I was busy launching wheels. Take this, head to Sugarcube’s back entrance, and ask for the pony in blankets – then take to the air. Says a pegasus called Thunderlane’s gonna meet the caravan halfway, get ‘em on it.”

“In the middle of a fight, Vis-”

“-That I will not risk reaching that pony, because the flower I sought has been plucked.”

Goldilock, after a moment, slowly nodded. Taking the vehicle, she floated back into the smoke-darkened alleys of Ponyville’s plaza.

Viscera plopped Cori into another abandoned cart full of blankets. “Stay low ‘til I come back with Toxic – we’re gonna make a break for it when Goldi returns, this fire’s the only reason the fight’s contained.”

Cori fitfully nodded. Viscera, however, was soon whisked away by a set of changeling forelegs. Thankfully, their holder was benign. “The Shroud’s extensions prove too elaborate for me to break alone,” Gympis explained, thick gouges in the ground around Shroud a testament to her futile efforts.

Viscera’s eyes swiveled around, then locked on the joke shop as another cluster of tendrils were dodged with a skill from Gympis even Viscera whistled at. “Get me into that shop from the one connected to it then, I’ve another idea,” said the altered pony.

“Why though?”

“Part of it involves Shroud thinking he’s cornered us in one area.”

And through that connecting store the two quadrupeds went, a flurry of tendrils invading every window and door available. With the chase seemingly halted, Haze and Hel still out of action, and Goldilock missing, all that remained for Cori to see in the heart of Ponyville was the dreaded Shadow Pony.

Well, and the snap of a purple pony flashing into existence at Shroud’s side. Even if the horn/wing combo didn’t give away her identity, the lecherous nip at Shroud’s neck would have. “Q-queen Twilight...” mused Prince Shroud, his voice so low and far away Cori could scarcely hear it.

“Couldn’t resist waiting to hear how the return went.” Twilight to a wry look at the leaping flames around the town center, most still untamed. “Need any help?”

“Only the terrain. Some… ponies… decided to play spoiler.” Shroud muttered.

“Gold, dotted with black spots, trying to fly away as we speak?”

“Indeed.” But even Cori’s eyes had locked on to the same target as Twilight’s, a lone pony two miles away and gaining, a carriage in her paws.

“Well, then… And Twilight carefully slid one of her hooves over her left eye. Three seconds later, raw malevolence burst into life before her revealed eye – as well as a thick purple beam that shot across the sky and exploded into Goldilock’s back, sending her and her catch tumbling toward the ground in contrails of smoke, to Cori's horror. “Seems I can do the Promise too,” purred the alicorn.

“Thank you.” Shroud mused over the heinous act. “Only the fires keep me from finishing the job now.”

Another twinkle from Twilight’s horn and the skies rendered, a curtain of rain buffering the flames down. “And your third wish?”

The Shadow Pony Prince’s response was swift. “Toxic and I will think of something.”

“Tomorrow, Dash and I are busy with Luna. Call me again when the other Elements show up then…” And with a shower of stars, the alicorn was gone again. “…my sexy boys.”

Goldilock’s eyes snapped open.

Only seconds after fetching the pony on Viscera’s inquiry – from a courteous and concerned Mrs. Cake – she had taken to the air, knowing speed was of the essence. Even she, however, was surprised by the ground she covered with a heavy chariot in her front paws. And as Viscera had said, the sloping blue Mohawk of a certain familiar pegasus was there –bereft of normal Wonderbolt gear, but who was complaining? Coming to meet her with a chariot being pulled behind him.

He had even possibly been expecting her if his juts of the hoof to her were an indication. It took until an explosion rippled across her back for her to realize Thunderlane may have been pointing behind her instead.

Needless to say, Goldilock was stunned, surprisingly not filled with agony, and shocked at what had happened. Thunderlane had long since vanished, not looking to get seconds and risk losing his caravan too. Goldilock did not blame him. But she would blame herself if the pony tumbling through the air before Goldilock was lost.

Struggling through the air after her, she finally got the pony into her hooves, then – in last-ditch futility – flapped in the air, sure her wings were cinders but forced through habit to attempt it.

And by some higher power’s grace – she refused to specify Celestia this time, the image of her head on her ex-student’s new staff still too fresh in the mind to invoke – her flight restarted. Oh, her wings had taken a severe shearing, but at least they were gliding more than falling – even if was into a pen-surrounded treehouse just outside the city limits.

