Carnation

“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!”