With a barely whispered cry to her screaming passenger of “BRACE!”, Goldilock and her passenger went through two branches, snapped against a window, then through a thin wooden fence, and tumbled to a stop near one of the chicken coops. the mutated mayor took most of the impact, but as she struggled to her feet, another issue erupted – the sky grew thick with rain and her position in this pen nearly became quicksand to her, struggling through the mud to get their bearings again.

As she did, however, the front door threw itself open, and a muscle-bound minotaur stormed out, head whipping to face the feeble-winged pegasus. “What’s happening while Iron Will is trying to counsel a patient!? The pink pony said there’d be no intruders this tim-”

Immediately, a flash of light heralded the giving up of the gold, as the white pegasus Rappid was visible again, covered in much from head to spine and every feather in between – wait! Even Rappid gagged in amazement at the fully healed wings spread to her sides. But it was overcome by a wave of exhaustion, and within a minute, Iron Will was pulling her out of the muck. “Never mind, Iron Will will see to your recovery! And possibly a return of the sky-high advance Iron Will is getting for helping Fluttershy out of her funk if you can spill the secret of how you did that!”

“Co… considering it.” Rappid, with staggering steps, heaved the pony she had been carrying into Iron Will’s arms. “But yo…you’re gonna need to get this one to Dr. Hooves.”

“Iron Will’s a bit stumped.” The minotaur looked at his new patient. “Not with that doctor, that location is known. But we could look over this one here, and save the tri-”

“Just… got shot out from the sky – I can’t afford to be in the same spot as this pony now, but you need to move ‘em somewhere safe. Hooves… owes me.” Then Rappid’s wings pumped as she took to the sky, a shuddering shimmer of light brought out her golden form again, also pristine despite the fatigue written throughout its owner’s face. “Have to… get my friends… out of the town square.”

“ Iron Will doesn’t normally do favors... But times are far from normal. Should be no more than a quick bound anyway. And the name Iron Will should give to the Doc for when he asks is…”

“Goldi…lock,” the pegasus panted. “Gotta.. get going. Good luck… Iron Will.”

And she was rocketing through the rain-thickened air again. Iron Will took a look back into the cottage behind him, then scooted back to the still-open door and belted out another command.

“Fluttershy! Keep those breathing regimens goin’, and I’ll get that confidence growin’! Iron Will’s got a quick run to make; it looks like the attempts to get you outside’ll have to wait another day!”

“NOW!”

Seeing that Shroud was getting too close to the stand Cori was enclosed in, Viscera and Gympis moved. The pumping rain puttered off the golden changeling’s armor as she threaded through the field of spikes sent her way, Viscera whipping by on a set of makeshift wings fashioned from webs of streamers and candy-cane-styled staffs. It served the purpose, however- Shroud’s attention was too focused on the changeling, and Viscera’s claws hit home, sending the Shadow Pony skidding back towards the edge of the Town Hall.

However, things were getting worse for Viscera and company as Cori burst from the cart she was in. Commander Hel burst out of the well at long last, its last-minute return to normal ensuring she had to bust through the roof.

Nevertheless, she was not the only Royal Guard to return, as Flash Sentry had stumbled back to his hooves and charged at Cori, the Crystal Pony/unicorn only saved by the looping Gympis pushing him back towards Shroud again.

And speeding out of the alleyway between the tea shop and the once-blocked route to the blacksmith was the changeling Prince Haze, snapping jaws sending foam flying and his tirade concluding. “… and then cram both your fucking heads down the blown-out plot of that stupid piss-colored pegasus!”

As if summoned by the barbarous insult, Goldilock flew back in, the four allies now in the crosshairs of two princes and Royal Guards. Ignoring the widened eyes of both Shroud and Cori, the gold pegasus spoke.

“Vis, we need a way out of-”

“Thinking of it, but I was counting on the fires to cover our escape.” Viscera hissed looking to Goldilocks and Cori in order. “Do have one thing that can help, though, but we need some damn coordination.”

“All ears,” said both the mayor and ambassador.

Viscera’s next words were a whisper. “Right. I’m gonna rush ‘em. One second in, Goldi, you run in, cover your eyes, and grab me. Gymps – grab Cori, cover your eyes, move towards me. Second you hear the screams, bank right. Copy?”

Gympis nodded at the once-crimson pony. “But what is it that you will-” And Viscera was already bounding at the four. Following suit, the four royals advanced on her – only for Viscera to drop her form entirely, reach into two pockets on her flanks and throw out a scattering of red diamond chips before her. Gympis and Goldi were moving as expected, but what happened next was pure, luminous chaos.

A series of pops and blinding flashes of light emitted from those scattered chips, and amidst the screams, Goldi finally got a hold of Vis. Turning right, Viscera’s floating claws gained purchase on a set of armor, the shouts of Flash Sentry lost as the three-pony pack turned off down the alley to the left of Ponyville General. Gympis and Cori were a beat behind them, Shroud and Haze’s blind attacks whistling past them as the violent lightshow concluded.

When it did, Flash was crumpled into Hel on the ground, Haze was cursing anew, and Shroud’s head was buried into the pavement, only raised his still ringing head when he heard three pairs of hooves moving towards them. It wasn’t the ponies from before, though.

Shroud’s response was immediate nonetheless. “Queen Twilight. Three of the lesser Elements are here.”

Seven streets away, Goldilock and Gympis released their catch, the four ponies tumbling to the ground in a flurry of limbs. “You… attacked a Royal Guard.” Gympis marveled.

“Yeah, impressions on ‘em started bottoming out fast after the shit I saw earlier.” Viscera finally dropped the golden form, as did Goldilock. “Gotta get off the streets quick. Rappid, you got the pony I gave you safe?”

“… in a way, yes.” The pegasus swayed dangerously on her hooves. “They’re at Dr. Hooves’.”

“What?! I said get that pony to the carav-”

“The Queen showed up!” shouted Cori. “She shot her down!” Even her watering eyes seemed to scan every darkened corner in fear of invoking her by name.

“The caravan left, and I don’t blame them,” added Rappid.

Viscera paled. “Is she alright?“

Cori started unraveling the dress wrapped around her as they turned into another street. “I mean, she’s right here and the back is fine, so-”

“I meant her passenger!”

“Thanks for caring – but yes.” Rappid replied. “These forms are… quite resilient, especially when switching. The wear on the nerves, however…. It scares me.”

“Yeah, lots of stuff in this town are doing that these days.” Viscera took the lead as the turned through the eastern edge of Market Row. “This is why we need to know if company’s coming. Gympis, head back – not in that form! – and see if any of the royals are in pursuit, without being seen yourself. Second you hear enough info, head for the house on the farthest eastern edge of town – a piece of Cori’s dress will be hanging on the doorknob.”

“It will be done.” With a pulse of energy, the changeling was back in black. Some strain followed in her buzzing in the air, but she stayed aloft, heading low to the ground as she buzzed back into the city center.

Gympis arrived unseen on the top of the Ponyville Theater within minutes, just in time to see a purple imprint of a sun insignia flash on the ground between the four disheveled royals and three ponies she recognized as Applejack – “…the high-hatted one.” – Pinkie Pie – “the eccentric one.” – and Rarity. “…No, not the Facesmasher!” shuddered the changing at the recognition of the last pony.

Yet that unseen shudder was mirrored by the three Elements as once again, the purple alicorn flashed into existence in the center of that burning insignia. The rain had stopped several minutes ago, but Gympis could have sworn she saw a fresh deluge of water flush down Pinkie Pie’s face at her arrival. Netted stockings now covered each of the alicorn's limbs, and her eyes flitted between the three other Elements before her, diluting as if wondering which would be breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Rarity’s shudder as they moved past her could have snapped a lesser unicorn’s spine.

"Twilight!” Applejack was the first to respond. “What have you done to Celestia?!”

“Here’s a hint!” And Twilight closed her malice-shining eyes. A second later, it was afternoon once again in Equestria, the sun rising in all its reddened glory right about the malevolent mare. Applejack’s eyes bugged out to the size of saucers. Rarity would have fainted straight on the ground had Pinkie Pie not raced to catch her.

Three seconds later, the blazing orb was shuttled off into the horizon, the indigo curtain of night taking precedence once more. “Moonslut’s all that’s left.”

“W-wait…” Pinkie Pie stammered out. “You mean that Princess Luna’s… okay?”

Twilight’s eyes narrowed at the perturbed party pony. “Hello to you too, Pinkie. Nice to still know that if I stuffed your brain into that overdue boot-liner of a pet you have, it’d crawl backward.”

Almost as if summoned by the insult, Gummy popped out from behind Pinkie’s tail, hissed at Twilight, then disappeared back inside its poofy nest.

“And consider this the last time I repeat myself. There’s only one Princess in Canterlot right now, and she’s warming up in Luna to cope with not being in me right now, so make with the bowing.”

Rarity was startled awake by the demand, hooves flying to her chest in shock. Applejack chose a more verbal response, and if words could burn, the Stetson pulled low over her face would be smoking right now. “Not after what those two next to you did to my family.”

“Raise its average I.Q. by two fucking points?” hissed Prince Haze.

Shroud’s reply came as a cruel din. “Other than the ones we crammed into the redhead.”

Rarity’s response was the only thing keeping the vein-strained Applejack from lunging at the sinister Shadow Pony. “Fiends! FIENDS! You have some nerve -”

“That is no way to talk to my sexy boys, Rarity.” With a twinkle of magical sparks flying from her horn being the only warning, the fashionista was forced from Pinkie’s grasp and into the ground on all fours, her forehooves splitting open from three mini-fractures from the force.

“And I said no repeating myself, now fucking follow this bitch’s lead or follow Sweetie Belle’s!”

With what looked like restraint that a dam couldn’t match, Applejack knelt to one knee, using her other free hoof to try and comfort the shaking Element of Generosity. Pinkie after a short spell of failing to keep from sobbing, followed suit. “Need a quick laugh, Creampie? Ask my former number one assistant how natural a position this is for Rarity now.” Rarity’s eyes flashed up to meet Queen Twilight’s in silent rage – before she buried it in one of her arms instead.

“W-what is your problem?!” Applejack’s voice should have been louder, but her head’s positioning meant most of its bite went into the paving stones beneath her. “Declaring yourself a queen? Violating Celestia and Luna E….everything about the damn Ponyville Massacre!”

“That reminds me – tell that wretched mayor to catch me on my good side next time.”

“Come again?!” yelled Applejack.

“In a minute, don’t you rush me.”

“Y-you MONSTER!” Rarity, despite the visible rivulets of blood pooling from her forehooves, rose to her back legs and charged the queen. However, barely five paces from her, she was suddenly bolted back into Pinkie's arms by a field of shimmering green, Prince Haze’s horn alight.

“Mmm, there we go! One of the vanishingly few reasons I like that you’ve stayed alive!” chirped Queen Twilight. “The unexpected, generous bouts of flattery you show. A pity Blueblood didn’t hit it first – or that you didn’t hit him harder. But yes, I am a monster. The one Equestria deserves. And a far, proud, cry from being the patsy Equestria needed. ” The word patsy fell from Twilight’s lips with the same venom as if it were the word tapeworm.

“Damn it Twilight, that’s the Amulet talking!” Applejack tensed back, her teeth bared in a scowl. “We're supposed to be your friends, not these two scumbags!”

“Seriously, Twilight, can I at least rape Rarity?” Prince Haze couldn’t keep the rage out of his voice this time. “As a treat?”

“Now now, my lovely Prince, we have plenty of Rarity at home.” Sparkle tossed back her mane. “Besides, I gave you and Shroud presents for taking time to visit Ponyville.”

“On that front… ” came the monotonous drawl of Shroud. “We were delayed. By the same gold ponies you saw earlier.”

“Yes, you called me on that front an-” Twilight went stock-still for a second. “Time out. Shroud, are you telling me one survived being shot down?”

“And escaped. Possibly out of the city.”

Twilight’s brow knit. ”Change of plans then. Shroud and Haze will be back here tomorrow, then. They’ll be on business again, so I expect this town to stay intact and everyone in it to know their place by then. Meanwhile, I'll plan for this new… menace, and trust you lot to keep clear of them yourself.” Another slow smirk crossed her face. “Or, since you’ve got the collective sense of sawdust..." Suddenly a pop of sparks brought forth Owlowiscious before the three ponies. “… how about a visual aid?”

A line of energy plunged into the avian’s body, and to Pinkie’s horror in particular, started swelling up in a fashion Twilight had once employed on a different her… a lifetime ago. “Oh hey, look at the birdie!”

Then the assistant popped. Not with sparkles this time, however, as the three ponies before Queen Twilight were treated to flecks of blood and bones stabbing into the ground before them in a fan of gore. It took Pinkie shoving them both to the ground to keep the spray from fully reaching them.

“What was that all about – Twilight, why?”

A way-too-light chuckle erupted from the mad queen’s lips. “Because the first thing I wanted to do when I returned to you was to show you all what we never were.”

“Friends?” hissed Applejack.

“No. Equals. See, with this new management change comes new orders, which I and my sexy boys will enforce over the next few weeks. That being pecking order. You three –and wherever that mewling idiot Fluttershy is – are somehow not cocksleeve-worthy. But the reason I released all of Canterlot’s prisoners today – you know, after having them spunk-polish this for me…”

And a shriek erupted from Rarity as Celestia was finally revealed to them, everything below the neckline replaced by a shimmering rod of gold. “…is to show that even they’re gonna get a second chance before you four do. As I certainly know Commander Hel of Shroud’s new Arcane Guard has gotten, haven’t you?” The malicious grin from the tufted-eared mare spoke volumes.

Twilight pointed at each pony in turn with her netting-sheathed forehoof. “You all, however, only live ony my terms now. I am the sole goddess of this land of intellectual lepers and Pinkie is a psychedelic retard. I am the only alicorn that matters and Rarislut is Spike’s sloppy seconds.“ Ignoring the body-wracking gasp that came from Rarity, the Queen's last barb was at the Element of Honesty. “I am the slayer of the proto-whore Celestia, and you like eating apples.”

Before Applejack could speak, Twilight flapped her wings and settled in between Shroud and Haze, and each a soul-searing kiss that sent Pinkie’s hooves flying to her mouth in horror. “So get this stupid village running, and hope these princes’ second visit isn’t disturbed by you or anyone near you.”

Twilight and the four royals were gone with a final missive. “After all, there are already two pits still in the middle of my town. The mayor would surely hate for there to be six.”

Silence reigned. Even Gympis shifted uncomfortably on her high perch before Pinkie Pie responded. “W…what do we do?”

Applejack turned to her. The haunted look in her eyes sank them deep into her face, and even Pinkie wilted further at the sight. “Ah don’t know… ” came the low rumble of her voice. “But Ah’m not doing it here.”

“B...but… Applejack!” Pinkie shrieked, clashing onto her forehoof as she turned to leave, Rarity still a sobbing mess on the floor. “We have to find some way to s… to stop this! W-we’re the Elements of Harmony!”

Only two words came back, and it sent her to her knees. “We were.” Then Applejack was back around the corner guttering out toward Sugarcube and was gone. Rarity was the second to leave, a soft whimper erupting every time one of her damaged forehooves touched the ground. Gympis was back in the air and off to the east by the time Pinkie, all alone, reached back in her mane and yanked out the same-colored ribbon elaborately threaded through it, her poofy locks finally unsettling and drooping around her face in a curtain. Slowly, she gave the area that once held Applejack one last somber look, and then plodded off toward Sugarcube, hooves catching slightly in the muddied, pitted ground.

It took five more minutes –and the silencing of a pearl of shock from Cori when the sun inexplicably rose over the smoking but mostly intact Ponyville – before Viscera and the others reached the Hooves home. Gympis had still not returned, but Rappid comforted the ambassador with the all too obvious tell that if she had been caught, the fight she gave would have been seen. Viscera was only half-listening, however, until they got up to and rapped on the door.

“For the last time, Will, the help Derpy needs is more than just some book or semi-” The stress-worn face of Dr. Hooves filled the crack in the door, only to brighten when he saw the cerulean-sheered unicorn. “Cori! A Crystal Empire envoy! Let me get the door – who are you traveling with?”

Over the sliding of bolts and turning of keys, Rappid gave the reply. “A firefighting friend… and the one you owe a favor to.”

The clicks stopped for a second. After Vis raised an eyebrow, it resumed with fervor, and the door opened slowly. Dr. Hooves was in the warm glow of the living room, and he was alone. “I see. Will told me of that too. The one he sent me is… downstairs in the basement. Okay… at least on the outside.”

“Was gonna tell this to the mayor when we returned to camp, but I guess you’ll do, doc.”

Both Cori and Rappid turned. Viscera, uncharacteristically silent until now, finally raised her green eyes to meet Hooves’.

“Room for four more?”

Author's Note

Right, so.

Biggest project yet, and it is on a story like this.

I've a blog post incoming to explain more, but just know there is much to come - in fact, my biggest regret for this chapter was not spending more time fleshing out Flash Sentry.

Several misconceptions are had by the OCs, too - ones about to be met with grim reality.

Check out the map, too - there's gonna be a log of the routes Vis and company take on each Equestrian town I can find, I really want to show my work for this project.

Till the next chap, chaps.

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